Monday Morning Digest 050911
Gumption/Mack Daddy Wins Larchmont Overall LARCHMONT, N.Y. (Sept. 12, 2005) – The 123-boat Lands’ End NOOD Regatta at Larchmont YC concluded on Sunday with top finishers in 15 classes receiving trophies and the highly prized NOOD regatta crew shirts (embroidered by sponsor Lands’ End Business Outfitters, of course). Most classes finished the five or six races in the series, and the overall NOOD champion was named, Kevin Grainger’s J/105 Gumption, which won a tiebreaker to take the 17-boat class over frequent champion Eclipse, owned by Damian Emery. Their prize is a week’s stay at Sunsail’s Colonna Resort in Antigua for the Caribbean NOOD championship, a fun event against all the other NOOD champions in January. Grainger overcame a few hurdles simply to sail in the regatta as his boat had an “unfortunate incident” a few weeks earlier when it ran aground. “Basically, we tried to sink the boat,” said Grainger, “but fortunately, my good friend Brandon Rose, owner of Mack Daddy, hadn’t been sailing his boat much and loaned me his.” Then all the 36-year-old former Wall Street trader had to do was learn to sail with a tiller, which Mack Daddy has, instead of a wheel, which Gumption has. “I only learned how to sail in 2000,” said Grainger, “and I’d never used a tiller before.” “It’s great to beat Damian,” said Grainger. “We’ve gauged ourselves against him for a long time. He sails incredibly well.” Gumption won two races to Eclipes’s one, which spelled the difference on the tiebreak. For more, click here. Tito Gonzales Tops Judd Smith in Etchells Worlds, Samuel Kahn Finishes Second SAN FRANCISCO (Sept. 11, 2005) – Last day drama today at the 2005 Etchells Worlds sailed on San Francisco Bay, as the week finished the way it started, with a raft of OCS’s that turned the leader board on its head. Overnight leader Judd Smith plunged down the rankings with an OCS, and Tito Gonzales, his son Diego, Bill Mauk and Jeff Linton, also went OCS today. Under picture-postcard sailing conditions, with blue skies and sunshine on San Francisco Bay and a light six knot southerly, Principal Race officer Eric Arens gunned the fleet away for the seventh and last time. Series leader Judd Smith and second placed Tito Gonzales were two of seven boats over the line early blowing their race, but neither they, nor the other players, were aware of the OCS situation. Series second-placed Sam ‘Shark’ Kahn started fast on the pin about half a bow back from the boats up the line and led the fleet left. Further up the line series fourth and fifth placed Stewart Childerley and Iain Murray were working the middle. At the first mark Australian Rob Brown came in from the left to lead from ‘Shark’ Kahn and ahead of Hong Kong sailor Mark Thornburrow. Gonzales was sixth while Judd Smith was buried 16th. Brown rounded at the bottom of the run, ahead of Kahn, with Russ Silvestri a fast third. Closing on the top of the second beat Brown was first around, but Silvestri’s bow hit Kahn’s boat hard on the port stern, almost spinning his boat. While Silvestri completed his two penalty turns, Kahn managed to round behind Thornburrow. Gonzales was in frame while Iain Murray was lurking at sixth. Smith was still buried in the mid-teens and Childerley was well back in the bus. Down the last run, the ‘Shark’ closed a little on Brown, but the margin at the bottom mark was still a comfortable 23 seconds. The major places were unchanged and further back in the pack Stewart Childerley peeled off the course and headed for home, having sailed his drop. Up the final beat, the ‘Shark’ bit into the Australian’s lead, but Brown received the gun ahead of Kahn and Thornburrow. Gonzales finished next, ahead of Murray and Silvestri. As Silvestri slowed after the finish, his boat went bow down as the gallons of water that had pumped in through the gash in his bow sluiced forwards. Tito Gonzales, Bill Mauk, Jeff Linton and Diego Gonzales were celebrating their on-water result after the finishing gun unaware that they had already won the regatta four seconds after the start, despite their OCS, when Smith also went OCS. Final Results: 1. Tito Gonzales, Bill Mauk, Jeff Linton, Diego Gonzales (USA) 32 pts 2. Samuel Kahn, B Lee, Jeff Madrigali, A Finglas (USA) 35 pts 3. Iain Murray, George Szabo, A Palfrey (AUS) 39 pts 4. Hank Lammens, M Lammens, D Sabin (CAN) 44 pts 5. Jud Smith, H Frazer, A Wills (USA) 48 pts 6. Brian Thomas, M Brink, H Schreiner (USA) 51 pts 7 Stuart Childerley, S Russell, R Marino (GBR) 55 pts 8. Vincent Brun, Ben Mitchell, B Terhaar (USA) 60 pts 9. Mark Thornburrow, G Gibson, A Webster (HKG) 67 pts 10. William Palmer III, Tom Corkett, Jr., W Bennet (USA) 72 pts U.S. Men’s And Women’s Sailing Championships Take Place Next Week PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (September 6, 2005) – US SAILING’s U.S. Men’s Sailing Championship for the Mallory Cup and U.S. Women’s Sailing Championship for the for the Adams Trophy will be held concurrently in Rye, N.Y., next week from September 11 to 16, hosted by the American Yacht Club. The competitors