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SCUTTLEBUTT 2453 – October 15, 2007Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is distributed each weekday with the support of its sponsors. US OLYMPIC TRIALS (October 14, 2007) For the past nine days, 176 entrants have been competing in 13 of the 14 classes (Yngling has a separate system) to represent the United States in the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Trials for the Laser and Radial, along with the Paralympic Classes, were held in Newport, RI, while the remaining Olympic Class where hosted in four Southern California sites: Marina del Rey, Long Beach, Newport Beach, and San Diego. The results are now final… and here is the final report from Day 9 on Sunday: * For the east coast trials in Rhode Island, Nick Skandone/Maureen Mckinnon-Tucker in the SKUD 18 was the only team able to distance themselves from their fleet. While Anna Tunnicliffe lived with Paige Railey breathing down her back for nine days, the other classes flip-flopped until the very end. No class was closer at the top than the Laser, which ended in a protest and a tie on points. The protest was disallowed, with Andrew Campbell winning on the tiebreaker. -- Complete report: http://www.ussailing.org/olympics/OlympicTrials/news_media_view.asp?id=21 * For the west coast trials in Southern California, the 470 Men Stu McNay/ Graham Biehl were able to relax on Sunday, having locked up the winning advantage by Saturday. Tornado teammates Johnny Lovell/ Charlie Ogletree dug a hole for themselves on Thursday, but were able to roll four bullets on the last two days to win the berth. In the RS:X, Benjamin Barger finally put an end to the comeback of Michael Gebhardt, and Nancy Rios held off Farrah Hall ’s double bullet final day charge. With three Star teams still contending on points for the final day, and only one race to be sailed, it was John Dane III/Austin Sperry that decided to control their own destiny, winning the final race to stamp their ticket to China. -- Complete report: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/1014w.htm Olympic Trials West – Final Results Star (19 entrants; after sixteen races) 1. John Dane III/Austin Sperry, 1-10-6-2-8-1-5-4-(12)-2-3-4-3-3-6-1, 59 2. George Szabo/Andrew Scott, 2-1-(11)-7-3-4-9-6-2-1-1-8-6-4-3-6, 63 3. Mark Mendelblatt/Magnus Liljedahl,3-3-1-8-1-3-6-2-5-10-4-(12)-2-9-5-7, 69 49er (13 entrants; after twenty-four races) 1. Tim Wadlow/Chris Rast, 1-2-1-1-3-1-4-3-3-1-1-1-1-1-3-3-3-2-3-2-2-(14/OCS)-2-(14/DNC), 44 2. Dalton Bergan/Zack Maxam, 2-(4)-3-4-1-2-2-2-(14/OCS)-3-4-3-4-3-2-2-2-3-2-3-1-1-3-1, 53 3. Morgan Larson/Pete Spaulding, (14/OCS)-1-2-2-9-(14/OCS)-1-1-1-2-2-2-5-2-1-1-1-1-1-1-4-14/OCS-1-3, 58 Tornado (6 entrants; after sixteen races) 1. John Lovell/Charlie Ogletree, 2-1-1-2-2-1-1-2-(4)-3-1-2-1-1-1-1, 22 2. Robbie Daniel/Hunter Stunzi, 1-(2)-2-1-1-2-2-1-1-1-2-1-2-2-2-2, 23 3. Norman Chu/ Gary Chu, 5-(6)-4-6-3-3-6-5-6-2-3-3-3-4-3-4, 60 Finn (42 entrants; after sixteen races) 1. Zachary Railey, 1-2-12-1-1-1-1-1-1-3-8-3-1-2-2-(43/DNC), 40 2. Geoffrey Ewenson, 2-3-(10)-4-3-2-2-4-3-1-3-7-4-1-4-3, 46 3. Darrell Peck, 4-4-1-3-2-3-4-3-4-(6)-5-1-5-6-3-4, 52 470 Men (8 entrants, after sixteen races)** 1. Stuart McNay/Graham Biehl, 2-2-2-2-1-2-4-1-(6)-4-2-1-6-1-14*-14*, 50 2. Mikee Anderson-Mitterling/D Hughes,5-1-6-3-4-4-1-5-5-(7)-5-4-5-3-3-14*,62 3. Adam Roberts/Nick Martin, 6-6-(9)-4-8-5-6-6-4-1-3-9-1-7-4-4, 74 * DNC ** 470 Men and Women race and get scored together 470 Women (5 entrants; after sixteen races)* 1. Amanda Clark/Sarah Mergenthaler,4-3-1-6-3-3-2-4-1-5-1-6-3-4-1-(14/DNC),47 2. Erin Maxwell/I. Kinsolving, (9)-7-5-5-2-1-5-3-3-2-8-3-4-(14/OCS)-2-2, 61 3. Molly Carapiet/Molly O'Bryan, 7-8-4-7-7-8-7-(9)-9-8-9-7-7-5-6-14/DNF, 108 * 470 