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SCUTTLEBUTT 2852 - Wednesday, May 27, 2009Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors,providing a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Today's sponsors are Team One Newport, Doyle Sails, and LaserPerformance. ANDREW CAMPBELL: FROM LASERS TO STARS The fifth event of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Sailing World Cup series - the Delta Lloyd Regatta at Medemblik, Holland - will find over 650 sailors from 51 countries competing in 11 classes from May 27-31. This prominent Olympic training event finds 25 year old Andrew Campbell, who represented the U.S. in the Laser class at the 2008 Olympic Games, making his European debut in the Star class with veteran crew Brad Nichol, 29. On the eve of this event, Scuttlebutt checks in with Campbell: * What do you see as the biggest take-away from your 2008 Olympic campaign and Games experience? ANDREW CAMPBELL: “The biggest take-away from the '08 campaign was that I have a new perspective on sailboat racing, on how I approach the sport, and how I take every new experience on the water. What I realized most was that regardless of your level of preparation, you still have to have the good fortune to win on the day. I matured drastically as a sailor during the final months leading into the 2008 Games, but didn't realize that I had until after the Olympic regatta was over. Sometimes you show up to a regatta and you cannot lose, you have prepared properly, and you get your nose out off every start line and cannot miss a shift. Other times, you can't buy a shift if your life depended on it. “What I realized was that so long as you are making the right decisions, the decisions that you are confident will work, you then have to leave things up to fate. That doesn't mean that I take a laissez-faire attitude toward the game, quite the opposite. I have a renewed faith in the fact that you create good luck by making good decisions all around the race course regardless of your position. Some regatta results are great, some are horrible, but constantly improving your potential is the only thing you can truly control. The fact that you're always preparing yourself properly, improving your personal capacity, making smart tactical decisions, and meeting your potential as a sailor, only then can you enter a regatta with an advantage. I had as good a shot as anybody entering the Olympic regatta, my racing didn't work out, and I will never forget the people I enjoyed the event with, nor the lessons I learned in the process.” * What has led to the move from the Laser to the Star? -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/0526 => Curmudgeon’s Comment: I received an email from 470 World Champs Erin Maxwell and Isabelle Kinsolving (USA), who reported that the final training day for the Delta Lloyd Regatta on Tuesday had gusts to 30 knots, and the first racing on Wednesday expects the same. SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO BE REPAIRED The damage assessors have gone in and the verdicts suggest it is unlikely that lobster fishermen will receive many thank you cards from the shore crew in the near future. The 2,550-mile leg across the Atlantic has left the repair teams with a variety of jobs, largely because of the "scars", "dings" and "gouges" left by numerous collisions between foils and pot lines. Green Dragon saw a daggerboard almost scythed in half by one line, while PUMA face a big job in mending a bow damaged by running over some floating fishing equipment. But Ericsson 3 are taking on one of the biggest restoration missions, picking up the pieces after their keel fin and a daggerboard were broken in a collision with a whale two days into the leg. They ultimately finished seventh in an incredibly tight battle that saw first and last arrive within five hours and four minutes, but upon docking navigator Aksel Magdahl revealed the keel damage cost them an average 10% in speed. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/VOR-5-26-09 * VOLVO OCEAN RACE: Began in Alicante, Spain on Oct. 4, 2008, crewed around the world race in VO 70’s, with ten distance legs and seven In-Port races. Finish is in St Petersburg, Russia on June 27th. The next event will be the sixth In-Port race in Galway on Saturday, May 30th, with Leg 8 from Galway to Marstrand, Sweden (950 miles) to start on Saturday, June 6th and expected to finish by June 10th. -- http://www.volvooceanrace.org/schedule/ Currents standings: 1. Ericsson 4 (SWE), Torben Grael/BRA, 92 points 2. Telefónica Blue (ESP), Bouwe Bekking/NED, 77.5 points 3. PUMA (USA), Ken Read/USA, 76 points 4. Ericsson 3 (SWE), Magnus Olsson/SWE, 60 points 5. Green Dragon (IRL/CHN), Ian Walker/GBR, 52 points 6. Telefonica Black (ESP), Fernando Echavarri/ESP, 36 points 7. Delta Lloyd (IRL), Roberto Bermudez/ESP, 29.5 points 8. Team Russia (RUS), Andreas Hanakamp/AUT, 10.5 points Event website: http://www.volvooceanrace.org Race tracking: http://volvooceanrace.geovoile.com Overall scores: http://www.volvooceanrace.org/rdc/#tab4 BLOCK ISLAND RACE WEEK… HERE WE COME Get ready for Block Island Race Week with Henri-Lloyd’s Atmosphere Tees. Combining Fast Dri technology and UV 50 