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SCUTTLEBUTT 2357 - June 4, 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 support provided by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, Defender of the 32nd America's Cup (http://www.ubs.com/sailing). THREE AND OHHHHHH After three days of racing in the Louis Vuitton Challenger finals, Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) is up 3 wins to none for the Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA). The ‘buttheads had indicated such a result in the pre-event poll, but surely they did not expect a shut-out at this stage. Differences in boat speed – if any – do not appear to be driving this result. While surely not slow, the Kiwi team is leading this series because they have consistently converted the first puff/ shift into a well-managed advantage all the way to the finish. The starting rhythm that the Italian team so elegantly performed in their shellacking of BMW Oracle Racing has been reduced to karaoke bar choir. Their first race start was only okay, the second start was late and slow, and the third start was, well, let’s let Paul Cayard walk us through it: “Jesse James Spithill appeared Sunday for the first four minutes of the prestart. He managed to block Dean from maneuvering, but then with 1 minute to go and his opponent trapped above the line, he mysteriously gybed away and went for the left end of the line. It was very hard for us spectators to understand this final minute of the prestart. In fact, Team New Zealand said after the race that they thought they were done for and suddenly found themselves getting the start they wanted at the right side of the line.” The teams have a scheduled rest day on Monday, and will begin racing again on Tuesday and Wednesday before the second rest day on Thursday. -- Complete schedule: http://www.americascup.com/en/americascup/program/calendrier.php Preliminary results (winning team is the first to 5 in the 9 race series) 1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) 1-1-1-_-_-_-_-_-_ = 3 3. Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA) 0-0-0-_-_-_-_-_-_ = 0 QUOTE / UNQUOTE Regarding the possibility of ETNZ skipper Dean Barker being replaced at the helm by Ben Ainslie, Terry Hutchinson said, "If we were to see a situation where Ben is on the boat, it's probably because Dean has been hit by a bus." -- http://www.stuff.co.nz/4080809a1823.html PAYOLA Spanish authorities are paying fishermen in Valencia a total of $200,000 to stay home during America's Cup regattas through July, part of a $2.9 billion public outlay for sailing's premier event. Twelve boats, each manned by two or three fishermen, are getting 275 euros ($372) per day for the 44 scheduled days of competition, said Jose Ramon Domingo, president of Valencia's Union of Fishermen. A fisherman would normally earn as little as 300 euros per week, he added. "We're quite happy with the financial agreement," Domingo said in a phone interview today. "We have no intention of blockading the port." It's one of the details of the biggest spends on the 156-year-old America's Cup by a host city. Valencia, seeking to promote itself as a tourism venue, has transformed its run-down port zone, expanded its airport, improved roads and even put the competition emblem on manhole covers. -- Honolulu Advertiser, full story: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/May/15/br/br9431276085.html HAVING RESERVATIONS Several syndicates have reservations about their involvement in the next America's Cup if Team New Zealand win and the Auld Mug returns to Auckland. The America's Cup in Valencia attracted 11 challengers, including first-time participants China Team, Shosholoza from South Africa and United Internet Team Germany - two more than competed in Auckland in the 2002-03 regatta. While all the challengers in Valencia have indicated they are keen to continue, some are not so sure it will be possible if the competition returns to New Zealand. -- NZ Herald, full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/4/story.