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SCUTTLEBUTT #370 - August 2, 1999PAN AM GAMESGIMLI, MANITOBA, CANADA (July 31, 1999)-On the last day of the Pan Am Games sailing event, the battle for medals on the Mistral Men's windsurfing course was as good as it gets in athletic competition. On the last lap of today's single race, which also was the 11th and final race of the series, USA's Mike Gebhardt (Ft. Pierce/Fort Walton Beach, Fla.) snatched the bronze medal from Canada and played spoiler to Brazil's gold-medal aspirations, allowing Argentina to top the scoreboard. Gebhardt's bronze puts USA's medal count from the Lake Winnipeg sailing arena at six--two gold, two silvers and two bronzes. Other Medals USA's Lanee Butler (Dana Point, Calif.), a two-time Olympian, secured a gold medal yesterday after tabulations from 10 races showed her to be mathematically unbeatable-no matter what the outcome of today's 11th race. She edged out Canada's defending Pan Am Games Gold Medalist Caroll-Ann Alie, with whom she had been exchanging the overall lead throughout the series. Lightning sailors Andy Horton (Shelburne, Vt.), Bill Fastiggi (Burlington, Vt.) and Heather Rowe (Peru, N.Y.) also snagged a gold medal prior to today's final race. Silver medals were won for USA in both the Finn and Laser classes by Russ Silvestri (Tiburon, Calif.) and Mark Mendelblatt (St. Petersburg, Fla.), respectively. Again, the medals were secured prior to regatta's end after heated battles with the eventual gold medalists: Canada's Richard Clarke in Finns and Brazil's Robert Scheidt in Lasers. Another early medalist, Sunfish sailor David Van Cleef (Newport, R.I.), took the bronze after a hard-fought series that positioned him behind Canada's Gold Medalist Oskar Johansson and Bermuda's Silver Medalist Malcolm Smith. Also sailing for USA were: Wally Myers (Marmora, N.J.) and Mark Santorelli (Barnegat, N.J.), who finished fourth in Hobie 16 class; Lynn Olinger (Westminster/San Francisco, Calif.), who finished fourth in Europe; Jane Codman (Boston, Mass.), who finished fifth in Laser Radial; and Henry Filter (Annapolis, Md.) and Lorie Stout (Annapolis, Md.), who finished fifth in Snipe. -- Barby MacGowan For the full story and final results: http://www.ussailing.org SNIPE NATIONALS Mission Bay YC (90 boats) Final results - Heinzerling Championship Trophy: 1. George Szabo / Eric Wilcox (17.50) 2. Randy Lake / Jennifer Warnock (18.25) 3. Hal Gilreath / Michael Kaim (36) 4. Rick & Carol Merriman (39) 5. Michael Lenkeit / Brian Janney (40) 6. Craig & Lisa Leweck (40) 7. Augie Diaz / Pam Kelly (41) 8. Jim Bowers / MYRA Chan MacRea (47) 9. Doug Hart / Gus Wirth (54) 10. Stu Robertson / Cameron Biehl (55) Wells Trophy: 1. Keith & Kaley Dodson (17.75) 2. Jim Elms / Stacey Szabo (26.5) 3. Pedro Lorson / Wally Duffy (28.75) 4. Steve Stewart / Michael Kelly (31) 5. Brian Haines / Lauren Maxam (33.75) Complete standings: http://www.snipe.org/ MELGES 24 NATIONALS Grand Traverse Yacht Club (27 boats) -- Final Results (Nine races / one discard): 1. White Loaf, Scott Elliott, (19) 2. USA 3, Dave Ullman, (28) 3. Rock and Roll, Argyle Campbell (34) 4. Twist and Shout, Jessica Lord (39) 5. M-Fatic, Neil Sullivan (42) 6. Mad Cap, Art Brerston (42) 7. Viento Fuego, Buddy Melges (65) 8. Macumba, Mike Norris (65) 9. Heartbreaker, Bob Hughes (71) 10. Full Throttle, Andy Burdick (75). Complete results: http://www.torresen.com/races/99melges24nat.htm NUMBER ONE When W.L. Gore introduced GORE-TEX fabric Ocean Technology garments in 1994, they ushered in a new level of comfort and protection to foul weather gear. Currently, five manufacturers world-wide are licensed to produce Ocean Technology garments. However, when the Gore Factory Management Evaluations were issued, the highest rating, #1, went to Douglas Gill. And Gill is the ONLY manufacturer to achieve a "1" rating. Do yourself a favor and check out Gill's complete line of quality foul weather gear: http://www.douglasgill.com ISAF WORLD TEAM RACING CHAMPIONSHIP In a cliffhanger end to the Indigo ISAF World Team Racing Championship at Dun Laoghaire (Dublin, Ireland) the young New Zealand squad led by the Murdoch family from the Bay of Islands emerged victorious over USA2 after an afternoon of delays and light winds. The series went down