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SCUTTLEBUTT 2252 – January 4, 2007
Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,
features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is
distributed each weekday, with support provided by UBS, main partner of
Alinghi, Defender of the 32nd America's Cup (http://www.ubs.com/sailing).
CHANGING TIMES
An evaluation event analyzing equipment for a possible Women's High
Performance Dinghy event at the 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition will be
held in Hyères, France from 16-19 April 2007. The event will look at
whether there are suitable boats for a High Performance Dinghy event for
a crew of two women. The ISAF Council decided to hold an evaluation
event for a Women's High Performance Dinghy in advance of the decision
on the ten events for the 2012 Olympic Games, which will be made at the
2007 ISAF Annual Conference this November in Athens, Greece.
Amongst the fundamental criteria set out by ISAF are:
- The boat must be a monohull
- The dinghy must be able to sail faster off the wind than the wind
- The dinghy is for a crew of two women (average combined weight
120-140 kgs)
- Targeting a price of 14,500 Euros ready to sail
A report on the Evaluation Event will be completed by the ISAF Mid-Year
Meeting, to be held in Paris, France from 4-6 May. –
http://www.sailing.org
INVESTING IN YOUTH
US Sailing has launched of a new US Elite Youth Development Sailing
Team. Created to provide a national coaching, educational,
administrative, and financial support structure for young athletes who
have been identified as future Olympic prospects, this team will consist
of the country's top youth sailors in the Laser and Laser Radial. To
help the athletes gain more sailing experience at the highest levels,
members of the Team will travel to major international regattas
worldwide and be supported by elite-level coaches.
US Sailing is currently accepting applications from sailors under 21
years old for the 2007 US Elite Youth Development Sailing Team. Team
members will be selected by sailing resume and all applicants must be
current members of US Sailing. Sailors interested in being considered
for the team should e-mail their sailing resume to US Sailing’s High
Performance Director Gary Bodie at Olympics@ussailing.org. The
application deadline is February 1, 2007.
"We strive to support our athletes who will compete in the Olympic
Games, not only in 2008, but also in 2012, 2016 and beyond," said Dean
Brenner, chairman of US Sailing’s Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC). "We
are focusing on elite youth development, and initially on singlehanded
classes. Over time, our intention is to broaden this program to include
other Olympic classes." – Marlieke de Lange Eaton,
http://www.ussailing.org
SPOTLIGHTING YOUTH
Honolulu---The Morning Light sailors who plan to be the youngest crew
ever to sail the Transpacific Yacht Race in July will be introduced this
week to a key element of their quest: the boat. In the first of four
monthly training sessions in Hawaii, the 13 young men and two young
women will spend the next 10 days getting familiar with the Transpac 52
they'll race 2,225 nautical miles from Los Angeles to Honolulu to
culminate Roy Disney's documentary film production. At race time, the
average age of the 15 sailors will be 21.2 years, a full year under the
record.
Only four days of sailing are scheduled this time, starting Saturday.
Otherwise, they'll be occupied learning the less glamorous but critical
procedures from a team led by Chuck Hawley of West Marine, who has been
conducting pre-race seminars for Transpac and other ocean races for
years. Also, Stan Honey, who charted ABN Amro's victorious course in the
recent Volvo Ocean Race, will be drilling them on navigation, and Fuzz
Foster of North Sails will teach them how to patch up torn sails at sea.
– Rich Roberts, http://www.pacifichighproductions.com/
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ULLMAN SAILS
In 2006, championships at all levels of racing found Ullman Sails at the
top of its game and truly assisting customers in realizing their sailing
dreams in both one-design and offshore competition. We value your
business, and pledge to continue delivering the latest and best sail
technology in 2007. Whether racing with Ullman's new FiberPath sails,
cruising or day sailing with the most durable sails, we stand ready to
meet your sailing needs. For the "Fastest Sails on the Planet," contact
your nearest Ullman Sails loft and visit http://www.ullmansails.com
BREAKING NEWS
Great Britain hopes to return to the America's Cup with a team
spearheaded by leading Olympic figures, including triple medallist Ben
Ainslie and 2012 deputy chairman Sir Keith Mills. Despite Britain's
absence from the first America's Cup in Europe, which starts in Valencia
in April, a formal announcement of a new team is expected to be made in
London at a meeting Thursday, attended by Richard Caborn, Minister for
Sport, and Rod Carr, chief executive of the Royal Yachting Association.
