SCUTTLEBUTT #382 - August 23, 1999
COTTONFIELD CUP
Jesper Bank of Denmark won the Cottonfield ISAF Match Racing World
Championships, defeating Frenchman Bertrand Pace 1 - 0 in the final. Bank,
a double Olympic medallist had defeated the defending champion, and world
number one, Peter Gilmour of Australia, 3 - 0 in the semi-final. Bertrand
Pace, who will skipper one of the French challenges at the America's Cup in
Auckland, had a similarly convincing victory over another Dane, Sten Mohr
in the other semi-final.
Both Bank and Pace had held 2 - 0 leads overnight, and in the 5 to 8 knot
breeze this morning, had little trouble in completing their demolition of
the opposition. As a huge crowd gathered on the seawall at Skovshoved
Harbour, to cheer on their local hero, the already light breeze faded,
causing delay after delay. Thousands of Danes, who had come by every
conceivable form of transport, including boat, car, bicycle and
rollerblade, were amazingly patient and good natured as they waited for the
final. Even brief showers during a mostly sunny day did not dampen their
enthusiasm.
With a time limit of 4 pm set as the latest for a start, the French were
hoping the wind would stay away, as if the final could not be sailed, they
would win on a countback. Eventually, after several false attempts to set a
course, the race officer managed to get a start with just two minutes to
spare before the deadline.
Despite the light winds, the pre-start jousting was aggressive, with the
Dane managing to force the Frenchman into an infringement. Pace eventually
got a marginally better start, but Bank picked up his own private breeze,
and sailed around the outside of his rival, until he could tack and cross
ahead. By the first mark the home team had an eleven-second advantage, and
the French still had a penalty to do, while the crowds ashore were getting
revved up.
When Jesper Bank and his crew eventually took the winning gun and the
title, the excitement on the seawall was at fever pitch, Danes love their
sport, especially when their team is winning. Although the final was
severely curtailed from the scheduled best of five race series, to a one
race shoot-out, the crowds were happy, and the long frustrating wait was
forgotten. - John Roberson
RESULTS: 1. Jesper Bank (Denmark) 2. Bertrand Pace (France) 3. Peter
Gilmour (Australia) 4. Sten Mohr (Denmark) 5. Magnus Holmberg (Sweden) 6.
Marcus Wieser (Germany) 7. Dean Barker (New Zealand) 8. Chris Law (Britain)
9. Morten Henriksen (Denmark) 10. Jochen Schumann (Germany)
SCHOCK 35 NATIONALS
Who said lightening doesn't strike in the same place twice? For the second
year in a row, Alex Benson's Ricochet went into the last race of the Schock
35 Nationals leading the regatta and for the second year in a row
Ricochet came out the 'bridesmaid.' This time was even closer than last
year. This time Benson tied for the crown, but lost the tiebreaker to
Dennis and Sharon's Case's Wings from San Diego YC.
A request for redress in the third race of the seven race, no throwout
series proved to be a key to the Case's win. Wings claimed prejudice for a
procedural race committee error, and was awarded 'average points'. So
instead of eating a sixth place they scored in that race, Wings was awarded
their average points for the other six races -- which worked out to be four
points. And that gave Sharon and Dennis Case their second Schock 35
championship.
Benson has now finished second in the Schock 35 championship three times
without winning it. This ties him with the late Jimmie Morris for that
dubious distinction.
Dick Schmidt and Gwen Gordon's Outlier lead the California YC hosted
regatta for the first two days of the event. These three-time class
champions reveled in the 9-16 knots of breeze on Friday and Saturday. But
the wind turned light on Sunday and Outlier stumbled to a pair of double
digit finished in the 19-boat fleet. This dropped them into fourth place
behind Carolyn Hardy's Mischief, steered by Mike Pinckney.
Final Results: 1. Wings, Sharon and Dennis Case (27) 2. Ricochet, Alex
Benson (27) 3. Mischief, Carolyn Hardy / Nike Pinckney (35) 4. Outlier,
Dick Schmidt & Gwen Gordon (36) %. Piranha, Dave Voss (41) 6. Whistler,
Claudia Wainer / Pete Johnstone (42) 7. White Fang, Don Adams (57) 8.
Absolute, Ray and Susan Beckett (60).