to the last race and for a time it seemed that the United States had won Gold. However, a controversial incident on the penultimate leg of the race by USA2 saw the result reversed by the International Jury ashore. During the final race, the New Zealanders were holding a slim lead thanks to an 'On-course-side' start by an American. Keeping their lead until the penultimate leg a USA2 team boat slipped into first place, placing the leaders under pressure approaching the final leeward mark on the 'W' shapped course. A right of way incident within a few boat-lengths of the leeward mark was protested by the second Kiwi crew and confirmed by the nearest Umpire Boat. However, Fallon and Boardman only took their 720 degree penalty turn having completed their mark rounding and some distance after and obstructed the last Kiwi boat in the process. Almost simultaneously Chief Umpire John Doerr black flag protested the offending American boat for failure to complete its penalty turns in time. As the final leg progressed, the USA2 team made significant gains by its leading team mmber sailing the leading Kiwi away from the line allowing the Americans take a 2-3-5 winning combination finish. However, after the jury met to consider the matter once ashore, USA2 were penalised six penalty points and New Zealand were announced as the new World Champions with the United States second team taking the Silver medal. USA2 fully accepted the Jury's decision and each sailor shook hands with the jury after being informed of the outcome. Meanwhile, shortly before the final was sailed, Australia One and Great Britain One met to decide the bronze place. Pre-event favourites from Spinnaker Sailing Club in the UK quickly asserted themselves in a 2-1 victory. In an earlier shock outcome to the series, defending world champions USA1 were ousted by their second team at the quarter-final stage. Josh Adams and his squad had been joint favourites with GBR1 going into the championship and certainly placed their stamp on the event early on when they one all 17 races of their opening stage 'round robin' that encompassed 153 races. TEAM RACING CREWS: New Zealand: Andrew Murdoch / Karen Lambert, Hamish Murdoch / Andrew Ardern, Rebecca Murdoch / Alesha Thorpe; USA2 Timothy Fallon / Meghan Boardman, Tim Wadlow / Abigail Pope, Graeme Woodworth / Megan Raymond; GB1: Stuart Hudson / Sally Wilson, Roger Morris / Angus Armstrong, Steve Tylecote / Melanie Hughes; USA1; Josh Adams / Blaise Farrar, Zack Leonard / Suzannah Kerr, Chris McDowell / Victoria Wadsworth Guck. -- David Branigan AMERICA'S CUP * AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND (1 August, 1999)-Thirteen yacht clubs representing eight countries have submitted Notices of Entry to compete in the Louis Vuitton Cup, Challenger Races for the America's Cup before today's 4.00 p.m. deadline. They are: Club Nautique Morgien/F.A.S.T. 2000 (Morges, Switzerland) Cortez Racing Association/Team Dennis Conner (San Diego, Calif.) Cruising Yacht Club of Australia/Young Australia (Sydney, Australia) Monte Real Club Yates de Bayona/ Real Club Nautico de Valencia/ The Spanish Challenge (Madrid, Spain) New York Yacht Club/Young America Challenge (New York, N.Y.) Nippon Yacht Club/Nippon Challenge (Tokyo, Japan) St. Francis Yacht Club/AmericaOne Challenge (San Francisco, Calif.) St. Petersburg Yacht Club/Age of Russia Challenge (St. Petersburg, Russia) The San Francisco Yacht Club/America True Challenge (San Francisco, Calif.) Union Nationale Pour la Course au Large/Le defi Bouygues Telecom Transiciel (Paris, France) Waikiki Yacht Club/Aloha Racing Team (Honolulu, Hawaii) Yacht Club de Cannes/Societe Nautique Grau-du-Roi Port Camargue/Le defi Sud (France) Yacht Club Punta Ala/Prada Challenge 2000 (Milan, Italy) The America's Cup Challenge Association (ACCA), organizing authority for the Louis Vuitton Cup, is delighted with the strong response.. "With 13 entrants we match the record number of challengers that competed in the 1987 Louis Vuitton Cup held in Fremantle," stated Dyer Jones, president of ACCA. I was there, and that was an outstanding event. This one promises to be even more spectacular." With the Notice of Entry cut-off date now past, the next deadline syndicates face is 18 September, 30 days prior to