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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 601? - July 5, 2000OH MY!As all of our readers know by now, we've been having a terrible time with our mail server. With the machine regurgitating multiple copies of 'Butt, as well as spitting out issues we thought were long lost, I really wasn't sure what number to put on the top of this edition. The problem stems from the fact that Scuttlebutt has grown from 1500 subscribers to nearly 6000 in just nine months - and we're also adding several dozen new readers each day. We've simply outgrown our present mail server, and will be switching to a bigger machine within the next few days. Will that transition go seamlessly? Lord, we hope so, but nothing that's happened lately seems to point in that direction. All of us associated with 'Butt appreciate your patience. Let's hope the light at the end of the tunnel isn't an onrushing train. - The Curmudgeon SWEDISH MATCH TOUR From amidst a glittering line up of America's Cup and Olympic skippers, Danish amateur Sten Mohr emerged as the leader at the end of the first day of the Swedish Match Cup in Marstrand, the fifth of eight events on the Swedish Match Tour. Sten Mohr, an "internet wizard" who sails as a hobby, ended the day undefeated, with four points on the scoreboard, ahead of such big names as Australia's Peter Gilmour, Frenchman Bertrand Pace and Dean Barker of New Zealand. The slightly built Dane who doesn't really fit the traditional picture of a burly sailor, was safe but unspectacular in his victories, and has yet to face any of the major players on the starting line.His biggest scalp of the day was Swedish Olympic silver medallist Hans Wallen, who has also qualified for the up-coming Games in Sydney later this year. Talking about his performance he said, "we definitely had a fast boat today, but I also had a very good crew, and Steve Flam calling the tactics was especially good." Sharing second place at this early stage of the regatta are the top three skippers on the Swedish Match Tour scoreboard, Pace, Barker and Gilmour, all veterans of the recent America's Cup in Auckland. Gilmour, who lost his first race of the day to Danish Olympic gold medallist Jesper Bank commented, "we lost our first race against Jesper Bank, we got a penalty on him and got ahead in the race, and we can't believe that he came back from there. "We really had to go back to the drawing board, and steadied down and managed to get the next three, but it was certainly very difficult conditions out there." This is the fifth event of eight on the Swedish Match Sailing Tour, with concludes with the Bermuda Gold Cup in October. Winds were light and shifty for most of the day, and the sun shone out of the cloudless sky, which bought out a good crowd of spectators. The event consists of a round robin, in which all the skippers sail against each other once, before the top four progress to the semi-finals and finals at the weekend. - John Roberson Scoreboard after day one: 1. Sten Mohr (Denmark) 4-0; 2.= Bertrand Pace (France) 3-1; 2.= Dean Barker (New Zealand) 3-1; 2.= Peter Gilmour (Australia) 3-1; 5.= Luc Pillot (France) 1-1; 5.= Jesper Bank (Denmark) 1-1; 5.= James Spithill (Australia) 1-1; 8.= Jes Gram-Hansen (Denmark) 0-2; 8.= Magnus Holmberg (Sweden) 0-2; 8.= Andy Beadsworth (Britain) 0-2; 8.= Martin Angsell (Sweden) 0-2; 8.= Hans Wallen (Sweden) 0-2. Website: http://www.swedishmatchcup.com VOLVO OCEAN RACE While the start of the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) is still 14 months away, the window on pulling together a viable and competitive team is sliding closed. With 32 teams registered with the race office (15 of whom wish to remain confidential), but only a handful operating with any kind of real budget, it will soon be apparent who will actually be on the starting line and who will be lumped with the "almosts". Race officials remain optimistic that upwards of 15 boats will be racing next September, but a quick count of the "haves" and the "have-nots" reveals far more in the latter category and precious few in the former. Fundraising for the 2001-2002 VOR was supposed to have been relatively easy. The idea of entering a boardroom representing an upscale, technologically sound, and adventurous event spanning nine months and five continents was not perceived as a major challenge. The very strength of the event itself was augmented by the strong international corporate footprint of Volvo, signed TV deals in hand, and the promise of an even greater Internet presence. ("It's always prime time somewhere in the world, and the