will be sailing in Flying Scots, provided by Harry Carpenter of Flying Scot, Inc and the Flying Scot class. The aftermath of hurricane Katrina is not going to hold back Zack Fanberg (New Orleans, La.) from returning to take a shot at a hat trick by trying to win the U.S. Men’s Championship for a third consecutive year. Representing Bay-Waveland Yacht Club in Bay St. Louis, Miss., which was reportedly destroyed by the recent hurricane, Fanberg is returning with new crew: his wife Sara Fanberg and Marcus Eagan (Metairie, La.). In addition to Fanberg, three US SAILING Judges who live in the Gulf Coast region are traveling to Rye, N.Y., to officiate at the Championships: Norton Brooker (Mobile, Ala.), Janet Miller-Schmidt and Karen Reisch (both from Mandeville, La.). The U.S. Men’s and Women’s Sailing Championships are ladder events, meaning that competitors have qualified for the Championship by winning a series of qualifying events at local and regional levels before getting the National Championship level where they will compete against 10 other boats from across the country. Sailors will get to hone their Flying Scot sailing skills at Rolex clinics, led by Harry Carpenter and Greg Fisher before the competition kicks off. For complete results, daily reports, including the complete list of competitors, and photos as they become available from the U.S. Men’s Sailing Championship, please visit the event website at www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/usmsc. For the latest new on the U.S. Women’s Sailing Championship, please visit www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/women/uswsc. The U.S. Men’s & Women’s Sailing Championships are part of US SAILING’s National Championships. For more information these Championships, please visit www.ussailing.org/championships or contact US SAILING’s Championships Manager Liz Walker at championships@ussailing.org. Captain Hurst Bowl HANOVER, N.H. (Sept. 11, 2005) – 1. Yale 27 45 72 2. Harvard 37 51 88 3. Coast Guard 39 69 108 4. South Florida 52 60 112 5. UC Irvine 47 67 114 6. Boston College 65 51 116 7. Hobart/William Smith 59 61 120 8. Roger Williams 71 50 121 9. St. Mary’s 85 42 127 10. Bowdoin 64 70 134 Volvo Ocean Race News -Brazil 1 Completes Transat Test(Sept. 8, 2005) – After twenty days of sailing the Atlantic Ocean, our crew finally arrived at its destination. Skipper Torben Grael and his crew have already arrived in Cascais, Portugal, where the boat will stay until September. It took more than 7400 km (4000 miles) of Sao Paulo (SP) – Torben Grael and the crew of the Brasil 1 are already back on solid ground, after sailing 7400 km between Brazil and Portugal. The 70-ft yacht left Rio de Janeiro on August 20th and moored this Thursday, September 8th, in Cascais, just outside of Lisbon. “The crossing was a success. The Brasil 1 held up wonderfully under difficult conditions. We had only minimal problems and none that were serious, despite the scare with the whale. The list of tasks to be completed on the boat has grown but that is a sign that we learned a lot about the boat and that we know that we can improve and fine-tune things,” said skipper Torben Grael. The journey took 20 days and served to qualify the boat for the Volvo Ocean Race. The race organizers require that all boats entered in the race sail at least 2000 nautical miles before authorizing their participation. Furthermore, the sailing served as the major training exercise for the crew before the round-the-world race kick-off in November. One of the more frightening moments that the crew experienced took place a day after crossing the equator, in the early evening of the ninth day at sea, when the Brasil 1 collided with a whale. “The boat was doing about 10 knots and I had just taken the wheel when I felt a light nudge lifting the bow, followed by a sudden collision. I looked to the side and saw a whale right next to the Brasil 1, moving awkwardly. I think she was asleep and was woken up by our bow and then hit by the keel,” said Torben Grael. -Ericsson names race-winning skipper John Kostecki as inshore tactician. (Sept. 7, 2005) – In an announcement that confirms the suspicions of many commentators, that the man would pop up somewhere in the Volvo Ocean Race after leaving the BMW Oracle America’s Cup operation, Ericsson Racing Team told the world that John Kostecki would be joining Neal McDonald and his crew as tactician for the In Port races. Kostecki won the 2001-02 Volvo Ocean Race with the very impressive illbruck campaign, but it was Neal McDonald who gave him the toughest run for his money when he took over the ASSA ABLOY boat on Leg 2. A combination of the two would seem to provide a very solid team both inshore and offshore. Olympic medallist, ten times world champion in a wide range of one-design classes, member of four America’s Cup campaigns, Kostecki would seem well qualified for his role. Add his experience to the crew roster and there are no fewer than 25 previous Whitbread and Volvo Ocean Race campaigns in the Ericsson team. Kostecki will also play an integral part