|
SCUTTLEBUTT No. 585 - June 7, 2000SOLING OLYMPIC TRIALSTwenty-four sailors competing at the Olympic Team Trials - Yachting, have completed three round robins (21 races) in the match race series which will determine the U.S.A.'s Soling competitors in the 2000 Olympic Regatta. Each boat raced each other boat three times between June 3-6, and at the conclusion of racing today four of the eight teams competing on San Francisco Bay have been eliminated. The top four teams now advance to the semi-finals that will begin June 8 after a mandatory layday on June 7. Racing concludes on June 11. The St. Francis Yacht Club (San Francisco) is host for the event, with boats launching from the Treasure Island Sailing Center. On June 8 and 9, the two semi-final pairings will feature '96 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Ed Baird (St. Petersburg, Fla.), Dean Brenner (Watch Hill, R.I.) and Tom Burnham (Orange, Conn.) against '99 Pan Am Games Lightning Gold Medalist Andrew Horton (Shelburne, Vermont), Andrew Herlihy (S. Dartmouth, Mass.) and Andrew Buttner (Plymouth, Mass.); and 2000 Soling World Champions Jeff Madrigali (Novato, Calif.), Craig Healy (Tiburon, Calif.) and Hartwell Jordan (Piedmont, Calif.) against '99 Pan Am Games Laser Silver Medalist Mark Mendelblatt (St. Petersburg, Fla.), Karl Anderson (Dedham, Mass.) and Ben Richardson (Gloucester, Mass.). The first two teams to win seven semi-final races will advance to the finals. The first team to win seven races in the finals will win the Trials. The winning team, after confirmation by the U.S. Olympic Committee (Colorado Springs, Colo.), will compete in the 2000 Olympic Games, scheduled for September 16-October 1, in Sydney, Australia. - Jan Harley (Top Five Teams are the 2000 US Sailing Team - Soling): 1. Jeff Madrigali, Craig Healy, Hartwell Jordan; 21 wins; 2. Ed Baird, Dean Brenner, Tom Burnham; 17 wins; 3. Andrew Horton, Andrew Herlihy, Andrew Buttner; 15 wins; 4. Mark Mendelblatt, Karl Anderson, Ben Richardson; 13 wins; 5. John Gochberg, Ezra Culver, Eamonn deLisser; 8 wins; 6. Tom Brown, Colin Guthrie, Jeff Thorpe; 5 wins; 7. Jeff Gladchun, Scott Norris, Peter Smith; 5 wins; 8. Jim Medley, Marc Hulbert, Tony Williams; 0 wins. Complete results: http://www.ussailing.org/Olympics/OlympicTrials/matchscores.htm FARR 40 WORLDS Newport, RI - Defending World Champion John Kilroy on 'Samba Pa Ti' posted two impressive wins in today's opening round of the boats.com Farr 40 World Championship for the World Cup. In a classic blustery Nor'easter, Kilroy and crew demonstrated flawless crew work and brilliant tactics to take the lead from Vincenzo Onerato's 'Mascalzone Latino' in Race 1, and led around the entire 8-mile course in Race 2. Today's two races were held north of Gull Island in Narragansett Bay, with the four-leg windward-leeward courses stretched east-west across the Bay. Winds varied from 18-25 knots, with a few higher gusts rolling through the course accompanied by rain squalls. Small No. 4 jibs were set on nearly all the 27 competing boats, and despite the wind and rain, the competitive spirits were high, with two starts recalled before the first race started shortly before noon. A jammed mainsheet was at fault for causing 'Invicta-Nerone' to collide with Helmut Jahn's 'Flash Gordon' in a close cross in the second race, forcing both boats to retire from the race. Repairs are underway on 'Flash', and she is expected to be on the water again tomorrow. - Dobbs Davis Top ten results, after Day One: 1. Samba Pa Ti, John Kilroy (2 points); 2. 'Mascalzone Latino,', Vincenzo Onerato, (5) 3. Barking Mad, Jim Richardson, (14); 4. Bit of a Coup, Tony Buckingham (15); 5. Corinthian Doors, Richard Perini, (16); 6. Orion, Phillippe Kahn, (19); 7. Solution, John Thomson, (21); 8. Phoenix, Eduardo Ramos, (21); 9. Raging Bull, Richard Marki, (22); 10. Southern Star, John Calvert-Jones, (23). Website: http://www.farr40.org DON'T DO IT You don't have to spend a lot of money to have the best looking custom crew attire at the regatta. Honest! Frank Whitton at Pacific Yacht Embroidery can give you the quality stuff designed by California artists...at real affordable prices. Call Frank for quotes and a free apparel catalog. 619-226-8033/pacyacht@aol.com. EUROPE 1 NEW MAN STAR DAY THREE - As the fleet spreads out, the differences in weather for each boat becomes more marked. Both Class One fleets have now crossed through the first major weather front, and are enjoying a break after a night of gale force winds. A small occluded front will approach the boats tomorrow (Wednesday) but many of the skippers who have chosen a northern path might be able to avoid it. For them it1s a case of short-term loss, in the form of light winds, to hopefully realise a bigger gain in days to come. CLASS ONE - MULTIHULLS: 1. Alain Gautier (2253 miles from finish) 2. Franck Cammas (2266) 3. Jean-Luc Nelias (2279) 4. Francis Joyon (2279) 5. Yvan Bourgnon (2297) CLASS ONE - MONOHULLS: Ellen MacArthur (Kingfisher) is the big surprise so far in this fleet. The young Briton is much less experienced than some of her peers, yet overnight MacArthur moved up a place to sit in second, just two miles back of Desjoyeaux. Then, during the morning, MacArthur sailed Kingfisher into the lead, stretching out 4 miles in front of Michel Desjoyeaux (PRB). STANDINGS: 