It was Carr's blueprint which helped British sailing to enjoy their most
successful Olympics at the last two Games. He also visited Valencia,
host city to this year's America's Cup, with Mills last July to "answer
a few questions". Ainslie, the reserve helmsman with Emirates Team New
Zealand and fellow gold medallist Iain Percy, skipper of the Italian +39
team, have already met to discuss a possible entry but not before 2009.
"All I know for sure is that he [Mills] has talked to all the top
sailors and the top designers too," Percy said. Carr was more definite.
He confirmed: "Keith Mills is still interested in heading a British
bid." – Tim Jeffery, The Daily Telegraph, full story:
http://tinyurl.com/uy6rk
NOR
The Notice of Race for Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 13 and the Louis
Vuitton Cup challenger selection series has been released. The Notice of
Race (NOR) is a document issued by the Regatta Director, Dyer Jones,
detailing the conditions for the event. Drawing up the NOR for the Louis
Vuitton Cup required extensive consultation with and contributions from
the Challenger Commission and Principal Race Officer Peter Reggio.
The NOR for the Louis Vuitton Cup contains some interesting points for
America’s Cup aficionados:
- The Race Committee intends to conduct racing when the average wind
speed is between seven and 23 knots.
- The race course will be between 8.6 and 12.6 miles, with slightly
longer race courses favored as the Louis Vuitton Cup progresses and
shorter race courses more common on when two races are scheduled on one
day.
- Matches that aren’t sailed when originally scheduled (postponed,
abandoned, re-scheduled) will be raced in the next available ‘racing
slot’ (on a reserve day or as the second race when just one race is
scheduled). This means that as much as practical, the original scheduled
will be maintained and races won’t be ‘bumped’ by re-scheduled matches.
- As per the Valencia Plan for scoring the Louis Vuitton Acts and Louis
Vuitton Cup, the pairing list for the Rounds Robin will be established
based on rankings following Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 13. There is
currently some discussion on establishing the pairing list based on the
current Louis Vuitton Ranking. If the challengers agree to this change,
pairings for the Rounds Robin will be announced early in 2007.
- As with the Louis Vuitton Acts, and previous Louis Vuitton Cups, there
are ‘no-change’ periods defined from the beginning to the end of each
stage of the regatta. During this period challengers may not make
serious changes to their designated race boat, although minor
modifications are permitted. What is new however, is that challengers
with two eligible race boats, are allowed to substitute their race boat
in the middle of a round, subject to a penalty equal to one race win in
that stage. -- America’s Cup website, full story:
http://tinyurl.com/y3ryum
420 WORLDS
Kiwis dominate in preliminary results after day one of the 420 World
Championships, with four in the top five in both the open and the
women’s division on the waters off Takapuna Boating Club on Auckland’s
North Shore in New Zealand. . Blustery winds gusting up to 30 knots from
the southwest prevailed over the race course. A number of boats suffered
gear damage forcing some to retire early, with many more capsizing.
Defending World Champions, Carl Evans and Peter Burling (NZL) lead the
open fleet after three races, with two wins and a second. Jo Aleh and
Olivia Powie (NZL) lead the women’s fleet after two races sailed. --
http://www.420sailing.org.nz/420%20WORLDS%20WEBSITE/index.htm
SAILING SHORTS
* 556 of the world’s top Olympic and Paralympic class sailors
representing 43 countries have already registered for US Sailing’s 2007
Rolex Miami OCR -- the largest number of competitors in 10 years. The
only ISAF Grade-One ranking event in the U.S. for competition in all 14
Olympic and Paralympic classes, the event will have five days of fleet
racing from Monday, January 22 through Friday, January 26, and one day
of medal racing (for Olympic classes only) on Saturday, January 27. The
City of Miami has partnered with regatta organizers to help with the
expansion of the sailing venues. – http://www.RolexMiamiOCR.org
* Mike Perham who spent the last month and a half at sea has this
afternoon broken the record as the youngest solo sailor to have crossed
the Atlantic. The 14-year-old British sailor sailed into English Harbour
this afternoon to a hero's welcome alongside his father Peter who
accompanied him across the Atlantic in an identical 28ft trailer sailer
- a Tide 28. The previous record holder was 15-year-old fellow British
sailor Seb Clover who set the record in January 2003, also accompanied
by his father. – Yachting World, full story: http://tinyurl.com/y4ldkp
* Three races were completed Wednesday on Day Three of the Optimist
Worlds in winds of varying strengths - light in Race 7, 10 -12 knots in
the other two. No results were available at our distribution time, with
over 50 boats scored OCS in Race 7, delays may be expected in the
publication of results. -- http://www.optiworld.org/ioda-news.html
* With just two days before entries close on Friday, entries for the
NHYC Newport to Cabo Race have reached 60 boats! Peter Tong’s new SC 70
“OEX”(former Luna Barbara) is the latest entry pushing the list to sixty
boats and rounding out a fleet of 10 of these classic downwind machines.
