|
SCUTTLEBUTT 2905 - Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Scuttlebutt 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 North Sails and Camet.
ROAD TO THE TOP
On August 5th, Kiwi Adam Minoprio was the first non-French skipper to occupy
the top spot in the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Open Match Race
Rankings since June 2008. Here Minoprio discusses the road to the top:
* Tell us a bit more about how you put your plan together?
ADAM MINOPRIO: “Three years ago BlackMatch Racing was a group of mates that
joined together to do some events. We ended up winning the qualifier to the
Monsoon Cup 07. We did the event, saw where we wanted to be and came up with a
team plan from there of winning the World Match Racing Tour by 2010.”
* Talk to us about the team and how you all came to sail together?
ADAM MINOPRIO: “Most of the team have been sailing together since completing
the Royal New Zealand Youth Training Program in 2006, and it has been a great
combination. Our team consists of Dave Swete, Nick Blackman, Tom Powrie and
new member Dan Mclean who helped us out when Nick was injured and is now our
5th man. One of our strengths is our consistent crew as we all working towards
the same goal.”
* Explain the ISAF Rankings and their idiosyncrasies.
ADAM MINOPRIO: “Due to fact that regattas are counted over two years, it takes
a year and half of good sailing to see the results on the ISAF rankings. We
had a really successful year last year and are only now seeing the effects of
that, by gaining points with every new ranking release this year.”
Complete interview: http://tinyurl.com/nw9u4r
TALES FROM A MULTIHULL CONVERT
Geoff Becker’s DNA was strictly monohull. Becker had come from dinghy roots,
was an intercollegiate sailing All-American at UC-Irvine, and a two-time CR
914 national champion, and won the 80-boat Lightning North Americans in 2007.
So when Scuttlebutt saw he was recently pushing the leaders at the Hobie 16
North Americans, we had to check in to find out more about this multihull
convert:
* How did the idea of attending the Hobie 16 North Americans come about?
GEOFF BECKER: “In 2003 I coached the US SAILING Team at the Pan American Games
in the Dominican Republic. At that event I got my first exposure to Hobie 16
racing by the US sailors Paul and May Ann Hess, in fact Paul took me for a
sail at the end of one of the days to show me the boat. When I coached the
2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, I coached Bob Merrick and Eliza
Jones Cleveland in the Hobe 16 and again really enjoyed watching the boats
race. After that event, I caught the bug and bought a cheap beater Hobie 16 to
see if I would like it myself. I really enjoyed the boat and later in 2008 I
bought a better boat and began to race it competitively for the next year. The
NAs seemed like a good regatta to test how well I had learned the boat in the
year or so I had been working at sailing it and we made it our goal event.” --
Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/0807
OWNERSHIP OF CYBERSPACE
Virtual racing got big exposure during the Volvo Ocean Race, which claimed to
have had over 220,000 players participating in an online simulation of the
race, with users competing on the same course and making decisions not unlike
the actual sailing teams. The Volvo Ocean Race Game was hosted by
VirtualRegatta.com, but other providers have gotten into the act, which is now
complicating the ownership of cyberspace.
When the Royal Ocean Racing Club started its 608-mile Rolex Fastnet Race last
Sunday, there were again online users, with the RORC having partnered with
VirtualRegatta.com for their virtual race. However, a competing brand,
Sailonline.org, had provided a Fastnet Race for their users too - called the
Cowes-Plymouth Challenge - but in the eyes of the RORC that became one too
many sheriffs for their town.
On August 9th, when all the races - both real and virtual - were starting,
Sailonline.org announced they had to cancel their race after being contacted
by solicitors engaged by RORC, who were seeking to protect their brands, both
real and virtual. -- Scuttleblog, read on and comment here:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/2009/08/ownership-of-cyberspace.html
SOOZAL, RACER X & MISTER MAGOO
What do Dan Woolery, Philip Laby, Rich Pipkin, and Steve Madeira have in
common? They all won their respective classes at the 2009 Aldo Alessio
Perpetual Trophy Regatta in San Francisco and they all race with complete
North Sails inventories. Dan Woolery and ‘Soozal’ won the IRC class (and
Pacific Coast Championship) in his King 40; Philip Laby and Rich Pipkin,
co-owners of ‘Racer X’, won the J/105 class with a brand-new North 3DL heavy
jib and longtime North client Steve Madeira won the J/120 class with his team
aboard ‘Mister Magoo.’ North Sails would like to congratulate them on a
regatta well sailed! When performance (and RESULTS) matter, head North:
http://www.northsails.com
CST COMPOSITES MOTH WORLDS
(August 10, 2009) - Working the shifts was today’s mantra for Day 1 of the CST
Composites Moth Worlds, sailed at Cascade Locks, Oregon. The race committee
got four races off for the 46 racers in predominantly flat water but a
shifting breeze that made for tough calls throughout the day. Racing started
at noon in about 12 kts, and built to 15 with gusts to 20 at the bottom mark
by late afternoon.
