MMR051003
U.S. Wins Team Race Worlds NEWPORT, R.I. (October 1, 2005) – With eight of the original 16 teams eliminated from contention, the competition format moved to the “first-to-three wins” for the final day of racing for the 2005 Grey Goose ISAF Team Racing World Championship. The results of the quarterfinals had also set the stage for a showdown between the two superpowers of team racing – Great Britain and the USA. The pairings for the semifinals put USA 1 against GBR 1, each sailing with team racing world champions, and USA 2 against GBR 2. Although the USA cleaned up in both pairings, with win-loss records of 3-0, Great Britain didn’t go down without a fight. In the end, the all USA final was a nail biter. USA 2, with Patrick Hogan (Newport Beach, Calif.), Carlos Lenz (Clearwater, Fla.), Pete Levesque (Portland, Maine), Liz Hall (Tiverton, R.I.), Colin Merrick (Portsmouth, R.I.) and Amanda Callahan (Canton, Mass.) was showing a little more speed. Team Whishbone, a.k.a. USA 1, the defending champions, with Tim Fallon (N. Falmouth, Mass.), Karen Renzulli (Needham, Mass), Mark Ivey (Hungtington Beach, Calif.), Matt Lindblad (Newport, R.I.), Tim Wadlow (Beverly, Mass.), and Ery Largay (Osterville, Mass.), demonstrated both composure and skill in the light to moderate breeze with decisive moves and back-to-back wins. USA 2 returned to win a thrilling race three, but USA 1 came back in the fourth race to clinch the championship. Results, competitor bios and photos are available at the NYYC’s website at www.nyyc.org Final standings for the 2005 Grey Goose ISAF Team Racing World Championship: 1. USA 1 2. USA 2 3. Great Britain 1 4. Great Britain 2 5. Ireland 2 Scandone Wins 2.4mR Open Worlds ELBA ISLAND, Italy (Sept. 30, 2005) – US Disabled Sailing Team-member Nick Scandone (Fountain Valley, Calif.) sailed a brilliant end to the series as he claimed the 2.4 Metre Open World Championship title in Marciana Marina, Elba Island, Italy. The American continued the form that saw him make an excellent finish at the IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championship at the start of the month to take a ten-point series win. Scandone took over the lead when runner-up at the IFDS Worlds in Denmark, Heiko Kroger (GER) was disqualified in race six. In the winning position with two races left, Scandone responded to the pressure, scoring a bullet in race seven and a fourth in race eight to take a comfortable victory. Swedish Match to End Involvement With Tour STOCKHOLM, Sweden (Sept. 29, 2005) – Swedish Match, the Stockholm conglomerate that for seven years has been a partner in the professional match-racing tour, is concluding its association with the Swedish Match Tour at the end of the year. 50th event scheduled for Malaysia will conclude seven-year title sponsorship. Swedish Match, a niche tobacco group, has decided to end its association due to a new Swedish law that prohibits tobacco companies from sponsoring sports events. Tour officials are in negotiations with several companies regarding sponsorship. “We are currently seeking a new title sponsor for the Tour,” said Tour Director Scott MacLeod. “But the series will continue either way next year.” Swedish Match has been a sponsor of sailing events other than just the Swedish Match Tour. The company also sponsored an entry in the 1997-’98 Whitbread Round the World Race (now the Volvo Ocean Race) and were title sponsor of the Swedish Match Cup in Marstrand for 12 years. Earlier this summer Swedish Match concluded its sponsorship of the Swedish Match Cup, the yearly concluding event of the Tour. The 50th event of the Swedish Match Tour – the Monsoon Cup in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia (Nov. 29-Dec. 4) – will be the final event for Swedish Match as title sponsor of the Tour. After the Monsoon Cup the seventh Tour season continues next March with the Brazil Match Cup in Angra dos Reis, Brazil (Mar. 14-19, 2006). www.SwedishMatchTour.com Coutts Launches Website (September 30, 2005) – Russell Coutts has launched his own website, available in four different languages. Of particular interest is that Coutts, according to this website, will be sailing the Melges 24 Worlds in December in Key Largo, Fla., with Philippe Kahn. www.russellcoutts.net Three Time America’s Cup Winning Skipper to Help Promote and Develop Sails for Quantum ANNAPOLIS, Md. (September 28, 2005) – One of the world’s most accomplished sailors, Russell Coutts, has officially joined the Quantum Sail Design Group to help promote and develop their product. According to Quantum partner Ed Reynolds, “Russell will help us develop our product, test it in the fires of competition, and help make Quantum an even stronger force in the sailing community.” Coutts’s involvement grew out of his participation with the Quantum Racing Team and the TP 52 Quantum/Lexus entry in this year’s Breitling MedCup circuit. The MedCup series has provided Russell with an opportunity to see Quantum sail perform under a range of conditions. After a rough start with a brand new boat at the first regatta, Coutts and company then managed a second place followed by two first place finishes in the last two regattas. www.russellcoutts.net US SAILING Creates International Proficiency Certificate for Bareboat Chartering in the EU PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (September 29, 2005) – In order to make it easier for cruising sailors from the U.S. to charter sailboats in the