the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup. At that time boats entering Round Robin 1 that have not received a valid measurement certificate must be in Auckland for measurement. Boats with measurement certificates need to be in Auckland on 4 October to compete in the first Round Robin. The Louis Vuitton Cup is scheduled to begin in Auckland, New Zealand on 18 October 1999. The format includes three round robin series, a semi-final series and one final series. The winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup will go on to meet Team New Zealand in the 30th America's Cup Match beginning 19 February 2000. Eighteen yacht clubs in total had submitted challenges to the Royal New Zealand Yacht prior to the 14 May 1997 deadline. Since then, four clubs Societe Nautique Rolloise (Switzerland), St. Thomas Yacht Club (US Virgin Islands) Royal Dorset Yacht Club (United Kingdom) and Aberdeen Boat Club (Hong Kong) have withdrawn. Societe Nautique Rolloise missed the performance bond deadline of 31 January 1998. St. Thomas Yacht Club officially withdrew in January 1999 and the remaining two did not submit Notices of Entry. Two clubs, Yacht Club de Cannes and Societe Nautique du Grau du Roi Port Camargue combined forces to form one of the two French challenges, Le defi Sud. -- Heather Pike America's Cup Challenge Association: http://www.acca2000.co.nz/ * MCI WorldCom and Abracadabra 2000 announced today the signing of a sponsorship agreement which brings MCI WorldCom aboard as a Principal Sponsor of the Hawaii America's Cup team. MCI WorldCom is the second largest telecommunications company in the US and a leader in providing integrated voice, Internet and data communications services worldwide. MCI WorldCom Director of Sports Marketing, Andy Deas noted, "The ten countries represented by the Challenging syndicates in America's Cup XXX correspond closely with key MCI WorldCom business development areas around the globe." -- DJ Cathcart Syndicate website: http://www.aloharacing.org LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Letters selected to be printed are routinely edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude personal attacks. -- From Hans U. Bernhard, Fast 2000 syndicate-- It is not correct to mention ('Butt #369) that the Swiss have added anything to FRA40. The boat has been chartered from Le Defi Sud only after it was fully completed by them at the French MAG yard. We then used this boat during the charter period for one month on lake Geneva - essentially to select potential crew-members and make some media operations - and then for practicing in Auckland from Decemeber '98 until Febr. 28, 1999. At this date, our rental agreement ended. This deal had a major advantage for the French team : their boat was delivered free of charge in AKL. Since then, the Defi Sud left this boat on our base Nr 3 (where it was eventually trapped for a while, as we were clearing our account situation with ACVL) and it's still. We are now going to have to remove it, on our own expenses, to clear the place and set up our compound. Still no news from Cannes about what they intend to do with the boat! Meanwhile construction of "be hAPpy, with sail No SUI 59, is well under way and will be completed first week of September. On Sept. 9, it will be loaded aboard an Antonov 142 plane in Geneva and flown to New-Zealand with an ETA in AKL for Monday, September 13th. Lets "be hAPpy"! -- From Robin Baker -- I agree with Scott Truesdell ('Butt #365). Although I like the IMS boats and am certainly not in a position to argue with the likes of Olin Stephens, my attitude is that if you play in that league you need to play by their rules. Nobody hires a yacht designer and builds the latest boat so that his new machine will be slower than the last guy's. Under this type of rule, the tension from day number one has always been between the owners of the existing boats (who want to protect their investments) and the owners of the new boats (who want to gain a speed advantage by out-designing the older boats). As long as Krazy-K Yote fulfilled the criteria established under the IMS, I do not know why she should be penalized because her designer did "too good a job." As to the oversized masts, remember the days of the IOR when 40-footers sailed around with masts