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SCUTTLEBUTT 2352– May 25, 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). MEMORIAL DAY Monday, May 28th is Memorial Day, which is a United States federal holiday that is observed on the final Monday of May. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. Scuttlebutt World Headquarters will be observing this holiday, so there will be no newsletter published for this day. Look for Issue 2353 to be distributed later that evening. DICKSON RESIGNS CEO and skipper Chris Dickson has resigned from the BMW Oracle Racing team four days after his team fell to Luna Rossa in the Semi Finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup. The resignation is effective immediately. “After four years of intense effort and at the conclusion of our participation in the current America’s Cup cycle, I have decided to step aside,” said Dickson in a statement. “Rather than see out the final weeks of my contract, I have decided that leaving now will allow both me and the team to move on and make plans for the future.” Team owner Larry Ellison has announced his intention to participate in the 33rd America’s Cup. “As we look to the future, the best option is for owner Larry Ellison to appoint a new leadership team for the 33rd America’s Cup,” confirmed Business Director Russell Green. -- http://tinyurl.com/2h2qzy THE CATAMARAN THING Yachting scribe Kimball Livingston has posted an interesting nugget on SAIL’ s America’s Cup blog: “The only reason I walked into la casa de la America's Cup was to doubledog confirm that they've taken down the pictures of Russell Coutts and Paul Cayard. I've been walking past (the building) for a long time now, without being drawn in to look at a bank of black and white photographs of recent America's Cup figures. And I heard about the Coutts/ Cayard disappearance a while ago, but events were on the move and I can't do everything first and you get the idea. But I was having lunch yesterday along with British scribe Tim Jeffery and Cayard (who would make a great yachting scribe but has a better thing going) and the subject came up and Paul said, ‘Yeah, they took us down because of the catamaran thing. I mean, they didn't call us up and tell us so, but that's what it's about.’ By ‘the catamaran thing’ Paul meant the Coutts-Cayard plan to launch a grand prix circuit in big catamarans, presumably at the expense of anybody else's plans to keep growing the America's Cup as a ‘brand.’” -- Read on: http://sailmagazine.blogspot.com/2007/05/whats-wrong-with-this-picture.html MAYBE LENO IS A ‘BUTTHEAD Jay Leno, marking his 15th year as host of 'The Tonight Show' on Friday, understands his role with NBC's late-night institution like a good comedian knows timing. 'Tonight' isn't his; he's just borrowing it. “The real trick is you never really do own these shows. You try not to screw it up for the next person,” Leno said. “It's like the America's Cup. You want to win it and you want to keep it No. 1, and when it's over you say, `Whew, OK, your problem now.’” -- Read on: http://www.topix.net/content/ap/3661569841052141375329053652763696481593 CHALLENGER FINALS Racing begins June 1st (best of 9 series) 1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ = 0 3. Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA) _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ = 0 -- Complete schedule: http://www.americascup.com/en/americascup/program/calendrier.php * Auction Deadline: As of Thursday afternoon, nearly $800 has been bid at the Desafío Español 2007 team gear auction. The bidding will be closed on Friday, May 25, 2007 at 1:00 pm PT, so don’t delay if you want to help youth sailing, and get some of Paul Cayard’s team gear for yourself. All bids have a date and time stamp on them, with the winning bid being the highest amount prior to the deadline. Items include cap, floppy hat, jacket, vest, and backpack. Details at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/07/cayard DISCOVER The SUV of Sailing Vests. Like most sailors we know, the Grand Prix vest is rugged on the outside but soft on the inside. It’s waterproof and has waterproof zippers and huge pockets with the waist draw cords inside so they don’t get caught on stuff. Check out the Grand Prix vest and jacket at an Atlantis dealer near you today. Discover the new Atlantis WeatherGear. http://www.AtlantisWeatherGear.com OLYMPIC SAILING: BREITLING REGATTA Medemblik, Netherlands (May 24, 2007) Light winds continue on Day 2 for the 579 entrants competing in the Breitling Regatta, Europe's second ISAF Grade 1 event for the year. Winds picked up enough in the afternoon, but the forecast for Friday does not look to be much better, with the added threat of rain showers and thunderstorm pending. The North American contingent had their ups and downs on Thursday, but nowhere does the light shine brightest than in the 49er class. 