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SCUTTLEBUTT 1930 -- September 23, 2005Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus.IT'S OVER Not since the early days of the Rolex International Women's Keelboat Regatta when Betsy Alison began her streak of five wins has this regatta seen a performance from one sailor and her team as has been witnessed this week in Annapolis. Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wis.) and her Team 7 crew clinched the title at the conclusion of today's racing on Chesapeake Bay with one day --and one race-- to spare. With a scoreline totaling 14 points in 10 races, Barkow topped a 42-boat fleet stocked with impressive competitors such as Cory Sertl (Rochester, N.Y.) and Jody Swanson (Buffalo, N.Y.), both noted as a Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, who are currently in second and third-place, respectively. Two races were held today on Chesapeake Bay by host Annapolis Yacht Club. Barkow's crew is the same as her Yngling team - Carrie Howe and Debbie Capozzi - with the addition of Annie Lush. All four won the 2003 Rolex IWKC title. Barkow and crew will sit out the final race and let the rest of the fleet enjoy themselves. After devoting the past two years to full-time sailing with the goal of earning a berth for the 2008 Olympic Games, Barkow explained that she needs the rest. Sertl, who is in second-place overall, also appears to be able to sit out tomorrow's race. "The way we figured it, we don't think we have to sail tomorrow, but we'll make that decision in the morning," she said noting that Carol Cronin (Jamestown, R.I.), currently in fourth-place overall, might be awarded redress by the jury for picking up a crew person who had fallen overboard, changing her fifth-place finish in today's last race. Sertl is sailing with Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Pease Glaser, Dina Kowalyshyn and Suzy Leach. The regatta continues through Friday, with one final race planned. -- www.ussailing.org/riwkc Note: Sally Barkow, the new Rolex International Women's Keelboat Champion will be on camera along with Tucker Thompson covering the event's final race on www.t2p.tv! Standings: 1. Sally Barkow, USA, 3-1-1-2-1-3-1-1-1-[10], 14 points 2. Cory Sertl, 1-[9]-2-9-3-7-2-6-7-1, 38 3. Jody Swanson, USA, 2-2-[17]-4-5-4-10-7-9-3, 46 4. Carol Cronin, USA, 6-6-6-[11]-2-8-9-2-6-5, 50 5. Sharon Ferris, NZL, 7-11-3-1-6-2-8-14-[15]-4, 56 Curmudgeon Comment: I suspect this removes any questions as to who will be the USA's 2005 Rolex Yachtswomen of the Year. GIPSY MOTH IV FLIES THE FLAG OF ADVENTURE AGAIN A scratchy black-and-white childhood memory resolved into glorious colour as Gipsy Moth IV turned its bows at the Isle of Dogs down Blackwall Reach. Ahead, Greenwich Naval College came into view. On July 7, 1967, on the steps in front of Wren's beautiful buildings, the Queen knighted Francis Chichester with the same sword presented by Elizabeth I to Francis Drake. I was aboard Gipsy Moth as it made its first voyage up the Thames since that day 38 years ago. At Greenwich on Sept 7, the Princess Royal re-dedicated the newly restored Gipsy Moth IV, acknowledging a yacht saved from an undignified decline in the concrete sarcophagus that was its home for four decades alongside the Cutty Sark. Now this superlative yacht will leave from Plymouth on Sunday, just as Chichester had done, for a second circumnavigation. Instead of a crew of one, Gipsy Moth will be crewed by a group of deserving youngsters on a 28-stop voyage around the world. Even for those with no interest in sailing and the sea during the Sixties there was Chichester. Crowds numbering half a million greeted him in Plymouth on his return. He might have been a gentleman adventurer, with the good fortune to have had his yacht built at no expense spared by his friend Lord Dulverton, but the public embraced the idea of what Chichester set out to achieve. Leaving Plymouth on Aug 27, 1966, and returning on May 28, 1967, after one stop in Sydney, Chichester went around the world twice as fast as any yacht before and more than doubled the longest non-stop passage by a singlehander. Proving that one person could sail 15,000 miles (London to Sydney) meant that a 28,000-mile non-stop circumnavigation was feasible. A yacht could do what only ships had done before. So followed Knox-Johnston, Alec Rose, Chay Blyth, Naomi James, Pete Goss, Mike Golding, Ellen MacArthur and many more. -- Excerpts from a story by Tim Jeffery, the telegraph, full story: http://tinyurl.com/duxhq ALL ABOARD One of the unique aspects of the Trapani Louis Vuitton Acts is the living accommodations for the extended America's Cup 'family' that comes to each event. Each team is much more than the 17 sailors on board the