Racing was consistently tight at the top of the fleet with the top five
finishers battling it out all day. Top ten finishers: Nathan Outteridge (AUS)
8 points, Bora Gulari (USA) 12 points, Dalton Bergan (USA) 13 points, Simon
Payne (GBR) 16 points, Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI) 18 points, Rohan Veal (AUS) 21
points, Kevin Hall (NZL) 33 points, Rob Gough (AUS) 41 points, Andrew
McDougall (AUS) 44 points, and Charlie McKee (USA) 44 points.
Today’s lighter air played well for boats, with few disabling breakages. Scott
Babbage caught a DNF on Race 2, after his mast exploded as it hit the water on
an unspectacular maneuver between races – reaching for his water bottle, which
was unfortunate as he sailed a solid first race, and finished in the top five
for both races 3 and 4.
Likewise for Gulari, who had a couple of spectacular starts, and in Race 3 had
a solid one hundred yard advantage over the entire fleet coming into the first
top mark rounding only to blow it as he missed a puff coming out of the mark
and capsized. But boat speed has been his close ally this past week and he put
the pedal down to finish 3rd in this race, almost making it past Payne who
just got Gulari across the line. -- Read on:
http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=8019
CONFIRMED
(August 10, 2009) - America's Cup challenger BMW Oracle Racing has confirmed
that BOR 90, the giant trimaran being tested in San Diego, is the boat it will
use in its showdown against defending champion Alinghi of Switzerland in
February. The Americans made the disclosure in New York State Supreme Court on
Monday in an ongoing legal tussle between the bitter rivals.
Justice Shirley Kornreich didn't rule on when the Americans must submit a
Custom House Registry, which the Swiss want in order to confirm that the
90-foot trimaran matches the dimensions listed in BMW Oracle Racing's
challenge document. There had been speculation that BMW Oracle Racing, owned
by software tycoon Larry Ellison, was building a new boat. -- Full story:
http://tinyurl.com/mdapsr
Defender statement: http://tinyurl.com/kuy3at
Challenger statement: http://tinyurl.com/nkgznp
=> Curmudgeon’s Comment: While the challenger confirmed the boat they will use
in the America’s Cup is ‘BOR 90’, and that is the same name as the trimaran
they are now training on, it is anybody’s guess what ‘BOR 90’ will look like
after it undergoes the modifications that are now keeping 60 people busy at
their production facility in Anacortes, WA. Maybe they will keep the decals
the same.
USA SEEDED 6TH FOR OPTIMIST TEAM-RACING
Niterói, Brasil (August 10, 2009) - After day one of the Optimist World Team
Racing Championship, the USA was the only North American team from the
original 40 national teams to make the cut and is seeded 6th out of 16 for the
second round.
It may prove difficult to improve on that ranking. Unlike several teams, for
example Singapore, the USA team has little chance to train together due to the
geographical origins of the sailors:
Esteban Forrer - San Diego, CA
Max Simmons - Norwalk, CT
Axel Sly - Coral Reef, FL
Holly Tullo - Staten Island, NY
Christopher Williford - Fort Lauderdale,FL
Such geography means that the most successful U.S. teams internationally tend
to be state or regional. Team Florida won this year’s prestigious 9-nation
Trofeo Rizzotti in Italy and U.S. national team champions “West Side”
(California) are entered for the Berlin Cup in October.