in preparation, training and development throughout the race. Born in Pittsburgh, Pa., USA, Kostecki, 41, has lived most of his life in Marin County, California. He is a highly regarded yachtsman whose international sailing reputation escalated when he took illbruck to victory. He joins the Ericsson Racing Team for an exciting new challenge with skipper Neal McDonald and his crew. www.volvooceanrace.org Barrows Wins V.I. Laser Champs ST. CROIX, U.S.V.I. (Sept. 12, 2005) – Shifty winds varying from five to 15 knots in every direction plagued the 2005 VI Laser Champs in Christiansted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. John Holmberg stated that “either really light winds, where I can out maneuver; the younger group with tactics or really strong winds will be my strong suit.” Holmberg placed second in the Master’s class. “The sailing conditions were ideal for me, the lighter winds really worked to my advantage,” said Thomas Barrows the overall winner of the regatta. Barrows scored bullets in every race – even his discards were first places. Bob Philips from Tortola sailed a solid second place, third place was a consistent battle between St. Croix’s Josh Curtis and St. Thomas’s Holmberg. Missed this year from the ‘VI Champs’ were St. Thomas’s Cy Thompson and St. Croix’s Tim Pitts. The most competitive ‘place swapping’ went on in the Laser Radial fleet, with only six points between first and third place. During the first five races Sydney Jones had the advantage of the lighter air. After the lunch break on the first day of racing the winds picked up and Emma Paull from Tortola gained four points on JONES to take over the lead. With the increase of winds during Sunday’s racing Hugo Roller was able to sail off with first place by one point over Paull for a surprising first in the Radial. Felice Quigley, mother of Laser 4.7 sailor Morgan Bryan and St. Croix attorney, took a third in the Master’s class, in her very first Laser regatta. www.sailing.org J/24 Worlds Start Today Weymouth, ENGLAND (Sept. 12, 2005) – Italy’s Francesco Cruciani won the practice race for the 2005 J/24 Worlds on Sunday. The regatta, which runs through Friday is the first world championship to be hosted by the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy after it was selected as the site of the sailing events for the 2012 Olympics. Peter Bream’s Jazz was eighth in the race, he was the only American boat to officially finish the race. Max Skelley’s Murder Picture was OCS and Anthony Kotoun’s Newport, R.I.-based crew, sailing under the U.S. Virgin Islands flag, did not finish the race. Fifty-five boats from 16 countries have registered for the regatta. www.j24-weymouth.com 1bigthink and UK-Halsey Team Up BETHESDA, Md. (September 8, 2005) – 1bigthink and UK-Halsey announce release of UK-Halsey SailTeam builder 1bigthink and UK Halsey announce the launch UK-Halsey SailTeam builder, a co-designed entry level version of 1bigthink’s popular SailTeam and SailSystem manager software. This web-based system was specifically designed for the club level racing captain or the captain wishing to sample some of the functionality of SailTeam and SailSystem before purchasing the full version. UK-Halsey SailTeam builder, includes key features of crew and event management coupled with basic sail inventory management as well as “one click” scheduling of re-cuts and repairs through your local UK-Halsey loft. All of this functionality is readily accessible to the captain through the UK-Halsey web site and available for a free 60 day trial period. For more information about UK-Halsey SailTeam builder, or any of our marine products please visit us at www.marine-suite.com or e-mail 1bigthink for more information at info@marine-suite.com. Malayia Welcomes Swedish Match Tour KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (Sept. 6, 2005) – The Monsoon Cup officially joined the Swedish Match Tour today at a lavish signing ceremony attended by the Prime Minister of Malaysia and some 500 guests. The inaugural event, scheduled Nov. 29-Dec. 4, will be the 50th event of the Swedish Match Tour. The prime minister was the brainchild behind the event, which was hatched during a bad day of fishing off the Terengganu coast. Lamenting his luck to Terengganu Chief Minister Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, the prime minister felt a regatta would help stimulate the economy of Terengganu. “We want to break the psychological barrier that all things grind to a halt in Terengganu during the monsoon season,” said Chief Minister Idris. “(Abdullah) came up with the idea of holding the world class boat race as a catalyst for economic activities in the state.” The event will award a MYR 400,000 (approximately $105,000) prize purse. Invitations for the event are due to be sent soon, but already Russell Coutts, the record-setting America’s Cup skipper, Dean Barker, helmsman for Emirates Team New Zealand, Chris Dickson, helmsman for BMW Oracle Racing, and James Spithill, helmsman for Luna Rossa Challenge, have expressed interest. www.swedishmatchtour.com