racing boat. There are designers, shore crew, management and administration, among many others. And for many of these people, family is along for the month in Sicily as well. In all, a Louis Vuitton Act will bring in over 1000 people directly associated with the organisers and sailing teams, to say nothing of the VIPs, sponsors and guests and journalists …and they all have to stay somewhere. Trapani, as a town of just over 60 000 people, doesn't have the volume of accommodation needed for an event of this scale. The solution? Two medium-sized cruise ships, one for teams and regatta officials, the other for the event organisers, some media, and guests of the city. Immediately dubbed the 'Love Boats' by those assigned to life on board (in tribute to the late 70's television show), the two ships have most of the comforts of an hotel, albeit on a much smaller scale. However, for those staying aboard during the course of the Trapani Louis Vuitton Acts, the ships will simply be a bunk and shower, the daily schedule for most involved in the event precludes extended use of the shuffleboard courts and foosball tables! -- America's Cup website, full story: http://tinyurl.com/cb8up NEW ERA BEGINS This weekend at Crissy Field, the worldwide debut regatta for the new Olympic one-design windsurfing class, The RS:X, is taking place. The RS:X Windsurfing Pacific Coast Championship is being hosted and run by The Saint Francis Yacht Club. 45 top competitors from around the world will go head to head out on the Bay, many with Olympic aspirations, and most for their first time on this brand new equipment. Be sure to come down to the beach at Crissy Field and check out the future medalists in action. Among the world-class fleet heading to San Francisco is Gal Fridman, the current Windsurfing Gold Medalist from Israel. Gal's victory in Athens 2004 was the first-ever gold medal in any sport for the State of Israel. Other notable athletes include the 'number-one' professional windsurfers from Brazil (Wilhelm Shurmann) and Canada (Sam Ireland). Numerous past and present Olympic windsurfing contenders from a variety of countries will be competing. As well, many locally based racers will also be vying for trophies: The Bay Area is home to the largest and most highly rated competitive windsurfing fleet in the US. Also. traveling to StFYC to race are the three very best US junior windsurfers. -- Bill Weir, www.stfyc.org GET A GRIP ON FALL Just because the summer is ending doesn't mean you have to put away your Sperry Top-Siders®. The brand that you love and trust for summer now keeps you in step with fall with the new Mako Lug Collection, rugged, nautically inspired footwear for land or sea. Their unique lugged siped outsoles provide the surefooted grip you expect from Sperry Top-Sider, with added traction for mud or snow. Available in an Oxford or boot in rich browns, blacks and tans, the Mako Lug Collection is perfect for fall fashions. Suggested retail price is $79.95 to $89.95. http://www.sperrytopsider.com/mens_nautical.asp THE RANKINGS Ed Baird must be shaking his head. A week ago he lost the Match Racing World Championships to James Spithill. And then yesterday the new ISAF World Match Racing Rankings were published and Baird (USA) has moved up into first place on the Open Rankings -- way ahead of the James Spithill (AUS), who is ranked eighth. Peter Gilmour(AUS) slid off the top spot into the second, followed by Russell Coutts (NZL), Mathieu Richard (FRA)and Paoll Cian (ITA). Claire Leroy (FRA) holds on to her number one Women's spot for the fifth consecutive Rankings release. She is followed by Marie Bjorling (SWE) and Nina Braestrup (DEN). Sally Barkow's (USA) recent win at the ISAF St. Quay Women Match Racing in France helped her climbs up ten places to number seven, although she is still counting one event fewer than the majority of the sailors around her. -- Complete rankings: http://www.sailing.org/matchrace/mrranking.asp A GATHERING OF THE EAGLES Porto Rotondo, Sardinia, Italy -- Rain and light unstable winds were the order of the day at the Breitling MEDCUP racing for the TP 52 Class. There were two races on Thursday and the winner of the day with a 1-2 was Pisco Sour, a Chilean vessel is owned by Cousiño, Matte and Orlyi and has Italian Vasco Vascotto at the helm. This team is currently leading the standings for both the regatta and for the MedCup TP52 curcuit. Caixa Galicia, with John Kostecki as tactician, had a 1-3 to move into third place in the regatta --with the Russell Coutts-driven Lexus/Quantum still in second place in the regatta and the MedCup TP52 curcuit. Bribon driven by King Juan Carlos confirmed her position as leader in the Corinthian Class. -- www.medcup.org SPECTATOR SPORT Sailing's equivalent of