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10443354 LEARN FROM A LEGEND If you want to move up in your fleet this season, don’t miss this month’s racing seminar led by Rolex Yachtsman of the Year and Etchells world champion Jud Smith. On June 11th the Boston Sailing Center (Boston, MA) will host a strategy and tactics seminar led by Jud. Whether you sail big boats or one-design, skipper or crew, this seminar will help you and your crew’s performance. For more information or to register, visit http://www.doylesails.com/news.htm#bsc or call 617-227-4198. If you can’t make Jud’s seminar you can still make your boat go faster by calling Doyle Sailmakers at 1-800-94-DOYLE. BOAT U.S. SANTA MARIA CUP Annapolis, MD (June 2, 2007) Team 7 Sailing compiled a perfect six-race undefeated record on the final day to win the Boat U.S. Santa Maria Cup US Women’s Match Race Championship. US Olympic Laser Radial sailor Anna Tunnicliffe joined the US Olympic Yngling team of Sally Barkow, Debbie Capozzi, and Carrie Howe for this series in J/22s. Team 7 also won this event in 2004. In the Round Robins, sailed on Chesapeake Bay off the mouth of the Severn River, Team 7 Sailing came within one race of an unblemished record, finishing 17-1. There were ten invited international crews competing, with Team 7 Sailing’s only loss to French skipper Claire Leroy, who has dominated women’s match racing, leading the ISAF rankings since May 2005. The completion of the round robins had turned the semis and finals into a France vs the USA event. Team 7 (17-1) was up against Christelle Philippe (11-7), while Claire Leroy (15-3) raced Liz Baylis (13-5) from San Francisco Yacht Club, who won this event in 2003. Team 7 nailed their semi-final match against Christelle three straight to finish 3-1 and qualify for the final against Claire who earned her finals slot, beating Liz 3-1. Team 7 prevailed in the finals against Claire, winning three straight races in a light and puffy breeze. In the petit final, Christelle beat Liz. -- Results: http://www.santamariacup.org CHANGING WITH THE TIMES Top sailors from Bermuda and the US will again be on the starting line off Massachusetts next month when nearly 90 yachts set out on the 645-mile biennial Marion to Bermuda Race. Now in its 30th year, this will be the 16th running of a race that maintains its roots in traditional sailing methods while encouraging grand prix competitors seeking victory. The race formerly used celestial navigation only and was at its core an event for family cruisers. But organisers have added an IRC class this year that will open the race to a much broader spectrum of boats including a multi-hull division. “First and foremost we are a cruising yacht race,” said Graham Quinn, executive director of the race. “Our goal is to maintain the integrity and tradition of a cruising race while offering a choice of handicap systems that will encourage more participants.” -- The Royal Gazette, full story: http://tinyurl.com/2nya8m COLLEGE NATIONALS Annapolis, Md. (June 1, 2007) - It was a nail-biter of a finale as the 2007 ICSA/Gill Coed National Championship was decided today at the US Naval Academy after sailors from 18 colleges wrapped up three days of competition on the Severn River. Eight races - four each in A- and B-Divisions - were all that were left to be sailed before the winning team would be crowned. With 168 points (A division=61; B division=107), the College of Charleston Cougars (Charleston, S.C.) were leading the standings after the first-two days of racing, and, as defending champions, were in position to repeat history. Following in hot pursuit were two teams hoping to make the Cougars an endangered species - Dartmouth College (Hanover, N.H.), second with 172 points (A division=102; B division=70), and day one leader UC-Irvine who was third with 184 points (A division=92; B division=92). -- Complete story: http://www.collegesailing.org/nas/spring07/teamcoed/coed_day3.asp Final Results (top 5 of 18; 18 races completed in A and B div) 1. Charleston, 225 points (A division=75; B division=150) 2. Dartmouth, 234 points (A division=133; B division=101) 3. Yale, 237 points (A division=161; B division=76) 4. UC Irvine, 237 points (A division=126; B division=111) 5. Boston College, 252 points (A division=121; B division=131) => Complete results: http://tinyurl.com/2pmrtp => Online video reports: http://www.jobsonsailing.com ALL AMERICANS Trevor Moore (Hobart/WmSmith '07) was chosen as the College Sailor of the Year, leading the list of twenty-three sailors receiving either All American or Honorable Mention honors. Additionally, twenty crews were elected to the Crew All-American list. => Skippers: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/0603 => Crew: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/0603c THE COMMON DENOMINATOR St. Mary’s College, Charleston, Stanford, Navy, Harvard, UC Irvine, Yale, Hobart/ William Smith, Newport Harbor, Point Loma, Tabor, St. George’s: What common