3 US teams presently fill top ten seats, aided by America Morgan Larson, who after spending time with the Victory Challenge America’s Cup team, is now back with teammate Peter Spaulding in 6th, and quickly returning to the form that won them the Miami Olympic Classes Regatta. American Finn sailor Geoffrey Ewenson rolled a dandy 3-4 to rise up to 5th, while Canadian 470 team Jenn Provan/ Carol Luttmer got bit by an OCS that has pulled them down to 10th despite the arrival of the drop race. One team that isn’t being rescued by the drop race is the American Yngling sailors Sally Barkow/ Carrie Howe/ Debbie Capozzi. Their BFD from Wednesday (black flag disqualification) was changed to a DNE (disqualification not excludable), which occurs when - per the rulebook - a team continues to race after being notified of their penalty. As the acronym states, the team is unable to discard the 31 points they earned in that race, greatly decreasing their chance at a top overall finish. Top North Americans Finn (64 entrants): 2nd - CAN, Christopher Cook 49er (57): 3rd - USA, Tim Wadlow/ Chris Rast Tornado (39) 4th - CAN, Oskar Johansson/ Kevin Stittle Laser (108): 5th - CAN, Michael Leigh Star (40): 6th - USA, John Dane III/ Austin Sperry Yngling (30): 9th - USA, Sally Barkow/ Carrie Howe/ Debbie Capozzi 470 Women (33): 10th - CAN, Jenn Provan/ Carol Luttmer Laser Radial (75): 11th - CAN, Lisa Ross RS:X Men (55): 20th - USA, Benjamin Barger RS:X Women (26): 22nd - MEX, Demita Vega de lille 470 Men (52): No North American entrants => For complete scores: http://www.breitlingregatta.org/2007 COLLEGE SAILING: WOMEN’S NATIONALS Norfolk, Virginia (May 24, 2007) – Racing began this morning in five to six knots of breeze out of the northwest. As the day progressed, the wind slowly became a northeasterly. Average wind speed was about seven knots throughout the entire day. Temperatures started out in the mid 60’s and warmed up to a high of 75 degrees by the end of the day. 3 yellow flags were thrown by the judges today for rule 42. Only one protest was filed today between Old Dominion University and Dartmouth College. Judges ruling that Dartmouth be disqualified for breaking rule 13. Races finished up a bit early today to give the sailors more time to get ready for the banquet. Overall, A division sailed eight races and division B sailed six. B division will begin day three with race 13 and 14.There was some very intense racing between the top five positions. St. Mary’s and Charleston juggled first place all day today, but St. Mary’s holds first place by nine points. – For complete results and updates during the day: http://collegesailing.org/nas/spring07/womens/index.asp Preliminary Results (top 5 of 18 after 14 A div races and 12 B div races) 1. St. Mary's, 123 points (A division= 60; B division=63) 2. Charleston, 132 (A division= 91; B division=14) 3. Stanford, 152 (A division=91; B division=61) 4. Navy, 174 (A division=119; B division=55) 5. California-Irvine, 177 (A division=73; B division=104) * Nominations are now being sought for the ICSA 2007 All Academic Sailing Team. The nomination form can be found on the ICSA website at http://www.collegesailing.org/docs/AAST_2007.pdf SPEEDSAILING: GAINING CRED The sport of Speedsailing has taken another leap forward with the news that it has been approved by ISAF (International Sailing Federation) as an international class. Primarily this will enable this exciting discipline, to achieve a greater profile and credibility on the world stage.The Speed Windsurfing Class Association, formally the International Speedsailing Association has been working hard over the last year defining agreements with international sailing associations to achieve this coveted recognition. Including Great Britain UKWA, Germany DWSV, Netherlands NSWO, Belgium BABC and Austria ASWA and it is hoped that following this announcement many more national associations will become affiliate member of ISWC and get their national championships included in the tour. The 2007 Speedsailing world tour starts in June on the idyllic island of Karpathos in Greece. A very popular venue on the tour as it is renowned for high winds and warm azure blue waters. This is followed in July by Sotavento on the island of Fuerteventura (Spain) which has a long history of speedsailing dating back to the early 70’s. The final premier event on the tour is Walvis Bay in Namibia (Southwest Africa), which in recent years has proved to be the most consistent venue and holds 4 world and 21 national speed records. The ISWC has also sanctioned national events around the world in 2007, which also count for world ranking points in Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Austria. -- Complete report: http://tinyurl.com/yvjqba WMRT: MATCH RACE GERMANY Langenargen, Germany (May 24, 2007) - The first day of the 10th Jubilee Match Race Germany, Stage 7 of the World Match Racing Tour 2006-07 season saw 12 crews from 9 countries take to the water on Lake Constance in South West Germany. Lake Constance is undoubtedly one