World Cup soccer will arrive in Newport, R.I. later this week embodied by eleven countries doing battle for the 2005 Grey Goose ISAF (International Sailing Federation) Team Racing World Championship. Like the fast-action stadium sport, this sailing event is geared to please spectators who will be able to watch from shore. Spectators can catch the action from Goat Island where bleachers will be set up north of the Hyatt Regency Newport Hotel and Spa. Color-coded sails and commentary, courtesy of Tufts University sailing coach Ken Legler, will aid observers in following the progress of each team, including the defending champions -- Team Whishbone -- from the U.S.A. This is the sixth time since 1995 that this biennial world championship has been held and only its second time in the U.S.A. New York Yacht Club will host the championship from September 24-October 1, at its Harbour Court clubhouse. Competing will be two teams each from Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand and the U.S.A., and one team each from Canada, the Czech Republic, India, Italy, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. racing begins on Monday, September 26, with upward of 400 races expected to be held before the teams who will move into the finals on October 1 are determined. NEWS BRIEFS * World class match race sailing is coming back to Auckland. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has announced it will host the Auckland match racing cup in late January. It is expected to attract world class skippers like Dean Barker along with other top names like Russell Coutts and Peter Gilmour. This represents the reinstatement of a regatta that started in 1979 but was overshadowed from 2003 by the America's Cup defence. Commodore of the squadron David Charlesworth says the previous events lifted the standard of yachting in New Zealand and gave the country a reputation for match racing. -- http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=80730 * Larchmont, New York - Jonathan Pope (Buzzards Bay Fleet) wins big again this year at the 40th Annual Shields Nationals held at the Larchmont Yacht Club. Pope with his crew of Jared Schmidek, Brooke Hamilton, Charlie VanVoorhis, and Davis Sanford placed consistent finishes throughout the series to secure yet another win. Larchmont local favorite, Kurt Weisenfluh and Com Crocker placed 2nd, with Bill Berry placing 3rd. Wind conditions ranged from 4-18 knots throughout the 3 days of racing. Complete results are posted at http://www.shieldsclass.com * On the BMW Oracle Racing blogsite Tom Ehman has post some incredible aerial photos by ACM's Christophe Martin of 'Port America's Cp' in Valencia. You really should see what's going on there. http://bmworacleracing.twoday.net/ * The 37th Annual (19' O'Day) Mariner National Championship Regatta was held Sept.16-18 at the Riverton Yacht Club on the Delaware River just north of Philadelphia, PA. 22 boats sailed 6 races in light, variable air with strong river current being an important factor. Richard Martin (Riverton, NJ) with his young son Tommy won the regatta with consistent finish. Eric Joesten ( Voorhees, NJ) representing Surf City Yacht Club skippering in his first Mariner Nationals with crew Newt Wattis finished 2nd with the championship decided in the last race. Dave Oldham (Riverton, NJ), with his son Dave crewing, finished third. -- http://usmariner.org/2005Results.htm * At the end of the first day of the Line 7 Australian Women's Match Racing Championship, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club's defending team has taken the lead by one point. Skipper Nicky Souter, who is presently placed 10th in the ISAF World Match Racing rankings, leads by one point from the RPAYC's Katie Spithill and Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron dual Olympian Nicky Bethwaite. However Katie Spithill has an opportunity to finish level with Souter at the end of the first round robin when one of the races is re-sailed tomorrow morning after a a red flag protest was upheld. -- http://www.cyca.com.au/editorial.asp?key=1937 * On Thursday at the Ocean BMW Melges 24 European Championship the wind never built beyond 12 knots as the teams battled shifts and tides. Andrea Racchelli, sailing Altea, has now moved into the lead with 55 points while Gabrio Zandona, helming Joe Fly for Giovanni Maspero, has just 56 points. Stuart Rix, helming Gill for Quentin Strauss, has dropped down into third on 62 points whilst Alba Batzill, sailing for Eddy Eich aboard No Woman No Cry, moves up into fourth and continues to lead the Corinthian Division with 72 points. Friday's final race will decide the winner. -- www.melges24.com * The 40th Anniversary Shields National Championships were held at Larchmont Yacht Club