Men and Women race and get scored together RS:X Men (7 entrants; after sixteen races) 1. Benjamin Barger, (8/RAF)-1-2-1-2-1-3-2-2-1-2-2-1-1-1-1, 23 2. Michael Gebhardt, 2-(3)-1-2-1-2-1-3-1-2-3-3-2-2-3-3, 31 3. Robert Willis, 1-2-5-3-(6)-3-2-1-4-4-1-1-6-3-2-2, 40 RS:X Women (6 entrants; after sixteen races) 1. Nancy Rios, 2-(4)-1-3-2-2-4-4-1-1-1-1-1-1-2-2, 28 2. Farrah Hall, (4)-1-4-1-3-3-1-1-2-2-2-2-3-2-1-1, 29 3. Monica Wilson, 3-3-3-2-1-4-3-3-3-3-4-4-2-3-4-(5), 45 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Olympic Trials East – Final Results Laser (33 entrants; after sixteen races) 1. Andrew Campbell, 4-4-1-(20)-1-1-2-5-1-2-5-1-3-5-7-2, 44 2. Brad Funk, 3-2-2-(9)-4-2-1-1-2-1-2-9-5-6-1-3, 44 3. Clay Johnson, 1-1-4-15-2-8-7-25-(34/OCS)-3-3-3-4-1-8-1, 86 Laser Radial (22 entrants; after sixteen races) 1. Anna Tunnicliffe, 1-1-1-3-1-1-2-1-3-1-2-2-1-3-1-(23/DNC), 24 2. Paige Railey, 2-2-2-1-2-2-3-2-1-3-1-1-3-2-2-(23/DNC), 29 3. Sarah Lihan, 3-3-3-4-4-6-1-(11)-2-2-3-9-11-1-9-1, 62 Paralympic Trials - preliminary results 2.4mR (4 entrants; after sixteen races) 1. John Ruf, (3)-3-3-2-1-2-3-3-2-1-1-1-1-3-2-2, 30 2. Mark LeBlanc, (4)-2-1-1-3-3-1-2-1-3-2-2-2-1-3-3, 30 3. Mark Bryant, 2-1-2-3-2-1-2-1-4-2-(5/OCS)-4-3-2-1-1, 31 SKUD 18 (5 entrants; after sixteen races) 1. Nick Scandone/ M. Mckinnon-Tucker, 3-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-2-1-1-1-3-1-(6*)-6*,25 2. Scott Whitman/ Julia Dorsett, 2-2-3-3-3-3-4-2-1-2-3-2-2-(6/DSQ)-1-1, 34 3. Karen Mitchell/ JP Creignou, 1-4-2-2-2-2-2-3-3-3-2-3-1-(6/DSQ)-2-4, 36 * DNC Sonar (6 entrants; after sixteen races) 1. Rick Doerr/T. Angle/B. Donohue, 1-3-1-1-(7*)-3-2-4-4-2-1-3-4-4-4-3-1, 37 2. Paul Callahan/R.Cleworth/T.Brown,4-(7*)-2-3-1-1-4-3-3-1-3-5-1-1-1-7*-2,41 3. Albert Foster/D. Burdett/J. Thweatt,(5)-1-3-4-2-5-1-1-1-5-5-2-2-3-4-4, 43 * DSQ => Complete Results: http://tinyurl.com/38sxec => Complete Report Index: http://tinyurl.com/3cwatb => Photos: http://tinyurl.com/2kmaoj => Jobson Video Reports: http://tinyurl.com/38hdh7 => Star Video Interviews: http://tinyurl.com/2k4efa * Scuttlebutt’s typical distribution time of 6pm PT has been delayed during the US Olympic trials so as to provide the most current information from each day. Look for Scuttlebutt to return to its regular distribution time by Tuesday. HOT BOATS, COLD SAILING? NOT NECESSARY... Check out The Pirates Lair Hot Rum gear choices. Snag a Christmas or thank you gift for your captain or crew. Snug softshell jackets embroidered with the most famous Mount Gay Rum logo. Ladies and Unisex models available. Deals on summer wear. Log on to http://www.pirateslair.com/store to order, or call (888) SAIL-BUM to outfit your event. CHALLENGER OF RECORD SIGNS CAYARD Paul Cayard has joined Desafío Español, the current Challenger of Record for the 33rd America’s Cup, as their Sports Director. During the last edition of the Cup, Cayard was the Spanish team's Technical & Sports Advisor overseeing the preparation and set up of ESP97 during the weeks leading up the Louis Vuitton Cup in April 2007. Cayard has 24 years of experience in the America's Cup and will contribute his expertise to the team, in his new position as Sports Director. Cayard will start to work with the team in mid- October. This is the seventh time Cayard will be involved in sailing's premier event since his debut as a sail trimmer on board US-33 in 1983. In 1992, Cayard won the Louis Vuitton Cup skippering "Il Moro di Venezia" and in 2000 advanced to the finals of the Challenger Selection Series as Skipper of "AmericaOne". -- http://www.cayardsailing.com/cs_Reports.cfm?evtID=78&csRpt=641 * The Desafío Español team describes that the “sports director takes charge of, among other things, the structure, management, and organization of the sports area and sailing team