protection, they are by far the best technical shirt on the market. Available in Men’s and Women’s in great colors…perfect for crew gear! Act now and take advantage of special promotional pricing. On the $24 short sleeve, buy 2 for $42 or 3 for $55. On the $29 long sleeve, buy 2 for $49 or 3 for $65. Go to http://www.team1newport.com, put SSBSPE in the Search Box, and we will adjust your pricing when we receive the order. Or call 800-VIP-GEAR (800-847-4327) and speak to a clothing expert! HAS THE FAT LADY SUNG? While Ericsson 4 has not mathematically won the Volvo Ocean Race, the scenario of it not occurring has become very unlikely. The remaining points in the race will come from three more distance legs and two more In-Port races. Winning all five events would earn 32 points (8 pts per leg; 4 pts per In-Port), while finishing, say, fourth in all five events would earn 20 points. With Ericsson 4’s current lead of 14.5 pts, the team would seemingly need a catastrophic event to fall far enough to relinquish her lead. Given how Telefonica Blue hasn’t won a distance leg since arriving first into Qingdao over three months ago, and PUMA has yet to win a leg or In-Port race, PUMA skipper Kenny Read concluded, "It is pretty much a fight for second now.”" T-Blue skipper Bouwe Bekking agreed, "I think Ericsson are out of reach.” -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/Fat-Lady-5-26-09 THE DOG DAYS OF THE TOUR After the first event of the season took place in Marseille in March, the 10-event World Match Racing Tour will commence again this week at the Match Race Germany in Langenargen. This is the grueling part of the schedule, as not less than four events will be run in one month: Match Race Germany (May 27-June 1), Korea Match Cup (June 2 -7), Troia Portugal Match Cup (June 16 -21), and Match Cup Sweden (June 29- July 5). The tour will then break until early September, where the last part of the season will start from St Moritz Match Race. Noted ISAF #1 ranked match racer Sebastien Col, “Looking at the calendar, it will be quite tough, mainly between Germany and Korea, as they couldn't change their schedules. 50% of the teams taking part to the Match Race Germany will also sail the Korea Match Cup. The main issue that we will have to manage will be the jet lag, along with the event's format in Korea, as you need to play hard early in the competition, and the wind conditions are a bit tricky.” -- Tour website: http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com SO FAR SO GOOD The Block Island Race - the traditional start to the summer sailing season, held each Memorial Day Weekend - saw Tom Hill’s brand new Custom Reichel/Pugh 75 Titan 15 have the fastest corrected time and finished first in IRC Zero class over the 186 nm course, which took the 55 boat fleet from Stamford, Conn., down Long Island Sound, clockwise around Block Island (R.I.), and back. Here is the report from Hill: “We’re totally satisfied with the boat. All the boats that posted a great time in this race have all been donated or rebuilt. Ours was being built at that time, so there was time to make some changes. For a year we didn’t know if we would wind up with a boat that wouldn’t be able to perform. We sweated it out for a year. It could have been a lemon or a speedboat.” A Southwest breeze of 8-10 knots got the boats off to a quick downwind start and stayed consistent until the fleet got to Plum Island Gut. “At the start, I looked over my shoulder and we were even with Rambler!” said Hill. “How can our 75-footer match a water-ballasted, 90 footer? Four hours later and we’re still together. It’s unbelievable!” -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/BI-5-26-09 IF I WERE PRESIDENT OF US SAILING… In October, Gary Jobson will become the next president of the US SAILING. Gary is actively seeking input from the Scuttlebutt community, so here is our chance. Also, to help motivate us, OceanRacing.com has donated three Optimum Watches to be raffled off to everyone that submits their input. So here is the format… fill in the blank: "If I were president of US SAILING, I would______________________________." Here is an early response: “If I were president of US SAILING, I would rapidly create a structure to promote Junior Big Boat programs at Yacht Clubs and Community Sailing Programs around the country. Junior Big Boat Programs, where junior sailors are exposed to the thrills and challenges of sailing boats over 24' is the best way to promote interest in sailing competition among the 16 and over crowd that is available. US SAILING could set up a certification for JBBS Instructors so that YC's know they are employing skilled instructors who are properly trained to supervise a crew on a boat over 24'. US Sailing can set up a revenue stream with training manuals and instructor clinics to help promote big boat sailing which will not only help US SAILING but add to the available talent ready and able to crew on big boats. If US SAILING takes a leadership role to promote this it will have a tremendous multiplier effect and could be the best way to ensure the continued interest in sailing for all those 16 and over!” - Rob Stephan, Fairfield, CT Raffle will be held June 1, 2009 (noon PT). All responses must be posted on the Forum: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7506 SAILING YACHT OF THE YEAR: P2 The World Superyacht Award for the best sailing yacht of 2009 went to P2. At the Boat International’s World Superyacht Awards 2009, the 38m P2 triumphantly won 3 Awards: Sailing Yacht of the Year, Best Exterior Styling and Best Sailing Yacht in 30m to 44m size range. To see for yourself if sails really do make the boat, visit http://www.doylesails.com/p2 WOMEN’S COLLEGE NATIONALS San Francisco, CA (May 26, 2009) - It was during the Semi-Finals on Monday where 18 teams vied for the top nine slots that would advance them to the 2009 Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) Women’s Championship. Led by Old Dominion University, the top nine semi-finalists met the nine pre-seeded teams today for the start of the finals in what were ideal San Francisco bay conditions: 8-12 knots for the morning racing, picking up to 15-18 in the afternoon with gusts up to 22 knots. Eight races were completed in B Division and six were completed in A Division. Yale currently leads due to their balanced attack, with Jane Macky/Marla Menninger third in A division and Katherine Hagemann/ Elizabeth Brim second in B division. Maintaining balance, or correcting an imbalance, may prove to be the key in the event. For Old Dominion University to pass up Yale, skipper Katrina Williams with crews Alissa Ayres and Ashley Brusso will need to continue their blistering pace, currently leading A division by 16 pts, but B division team Stephanie Roble/Arianna Baker will need to make adjustments to pull them up from 8th, 36 points off the lead. Racing concludes Wednesday. Current standings 1. Yale University, 73 points (A-3, B-2) 2. Old Dominion University, 79 (A-1, B-8) 3. Boston College, 88 (A-9, B-1) 4. Dartmouth College, 92 (A-5, B-3) 5. Charleston, 93 (A-2, B-7) Event website: http://www.collegesailing.org/nas/spring09 Kattack tracking: http://americanregatta.com/regattas/2009/icsa SailGroove video: http://www.sailgroove.org/sc/icsa2009spring * While Northwestern University didn’t qualify for the College Nationals, they do win awards for good ideas. This past weekend, the NU Sailing Team treated students to "free sailing rides, free BBQ and fun" on the shores of Lake Michigan. According to Sailing Team Captain Sarah Hughes, the team recorded "well over" 200 attendees this weekend. Approximately 61 of the 68 members of the Sailing Team were involved in the event through advertising, sailing, or grilling. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/NU-5-26-09 SUSPENDED ELIGIBILITY Here is an update from the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) website on the athletes that currently have their eligibility suspended: * Christine Johnston (GBR) - from June 1, 2007 to May 31, 2009 - Anti Doping violation, refusal. * Simon Daubney (NZL) - from July 14, 2007 to July 13, 2009 - Anti Doping violation, presence of cocaine metabolites. * Juan Diego Nunez (MEX) - from July 26, 2008 to July 25, 2009 - Gross beach of good manners and sportsmanship. * Mr Anders Steen Gotschalk (DEN) - from Oct. 5, 2007 to Oct. 5, 2009 - Anti Doping violation, presence of cocaine metabolites. * Shinya Kunieda (JPN) - from Nov. 1, 2007 to Oct. 31, 2009 - Breaking RRS 5 (banned substances and method). ISAF website: http://www.sailing.org/suspended-sailors.php SAILING SHORTS * The ISAF Sailor Classification Code and Classification FAQs have been updated to in relation to the Classification of owners who occasionally charter out their boats and then race on them. -- Full report: http://www.sailing.org/28412.php * (Victoria, BC) - A weekend of outstanding weather provided the perfect backdrop for the 184 entrants in the 66th running of the Swiftsure International Yacht Race. For the second year in a row, John Buchan’s Seattle-based 77-footer Glory took “triple crown” honours (first to finish, first in race, first in division) in the 138.7 nm Swiftsure Classic, crossing the finish line Sunday morning (elapsed time: 20:32:47) with her nearest competition over 4 hours behind. -- Race website: http://www.swiftsure.org * (May 26, 2009) - BoatUS awarded its 2009 Sea Scout Flagship Award to the top performing Sea Scout unit in the nation, Ship 90, Renegade, of Newport Beach, CA, at a ceremony last night in Alameda. The award, presented during the 57th Annual Ancient Mariner Sea Scout Regatta, recognized the unit for excellence in program quality, youth achievement and adult commitment during 2008. -- Read on: http://www.boatus.com/news/PR_Full.asp?ID=399 GET READY FOR SUMMER WITH LASERPERFORMANCE Until May 31, 2009, LaserPerformance is offering rebates of up to $275 on four of our most popular sailboats! From the world-renowned Laser and Sunfish to the Pico and new Bug, visit your local LaserPerformance dealer and learn more about this great program or visit laserperformance.com today. -- http://www.laserperformance.com EIGHT BELLS Prominent Brazilian yachtsman Roger Wright died in a tragic plane crash that also claimed nine other members of his family on May 22. Roger, founder of the investment banking and advisory firm Arsenal Investimentos in Sao Paulo, was