Compete results: http://www.calyachtclub.com/RaceResults/Series17.htm
BEMIS/SMYTHE TROPHY REGATTA
Kaneohe Yacht Club, Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawaii -- FINAL RESULTS, Symthe Trophy:
1. Area H, Lewis, Andrew (11) 2. Areas J, Brown, Steve (18) 3. Area C,
Johnson, Clay (31) 4. Area J, Lake, Bryan (37) 5. Area B, Baranaskas, B
(61); Bemis Trophy: 1. Area K, hompson, Evan /Hitchins, Pat (17 points) 2.
Area J, Hogan, Scott /Halvorsen, Amy (20) 3. Area H, Kerr, Jack /Leede,
Nicholas (41.6) 4. Area G, Schmidt, Andy /Clausen, Katie (49) 5. Area H,
Cervantes, Mike /Creps, Ethan (63)
Complete results: http://www.hawaii.rr.com/smythe-bemis/
A GOOD SUMMER
The deeper we get into the summer the more class winners emerge with Ullman
Sails. The latest is Dennis Case's win in the competitive Schock 35 class.
And the top two boats in the Lido 14 class championship had complete
inventories of Ullman Sails -- three of the top four. Big boats / small
boat, keelboats / dinghies -- it doesn't seem to make much difference.
Ullman Sails are kicking butt on the West Coast's ULDB 70 circuit and won
the Around Alone Race. Maybe it's time you too found out why:
http://www.ullmansails.com/
SWAN AMERICAN RACE WEEK
NEWPORT, RI, AUGUST 21, 1999--Herbert Schwartz skippered his Swan 44 MK II
Wenden to first in Division G in the final race of Swan American Race Week
here today. The Riverside, CT skipper clinched an overall division victory
and won the Asprey and Garrard Perpetual Trophy for the overall event
winner. Wenden took the gun in the division for boats under 45 feet on a
cold, gray afternoon in Newport Harbor as the fleet of 42 Swans completed a
fast 17.5- mile circumnavigation of Conanicut Island.
The perpetual trophy went to the boat with the lowest point score for the
week. Edward Asprey, a director of the 218-year-old London firm of
jewellers, goldsmiths and silversmiths, was on hand to present the $14,000
sterling silver claret jug to Schwartz.
Second place overall in fleet went to Graham Smith, from Seattle, WA,
sailing his Swan 48 Vellamo. Smith was leading on points after three days
of racing, only to see Schwartz move into a narrow lead on Day Four after
the fleet completed six races and were permitted to discard their
worst-scoring race. Wenden moved up from third to first after discarding a
12th place to lead Vellamo by just two points going into the final race. --
Keith Taylor
Final Results: F DIVISION (Boats over 45-feet) -- 1. Vellamo, W. Graham
Smith, Swan 48, Seattle, WA (2-1-4-[8]-3-1-3), 14; 2. Odyssey, David
Brodsky, Swan 55, Newport, RI (1-3-[15]-2-10-5-2), 23; 3. Nefertiti, Bob
Schwager, Swan 46, New York, NY (4-4-8-1-[9]-6-1), 24; 4. Neva, Robert C.
Watson, Swan 56, New York, NY (6.5-7-2-[12]-2-2-12), 31.5; 5. Mensae,
Erling Kristiansen, Swan 56, Huntington, NY (3-[22]-5-11-4-4-10), 37
G DIVISION (boats under 45 feet) -- 1. Wenden, Herbert Schwartz, Swan 44 Mk
II, Riverside, CT (3-2-1-[12]-1-2-1) 10; 2. Crescendo, Martin D. Jacobson,
Swan 44 Mk II, Jamestown, RI (4-1-3-4-2-1-[5]), 15; 3. Carpe Diem, Michael
Fracchia, Swan 391, Miller Place, NY (1-4.5-5-2-3-3-[6]), 18.5 4. The Ugly
Duckling, Frederic Joyce, Swan S&S 44, Utica, NY (6-3-[9]-1-6-9-3) 28; 5.
Alibi, Bill Breck, Greenwich, CT (2-6-[10]-9-5-8-2)
AMERICA'S CUP
Providence, R.I. (August 19)-Team Dennis Conner of San Diego, Calif., today
unveiled its cutting edge Cyber-Compound for Stars & Stripes' America's Cup
Challenge 2000. The Web site showcases the state of the art real-time 3D
sailing simulator game VirtualCupTM, which simulates a real-time America's
Cup match race with all of the America's Cup rules, including weather and
environmental changes that will require strategic sailing to beat one's
opponent. In addition, the VirtualCup game features multi-player
capability that allows competitors to match race against anyone who logs on
from the Internet.