as well as of the coordination with other areas of the team.” * Team New Zealand afterguard member and bass guitar player, Ray Davies revealed recently that the Team New Zealand band wants to go and tour Northland, the region of New Zealand north of Auckland, when the sailors return home. “We want to play in a few of the pubs around Northland”, said Davies. “We’ll play a few songs that people can sing along to; a few good old Kiwi songs, U2, and so on. I’m not very good, though,” said Ray, modestly. “Trae’s a natural (lead singer Tony Rae). Trae’s family is quite musical.” While in Valencia during the 32nd America’s Cup, other band members included Trae’s nephew and two other TNZ-ers along with American Peter Isler, BMW Oracle Racing navigator and Versus commentator. -- Anne Hinton, http://tinyurl.com/2un4wm WORLD TOUR – GOLD CUP Hamilton, Bermuda (Oct. 14, 2007) — Mathieu Richard of France became the third consecutive first-time winner of the King Edward VII Gold Cup today when he defeated Sweden’s Björn Hansen, 2-0. Richard and his Saba Sailing Team crew of Greg Evrard (mainsail and tactics), Olivier Herledant (headsails) and Yannick Simon (bow and traveler) rolled through the regatta with a 12-2 record and won $35,000 of the $100,000 prize purse. Hansen and his Team Apport.net crew of Martin Stromberg, Johan Tempelman and Will Thompson finished the regatta 15-5 and won $20,000. They entered the final having won 13 of 14 races, but couldn’t overcome the steamrolling Frenchmen. Hansen’s primary tactician, Thomas Hallberg, left the island at the beginning of the week due to ill health. Thompson, of Bermuda, joined the crew the day before the regatta started. In the Petite Final, Ed Baird of the U.S. defeated Bermuda’s Blythe Walker 2-0 to finish third and place Walker fourth. Baird and his Alinghi crew of Rodney Ardern, Lorenzo Mazza and Piet Van Nieuwenhuyzen won $15,000. Walker and crew Adam Barboza, Carola Cooper and Somers Kempe won $8,000. Baird also won the Wedgwood Heritage Trophy, awarded to the sailor who embodies the spirit of the sport and is a willing ambassador. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/3xq929 King Edward VII Gold Cup Final Standings 1. Mathieu Richard (FRA) Saba Sailing Team, 12-2, $35,000 (Crew: Greg Evrard, Olivier Herledant, Yannick Simon) 2. Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Team Apport.net, 15-5, $20,000 (Crew: Martin Stromberg, Johan Tempelman, Will Thompson) 3. Ed Baird (USA) Alinghi, 10-4, $15,000 (Crew: Rodney Ardern, Lorenzo Mazza, Piet Van Nieuwenhuyzen) 4. Blythe Walker (BER) Team Max, 8-8, $8,000 (Crew: Adam Barboza, Carola Cooper, Somers Kempe) 5. Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Shosholoza, 7-4, $7,000 (Crew: Pierluigi de Felice, Pierluigi Fornelli, Salvatore Pavoni) 6. Johnie Berntsson (SWE), 6-6, $6,000 (Crew: Johan Backman, Johan Barne, Björn Lundgren) 7. Brian Angel (USA) King Harbor Match Race Team, 7-6, $5,000 (Crew: Michael Brown, David Hochard, Payson Infelize) 8. Glenn Astwood (BER), 5-6, $4,000 (Crew: Eddie Bardgett Stephen King, Blair Simmons) The win gave Richard 25 points in the chase for the match racing world championship and he trails leader Ian Williams of Great Britain by 7 points. Two events are left to decide the championship, the Brazil Sailing Cup Nov. 13-18 and the Monsoon Cup Nov. 28-Dec. 2. SO CAL WHISTLE-STOP TOUR The US-IRC is taking their story on the road to Southern California to directly meet with owners, crew, race organizers, race managers, and the sailing media to demonstrate how IRC works and why over 600 IRC certificates have been issued in the USA since the rule was introduced in 2004. Informational seminars have been planned for Friday evening November 16th at the Los Angeles Yacht Club, Saturday morning