a keen racing sailor in a variety of yachts from a Tornado to a Farr 40 to the Twelve Metre Class yacht KZ-3, now carrying his long-time yacht name “Wright on White.” In 2005 he purchased the outdated KZ-3 and commissioned a substantial upgrade, including new appendages, rig and sails. In 2006 he took his expanded all-Brazilian Farr 40 crew, including helmsman Lars Grael, to Newport, RI to learn how to compete successfully on the international circuit in the much larger and heavier Twelve. Roger had the leadership, Lars had the touch at the helm and the remainder of the crew had the talent to adapt quickly and successfully. Characterized by friendly and fair sailing, Roger and his crew, including his wife, went on to dominate the 2007 Centennial Summer of the Twelves, sailed as a series of regattas in Spain and France. Roger was as a person of vision, kindness, warmth, generosity, sportsmanship, fairness, commitment and effectiveness. His presence on the race course will be sorely missed. -- David Pedrick * A news report about the accident, with a photo of Roger, can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/RW-5-26-09 LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Reader commentary is encouraged, with letters to be submitted to the Scuttlebutt editor, aka, ‘The Curmudgeon’. Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and be no longer than 250 words (letter might be edited for clarity or simplicity). You only get one letter per subject, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- To submit a Letter: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- To post on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Amy Smith Linton, Tampa, FL: Maybe one way to develop a next generation of sailors is to let the kids get involved across the board: During a couple of recent local regattas, seems like youngsters were pouring out of the woodwork. During the Florida District Lightning Championships, the Edison Sailing Center in Ft. Myers had a Race Committee consisting of a couple of adults and a bevy of youths. The club is preparing for the 2.4 Meter Worlds next fall, so our modest Lightning regatta drew five or so RIBs and a big RC yacht. The Edison SC youths not only helped run the hoist, but they were the running the chase boats, and one of the 15-year-olds was acting as PRO. Yeah, imagine that: a bunch of teens and pre-teens zipping around on powerboats, calling time and over-earlies. They obviously had fun, and they did a great job of RCing. Hats off to Steve Olive, and congrats to Edison for having the vision and courage to let the kids have the keys. Likewise, the tiny Tampa Sailing Squadron has an active group of Sea Scouts, which provides not just sailing for kids, but an excellent source of skilled crew members. At a regatta recently, there were kids on the RC boat, kids filling in for crew, and there was at least one PHRF boat with a full Scout crew. It takes a certain amount of bravery for an organization to let kids go and mix it up, but it sure looks like it's working for these clubs. * From Chris Ericksen: Bravo, Erica Haybron, on your masterful piece on sailing through the ages as excerpted in 'Butt 2851 (and in full on the website). While I fancy myself a bit of a student of sailing myself, not only recreational but mercenary and military as well, I must confess that the depth and breadth of your knowledge of the topic at such an early age vastly exceeds my own at your age - and that of so many others of any age. It looks like we may have the successor to John Rousmaniere writing in the wings! * From Paul Warren, Redington Beach, FL: Congratulations to Erica Haybron for her excellent paper on the history of sailing. As a sailor for more than 50 years, I thought I knew a lot about my sport. But Erica has taught me more than “a thing or two,” especially in the details. Her research is outstanding and her writing is a joy. Maybe Scuttlebutt can hire her as an intern to help fuel this budding sailing journalist. (But, look out … she might just take your job away!) Thanks, Erica, for an informative and insightful look at the heritage of sailing. * From Toby Cooper: Thanks to Marco Cenzatti (in Scuttlebutt 2851) for making the most perceptive America’s Cup observation to date. The AC is only incidentally about sailing, the rest is about chess. To those many sailors who write to Scuttlebutt and elsewhere that the AC is “irrelevant/has lost its way/outlived its usefulness/etc,” your problem is that your expectations are for a sailing event. Get over it and read up on chess and you will be happy again. And Marco is right about the dance around timing and venue, but he doesn’t even mention Alinghi’s latest move, which apparently is to attempt a Michael Fay and simply bring a bigger boat to an un-handicapped event. Duh! I know, let’s race an Indy car against a Go Kart and then thump our chest and say “We won, we won.” What’s the %&*#@?& point? CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION The difference between the Pope and your boss is that the Pope only expects you to kiss his ring. Special thanks to Team One Newport, Doyle Sails, and LaserPerformance. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