that looked like overgrown versions of the mast on my Snipe with a bunch of wires attached. The top end of IMS competition is a very tough, and very demanding league. All you have to do is read the remarks of Harold Cudmore about Chris Law to see that exemplified, at its worst. Being out-designed is one of the risks that an owner takes when he goes out to play -- From Darline Hobock -- In response to Chris Bouzaid's posting in 'Butt #368, indeed, there are two kinds of racing: one-design and handicap. However, one-design racing CANNOT be considered just "recreational racing". The very best competition occurs in one-design class racing. Also, handicap racing in this country is NOT limited to PHRF. While PHRF is widely used in many areas, remember there are many sailors in a lot of clubs around the country who race under the Portsmouth Yardstick system. We think it is a superior rating system because of its simplicity and its proven time-on-time system for all kinds of boats. The PY has four fields of numbers based on wind velocities: Beaufort 0-1 = light wind, Beaufort 2-3 = medium wind, Beaufort 4 = fresh conditions, and Beaufort 5 and up for heavy wind. It's simple to use. ET/HC=CT. It doesn't require any measurements, just a simple wind meter for measuring wind at the beginning, middle and end of each race. Race data supplied by clubs around the country help maintain the numbers. The 1999 Portsmouth Yardstick is available from US SAILING: Try it -- you may like it. http://www.ussailing.org/merchandise/handicap_systems.asp MARBLEHEAD NOOD The breeze for the finale of the GMC Yukon/Sailing World NOOD at Marblehead Race Week was "puffy, shifty, and difficult," said competitor Rick Myers, a local sailor and top-10 finisher in the Sonar class. But the rigors of the racecourse at this regatta-held July 29 to August 1 in Marblehead (Mass.)-had their rewards. "Eight races in three days. . . It doesn't get any better than this!" said Myers. A fleet of 182 boats and nearly 1,000 sailors from the U.S., Canada, and England wrapped up yet another running of this 110-year-old Race Week today. The wind velocity cranked up a few notches, to Fall-like velocities. Racers enjoyed sun, blue skies, and breeze that reached 14/15 knots. Winds had been generally steady in direction throughout the Race Week, with easterly and southeasterly winds blowing until the final day of racing. But for the racing circles located closest to land, today's racers saw the southwesterly breeze lighten to about 4 knots, then clock into a shifty northwesterly. For racers whose class victories rode heavily on the final race, the tricky breeze piled more pressure onto these frontrunning skippers. But there were some helmsmen who had already put their points in the bank, and they did not have to race today to collect their class trophy. "We didn't have to sail today," said Jonathan Cressy, winner of the 31-boat Rhodes 19 class, "but we did. Because it was the right thing to do. There were also overall trophies to contend for." Cressy and Marblehead's Bill Dalton fought it out in the final race, but Cressy sailed to the finish line in the lead, to add a third first-place victory to his overall score. Cressy won the 31-boat Rhodes 19 class by 14 points. Bill Lynn of Marblehead, winner in the 28-boat Etchells class, sailed to the starting line today with a 13.25-point edge over the second-place boat. He sailed the last race to his usual standard, taking a first-place finish in the finale for the class win. Racers from 10 States, Canada, and the United Kingdom competed in the NOOD at Marblehead Race Week. A total of 13 classes and 182 boats sailed to the staring line of this 110-year-old event. Five classes began racing on Thursday, July 29, to make this event a four-day series. Five more classes joined the regatta in Friday, and three classes began sailing on Saturday, July 31. The first Marblehead Race Week was held in 1889. The NOOD (National Offshore One-Design) at Marblehead Race Week was hosted by the Boston, Corinthian, and Eastern yacht clubs. -- Cynthia Flanagan Goss Complete race results: http://www.sailingworld.com OFR The St. Francis YC's Masters Regatta (affectionately know as the OFR) is sold out -- again . Event organizer Don Trask has received acceptances from 18 