November 17th at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club, and Sunday morning November 18th at the San Diego Yacht Club. Seminar leaders include Barry Carroll, past Executive Director of US-IRC and now Technical Director, who will explain the concept and how IRC works. Then Rich du Moulin, Chairman of the US-IRC Owners Association, and Luiz Kahl, US-IRC webmaster and owners representative, will tell the success story and explain why many sailors like using the rule. – Complete announcement: http://www.us-irc.org/newsfull.cfm?ID=51 ACCURATE, RELIABLE & DEPENDABLE PERFORMANCE Ockam is the leader in providing the most accurate real-time data available. The high-speed Tryad processor combined with an available 3-axis rate stabilized compass utilizes the full motion of the boat to deliver a stable, accurate & dependable wind solution. The Tryad also logs all system data internally so you can view it after racing. With performance and weight in mind, sensors interface close to their location allowing information to stream throughout the system’s robust single cable network. View more lines of information than the competition with the new Matryx II, graphical display that also strip-charts data. Contact: mailto:sales@ockam.com A NEW REALITY AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY The regatta format for collegiate racing depends on the locale; some regattas are bring your own boat affairs, while others utilize the boats of the host school. For the later option, it is common for the host school to accept the burden of the event from A to Z, and that would include any damage that occurs to the boats. When the racing is done in sturdy doublehanded boats such as the 420, this onus is rarely prohibitive. However, when the same standard is applied to a keelboat fleet of 44-footers, and when damage occurs, the typical $300 dinghy repair can easily gain a couple more zeros. Not too many schools have keelboat fleets available to them, but the Naval Academy does, and last year they absorbed a $30,000 repair bill from a collision during their McMillan Cup Regatta in the fall. As a result, the Academy hierarchy felt it was time to initiate stricter standards to insure that the collegiate sailors competing are sufficiently qualified to handle the Navy 44 boats. While it is still the Academy’s intent to encourage and support keelboat sailing in collegiate competition, they are hoping that the following regulations will help insure that such occurrences become less likely: * Sailing resumes required * Mandatory practice session before event for new teams * A $1,000 damage deposit is required The complete explanation of these regulations are online, and comments are encouraged: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=5388 SAILING SHORTS * Chicago Yacht Club will begin accepting requests for invitation to the 2008 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Lands’ End, which will start off Chicago's lakefront on July 19, 2008. 2008 marks the 100th running of "the Mac," the words longest annual freshwater sailing race. Participation in the 333 mile race from Chicago Yacht Club to Mackinac Island, Mich. is by invitation only. -- Full details at http://tinyurl.com/3xmknd * US Sailing is soliciting nominations for one of the Community Sailing Council's annual awards, to be presented at the National Sailing Programs Symposium in January. These accolades raise the quality of sailing education and access throughout the US. Deadline is on October 15th. -- http://www.ussailing.org/training/CommunitySailing/commsailawards.asp * St. Petersburg, Fla., USA -- The St. Petersburg Yacht Club will host the Rolex Osprey Cup, an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Grade 1 women’s match racing regatta, on October 