attribute links these perennial college and high school sailing powerhouse programs? Their equipment. Since conceiving the Club 420 and Club FJ in 1976, Vanguard Sailboats has been at the forefront of supplying the best designed and built college and high school sailboats. Through Vanguard’ s support and development of these programs, college and high school sailing has grown to be the envy of the world. For more information on these and all of Vanguards boats and accessories, visit http://www.teamvanguard.com CARIBBEAN COMMENTARY The organizers of the Rolex Regatta in St Thomas are of the opinion that if they offer an IRC class or division at the 2008 Rolex Regatta then there will be more US mainland entries to their Regatta. I am not one to stand in the way of progress and if one is to believe all the information coming out of the US-IRC website then IRC is set to become the predominant racing rating rule in North America. And it only makes sense for Caribbean Regattas to draw on this pool of racing yachts for entries. But I cannot help but offer the facts as they stand regarding IRC racing in the Caribbean. The major northern Caribbean Regattas, Rolex-St Thomas, BVI Spring Regatta, Heineken-St Maarten, and Antigua Sailing Week have all offer dual scoring in both CSA and IRC for boats that are doing the US-IRC Gulf Stream Series for the last two years. They have not attracted more than a handful of boats, as a matter of fact in 2007 only 5 of a total of 38 yachts registered in the Gulf Stream Series competed in the Caribbean and of these 5, two are British (GBR) entries. There was only 1 Gulf Stream Series yacht that competed in the Rolex Regatta in St Thomas this year, out of 17 US flagged yachts that raced. The Gulf Stream series itself has recently diluted the importance of the two required Caribbean and Southern Regatta races (formerly known as Group 3) by amalgamating them together with the two required Eastern Round the Buoy races (formerly known as Group 4) into a new Group 3 that only requires 3 races total. This provides even less incentive for the US based Gulf Stream Series boats to make the journey south to participate in the Caribbean regattas. As I said before I think any idea that will bring more boats to the Caribbean to enjoy our excellent racing conditions and superbly run events is worth a try, however I wish that our local regattas would utilize the excellent networking facility set up by the Caribbean Sailing Association for the exchange of information and ideas by regional Regatta Organisers, to get further input before making unilateral decisions. -- Jeffrey Chen, Chief Measurer, Caribbean Sailing Association OLYMPIC UPDATE: EUROPEAN CHAMPS There are several European Championship events this week that will prove to be the final events for those attending the ISAF Combined Olympic Class World Championship later this month in Cascais, Portugal. While the Finn and 470 class events will begin Monday in Hungary and Greece respectively (and the RS:X on Tuesday in Cypress), racing for the Laser European Championship began Sunday in Hyeres, France. After the first two qualifying races, the top North American entrant is Michael Leigh (CAN) in fourth. American Brad Funk (USA) in fifth reports “perfect conditions for power racing. Westerly shore breeze 15-18 knots and smooth water. Love this stuff. Power hiking the all the way with no difference in boat speed between the top guys." CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar SAILING SHORTS * Swiss sailor Bernard Stamm, skipper of Cheminées Poujoulat, has announced his participation in the Barcelona World Race. Stamm who recently became the overall winner of the Velux 5 Oceans Race, has confirmed his co-skipper as British sailor Conrad Humpreys. This brings the total number of entries to eight so far for the Barcelona World Race, a new two-handed non-stop round the world yacht race in IMOCA Open 60 monohulls starting November 11, 2007. -- Full report: http://www.barcelonaworldrace.com/en/?s=6791 * Photographer Peter Lyons provides images from the Annual Master Mariners' Regatta, held a week ago on San Francisco Bay. Some great views of classic yachts on a breezy Northern California day: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/07/0601 * From the start on Friday, the leaders of the Annapolis to Newport Race are expected to reach Newport, RI by Sunday evening. The remnants of tropical depression Barry, downgraded early Sunday morning, have impacted the fleet as it dumps rain on the