"The VirtualCup sailing simulator game allows sailors and non-sailors the
opportunity to sail on an International America's Cup Class (IACC) yacht
without leaving their PC. Experienced sailors will be excited about the
technical aspects of the game while novices can learn and experience
sailing from a unique perspective," said Jonathan Brown, president of
Temple Games, Inc., the Providence, R.I., firm that developed VirtualCup
and has licensed its proprietary game technology to Team Dennis Conner.
Team Dennis Conner's Web site also features intriguing stories and photos,
an online official team gear store, up-to-date news and press releases and
historical overviews about Team Dennis Conner and the 148-year-old
America's Cup. After racing gets underway in October, the Web site will be
updated daily with official race results, photographs and videos. -- Shannon
Weisleder
Team Dennis Conner: http://www.stars-stripes.com
Temple Games: http://www.templegames.com
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON
Letters selected to be printed are routinely edited for clarity, space (250
words max) or to exclude personal attacks.
-- From John Roberson -- It seems that Paul Elvstrom's idea of allowing
competitors to hit marks isn't quite as new as it may appear, we have heard
from both Bob Fisher and Eddie Warden Owen about England's Ultra 30
circuit. Eddie Warden Owen, who now runs this circuit said, "I am surprised
you are not aware that the high profile Ultra 30 fleet, whose racing is
shown on BBC TV and on satellite channels all over the world, have allowed
the hitting of marks for the last ten years. The skippers are also aware
that hitting the marks puts them perilously close to catching the anchor
warp and this is very slow!!"
Of course both Bob Fisher and Harold Cudmore have experienced the ultimate
penalty for hitting a mark, they have sunk boats after hitting the Isle of
Wight when it has been a mark of the course.
-- From Dan Phelps - Viper 640 Class Secretary- (Regarding 'Butt #381) - It
is an interesting idea that Paul Elvstrom has about being able to come in
contact with marks at roundings. When they first did it with skiing, using
now common break-a-way gates, a whole host of innovations followed. Of
course, in skiing, there is only one person flattening the gates, while in
sailing, a group of boats could make the "bid for the inside line" more
aggressive than ever. The other quandry would be the advantage of
asymmetricals to use their poles to "bat" down the marks. Ain't the 'Butt
just grand for stirring things up!
-- From Brad Kellett -- I agree with Chris Welch in 'Butt 381. I am a
23-year old who did my first three Sydney to Hobart's with my father
starting age 16. This was the best ocean racing thing of my now short short
career. The 18-year old cut off for the Hobart race is fair enough, but if
you are under 18 and your father/mother is onboard, well I say let the kid
go. I am currently trying out for the Young Australia 2000 America's Cup
crew. I would not be in the position I am in at the moment if it was not
for the years of ocean racing experience (when I was young), I gained
through sailing with my father and his very experienced maxi boat crew.
CORK
The winds may have been light and fluky, but that suited 15-year-old Andrew
Campbell just fine today, as he won both of the day's races in the Laser
fleet at Youthfestival. When added to a win in yesterday's only race, he
accepted the first place trophy for the 63-boat Olympic-class fleet.
It's his second year sailing at the Canadian Olympic-training Regatta at
Kingston (CORK). "It was a little light out there, but it started to pick
up," he says of the northeast winds that blew to eight knots. He says
experience was key to his success. He's sailed many races against
second-place finisher Zach Railey of Clearwater, Florida and David Wright
of Oakville, Ontario and Campbell says they are usually close together.
In the 81-boat Laser Radial fleet, Matt Stine of San Diego, CA, was the top
finisher in their two-race regatta. He won both races to claim the victory.
In second was Andrew Driscoll, also of San Diego and Harrison Turner of Los
Angelos, CA was third.
Gearing up for the Laser II world championships, Brian Haines, 15, and
Lauren Maxim, 16, of Coronado, CA walked away with first place, after
winning two of the three races and placing third in the other. Haines says
"good crew work," made a difference on the water. " We've been sailing
together a year and a half." At home Haines and Maxim sail a Flying Junior,
but decided to bring their Laser II to CORK where they plan to participate
in the World Championships Aug. 21-28, where their goal is to be the top
junior boat. Their other sailing goal is to win the Flying Junior national
championships for Coronado High School.
They came to Youthfestival not knowing where they would place in the fleet.
"We didn't know what to expect, we only sailed in regattas in California.