Strong winds on Monday have delayed completion of the team event. Fleet racing
is to commence again on Wednesday; results to date are available at:
http://www.cncharitas.com.br/results_opt.html
IT’S SIMPLE MATH
$55.00 lasts one season or $69.50 lasts many seasons more. You want to talk
value? How about longevity? Why buy a pair of shorts that will only last you
one season when you can buy a pair that will last you twice as long? Camet
Sailing Shorts built to last. Invest wisely at
http://www.camet.com/?Click=1317
COUNTING THE COST
by Josh Hall, PGOR organizer
During the 2008-09 Portimão Global Ocean Race, many people asked us how much
it costs to stage a Round-the-World-Race and even more people have asked how
much it costs to enter the event. We have always answered these questions
honestly with the minimum and maximum relevant numbers.
I have found that running a boat race is much like running a race-boat
campaign in as much as some costs are fixed and some are variable. In both
cases there will be many occasions where surprise, hidden costs rear their
ugly head and a few occasions (far too few) when something comes in a lot
cheaper than anticipated. -- Read on:
http://www.portimaoglobaloceanrace.com/?page=news&news_id=340&lang=en
SAILING SHORTS
* Eighty-one teams attended the 2009 Thistle National Championship, hosted by
Cedar Point Yacht Club in Westport, CT. Dominating the event was David
Dellenbaugh with crew Susan Dellenbaugh and Jay Lurie, building up a 42-point
margin over runner-up Brian Kitchin/ Alexa Gruber/ Doug Kitchin. -- Complete
scores:
http://www.thistleclass.com/events/nationals/nationals2009/template2.html
* Sodus Point, NY (August 10, 2009) - The 67 boats at the 2009 International
Lightning Class North American Championships completed two more qualifying
races today, and will now divide the fleet for the final series on Tuesday
through Thursday. Winning the qualifying series with three firsts was Marcus
Eagan/ Kippy Chamberlain/ John Bowden of Bay St Louis MS. -- Event website:
http://www.sodusbayyc.org/events/2009lightningnas/
* (August 10, 2009) - After a tricky first night at sea, the mid-fleet in the
608-mile Rolex Fastnet Race have experienced a rainy grey day at sea as they
slog upwind westward along the English south coast. As expected the big boats
have broken away with Mike Slade's 100-foot supermaxi ICAP Leopard, rounding
Land's End at around 0930 GMT and by 1500 she was halfway to the Fastnet Rock
turning mark. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/mdjtph
* Nominations are now invited for the 2009 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year
Awards, the most prestigious award of recognition in the sport of sailing.
Nominations may be made by anyone and the only criteria are that sailors must
have performed an “outstanding achievement in the sport of sailing” during the
qualifying period of 1 September 2008 to 31 August 2009. The 2008 winners were
Ben Ainslie (GBR) and Alessandra Sensini (ITA). Nominations should be sent in
to ISAF by 12.00hrs (UTC) on Wednesday 9 September 2009 on the Official
Nomination Form which may be found at http://www.sailing.org/29171.php
* The Canadian Yachting Association invites all Canadian sailors and their
supporters to participate in recognizing Canada's top sailors, coaches,
volunteers and events via the CYA Annual Awards. All nomination forms are due
at the CYA office by September 27th, 2009. -- Details:
http://tinyurl.com/md6mff
* US SAILING’s Chubb U.S. Junior Championships is a nationwide elimination
series that is being held in Marblehead, Mass. on August 11-13. Sponsored by
Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, LaserPerformance and Gill North America,
and hosted by the Pleon, Eastern, Corinthian, and Boston Yacht Clubs, this
unique regatta is among the oldest of US SAILING’s National Championships, and
will feature competition in single-, double-, and triplehanded classes sailing
Lasers, Club 420s, and Rhodes 19s respectively. -- Read on:
http://tinyurl.com/nbn5yu
* Melges Performance Sailboats in Zenda, Wisconsin has announced that the Audi
Melges 20 production will now officially take place in the USA. The first
series of boats had been produced in China by McConaghy, but the move to the
U.S. will potentially allow for higher availability and quicker delivery. --
Full story: http://melges20.com/news-article-1060.php
POST YOUR EVENT STORIES
If you attended the Buzzards Bay Regatta in South Dartmouth, MA, or the Verve
Cup (inshore) Regatta in Chicago, IL, post your regatta stories in the
Scuttlebutt Forum event threads for the Scuttlebutt gear raffle:
BBR: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7995
Verve: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7996
PHOTO GALLERIA
* Emily L. Ferguson provides some shots from two classic classes - Wianno
Seniors at their Scudder Cup race and Herreshoff H12s at their Worlds in Buzzards Bay:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/09/0807C/
* Thirty-four teams attended the Eastern Class E-scow Association
Championship, hosted by Bay Head Yacht Club and Mantoloking Yacht Club.