1. Ellen MacArthur (2411) 2. Michel Desjoyeaux (2415) 3. Roland Jourdain (2418) 4. Yves Parlier (2421) 5. Catherinee Chaboud (2423) - Marcus Hutchinson Website: http://www.europe1newmanstar.com/uk LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) Letters selected to be printed are routinely edited for clarity, space (250 words max) and to exclude unfounded speculation or personal attacks. This is not a chat room. You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if people disagree. -- From Judy Cook, Racine Yacht Club - My crew-mates and I are dismayed, disappointed and angry that US Sailing would make a change to the 2001 Women's Rolex Keelboat Championship at this late date. Having purchased a J24 over the winter with the express intent of competing in 2001, and using our two short Wisconsin sailing seasons to train and prepare, we now find ourselves shut-out of the event. That US Sailing did not inform its membership of its intent to change the format of the next regatta adds insult to the injury that only past participants were queried on the change. The effect of this change is to restrict the event to women with unlimited training and financial resources, i.e., professionals, or those who already compete on the J22 circuit. US Sailing already supports one venue for the small boat/small crew component of women sailors in the annual Adams Cup competition. By changing the Rolex competition, they have left the large boat/larger crew competitors with no place to compete on this level. I think the change does a great disservice to the large body of amateur women sailors who devote their limited weekend and vacation times to doing just what Katie Pettibone recently said we must do to be competitive, " getting them out, learning hands-on ... the time to train as a team, and the belief that women can do it". -- From Dierk Polzin - Two Keelboat classes in the Olympics is too many. The logistics of getting very many countries to send boats to the Olympics is prohibitive. The Media is not really going wild over this match racing format. In fact it seems confusing. I tried to watch the TV coverage of the match races in Long Beach and was repulsed by the number of protests. Is this really the best way to promote the sport of sailboat racing. A bunch of yapping skippers arguing inane rule technicalities that most regular racers don't even understand. If the Star stays in, then the Soling should go out. Why do we need any keelboats anyway? NAPLES SABOT SENIOR NATIONALS Alamitos Bay YC - Not only did Mark Gaudio successfully defend his Naples Sabot Senior National Championship - he four-peated, winning the title for the fourth time in a row. Sailing against four previous Sabot National Champions, Gaudio scored a narrow point and a half victory over Chuck Sinks, who finished second for third consecutive year. Seniors: 1. MARK GAUDIO (8 pts) 2. CHUCK SINKS (9.5) 3. NICK SCANDONE (14.5) 4. KEVIN DUMAIN (15); Masters: 1. ARLENE SIMPSON (12) 2. JERRY THOMPSON (13) 3. BETTY BECKER (13) 4. ROBIN TOWNSEND (15); Grand Masters: 1. PETER GALES (2) 2. DAVID WATRY (3) 3. TOM NEWTON SR. (5). Complete results: http://abyc.org/2000REGATTAS/SRSABOTNATIONALS/RESULTS.HTML THE RACE The 110-foot catamaran Club Med reached Cadiz (Spain) a little after 3 pm on Sunday June 4, 2000. Having left four days earlier from La Trinite-sur-Mer (France) in a flat calm, she strode away as soon as the wind picked up along the Portuguese coast. The crew's conclusion: "this boat has long legs". According to architects Gilles Ollier and Franck Martin - who was aboard for this delivery - the crew stepped ashore "with a big smile on their faces". After having spent two nights motoring, Club Med picked up steady 35-knot winds on Saturday evening, with gusts of up to 42 knots. Co-skipper Grant Dalton (NZ) and his men reduced sail to continue in complete safety. Martin said "The night was pitch black and it felt as if we were diving into an abyss every time we overtook a wave. Phosphorescent plankton illuminated the boat's underbody, and we were leaving astern long sparkling wakes of the same colour. It was magnificent!" French crewman Herve Jan recorded that during his watch, Club Med averaged 29.2 knots for an hour. This veteran of Olivier de Kersauzon's victorious Jules Verne campaign (in 1997 on the trimaran Sport Elec) made just one terse comment: "This boat has long legs". From Cadiz, Club Med will head for San Salvador (Bahamas) in order to qualify for The Race. The starting signal should be given on Wednesday, June 7. Further information: www.therace.org/english ONE DESIGN NEWS A team of nationally renowned sailing experts from Vanguard Sailboats Inc. will be touring small-sailboat races across the country this summer, as part of a new outreach program designed to give racers instruction to gain a competitive edge. Led by accomplished racer and coach David M. Kirkpatrick and collegiate All-American sailor Stan Schreyer, the team, called Vanguard's One Design Services, will hit 27 events throughout the summer and through December. Vanguard's team will hold clinics and one-on-one sessions with racers to help improve their performance. Instruction ranges from simple advice to advanced sail trimming techniques. Announcements of clinics and appearance will be distributed to local newspapers