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SCUTTLEBUTT 2457 – October 19 2007Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, featuresand dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is distributed each weekday with the support of its sponsors. GRAEL TO SKIPPER ERICSSON Brazilian sailing legend Torben Grael is the new skipper of Ericsson’s international crew in the next Volvo Ocean Race.With five Olympic medals, a third place in the latest Volvo Ocean Race and three America’s cup campaigns under his belt, 47 year-old Torben Grael is one of the world’s most respected sailors of today. Torben’s success on the water has made him one of the most well known and respected athletes in his home country as well as overseas. “With Torben onboard our campaign will become even stronger. We have a great platform with an already strong team in place that can now focus on the year leading up to the start in Spain in October 2008,” said Brad Jackson, who alongside Stu Bannatyne, is watch captain on the international crew. Since John Kostecki left the campaign for family reasons in August Richard Brisius, managing director at Ericsson Racing Team, has been looking for his successor. -- Team website, full story: http://www.ericssonracingteam.com/news_20071018.html * This week’s Volvo Sailing podcast chats with Torben Grael, the new skipper for Team Ericsson: http://www.volvooceanrace.org/podcast COMING TO THE AMERICAS In the Fall of 2006, the international sailing audience got a tall splash in the face, as twenty-five Class 40 yachts were getting all the attention in the 3510-mile Route du Rhum race. Blasting from Saint-Malo, France to Guadeloupe, this new class of short-handed, ocean crossing weapons were there in big numbers, and they were flying. The previous standard in this size of boat was the Open 40, but in the Route du Rhum, two-thirds of the Class 40 fleet beat the first Open 40. The new standard had arrived. At the time, this seemed to be another development in short-handed sailing, emerging in Europe, that would struggle to cross the pond to North America. Not so, as the first Class 40 was launched in Newport, RI last month. Named for the god of wind in the Lord of the Rings novels, Gwaihir, was specifically built for former U.S. Ski Team member Stuart Williams, who contacted Rodger Martin Design when he decided to enter the Portimao Global Ocean Race. The Class 40 is specifically built to take part in a 30,000-mile solo-double around the world race originating in Portimao, Portugal. The 10-month long race will feature stops in four countries including South Africa, New Zealand, Brazil, and the United States. Williams will be a double-handed entry, teaming with Jared Lazor. The longest portion of the race is in the Southern Ocean between South Africa and New Zealand where conditions are known to be cold and violent. -- William Tuthill For additional information: Class: http://www.class40.com Boat: http://www.gwaihirracing.com Race: http://portimaoglobaloceanrace.com Additional class info: http://www.class40racing.com * From Elaine Bunting’s Yachting World blog: “I was thrilled yesterday to get an email from American sailor Tim Kent about the stirrings of a Class 40 movement in the US. Kent commented, 'A recent development is that Novis Marine, the builder of Tartan and C&C production boats in Ohio, has announced that they are going to begin building Class 40s to a Jim Antrim design. 'More important is that Novis is building molds and feels that there is a strong market for the boat here in the US, as well as abroad, given the current exchange rates. There are some really committed guys up in the Northeast who are working to build the class here in the US for all the reasons that it has become popular in Europe.’” -- http://tinyurl.com/yrsn3v IT’S ALL POSSIBLE.... BELIEVE Aspiring Olympic sailors have come to realize the importance of communication. For the strong teams, writing uplifting, positive reports from the Olympic trail comes easily. For struggling teams, providing daily updates can be much harder. Scuttlebutt noted this season how two of the strongest US teams became very irregular with their commentary, which might have been a precursor to their disappointing results in the Trials. However, of all the teams, no one conveys the intensity of the moment better than Austin Sperry, the front half of the winning Star team with John Dane lll. Here is their wrap-up report following their big win: “It’s been one month since we arrived at out training base in Los Angeles. We sailed 16 races in the Olympic Trials, and it's official… we’re heading to the Olympics! We did it, we won the Olympic Trials! I got to be