Photographer Justin Chando shares his samples from the action:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/09/0810/
* Carlo Borlenghi captured this past weekend’s starting drama of the 608 mile
Rolex Fastnet Race as the 300 strong fleet began the westward route down the
Solent. Photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/09/0809/
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON
Please submit your comments to the Scuttlebutt editor (aka, ‘The Curmudgeon’).
Published letters must include writer's name and be no longer than 250 words
(letter might be edited for clarity or simplicity). 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 Roy E. Disney
What a pleasant surprise! Two years ago, and indeed four years ago as well, I
spoke on behalf of many others regarding the sad state of the Ala Wai Small
Boat Harbor, and the rather grim aspect it presented to the visitor to
Honolulu, and especially to the racers arriving there after the long and
grueling biannual Transpac sailing race from California.
Shortly afterwards, I was privileged to spend some time at DOBOR with Laura
Thielen and her staff, and learned that plans were already under way to remedy
the situation, with the explicit approval of Gov. Linda Lingle.
In the intervening two years, a great deal has been accomplished, including a
total of 248 brand new -- and beautiful -- slips at rows B, C, D and F, as
well as a number of other improvements on the surrounding dry areas. And I
understand there are more improvements in the works, especially to Row 700 and
Row 500.
There are many others who deserve thanks as well, including Mayor Mufi
Hannemann, the state Legislature, the Transpac Honolulu Committee, all the
affected yacht clubs, and volunteers galore.
I know I can speak for everyone who raced to Hawaii this year ... and
doubtless for many, many more, visitors and residents alike, when I extend my
most sincere congratulations and thanks for the wonderful steps that have been
taken at the Ala Wai. It was a great sight to see! --
http://www.starbulletin.com
* From Adrian Morgan, United Kingdom
Having excoriated the America's Cup in the past, I have to say that without my
weekly (better still daily) fix most everything else in the world of high-end
sailing leaves me cold. Volvo? Nah. Parochial stuff about Lightnings and
Sabots (I thought they were French shoes), interminable rule changes and
debates about coaching Oppies, sorry Optis... no, nothing compares with the
Ernesto vs Larry show which, like it or not, sums up the past history of the
America's Cup perfectly.
All those near skirmishes (Conner vs Dickson; Fay vs Conner; Bond vs the NYYC;
Dunraven, Sopwith and Vanderbilt, etc, etc) all that "gentlemanly"
skullduggery was but a prelude to the ultimate face-off between two evenly
matched egos. As they say over on your side of the pond "bring it on". My
appetite has been whetted by the foreplay, the court battles, the slagging. I
can't wait. This is the America's Cup distilled to its very essence: two
boats, unlimited budgets, a refreshing lack of marketing and very few logos. I
don't feel, in a nutshell, that I am being sold anything (such as ludicrously
expensive handbags). This is a pure, old-fashioned, bare-knuckled grudge
match.
...oh and I could never afford a BMW, still haven't a clue what Oracle does,
so that's all wasted on me.
* From Derek Bouwer:
Regarding the powered & computerized winches on Alinghi's America’s Cup
challenge. Please remind Alinghi of the Amundsen-Scott 's race, to be the
first to the South pole. Where Scot relied on "modern technology of the time”
(i.e., motorized tractors) to pull the heavy sleds, Amundsen relied on sled
dogs. The outcome saw the tractors failed in the extreme cold, and Scotts team
had to pull heavy sleds for which they were ill prepared and sadly perished.
Amunden used the dogs, and when provisions ran low on the way back, they ate
the dogs! Amundsen beat Scott to the pole… so much for modern technology!
Alinghi you have been warned. Oh for the day of Sportsmanship, Iron men and
wooden ships.
CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION
The problem for 60-year-olds is not with short-term memory storage. The
problem is in the retrieval.
Special thanks to North Sails and Camet.
Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers
|
| |