For those interested in racing, entries can still be made online. For
you armchair sailors, don’t forget to check back on March 3 to follow
the satellite tracking of the race. – http://www.07caborace.org
* US Sailing’s Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC) seeks nominations for the
2006 Coaches of the Year Awards. The OSC will nominate sailing coaches
in four categories: National Coach of the Year; Developmental Coach of
the Year; Volunteer Coach of the Year and the ‘Doc’ Counsilman Science
Award. Nominations should include coaching record, any honors or
recognitions the nominee has received and a description of their service
to the sport during 2006. The OSC will accept nominations from the
public until tomorrow - January 5: olympics@ussailing.org
EIGHT BELLS
Southwick, Mass., January 1, 2007 – Peter Lorson, 71, died suddenly of
heart failure today at his home in Southwick. An accomplished lifelong
sailor and senior judge, Pete was most often found near the front of the
fleet in dinghy and one design racing. He joined the Manhasset Bay Yacht
Club in the 1950’s and served as Commodore 1986-87. He later was
Chairman of the Regatta Committee and ran the highly successful
Manhasset Bay Fall Series until he retired to Florida in 1999. He was
active in frostbite sailing for decades and reigned as Commodore of the
Frostbite Yacht Club in 1966. While resident in Florida in recent years,
Pete was a sought after judge and campaigned a radio controlled Soling 1
Meter.
Commodore Lorson also had tremendous experience as a blue water sailor;
and has been a member of the Storm Trysail Club since 1968 where he was
and active volunteer at many Block Island Race weeks and held the office
of Treasurer for seven years ending in 1998. Pete is survived by Sally,
his devoted crew member and wife of 47 years; his son Pedro; daughter
Mimi Berry (the immediate past Commodore of the Frostbite Yacht Club);
and by 4 granddaughters, Maura, Sabrina, Courtney, and Brooke. In lieu
of flowers, donations can be sent to US Sailing at:
PO Box 1260 Portsmouth, RI 02871 or http://www.ussailing.org/olympics/documents/donationform.pdf
KEY WEST RACE WEEK 2007: STAY IN TUNE WITH RIG PRO
Rig Pro/ Southern Spars will be onsite at Key West Race Week, providing
a comprehensive range of spares, top quality cordage, hardware, and
specialist services. Look out for Rig Pro's distinctive black trailer,
onsite from January 11, 2007. For onsite service call: 401-855-0721.
Race hard, stay tuned, and enjoy the ride at KWRW 2007.
http://www.southernspars.com/rigpro
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON
Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may be
edited for clarity or simplicity (letters shall be no longer than 250
words). You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot,
don't whine if others disagree, and save your bashing and personal attacks
for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is
available on the Scuttlebutt Forum.
-- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com
-- Scuttlebutt Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum
* From Melinda Aldridge (In response to Guy Doran’s reply and rant re:
Sink this Silly Race – edited to our 250-word limit).): Guy is
unfortunately forgetting one major aspect of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart
yacht race – woman also compete in this race, not sure whether you’ve
heard of a navigator by the name of Adrienne Callahan, or the many woman
who successfully compete in this race year after year. So in response to
your quotes “Let the men do what is instinctual: take on challenges”,
woman also take on many challenges in life, we are not excluded from
this iconic race, we are just as passionate and just as successful in
completing these challenges. We all “handle the consequences”, and in
this day in age (you must be over 60) some women actually “protect their
own household’s”….amazing what we can do these days isn’t it! (“You
wouldn't want a wuss to protect your household”).
And finally my favourite “The men live to procreate (and protect!)
families”, these days unfortunately with the decline of the nuclear
family across the continent many women in society actually work full
time and raise families on their own, not too mention actually not
requiring a constant male in their life to procreate. Note to Guy:
Robyn’s file also brought rise to anger amongst many in the sailing
community, just next time when you reply on behalf of us all, please
don’t forget that it’s not a race of the sexes but one of yachts!