honest, it wasn't easy, but what an unbelievable feeling to have reached a goal, knowing how much hard work we put into this! Truly amazing. I am still in shock and in the beginning stages of planning the next year.... It’s not easy, I am emotionally and physically drained... I am spent. “What I am most pleased about is how we came together as a team and unit over the last month, we clicked when we needed to, we broke the spirits of all the other competitors.... I am out of words and am physically unable to type my feelings and emotions because there are no words to describe how I am feeling. We are now Olympians, and no one can ever take this away! Fist goal –DONE. Next step.... Gold Medal. With the right amount of work, training, dedication, and luck... It’s all possible....Believe!” -- Austin Sperry. Read all of Sperry’s Trials reports at http://www.danesperry2008.com/la.html MORRIS 45 NOMINATED BOAT OF THE YEAR! Cruising World and Sailing World magazines have nominated the Morris 45 for their 14th Annual Boat of the Year contest. In 2007, Morris’ M42 Won Best Special Purpose Cruiser; In 2006, the Morris 42 Won Best Domestic Boat of the Year. In prior years, Morris has been nominated five times and won three times: In 1999, Morris 34 - Overall Winner & Best Midsize Cruiser; In 1995, Morris 40 - Overall Winner & Full Size Winner; In 1994, the Morris 44 took home the Bristol Award. Results to be announced in January issues. -- http://www.morrisyachts.com/news U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP OF CHAMPIONS San Diego, CA (October 18, 2007) – Clear skies welcomed the 19 teams for the first day of racing at the U.S. Championship of Champions, an annually held US Sailing event that brings together the U.S. National, North American or World Champions of one-design classes together to determine the “ultimate champion.” Competing in a fleet of identically tuned Snipes, racing was held just off the docks of Mission Bay YC, with the schedule calling for 18 races, and teams exchanging boats between each round. Despite Snipe champions Augie Diaz, Ernesto Rodriguez , and Jerry Thompson in the fleet, it was Flying Scot North American champ (and Lightning World Champ) Jeff Linton/ Alan Capellin that held an early lead after three races. Eight knot winds early in the day provided an equalizer, but when the winds topped out at thirteen knots, the hiking legs of the Snipe, Laser and Finn sailors started to dominate the top ranks. -- Complete report and results: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/1018 ISLER GOES EURO YACHTING The Rolex Middle Sea Race starts Saturday, October 20th, and will take the 70-boat fleet on a 606 nautical-mile adventure that starts and finishes in Malta. The start line is unique, lying as it does between the 18th century Fort Manoel and the 16th century bastions of Valetta. The route takes yachts up the eastern seaboard of Sicily to the Strait of Messina, passing the active volcano of Etna. At the second active volcano - the island of Stromboli - the fleet turns west to the Egadi Islands and the northwest corner of Sicily. Here the fleet heads south passing the island of Pantelleria before turning back towards Malta at the island of Lampedusa. Someone doing his first ever Rolex Middle Sea Race is Peter Isler, racing as part of the afterguard on Tom and Dottie Hill's Titan XII. Isler has Transpacs, Rolex Fastnets, Transatlantics and Newport-Bermuda races under his belt, along with successful Cup campaigns and a couple of legs of the Volvo. Isler knows the Titan XII inside out having been part of the crew that smashed the 811-mile Montego Bay course record, but that all said he is frank in admitting his shortcomings on the Rolex Middle Sea Race and that it could be a steep curve for Titan. "I have been doing my homework and it looks like the course has a lot of opportunities for tactical decisions and local knowledge. It seems like the race is set up for someone who has done it before.” -- Complete story: http://www.regattanews.com/pressrelease.asp?pid=1753&lang=1 * Curmudgeon’s Comment: Peter is likely being a bit humble, and has offered to provide Scuttlebutt a report on his experience following the race. PAUL CAYARD MEETS THE PRESS Less than a week after joining Desafío Español as its new Sports Director, Paul Cyarad talked to the Spanish media, together with the team's general manager, Agustín Zulueta. The American legendary sailor talked about most aspects of his team but the most controversial ones (validity of the Challenger of Record, current litigation in New York, possible postponement of the America's Cup) were developed to a much lesser extent. Being a conference for the