of the most unique venues on the tour. Soon after the Rhine River completes its descent from the Alps, it broadens and forms Lake Constance before continuing its 820-mile route to the North Sea. Measuring 40 miles in length and 8.5 miles in width, Lake Constance covers 220 square miles, making it central Europe’s second largest freshwater lake. Lake Constance, which also is known as Bodensee, is bordered by three countries - Austria, Germany, and Switzerland - and there are views of all three from the lake. To the south rise the Swiss and Austrian Alps. To the north are the rolling hills of southern Germany. Group A1 began the day with three flights and Group A2 flights were abandoned due to failing wind. After a trying day beset by light winds America’s Cup skipper Sébastien Col (FRA) of Areva Challenge showed his strengths as a match racer and finished the day with a 3-0 record. Eric Monnin (SUI) faired well to match Col’s winning streak and is tied in first place in Group A1’s standings. Second ranked World Tour Skipper Mathieu Richard (FRA) of Saba Sailing came away with a 2-1 result. “It was a very hard day. The wind was light and it was difficult to finish in such conditions.” said Richard. Racing is scheduled to resume Friday morning around 9:00 a.m., weather permitting. -- http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com/default.asp?m=da&id=55790 Group A1 1. Sébastian Col (FRA) 3-0 2. Eric Monnin (SUI) 3-0 3. Mathieu Richard (FRA) 2-1 4. Eugeniy Neugodnikov (RUS) 1-2 5. Carsten Kemmling (GER) 0-3 6. Wearn Haw Tan (SGP) 0-3 Group A2 - no racing due to failing wind Paolo Cian (ITA) Björn Hansen (SWE) Michael Hestbaek (DEN) Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Markus Wieser (GER) Ian Williams (GBR) ATTENTION CORPORATE SPONSORS AND YACHT CLUBS True Wind offers the latest in premium sailcloth travel and accessory bags, all of which can be custom embroidered with a company logo, club burgee, or event name. Individually handcrafted in the U.S.A., True Wind bags feature new Dacron sailcloth and a nautical design that is truly original. Think outside the box, and go beyond the traditional canvas tote, t-shirt, or ball cap. Customize our sporty and stylish sailcloth bags with a logo and make something special and remarkable for corporate hospitality guests, regatta participants, or yacht club members. Shop the collection at http://www.truewindusa.com/index5.asp 10 QUESTIONS FOR BETSY ALISON While the athletes of the 2007 US Disabled Sailing Team (USDST) have long been named, a new member was recently added to the team. His name is Morrow II and, according to his owner US Disabled Sailing Team Coach Betsy Alison, he's quickly learning the ropes – although not literally trimming the sails like the other sailors. Morrow is an assistance dog that will travel with the Team to events and training camps across the United States. Betsy, a five-time US Sailing Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year and two-time Yngling World Champion, has just finished a comprehensive training program with Morrow, a Lab/ Golden Retriever mix. US Sailing caught up with Betsy to find out how her new four-legged teammate will play a key role on the USDST. > What is Morrow trained to do and what will be his role on the USDST? Morrow is a facility dog, highly trained to work and interact with a wide variety of people who have disabilities. Although Morrow's primary "job" will be to support the physical and mental health of the sailors, he is capable of picking up and carrying items such as pocket tools, hammers, crutches, ductape, lifejackets, smaller sails and more. I will also work with him to develop skills to assist in pulling manual wheelchairs up dock ramps and to assist in water rescues. -- Read on for complete interview: http://www.ussailing.org/olympics/spotlight/spotlight052307.asp SAILING SHORTS * Up to 7 teams will be competing this season in the inaugural iShares Cup, formerly the Volvo Extreme 40 series, which starts on Lake Starnberg, near Munich, this weekend. Managed by OC Events, they have announced a new two-year partnership for the series with Omega, Tommy Hilfiger and G.H.Mumm Champagne, which will support the series in addition the title sponsorship of iShares. Tommy Hilfiger will also have an entry in the 2007 iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series, which will be skippered by American Stan Schreyer and driven by two-time Olympic silver medalist Randy Smyth. -- http://www.extreme40.com/ * After a long winter of construction and appearances, the new Open 60 Spirit of Canada is ready for re-launch on Tuesday May 29th in Toronto Harbour, which skipper Derek Hatfield hopes to sail in the 2008 Vendee Globe, a singlehanded around the world race. -- BYM News: http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=8986 * This week the Volvo Sailing Podcast talks to Luna Rossa tactician Torben Grael after the team claimed their place in the final of the Louis