* From Taylor Robinson: As a female sailor I would love to participate
in the Sydney - Hobart race one day and watched the start in 1997 and
1999 with excitement. I too disagree with Robyn Riley's opinion of the
race as silly.
However, I am disappointed the Scuttlebutt would publish such a sexist
opinion of her views as written by Guy Doran. Men and women participate
in the race and perhaps Guy should redirect his angst toward Robin as
someone who doesn't love the sport of sailing and the adventure it
offers to both sexes, as opposed to saying women don't understand the
battle of offshore racing. Similar arguments were made by men and women
alike against mountain climbing when climbers were recently lost in the
Pacific Northwest. Should taxpayers pay for saving sailors or mountain
climbers when they know what they are doing is dangerous? Any adventure
sport has the chance of costing large taxpayer monies and it is up to
the government, participants and race officials to decide on how to deal
with this risk and recoup any costs. Canceling the race or outlawing
adventure sports is not the answer.
The disappointing part about Guy Doran's letter is that instead of
seeing the anti-adventure conservative view in Robyn Riley - he decided
to berate her view as being from a woman. And the scuttlebutt wonders
why there aren't more women in the sport…
* From Kirk Elliott: Kudos to Guy Doran and others for responding to
Robyn Riley's Hobart article. I was on Kialoa II in the '71 race. Yes,
it got rough, and tough, but that's part of the game, and challenge of
being there.
* From Mike Ingham: I read with interest the article that Ken Legler
submitted to Scuttlebutt. There is inspiration in the openness in which
he is facing his battle with cancer. It certainly is a tribute to the
power of positive thinking. I think it is great that he is still deeply
involved with his Tufts Sailing Team, the Blind Sailing Worlds and all
the clinics/ regattas he runs. It would have been very easy for Ken to
withdraw from everyday life, but instead he seems to have drawn strength
from sailing and the sailing community. Ken, we hope to see you next
fall in a dinghy at your new fighting weight!
* From Bennet Greenwald: Mr. Lyle in a letter in Scuttlebutt #2251 tells
us that he loves showing his kids the 18’s crashing and they love it
also. Great! A TV guy argues how exciting Sailing would be on TV if we
just showed more crashes. Maybe (if we’re all lucky) we can even show
some guys getting killed on Sydney-Hobart or going round the world. The
problem is that the crashes and the deaths are not what excite most
sailors about sailing. Such carnage is often a sad result of the
challenge of nature, but usually best avoided and deplored. Mr. Lyle
we’re not selling cars whiskey or cigarettes. We’re interested in
letting folks know that a lifetime of joyous games and a glorious, mind
expanding experience is available to almost anyone who wants to sign up.
Sadly for the Nascar fans all this usually happens at less than 10 miles
per hour going around in circles, or traveling great distances with
sights and sounds unlike anything available on land. Real sailing ain’t
ever going to work on TV and, given what TV really looks like, that’s
maybe not so bad.
* From SallyAnne Santos (Reply to Ginny Jones): Indeed, Joshua Slocum
was the first person ever to complete a solo circumnavigation, this was
in 1898. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston was the first to complete a non-stop
solo circumnavigation, this was in 1969. To learn more about Slocum,
Knox-Johnston and other pioneering solo sailors visit the Museum of
Yachting's Virtual Single-Handed Sailors' Hall of Fame at:
http://www.museumofyachting.org/singlehandedhof.htm Here you will also
find links to The Joshua Slocum Society and to Sir Robin Knox-Johnston's
website.
* From Jim Mahaffy: In regard to these letters about going from
Optimist, Sabot, El Torto, whatever, to the 420. We here on the left
Coast already have such a boat. It called the FJ, Flying Junior. It is a
420 scaled down, two crew, no spinnaker and basically the same as a 420.
It is made by Vanguard so no need to invent a new boat. Just about all
clubs that have a junior program have some. My club has several FJ's, a
few 420, and two 470's for a transition though dinghies. We also have a
keel boat, a GC-21, for them to keep going. The FJ is used in High
School sailing before they go on to college where the 420 and 470's are
used. Why invent something that is already used.
CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION
"Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never
encountered automatic weapons." - General Douglas MacArthur
Special thanks to Ullman Sails and Southern Spars.
Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender
of the 32nd America's Cup.
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