"We had some good [spinnaker] sets and good downwind speed," Haines notes
of the win. There were 96 boats in the fleet. Michael Anderson-Mitterling
and Jimmer Montgomery of Corondo were in second. Adam Mis and Charles
MacPhail of Burlington, Ontario was third.
Blair Hamilton, 17, of Easton, Maryland won the only two races of the day
to win the Byte fleet championship, against 44 others. Halifax, Nova
Scotia's Bruce Beveridge was second, with Sam Bussin of Toronto, Ontario in
third. Hamilton is sailing her fourth year at CORK and attributes her win
to good boat speed and concentration. She wasn't in Kingston when it played
host to the world championships in July but says she will stay to sail her
Byte during Series I.
Series 1 gets underway tomorrow, along with a practice race for the Laser
II World Championships. Series 1 features the Olympic-class Tornado,
Olympic-class Laser, Laser Radial, Byte, Olympic-class 49er and
Olympic-class 470. It runs through Aug. 25. -- Julie White
Event site:http://www.cork.org
COACH OF THE YEAR
Participating in the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Coaching Recognition
Program, US SAILING has recognized its Coaches of the Year for 1999. Betsy
Alison (Newport, R.I.) is the National Coach of the Year, and Adam Werblow
(St. Mary's, Md.) is the Developmental Coach of the Year. In its fourth
year, the USOC Coaching Recognition Program aims to draw attention to the
status of coaching as a profession, as well as give recognition to the best
coaches in the United States.
NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR -- The past 12 months have been significant for
Alison. As a competitor she bested a record set by yachting legend Ted
Turner when she received an unprecedented fifth Rolex Yachtswoman of the
Year Award for her on-the-water achievements in calendar 1998. As a coach,
Alison launched a mission to assist U.S. disabled sailors training for the
2000 Paralympics and continued her work with US SAILING as an Instructor
Trainer. Last August, Alison coached both U.S. entries in The Hartford 1998
World Disabled Sailing Championship sailed in the three-person Sonar. Under
her tutelage the Americans finished 1-2 in the 17-boat fleet and secured
the U.S. its Sonar berth for Sydney, where paralympic sailing makes its
debut as a full-medal sport. Earlier this year at the 1999 Sonar
Midwinters, where able-bodied and disabled sailors competed in an open
fleet, Alison coached the athletes who ultimately were the top-finishing
U.S. disabled team. Since then Alison has been preparing U.S. Disabled
Sailing Team members for the 1999 World Championships, which take place
September 3-10 in Spain. An intense coaching plan is aimed at enabling the
U.S. to defend its world title in the Sonar event as well as ensuring 2.4
Metre sailors will have the necessary support in their only remaining
opportunity to qualify in that event for the 2000 Paralympics.
Additionally, Alison will coach U.S. disabled athletes at regional training
clinics through 1999 and into 2000, in preparation for the U.S. Paralympic
Team Trials and the Paralympic Games. Her work included coaching some of
the brightest young sailors in the U.S. at advanced racing clinics and
Junior Olympic Festivals, and conducting a session for inner city kids in
connection with the Wayzata Yacht Club Foundation. In conjunction with her
goal of motivating sailors to set and reach higher competitive goals,
Alison has produced a fitness video aimed at sailors and contributes
regularly to national sailing publications.
DEVELOPMENTAL COACH OF THE YEAR -- A graduate of Connecticut College ('88),
Werblow is head coach at St. Mary's College (St. Mary's, Md.), a position
he has held since the fall of 1988. In 11 years of coaching he has
accompanied five teams to the International Sailing Federation Youth World
Championships; coached over 50 Intercollegiate Yacht Racing Association
(ICYRA) All-Americans, including the 1994 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year;
and led St. Mary's to six intercollegiate national titles. During the 1999
season St. Mary's dominated the intercollegiate sailing ranking polls in
all but two of the ranking periods. St. Mary's won the ICYRA Team Race
Championship and had its top athlete selected College Sailor of the Year.
The St. Mary's team also was runner-up at the ICYRA National Dinghy
Championships and finished third at the singlehanded national championship.
With a coaching strategy focused on making vulnerabilities become strengths
and then refining those strengths, Werblow has led St. Mary's to become a
national sailing powerhouse. Werblow acknowledges the daily triumphs and
emphasizes the fact that individual accomplishments are wrapped up in a
program that strives to create the atmosphere of an extended family.
"There is nothing more satisfying than knowing you have helped turn someone
on to the game of sailing for life," said Werblow in summing up his
motivation.