18-21. The regatta will feature 10 international teams, including the world’s #3 ranked Katie Spithill (Pittwater, Australia), #4 ranked Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wis.), U.S. Women’ s Match Racing champion Liz Baylis (San Rafael, Calif.), and 2008 US Olympic Radial sailor Anna Tunnicliffe (Plantation, Fla.). Racing takes place daily on Tampa Bay in Sonar class keelboats, within viewing range of the St. Petersburg Municipal Pier. -- http://www.rolexwomensmatch.org * (October 12, 2007) A federal commission sued a Fairport Harbor yacht builder, saying it racially harassed and then fired a black employee. The suit, filed in United States District Court in Cleveland, resulted from charges of job-related racial bias that John Sams Sr., 59, of Painesville made to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He alleged -- and the EEOC concluded -- that he was mistreated while working for Novis Marine and Tartan and C&C Yachts. The suit seeks assurance that procedures will be amended to avoid future complaints, and to compensate Sams for back pay, punitive damages, and legal fees. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/2rkxu2 * Suva, Fiji Islands -- The Hobie 16 World Championships have completed the Womens, Junior, and Masters events, and now have also completed the qualifying round of the Open event, with the top 49 teams advancing to the Semi-Final round to begin on Monday, October 15th. -- Event website: http://www.hobieworlds.com/h16-2007/ CANADA’S CUP WINNER TO BE DECIDED MONDAY Toronto, Ontario (October 14, 2007) -- With racing for the 21st Canada’s Cup beginning last Friday, the defender Royal Canadian Yacht Club sailing Honour, and challenger Macatawa Bay Yacht Club sailing Heartbreaker, figured they would have had a winner by the end of Sunday. The defender held a 2-1 edge after Friday, but then they weren’t able to get any racing in on Saturday. The defending team Honour retained their one-point lead Sunday after four long races in this nail-biting match racing championship on Lake Ontario, now leading the series 4 to 3. The one-point difference between the Defender and challenging skipper Bob Hughes is eerily reminiscent of scores going into the final days of the last two Canada’s Cup Championships. In both 2001 and 2003, Hughes and his Heartbreaker team lost on the final racing day to seasoned Farr 40 teams from the Royal Canadian Yacht Club. Tomorrow, the challenging team from Macatawa Bay, Michigan will try to break free from their final-day curse, and bring Canada’s Cup home with them to Lake Michigan. -- Sunday recap: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/1014 * The winner of the Canada’s Cup is the first team to score five wins, with the defending club needing just one more win to retain the trophy. Races resume Monday, October 15th at 11am ET. -- Event site: http://www.rcyc.ca/Sailing/Regattas/CanadasCup/tabid/147/Default.aspx “MAN OVERBOARD!” Looking for the best marine locator beacons for your crew? Insist that they are fully automatic…manually activated beacons are of absolutely no use to an unconscious or hypothermic victim. SeaMarshall water-activated beacons are the accepted standard in overboard recovery gear for racers, cruisers, and powerboaters. Contact Chip Barber: mailto:admin@chbarber.com; http://www.chbarber.com/seamarshall.html. CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar EIGHT BELLS I was saddened to learn about Bob Buzzelli's death last week. This was a genuinely nice guy taken from us in his prime by what sounds like a freak accident. A lifelong catamaran enthusiast and racer, Bob was a low-key guy who always seemed to offer a smile or nice comment. It is no wonder that so many people considered him a good friend. A long time Stilleto owner, Bob, in collaboration with Peter Wormwood, developed one of the coolest under 40' racer-cruiser cats ever launched. 