European Union (EU), US SAILING announced today that it has created a simple certification program for cruising sailors seeking to charter sailboats in European Union waters. The newly created International Proficiency Certificate, an extension of US SAILING’s current Keelboat Certification System, allows sailors who have completed a US SAILING Bareboat Cruising course to charter sailboats without a captain in EU waters. Looking very similar to a passport, the International Proficiency Certificate works much like a driver’s license for a car. The certificate must be presented to a charter company to obtain a boat, and then carried aboard at all times while sailing in EU waters. For more information about US SAILING’s International Proficiency Certificate and Bareboat Cruising program, please visit www.ussailing.org/training/keelboat. K-Challenge earns two more points, while Alinghi gets a scare off Trapani TRAPANI, Italy (Oct. 2, 2005) – There was more sparkling action at the Trapani Louis Vuitton Acts on Sunday and the America’s Cup Park was again filled to capacity as tens of thousands came down to enjoy the action, on a day full of important matches for the middle teams on the points table. In the second flight the most interesting race was a surprising one – Alinghi had to battle back from a broken mainsail halyard lock moments after the start to overhaul United Internet Team Germany. The Germans were several hundred metres ahead by the time Alinghi fixed the problem and had the mainsail re-hoisted to the top of the mast. But the Swiss were able to turn on the afterburners to run down the Germans before the first lap of the course was complete, thus keeping a perfect record for the season intact. Conditions were fine for racing again on Sunday with 7 to 12 knot Southerlies caressing the race courses off Trapani, the early sunshine highlighting the stunning backdrop of the Egadi Islands. It became more overcast as the afternoon wore on, and the second flight of matches started under squall clouds which generated tricky wind shifts. The sun was back by the end of the day however, and the teams returned to port with the sun settling to the west over the islands. comfortable margin. FLIGHT SEVEN Victory won the pre-start as BMW ORACLE struggled to get past the pin end of the starting line. But the Americans soon brought USA 76 up to pace and pulled past SWE 63. Magnus Holmberg kept the race tight down the first run to trail Chris Dickson by just 22 seconds at the leeward gate. The Swedes showed excellent pace in this contest and put the Americans under increasing pressure, coming home just 19 seconds behind. Emirates Team New Zealand gained control of +39 Challenge in the pre-start and herded the Italians well over to the right of the start line. Iain Percy sought refuge by using a media boat as a blocker, to get rid of Dean Barker and find a clear path back to the start box. However, +39 made a poor final approach to the line and the Kiwis won the start. The Italians gave the Kiwis a fight up the first beat, trailing by only 18 seconds at the first mark. +39 continued to match Kiwi speed and finished close behind, a good recovery for the Italians after a disappointing first match. United Internet Team Germany had a slightly better start against Alinghi, and then things went dramatically wrong for the Swiss as their mainsail started slipping down the mast track. Alinghi sent a man aloft, who spent several minutes fixing the problem as Germany sailed away unchallenged. By the time the Defenders had got back up to speed, the German lead appeared unassailable. But incredibly, SUI 75 turned on the afterburners to close to just 10 seconds behind GER 72 by the first mark. Down the first run, a tear opened up on the German spinnaker and it got bigger until it exploded. Jesper Bank’s team responded quickly, hoisting a replacement sail within seconds. But the damage was done and Alinghi swept past. The speed of SUI 75 is undeniable and Ed Baird kept a perfect record for the team. Racing continues through Tuesday. www.sailing.org, www.americascup.com American’s Cross Pond to Dominate COWES, UK (Sept. 30, 2005) – Defending World Champion Steve Shepstone, sailing with Tom Kinney, Peter Wilson and Michael Loeb, scored a four point regatta win over Paul Bowen’s and retains his title. The six American boats at the regatta took 5 of the top 6 spots. Final Results: 1. Nefarious, USA Steve Shepstone, 18 points 2. Billy. GBR. Paul Bowen, 22 3. Fast Forward, USA, Peter Galloway, 25 4. Spring, USA, David Franzel, 36 5. Troll, USA, Greg Anthony, 49 6. For Sale, USA Skip Shumway, 52 Full results: 2005 Champions of Champions DETROIT, Mich (October 30, 2005) – “Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory…” That’s a quote from Eduardo Cordero’s crew after two OCS starts on the final day of the C of Cs. That’s 42 points in two races. But it was good news for Mike Ingham, 2005 Thistle National Champion from Rochester Canoe Club in Rochester NY. Proving that it isn’t over until it’s really over, Mike sailed a consistently conservative race today with finishes of 3-5-5-5-5 to end with 59 points and the Championship of Champions title. Even after two OCS hits, Sunfish Champion Cordero (Sayville, NY) still finished in second place with 69.6 points, followed by the youngest competitor, Optimist Champion Matt Wefer (Glen Head, NY) with 75 points. http://www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/CofC