Spanish media, the interest was mainly focused on what Cayard could bring to the team, his goals and the level of Spanish participation in the sailing crew. In our opinion, there are three or four main points from the conference. First, Cayard will helm the new boat during the development phase but not necessarily during actual racing. Second, both him and Desafío Español don't want to have the event postponed till 2010 and hope a solution to the litigation can be found before Monday. Third, Cayard thinks Alinghi doesn't have the 33rd America's Cup in the pocket and BMW Oracle will be very difficult to beat, given their enormous financial, technical and human resources. -- Valencia Sailing, full report: http://tinyurl.com/yrpyp2 DISCOVER THE BEST BOATING GEAR/EQUIPMENT MyBoatsGear.com: the boating equipment, news & review site. Following on from the Annapolis boat show, we have Ft Lauderdale, Miami, London, Paris, Chicago, and the biggest of them all…Dusseldorf. MyBoatsGear.com will be bringing you the best offerings and looking to bring you solutions for your boating needs. Now with over 1,000 links to products conveniently organized for viewing anytime. Not only do we bring you news and information on the best gear, we offer how-to solutions as part of our newsletter campaign. For the latest boating equipment, bookmark http://MyBoatsGear.com WORLD TOUR –TOO CLOSE TO CALL Lymington, United Kingdom (18 October 2007) — With only one event on the World Tour prior to the final event, in Malaysia, the points race for the Match Racing World Championships is wide open. There are only 100 points available at the next event, the Brasil Sailing Cup, November 14-18 in Vitoria, Brazil to be sailed in SM40’s and then it’s on to the final event the Monsoon Cup, Nov. 28 – Dec. 2 in Kuala Terrenganu, Malaysia. Teams count their best 7 events out of 15 stages with the final event worth 200 points and it must be counted in the final score. Team Pindar’s Ian Williams (GBR) is still the World Tour leader with 130 points but Matthieu Richard’s Saba Sailing Team (FRA) are the hottest team on the World Tour having just won the Bermuda Gold Cup and moving to within 7 points of the World Tour leader. Shosholoza’s Paolo Cian is in third place with 106 points having scored 10 points at the Gold Cup. Sebastion Col of Areva Challenge is in fourth place with 93 points and Bjorn Hansen has moved into fifth place with 79 points after his second place finish in Bermuda. Williams, Richard, Hansen and Cian are all scheduled to compete in Brazil which could make the points even tighter going into the final event. Col may compete if he can get back in time as he is sailing on an Open 60 in the Transit Jacques Vabre, showing the diversity of the skippers on the World Tour. With 200 points up for grabs at the Monsoon Cup, up to five teams could have a shot to win the ISAF Match Racing World Championship title and the Wedgwood trophy. -- Complete story: http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com/default.asp?m=da&id=62793 SAILING SHORTS * Four leading yacht clubs sent teams to host Larchmont Yacht Club last weekend to compete for this year's Glencairn Trophy, signifying the club-against-club team racing championship of the YRA of Long Island Sound. Two separate competitions were held at the same time: the varsity (open) division competing for the Bumble Bee Trophy and the masters divisions (skippers 45+, crews 40+) competing for the Aileen Trophy. The club with the best combined score is awarded the Glencairn Trophy signifying an overall champion. In the end, Noroton YC bested Larchmont YC in a double tiebreak to win the Glencairn. -- http://www.larchmontyc.org * Arundel, Maine -- In September, The Landing School launched its twenty-ninth consecutive school year with its largest class to date, 82 students from 22 states, Canada, England, South Africa, and India. The Landing School provides training for the marine trades, with over 1100 students having participated in its programs. -- http://www.landingschool.edu * Lewmar Marine USA, which manufactures deck equipment and rigging for leisure boats, has announced that Jay Stockmann, former vice president of sales and marketing, has been promoted to executive vice president. In his new position, Stockmann, who joined Lewmar in 2002, will be responsible for all OEM and Aftermarket sales and marketing of the Lewmar brand. This will be an expanded role that also focuses on leveraging opportunities with Navtec. PHOTOS OF THE WEEK Some of the random photos from the sport received this week at Scuttlebutt include an image from the Lightning Frigid Digit regatta in Annapolis, Leukemia Cup events in Charleston