from Sept. 15-17th. The first day saw light winds and only one race. Day 2 saw the passing effect of Hurricane Ophelia and 3 races were held in a stiff Easterly breeze. By Day 3 Jonathon Pope of the Beverly Yacht Club in Marion Mass had a commanding lead and was able to hold on to win the National Championship without sailing the fifth and final race. Second place went to Bill Berry who won the tie-breaker fom Kurt Weisenfluh/ Com Crocker. -- http://www.larchmontyc.org/Race_Committee/2005_SHNAT_RST.pdf VANGUARD SAILBOATS IS GIVING AWAY FREE GEAR Here's how to get the gear: Purchase and take delivery of a Laser 4.7, Radial, Laser, Laser II, Pico, Sunfish, Vanguard 15, Zuma, Nomad, or Vector from now until December 31st and receive your choice of a Seitech Dolly, Storm Covers or a Magic Marine Sailing Gear package with your purchase. As an added bonus, purchase and take delivery of your new Vanguard sailboat before October 31st and also receive a padded blade bag. For more details and/or to find your local Vanguard dealer, call 1-800-966-SAIL or go to http://www.teamvanguard.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. This is neither a chat room nor a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. And please save your bashing, and personal attacks for elsewhere.) * From H.L. DeVore: I am what I consider a "normal" reader of Scuttlebutt. I can't read the entire thing everyday, but I do try and skim it for items of interest. I have noticed the "debate" or "thread" that occasionally pops up over the years about the popularity of our sport and it's coverage in the 'popular press' and television. I can tell you Unequlilvocally that there is no better thing for our sport than to first make certain that the competitors, their friends and relatives and children get excitement from watching...the general public may or may not come later... I have 4 children, ages 5, 6, 6 and 7...the other evening I came home from racing in the Shields Nationals at Larchmont Yacht Club to find all four of my children sitting on the kitchen counter completely engrossed in watching the Shields Nationals on T2P.tv on my wife's computer. They refused to go to bed until the show was over. I personally spearheaded hiring T2P.tv's Bruce Nairn and Tucker Thompson for Larchmont's NOOD regatta and the Shields Nationals because I had seen their work and knew immediately that it was a fantastic addition to the sport. I am surprised to see your lead story today on the Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship with no mention of the fact that you can watch the action on T2P.tv!? Correct this oversight for the good of our sport! * From Rod Tek: Just for clarification to Bruce. Munro's note about San Francisco not being unusually hot or prone to light air this summer. The high winds and cold enjoyed at the 29er and 470 Worlds in San Francisco are directly attributable to unusually hot light air conditions inland of the bay area. This thermal effect during the summer is exactly the cause of the high winds, cold, and fog that SF sailing is known for. The hotter it gets…the more it blows! * From Howard Macken: Yes Bruce, but as you well know, it was beceause it was HOT in the Central Valley, And as we all know it doesn't blow in the Bay, the valley sucks! From Tom Tullius: Another data point on global warming, from Buzzards Bay: The Quissett Yacht Club's July and August Saturday series (for Herreshoff 12 1/2s) experienced much lighter air than usual this summer, and almost none of the "smoky sou'westers" that we are used to as a regular feature of Buzzards Bay sailing. I was glad we had our new lightweight spinnaker sheets! * From Mike & Bobbi Warren:I don't know how to express our sadness upon hearing of the passing of Captain Lane Briggs. We were just two of the many cruisers that passed briefly through Lane's life, but yet we felt as though we were the best and warmest of friends. Lane set a model for us of how to enjoy life, and pass that enjoyment on to others, lessons we try to follow every day. He also gave us some of the best of our stories to share with others. Just one is when Lane brought the Norfolk Rebel to Newport a few years back at the time of the match race between the restored Shamrock V and Endeavour, two of the remaining J-class boats that raced in the Americas Cup. We sailed out with him to Brenton Reef to watch the spectacle. When we found the waters to be very crowded with spectator boast of all sizes, with collisions and near collisions all around us, Lane sent a crew member to the bow to shout out "Steel Boat, No Insurance". The fleet respectfully parted, and we had an unobstructed view of a grand match race. Thanks, Lane, for the example and the stories. CURMUDGEON'S OXYMORON State worker |