and Vanguard dealers. PREVAIL ST. PETERSBURG, FL. - A survivor of a rare form of cancer is celebrating her 10th year cancer free, by sailing a 12' dingy from St. Petersburg, Fla. to Camden, Maine. Challenging her sailing skills to let others know that they can pursue their dreams and succeed despite severe adversity, Alder Allensworth, 42, will soon be sailing in the area. "I want to show people that you don't - you can't - stop living because of a disabling injury or illness," said Allensworth. The 2000-mile sail was organized by Sailing Alternatives, Inc. to spread the word that people who have suffered significant life traumas can still live their dreams and passions. A non-profit organization, Sailing Alternatives provides rehabilitation, therapy and other specialized training programs through sailing. Allensworth's journey began in St. Petersburg, Fla. on April 11, 2000. She initially headed south down the West Coast of Florida, through Florida Bay to Miami. Now she is headed north to Maine. This route will take Allensworth both offshore and up the Intracoastal Waterway. Full story: http://www.sailingalternatives.org/expedition/index.htm THE FAVORED END VS. THE ADVANTAGED END When we talk about the favored end, we are referring to the upwind end of the starting line. Ordinarily, the location of the windward mark does not affect which end of the line is favored. If the windward mark is not set correctly it may sit far to one side of the racecourse, perhaps making it closer to one end of the line than the other, but this does not make the closer end favored. The favored end is always the end that's farther upwind. That said, don't discount the mark being out of place, because that may be an important factor in the race. For example, one tack may be much longer than the other, which may influence your tactical choices. The advantaged end, by contrast, is the end that will get you to the windward mark first. The boat end may be favored by five degrees, but if there's less current on the left side of the course, you'll get that advantage more quickly by starting at the pin. It's easy to find the favored end. It can be more difficult to find the advantaged end. - Zack Leonard, SailNet website To read all of Leonard's starting tips: http://www.sailnet.com/ AMERICA'S CUP Quokka Sports, June 2 - The Seattle Yacht Club has been linked to two America's Cup syndicates - one led by Russell Belden, president of a boat repair and manufacturing company, and the other allegedly headed by wireless telecommunications pioneer and billionaire Craig McCaw. But SYC board member Kelly Henson said today that virtually everything said about the club in relation to the America's Cup is "rumor and speculation." "The club right now it not committed to any challenge at all," she said. She also declined to say that Belden's proposal is even under consideration, although she confirmed that the board will vote on his membership application next Tuesday. Where does McCaw fit into this? "Nobody knows," Henson said. She said McCaw has been a member of the club for some time, possibly 20 years or more, but no one at the club is aware of any plan on his part to represent the club in the America's Cup. "As far as I know, it's all rumor that started on the Internet and the 'Scuttlebutt' has suddenly become the National Enquirer of sailing." (Scuttlebutt is a digest of yacht racing news distributed regularly via email.) "As far as I know, the only America's Cup syndicate working in Seattle is Russell's," Henson added. "He's working very hard and he's a very energetic and enthusiastic young man that has a lot of great ideas. I think he's super." - Larry Edwards, Quokka Sports Full story: http://sailing.quokka.com/stories/06/SLQ__0602_s_nyyc_WFC.html CURMUDGEON'S COMMENT - No disrespect intended, but I suspect Laurie Davidson might know more about Craig McCaw's America's Cup plans than my friend Kelly Henson. INDUSTRY NEWS The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) today signed a letter-of-intent (LOI) with boats.com to create and maintain the industry's Internet boating marketplace. With the announcement, boats.com becomes the exclusive demand-side partner of the NMMA, linking marine manufacturers, dealers, service providers and consumers, and a key element of NMMA's Grow Boating strategy. The terms of the LOI are in line with the NMMA Internet Value Statement that calls for a platform offering broad, objective marine information to consumers for the purpose of making boating more enjoyable, while promoting the lifestyle and enhancing long-term industry growth. Additionally, the Value Statement outlines a model that strengthens existing economic channels and allows for NMMA member input on the operation of the site. A definitive agreement is expected within the next 30 days. Boats.com is building an online marketplace for boating consumers in partnership with the marine industry. The site will enable boat users, manufacturers and resellers - including yacht brokers, boat dealers, marinas, boatyards, and other marine service businesses - to participate in an online community, opening up new commercial opportunities for the industry while enhancing the consumer's boating experience. THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM Ever stop to think and forget to start again? |