and San Francisco, resident artist Don Allen’s unique spin on the ACUP legal drama, and some happy Americans who qualified for the Olympics. If you have images you would like to share, send them to the Scuttlebutt editor. Here are this week’s photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/07/1019 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 Neil Fraser: Andrew Bray is certainly correct that Rob Humphreys had a hand in the design of the Open 60 Kingfisher. However, I recall it being a collaboration with the Owen Clarke design firm. To bolster Mr. Bray's position that Mr. Humphreys is certainly capable of designing a competitive around the world entrant, you can also add the IOR Whitbread Maxi Rothmans to the argument that Mr. Humphreys is a good choice for a design in this arena. Rothmans even finished ahead of The Card, one of the ketches in the 1989-90 race. * From Geoffrey Robinson: Elaine Bunting may think that in the UK (breasts) "are a national treasure, given pride of place in our most popular newspaper every morning" but the Royal Yachting Association thinks one cannot mention them in them in sailing circles. Someone doesn't know where or what is viewed as a "national treasure". Patrick Dietz (in Issue 2455) had a good point and Scuttlebutt’s response was in the best interest of all. * From Ed Cesare: I for one would like to thank Patrick Dietz for lodging his complaint about the link in Butt 2454. On busier mornings, I don't always follow the links appended to Scuttlebutt's dense and quality reporting. I had missed Elaine Bunting's blog entry on the GB 49er "naming controversy". I have rectified this and am now fully up to date. * From Andrew Roy: Elaine Bunting's letter in Issue 2456 easily gets my vote for the best submission to Scuttlebutt over its illustrious 10-year history. * From Aimee Graham, Secretary-Treasurer, International Naples Sabot Association: The members and Board of Directors of the INSA congratulate former and current class members on their outstanding accomplishments in the US Olympic Trials. Four members of the latest US Olympic Team are graduates of the class: Andrew Campbell (Laser), Graham Biehl (470), Nick Scandone (SKUD 18) and Tim Wadlow (49er). Three more alums narrowly missed qualification: Mikee Mitterling-Anderson (470) and George Szabo (Star) both placed second in this round, and Mark Reynolds (Star) finished sixth. They are all excellent role models for the generation of sabot sailors behind them. * From Bill McCowen, Metamora, Michigan: I think that it is incorrect to claim, as some do, that The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron does not enjoy status to challenge within The Deed of Gift. The fact is that the RNZYS holds the Royal Warrant directly from Buckingham Palace under the authority of the Commander in Chief. It also holds a warrant from The Admiralty to fly the defaced white ensign of the Royal New Zealand Navy and its flag officers may apply for same and its members may apply to fly the defaced blue ensign. Surely these facts indicate that it is at least licensed by The Admiralty. * From Mark Williams: (edited to the 250-word limit) Every once in a while, something happens in life that makes each one of step back and reflect on our own position. I received a call from Ernie Coleman, who I knew from his racing at both the Genesee Yacht Club and the Rochester Yacht Club. He had an amazing win ratio of over 90% wins at the GYC for as far back as the club records would go. He was asking me to crew, of which I accepted. At that time Ernie was eighty-two, and I sailed with him for seven wonderful years, leaving last year to skipper my own boat. This year, he received a standing ovation for winning his division at the Hospice Regatta in Rochester, NY. I was up pulling my boat last weekend when I ran into Ernie, who said he had bought a new set of sails and was waiting on someone from the sail loft to go out sailing with him to get his sails dialed in so he would be ready for next year. I look forward to seeing Ernie in a couple of weeks at this year’s sailing awards so I can wish him a Happy 91st Birthday. For Ernie, all he probably cares about is getting onto another sailing season next year with a new set of sails! In the world of sailing, this man should be in the record books. * Curmudgeon’s Comment: Yesterday’s conundrum received lots of mail, most of it unprintable, but this note from Mike Esposito deserved a blog post: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/2007/10/cats-and-buttered-toast.html CURMUDGEON’S CONUNDRUM Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii? Special thanks to Morris Yachts and MyBoatsGear.com. |