As the winners from Sailing, Alison and Werblow will attend the USOC Coach
of the Year Recognition Weekend to be held September 16-19, 1999, in
Washington, D.C, honoring the winning coaches in 41 Olympic and Pan
American sports. An overall USOC National Coach of the Year and
Developmental Coach of the Year will be selected at the USOC Coach of the
Year Awards Banquet. -- Jan Harley
SEARS CUP
Colin Campbell and crew from King Harbor Yacht Club, returned to Balboa
Yacht Club where he had won the Governor's Cup Junior Match racing
championship just a month earlier and again went home with a victory in the
Sears Cup. It is unclear whether it was the light shifty winds off Newport
Beach or the new upgraded Santana 20's, but the combination certainly seems
to his liking. Despite arriving with a severe case of tonsillitis Campbell
started the regatta off with a 1-3-1 the first day. Although he would only
win one more race, consistency would pay off. Only one of the ten races
found him in the bottom half of the fleet. - Mike Wathen
1 Area J - King Harbor YC . C. Campbell (28) 2 Area A - Newport YC C. Brady
(37) (Judges' Trophy) 3 Area B - Mystic River . J.R. Maxwell (48) 4 Area K
- Lake Geneva YC . V. Porter (50) (Faye Bennet Trophy) 5 Area G - Richmond
YC . R. Canada (54) 6 Area D - Lake Lanier SC . W. Morang (56) 7 Area E -
Bayview YC . C. VanTol (58) 8 Area C - Severn SA . S. Weller (64) 9 Area HE
- Anacortes YC . A. Brackett (71) 10 Area HW - Hawaii YC . J. Winterbotto
(85) (F. Gardner Fox Sportsmanship Trophy).
Complete results (soon):
http://www.ussailing.org/youth/racing/jc/Sears/index.htm
SOMEONE TO TALK WITH
We've all gone through it. There are times when you just need someone to
talk with. Someone more experienced -- someone who's been there before.
That's when it's important to remember this number: (800) 532-3831. A
friendly, helpful and knowledgeable person at Sailing Supply will greet
you. Together you can talk it through. With all of the the top lines to
choose from -- Harken, Samson, Yale, Douglas Gill, Forespar, Lewmar,
Ronstan, KVH, Spinlock, Marlow, and others -- there is no way you'll make a
mistake. At least with your rigging problems. http://www.sailingsupply.com/
ETCHELLS PCCs
Twenty one Etchells teams from fleets ranging from Seattle to San Diego
sailed the 1999 Etchells Pacific Coast Championships Aug. 20-22 at Alamitos
Bay Yacht Club, Long Beach, California. Conditions ranged from light airs
to 16-18 knots on a course outside the Long Beach Breakwater on Saturday
that ended in big waves and great surfing conditions to light to moderate
breezes and mostly flat water (except for powerboat wakes) inside the
breakwater on Sunday.
Co-skippers henry Fischer and Doug Morss of San Francisco Etchells Fleet 12
dominated in all conditions to take the title to the Bay Area. Second
place went to Craig Fletcher of Newport Beach Etchells Fleet 6, with Keith
Kelpatrick and Doug McLean, sailing his first major Etchells event in a
newly-acquired boat. Sherwood Kelly, with regular crew Alan Egleston and
sailmaker and past class champion Jud Smith as crew, was third overall out
of the Newport Beach fleet, while Seattle sailors Michael Goldfarb, Mark
Brink and Michael Lenkeit was fourth and represented San Diego Fleet 13. --
Chris Ericksen
For complete results: http://www.abyc.org
49er GRAND PRIX: GERMANY
The shifty conditions of yesterday continued to test this high standard
fleet with close exciting racing. The Gold fleet races 5 and 6 were held in
about 12 knots of with so all the fleet were able to sail at maximum power,
but there was also the danger of capsizing. Chris Nicholson and Daniel
Phillips sailed concistently scoring a 3,3,2 to secure the regatta.
In the series to date Chris Nicholson and Daniel Phillips take the lead
overall from fellow Australians Adam Beashal and Teaque Czislowski who
could only manage to finish 15th overall. Sardina winners Jonathon and
Charlie McKee are second overall, finding their form again after a
disappointing French leg in Bandol. -- Edward Stevens
Complete results: http://www.eventsbandol.com/49ergrandprix
THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM
If the constitution stipulates that we have free speech, why do we still
get phone bills?
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