Vuitton Cup final with a victory over the much fancied BMW Oracle Racing. Also hear from Northern Irish yachtsman Jamie Boag who was part of the "Let's do it Ireland" team that were instrumental in bringing the Volvo Ocean Race to Galway in 2008-9. America's cup website editor Peter Rusch will also provide all the latest news and buzz in the 'Letter from Valencia' feature. -- http://www.volvooceanrace.org/podcast/ * The Notice of Race for the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Team Sailing Trials is now online. Six yacht clubs in Southern California and Newport, RI, will host the Team Trials for the Olympic and Paralympic classes from October 3-14, 2007. Upon approval from the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC), the athletes who win the Trials in each class will be named to the U.S. Olympic Team and U.S. Paralympic Team and compete in the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games in China. http://www.ussailing.org/olympics/Trials/olympictrials.asp 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 Anton Huggler, Seattle, WA: Hey fellow sailors let's give Versus some slack, please! So far I read only comments demanding more detailed information and criticizing the hosts, including their choice of shirts... what else do you want, the ticker tape from the Dow index? I am very glad to be able to watch the boats sailing and much enjoy it. And I guess many brothers to our North would be happy to get what we have. Versus deserves a pat on the back! Oh, and I hope Luna Rossa wins the Cup. I am Swiss but my heart is with the Italians, they have a TEAM. Forza Italia! * From Paul Kueffner, Southport, CT: Couldn't help but notice the article on the Block Island Race, starting Friday May 25th from Stamford CT. Last year, more than 100 entries. This year, as of today, there are just more than 60, a drop of about 40%. Could it be because the organizers are requiring IRC ratings for boats rating lower than 90 PHRF? The paltry PHRF divisions of boats that rate more than 90 obviously have minimal effect on the total numbers of entrants. Maybe owners of fast PHRF boats are voting with their feet. The IOR rule collapsed because people didn't want to play the "build a new boat to the rule that changes every year" game. Perhaps they still don't. => Curmudgeon’s Comment: To help provide some information on the stats that Paul Kueffner mentions above, Rich du Moulin, Past Commodore Storm Trysail Club, has provided the following reply: “Last year's Block Island Race was big (107 boats) because of the buildup for the Centennial Bermuda Race. Our normal fleet has been in the 50-70 range, so this year's 61 is by no means significantly smaller. In the larger events like Block Island Race Week, we do not see the PHRF 90 cut-off affecting attendance. We are finding our class structure for putting similarly sized boats together is easier with one rule in the bigger boats. But the cut-off is not recommended for more local events. “Serious long distance racers, and day racers who travel to regional events (versus racing in local regattas), should find the IRC cut-off helping. PHRF is fine and many of us race in PHRF events locally, but PHRF gets more cumbersome when boats come in from different areas with different PHRF ratings on sisterships. It would be ideal if there were many more boats, so that race organizers could have both PHRF and IRC and enough boats in each size range to create good tight classes. Unfortunately, we are not yet there. But we are trying. It's good to see many new boats being built with IRC in mind, both production and custom. What IRC needs to do is continue to keep new and old boats competitive. The Sydney-Hobart five months ago had a winner that was a 35-year-old Sparkman and Stephens sloop; second overall was a brand new IRC 55. Not a bad mix.” * From Howard Paul: Has everyone forgotten that each challenger challenges under a yacht club burgee. I agree that the rules have changed the cup from a race between nations but I am quite certain had BMW Oracle prevailed in winning the cup, the 33rd challenge would be raced in the US! Saying BMW Oracle was not a US challenger is like saying Major League Baseball or Basketball is not American anymore because they have foreign players. How about any team in the world in World Soccer? Welcome to professional sports! * From Tim Dick, Honolulu, HI: It may be worth clarifying that the USCG weather broadcast that may be discontinued (as mentioned in Issue 2351) is NOT the VHF NOAA weather broadcast, but the USCG offshore focused HF radio service that requires an HF or SSB radio to receive. CURMUDGEON’S VOCABULARY Communication (ko-myoo-ni-kay-shon) n. Female - The open sharing of thoughts and feelings with one's partner. Male - Leaving a note before taking off on a fishing trip with the boys. Special thanks to Atlantis WeatherGear and True Wind. Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender of the 32nd America's Cup. |