'Merlin' was a familiar sight blasting around FL waters. And Bob was a familiar sight at the cutting edge of the catamaran world. Bob, I expect you're flying a hull in perfect waters somewhere. We'll miss you. -- Peter Johnstone 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 Tom Redler, DRYC Race Committee: During this past summer, a lead editorial in Issue 2406 written by Mike Guccione of DRYC (Marina del Rey, CA) pleaded with yacht clubs to "put the FUN back in sail racing" by giving participants what they wanted. i.e. opportunities to continue to race past the traditional September 30th cut-off date; include as many classes and OD boats as possible; start when the wind was most favorable; easy interesting courses; end up with an informal, socially friendly, inexpensive Awards Party. As a result of that editorial, Patagonia and Mount Gay Rum contacted Mike and offered to sponsor such a series. On Saturday, October 6, 2007, DRYC, under Mike's leadership, presented the first in a series of three Saturday Night Races. I am happy to report that we had 46 entries (in spite of competition from USC and UCLA football) in boats ranging from Lido 14's (on a separate course) to PHRF-A yachts. The races started at 3:00 pm with good winds, fair seas, and sunny weather. They were all finished by 5:00 pm, at which time over 125 enthusiastic participants celebrated the new format at a fun-filled party at DRYC. The new format was so appealing to novice and veteran racers alike, that we are hoping other clubs throughout Southern California will be encouraged to "keep racing alive" until the end of the year. Please contact Mike Guccione for more innovative procedures and details. -- mailto:www.innove8@pacbell.net * From Bruce McPherson, Hyannis Port, MA: Randy Reitema's question (in Issue 2450) got me thinking. How does one "game" the proposed "efficiencies" of the XXXIII America's Cup one boat per team rule? Would the experienced yacht clubs immediately try to team up with one another for practice, leaving new challengers to work by themselves at greater expense and less experience? If so, I envision considerable maneuvering under the table as clubs vie to pair with a viable contender. To avoid all this, does a responsible Challenger of Record invite ALL challengers to join in scheduled trial-pairing round robins at some specified period prior to the challenger trials? But the most pregnant issue in the "one boat" concept, however, is the role/ position of the Defender. If the Defender joins the Challenger Trials, all the suspense, all that wonderful media frenzy that so captivates the sailing world, is mute! Two thoughts: the Defender, running the business at home, is allowed to build two boats for the first regatta only; or, the Defender must be smart enough to play by the Rod Stephens concept that any perceived advantage in trials is immediately buried, only to be used in the proper conditions in the finals. Another subject: I would like to think that the viability of the IACC, especially in terms of bringing new clubs to the game, would be greatly enhanced by making benchmark spread sheets of wind speed/boat speed with true wind direction available online so new designers could evaluate their skills for VPP comparison proposals to clients. * From Michael Shocklee, Marina del Rey, CA: When has there ever been a DULL moment in America's Cup history? I say, let the two of them duke it out...just don't postpone. If Ellison wants to spend big bucks for the Cup, sponsor several US flagged teams. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. -- Mark Twain. Special thanks to the Pirate’s Lair, Ockam Instruments, and CH Barber. |