mid-Atlantic coast. Donnybrook, Jim Muldoon's custom 72-footer from Annapolis, MD, which has taken line honors for the last two Annapolis to Newport Races in 2003 and 2005, is in a tight contest with Decision, Stephen Murray's Reichel Pugh TP-52 from New Orleans, and Sjambok, Michael Brennan's Reichel Pugh 45 from Newport, RI. -- Race website: http://www.annapolisyc.org/newport07 * A strong line of thunderstorms in the area of Lake St. Clair prompted organizers of the Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta in Detroit, Mich. to cancel racing for the day, ending the three-day regatta. Saturday’s results stand as the final results for the 201 boats competing here out of Bayview Yacht Club. -- Complete results: http://tinyurl.com/332moc SAILute YOUR DAD'S & GRANDDADS! ...by giving them a gift that lasts a lifetime and doesn't need bottom paint and new sails every year! An Onne van der Wal print is a cherished gift that reminds Dad that he passed along his love of sailing AND his excellent taste. Mention you're a 'butthead for 15% OFF your order! http://www.vanderwal.com 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 Pete Horsch: Will Thomson’s comments (in Issue 2356) about Notre Dame and Wisconsin never making to "the show" (college nationals) again (based on their performance this year at co-ed nationals and the new “semi-finals” regatta that eliminates guaranteed berths to each district) may be right, but I think he's mistaken. The ebb and flow of college sailing over the years is one of the things that makes it great. 15 years ago, Hobart - William Smith barely had a team. Recently (since Scott Ikle took over) they have had a run of great success, including 4 top 3 finishes at co-ed nationals in the 8 years between 1998 and 2005, including a victory in 2005. Between 1988 and 1996, UC-Irvine placed in the top 3 at co-ed nationals 6 times in 9 years, winning in both 1988 and 1990. But neither HWS nor UCI has been a top team every year for the past 20 years. This year UCI finished 4th and HWS was 11th, but both teams know getting back to nationals next year will be tough, regardless of the qualification rules. Notre Dame and Wisconsin may never make it back to college nationals, but it won’t be because the qualification rules have changed. * From Adrian Morgan: As the only true national team in the event, it would be good to see the Kiwis win the challenger trials and also the America's Cup. Let's call them 'the true Kiwis', the rest being mercenaries, hired guns, janissaries, sailors of fortune, etc. * From Bob Bausch: It seems maybe an odd way to put it, but BMW/Oracle’s loss has become the Versus watcher’s gain, as we now have the benefit of Peter Isler’s extremely knowledgeable commentary for the Louis Vuitton finals. Peter’s natural, likeable and easy going manner, and clear way of describing what is happening in a race, and his encyclopedic knowledge of sailing and the America’s Cup is a pleasure to see and hear. He has a way of describing technical details of the boats and the way the crews are handling them that really helps one understand these boats and how they are sailed. I have to say that I’ve revised my feelings about Versus presentation of this exciting racing. Now they are a team of four excellent people, Craig and Peter handling the onshore reporting, and Andy and Tucker giving us the on water view. Having two people in each spot, and their exchange of thoughts is a treat, and makes for a very complete picture of what is taking place. The Virtual Eye is also quite informative. They even are getting in a few clips from the press conferences, and vignettes of various crew members. Well done! I can’t wait for Tuesday! I wonder if this foursome will continue into the Cup itself. I hope so. * From Juergen Klinghardt: I wonder why it is stated in Scuttlebutt 2356 that "IRC is the only rule endorsed by ISAF." This is wrong! IMS is the only rule endorsed by ISAF to be used for world and continental championships! Since IRC is a non-scientific but simple and type-forming rule, it is accepted by ISAF as a recognized rule only. Further, IRC is not uncontested in the U.S. as shown by the recent forum discussions. Please be careful with the IRC propaganda. I would be pleased if you would include this note to set the record straight. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing. Special thanks to Doyle Sails, Vanguard Sailboats, and Onne van der Wal Gallery. Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender of the 32nd America's Cup. |