event is 'on' 24-7," goes the pitch.) However, fundraising efforts to date, especially for American-flagged teams, have not been a huge success. Why is this the case? One reason is that the America's Cup, which was supposed to have floundered itself into submission before the Round the World juggernaut, has, in fact, become stronger in recent months. This strength comes in spite of the fact that the New York YC's high profile Young America team was dispatched in the early going last winter. This was significant because the team carried several major sponsors whose contributions were rewarded with no significant television time. And it also comes despite the fact that there was no American-flagged boat in the finals for the first time in the history of the event. But suddenly the America's Cup is "hot" again. - Spinsheet magazine Full story: http://www.spinsheet.com/whitegui/Section.asp?sectionID=79&articleID=836 VOLVO SYNDICATE NEWS * Preparations are at high speed for the illbruck Round the World Challenge. Both crew training and research and development for a new Farr Yacht Design 60-footer are well underway. The team, under the leadership of skipper John Kostecki (USA), is now training from a base camp in Spain. With the announcement this week of two additional international sailors to the team, Kostecki has named seven of the 12 permanent positions. He intends to have his complete sailing roster in place by August. Later this year, the building of the Volvo Ocean 60 racing boat will start in one of the illbruck plants in Leverkusen, Germany. - http://www.volvooceanrace.org/press/Pre/00/PR_000531_illbruck_WFC.html * As the deadline for obtaining full sponsorship draws closer, TeamRudiger is considering different options and strategies open to them. Full funding has not yet been secured, and as such, TR is open to partnering with other VOR syndicates to combine resources in an effort to build the most successful program possible. "While continuing to pursue our current sponsorship options for full funding, we have moved into a new phase of our timeline where we are now open to partnership with other syndicates," says Lori Rudiger, Team Director of Operations. - http://www.teamrudiger.com TRENDS When you attend a big regattas like the Volvo inshore championships, you quickly find out what's hot, and what's not. And this past weekend it was instantly obvious that the curmudgeon's glowing descriptions of Camet sailing shorts have not fallen on deaf ears. Camet shorts were everywhere. And although everyone loves the advantages of the drying Supplex, and the reinforced Cordura seat patch, I think what's pushed them over the top is the fact that they look so bitchin'.See for yourself, and while your at it, don't forget to get one of the great mylar bags. http://www.camet.com PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS VIC-MAUI YACHT RACE Leaders GRAND ILLUSION and RENEGADE really cranked up the pace in the last 24 hours. With the fleet reporting winds from 12 to 22 knots, and the High up to 1037mb, the big, fast boats have taken off. They are well and truly in their own league now. Today they averaged around 13-14 knots (doubling the speed of most boats in the fleet) and logged daily distances of 348 and 321 miles respectively. This is more than 100 miles more than the others in Class A (SHOW ME and MIDNIGHT SPECIAL) sailing further North. GRAND ILLUSION's extraordinary run today puts her about 100 miles ahead of RENEGADE. Her predicted ETA in Lahaina is now 0735 July 6, and at this pace she will eclipse PYEWACKET's record for the Vic-Maui. RENEGADE is predicted to arrive at 1930 the same day. The tussle between JOIA, FARR-ARI and PURSUIT in Class B continues. These boats are sailing quite close to each other. At roll-call, JOIA was 3 miles ahead of FARR-ARI, which was 11 miles in front of PURSUIT. The leaders in Class C are still doing well in fleet standings (based on corrected time). While NIGHT RUNNER, TURICUM and WINDS OF TIME presently line up in this order in class, they also hold third, fourth and fifth positions overall. Doug Fryer on NIGHT RUNNER set a previous Vic-Maui record sailing MERLIN in 1978, and is having a great race again this year. ORIOLE continues to lead Class C and the fleet. Her daily run of 209 miles was second only to the two rocket-ships out front. She is now half-way there. PRAIRIE VOYAGER (141 miles back) is second in class D, and DREAM CATCHER lies third. Crews keep amassing memories. SHOW ME had crew up the mast twice to repair a mainsail flag system. They also spent time picking squid off the deck. PENDRAGON III reports passing