seasoned skippers who will race for the title on October 1-3 in J/105s on the San Francisco city front. Last year's winner, Dick Deaver will return to defend his title, and Roy Dickson who was second last year and is again coming from New Zealand. Peter Kingston, commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has also accepted an invitation. Former Star World champion Pelle Petterson is coming from Sweden on his way through the States to NZ to cheer on his son-in-law, Paul Cayard. The official entrees include: Bill Buchan, Malin Burnham, Dick Deaver, Roy Dickson, Hank Easom, Larry Harvey, John Jennings, Bob Johnstone, Peter Kingston, Bruce Kirby, Bruce Munro, Lowell North, Pelle Petterson, John Scarborough, Dennis Surtees, Don Trask, Monroe Wingate and the curmudgeon. INTERNATIONAL YOUTH MATCH RACE Wakayama, Japan -- The Kiwi sailors from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron were able to defeat the Cruising Yachty Club of Australia in two straight to win the consolation finals. In the Grand Finals the American Team from King Harbor Yacht Club won all starts today and provided extremely close racing, leading the final race until only a few boat lengths before the finish. However, the Aussie Team from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club maintained their dominance winning the Grand Final in two straight. - Mike Segerblom, KHYC USA Coach Final Results are: 1. Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) (Nicholas Garland-19, Zachery Seymour-18, Daniel Corlett-17, Coach Dave Lukins) 2. King Harbor Yacht Club (KHYC) (Colin Campbell-18, Ryan Huston-17, Steve Brown-17, Coach Mike Segerblom) 3. Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYC) (Chris Blunden-19, Andrew Clouston-17, Robert Fisher-19, Coach Harold Bennett) 4. Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) (Benjamin Croucher-19, Damian Logue-16, Gareth Collins-18, Coach Matt Day) 5. Japan Sailing Federation (Red) (JSAF-R) (Umiko Arakawa-20, Takatoshi Ito-19, Tomoo Maeda-17) 6. Wakayama Marina City Yacht Club (WMCYC)(Yuji Sengoku-17, Tomoyuki Hirose-14, Hirokazu Kawabata-18, Coach Patrick Lungley) 7. Japan Sailing Federation (Blue) (JSAF-B)(Nobuki Kasuga-18, Masaru Miura-19, Sosyuu Okina-17) 8. Wakayama Sailing Federation (WSAF)(Naomi Ogishi-17, Tuko Minato-17, Yuko Mukatake-17) QUESTION What has 5000 parts, and people who understand exactly what they all do? ANSWER: It's Sailing Supply -- the only phone call you need to make to solve all of your sailing hardware and rigging problems at a competitive price. Whether it's tapered spinnaker sheets or lazy jacks, the experienced staff will help you get more enjoyment from your boat: Stop by the Boat Shop -- their San Diego retail outlet - or get same day shipping by phone: (800) 532-3831. http://www.sailingsupply.com/ NEW BOATS Southern California yachtsman and racer Mike Campbell has placed his order for a new Canting Ballast Twin Foil Schock 40. Campbell is well known to West Coast sailors as the former owner of the Andrews 70 Turbosled Victoria, which he successfully campaigned for more than five years. SAIL BEAR Due to loss of logistical support in Big bear, beyond the control of the Sail Bear committee, the 1999 Sail Bear charity regatta is cancelled. Sail Bear 2000 is a possibility but not certain at this time. -- Don & Margie Brown CFJ NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, Southwestern Yacht Club, San Diego, California -- Scott Hogan and Amy Halibarson of Newport Harbor Yacht Club won the 9th Club Flying Junior National Championships. 62 Club Flying Juniors from the junior sailing programs of 14 California yacht clubs raced 8 races in moderate swells and medium winds on the ocean course off of San Diego, California. -- Bruce Harris Final Results: 1. Scott Hogan, Amy Halibarson (11) 2. Gary Grimes, Kimberly Doutson (31) 3. Matt Stain, Cameron Driscoll (37) 4. Jonathan Boyd, Jefferey Boyd (40) 5. David Leauy, Scott Andrews (47) 6. David Houchart, Zack Brown (65) 7. Marin Diskant, Jimmor Montgomery (67) 8. Phil Stemler, Whitney Loufek (67) 9. Ryan Bongon, Alex Hathorn (72) 10. Frank Taybor, Andrew McLeod (83) THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION The early bird gets the worm, but it's the second mouse that gets the cheese. |