within 50 yards of a deadhead last night. This really offers food for thought when you consider how fast these boats are traveling in the dark. TURICUM spotted a spare rudder with more barnacles on it than their bottom. Website: http://www.vicmaui.org. SUNFISH NAs FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA - The three Sunfish North American Championships were hosted by Fairhope Yacht Club, Fairhope, Alabama, on Mobile Bay. The Junior and Midget Championship were sailed together on Monday and Tuesday of Championship week. The seabreeze was in for the whole Junior event, from the South at 12-18 knots. The sailors were well tested. The scores are separated by age group. The senior North American Championship was sailed Wednesday through Friday of Championship week. Wednesday and Thursday featured the same seabreeze, Friday saw a light North wind of 2-6 knots. Friday's lighter breezes scrambled the standings some, seeing former champion Jeff Linton come from behind to over take defending champion Malcolm Smith. - Gail M. Turluck Final Results - Seniors: 1 JEFF LINTON, TAMPA, FL, (28) 2. MALCOLM SMITH. FLATTS, BERMUDA (29) 3. MIKE GABLE, TAMPA, FL (39) 4. HANK SAURAGE, BATON ROUGE, LA (41) 5. TODD EDWARDS BAY, ST. LOUIS, MS (53) 6. ASH BEATTY, GALVESTON, TX (62) 7. TOM WHITEHURST, PENSACOLA, FL (63) 8. NANCY HABERLAND, ANNAPOLIS, MD (67) 9. ZANE YODER, FAIRHOPE, AL (71) 10. BISHOP STIEFFEL, BAY ST. LOUIS, MS Juniors: 1 KARL KLEINSCHRODT, MOBILE, (8)2. PEYTO.N HASSINGER, ORIENTAL, NC (10) 3. JONATHAN BEAN, ORIENTAL, NC (18) 4. SAM WALLER, GULFPORT, AL (20). 5. BILL BETTS III, KINNELLON, NJ (21) TNZ TAKES STOCK (New Zealand journalist Ivor Wilkins has written an insightful story for Quokka Sports about the remaining nucleus of Team New Zealand. Here's an excerpt from that story.) And, now when (Dean) Barker and (Tom) Schnackenberg survey the remains of that once-mighty team, they're genuinely pleased with what they've got. It's leaner, certainly, but, with some fairly deep bruises, it's a whole lot meaner. It is generally younger, but there's heaps of talent and experience there, too. The design team of Schnackenberg, Clay Oliver, Mike Drummond, Burns Fallow, Steve Wilson, Chris Mitchell, Nick Holroyd and Loren Poole represents a powerful collection of skills. And Barker's crew, several of whom will include members of the design team, reflects a mix of youth and years. Barker's young guns include the likes of James Dagg, Hamish Pepper, Richard Meacham, Matt Mitchell, Chris Ward, Jeremy Lomas, Jonathan McBeth and back-up helmsman Cameron Appleton. Those with some grey in their beards include Joe Allen (probably nobody in New Zealand sport has a bigger heart or a more dedicated work ethic), Tom Dodson, Tony Rae, Grant Loretz, Nick Heron, Barry McKay, Mark Hauser and Chris Salthouse. "At first you think how can we survive without all the people who have gone," said Barker. "But, when you sit back and look at our team, I am very comforted by what we have." With a sailing squad of 28 already committed and more to come once the Olympics are over, there will be no problem filling both boats when NZL-57 and NZL-60 hit the water again next (Southern Hemisphere) summer. Another boost came with the appointment of Ross Blackman as chief executive. He brings great interpersonal skills to the task of finding the money to fund this campaign, but also a wealth of firsthand experience of the background and culture of Kiwi Cup campaigns. Having been part of management in 1988, 1992 and 1995, he's familiar to the game, and to the family of sponsors who have backed Team New Zealand in the past. - Ivor Wilkins, for Quokka Sports Full story: http://sailing.quokka.com/stories/07/SLQ__0703_s_teamnz_WFC.html U.S. SINGLEHANDED SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP A new format has been developed to enhance US SAILING's U.S. Singlehanded Sailing Championship (0'Day Trophy), sponsored by Rolex and hosted by the Santa Barbara Yacht Club, Santa Barbara, CA, July 20 - 23. This year, eight additional places are available by resume or invitation. A ladder series event starting at the club level, the U.S. Singlehanded Sailing Championship is now also open to men and women representing the Intercollegiate Yacht Racing Association. Prior to this year, participation in these finals was limited to qualifiers from the High School, US SAILING Youth events, Military, and Collegiate ranks, as well as the 10 US SAILING Areas. The finals will be sailed in Lasers. - Penny Piva Website: http://www.ussailing.org/championships/oday/index.htm
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