CHICAGO–Some 1,700 sailors competing at the Sailing World Chicago NOOD–a three-day sailing regatta presented by Mount Gay Rum that concluded today at the Chicago Yacht Club–were dealt a difficult hand: this event drew the toughest sailing competition in the region, yet wind conditions were erratic at best. Competitors saw 50-degree wind shifts, rain, no-wind conditions, hail, and squalls that packed 28-knot blows.
Local sailors know unpredictable weather on Lake Michigan is a factor in the game of sailboat racing. As Scott Lammers, who won the 11-boat J/24 class, said: “Thats Chicago. You can get all of the above, any time of the year.” But sailors facing a tight points situation entering the final day of racing knew that even if conditions were volatile on Sunday, their strategy in the last race needed to be foolproof.
Heidi Backus Riddle (Vermilion, Ohio) and her crew on Tartan Ten (T-10) NUTS went into the final race only one point behind class leader US, skippered by Rick Strilky of Chicago. Not only were points tight: this class had drawn 48 boats to the starting line and the top T-10 sailors in the nation.
Despite breeze that took its time settling into a solid direction, Backus
Riddle was able to keep to a sound strategy: she had a clean start, got out ahead, and covered her closest rivals until the finish. “That was our gameplan. The start was key in this big fleet,” said an elated Backus Riddle, after collecting her first-place prize. Backus Riddle’s three sisters–Amy Backus, Susan Starr, and Gretchen Loper–husband John, and childhood friend Christy Parsons were in her crew.
Strilky finished second. The T-10s will return to Chicago in August to
compete for their National Championships.
In the J/24 class, Scott Lammers (Mt. Prospect, Ill.) and his crew on
INTUIT went into the last day tied for first place with Soya Bernard’s
MOTORHOME (Deerfield, Ill.). But Lammers had a plan: He got to the right side of the course immediately, and there he was able to gain an edge over his rival. The two boats then match-raced until the finish line, with Lammers keeping his lead and the class win.
Victories in other classes were not as well planned. When the crew on S2 7.9 K2–owned by Doug and Jeff Padnos of Holland (Mich.)–returned to the docks Saturday night, they were not even sure theyd be able to compete in the final race on Sunday.
According to Doug Padnos, K2 suffered extensive damage after being “T-boned” by a boat from another class. After reaching the docks on Saturday, the K2 crew headed for their local marine chandlery to collect supplies for a temporary repair. After 2.5 hours of work, they jury-rigged a fix so they could race on Sunday: the finishing touch was a string of yellow “caution” tape.
K2 finished second in the final race, which gave them the class win by a slim one-point margin.
The 22-boat J/105 class, the second-largest class in the regatta, was won by Chicago racer Len Siegal and the crew onboard LUCKY DUBIE. Siegel, who credited his crew for their leading performance, finished with a comfortable five-point margin in this aggressive fleet. But a door was opened in the last race. The J/105s had a general recall, and then a black flag at the start; a handful of boats–including the two boats who were leading the class going into the final race–made the costly mistake of crossing the starting line early.
J/105 crew Team Zot (Chicago), racing onboard USA 370, started the regatta with a 1-1-1 record. They were awarded with the Hall Spars and Rigging Boat of the Day award for their performance on opening day.
The Great Lakes 70 class–including the 70-footers that were the largest boats racing in the event–was won by Terry Kohler and Pete Reichelsdorfers EVOLTION (Sheboygan, Wis.), which finished each race in the top four. Bill Alcotts Santa Cruz 70 EQUATION (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) won two races, but was scored a DNF in the third race and finished third overall. Bill Martins STRIPES (Ann Arbor, Mich.) finished second in this class.
J/35 sailor Jim Maltman (Winnetka, Ill.) had a near-perfect series, taking five first-place finishes and one second to win the 11-boat J/35 class.
The NOOD (National Offshore One-Design) regattas are a nine-event racing circuit owned and organized by Sailing World magazine of Newport (R.I.). The Chicago NOOD was presented by Mount Gay Rum and hosted by the Chicago Yacht Club. Support sponsors of the event included: Frederiksen, Hall Spars & Rigging, Marlow Ropes, North Sails, Raymarine, Ronstan, Samuel Adams and The Boston Beer Company, and Sunsail.
Top Three in each class
[Skipper Name/Boat Name/Hometown/Points]
Great Lakes 70 (10 boats)
1. Kohler/Reichelsdorfer EVOLUTION Sheboygan, WI, 11
2. Bill Martin STRIPES Ann Arbor, MI, 15
3. Bill Alcott EQUATION St. Clair Shores, MI, 11
1D35 (10 boats)
1. Douglas DeVos WINDQUEST South Haven, MI, 6
2. Kirk/Gale, DE’TENTE Chicago, IL, 8
3. David Bowen/Tim O’Neil HIPPY CHICK N. Muskegon, MI, 11
33′ Class (9 boats)
1. Jerry Dodge YANKEE Williamson, NY, 9
2. Mike Naugher COYOTE Grand Prairie, TX, 11
3. Michael Vanderpoel DRACO Chicago, IL, 18
Beneteau 40.7 (11 boats)
1. Alan C. McMillan FINESSE Palatine, IL, 14
2. Donald Hayes TSUNAMI Northfield, IL, 14
3. Dave Tarson EXCALIBUR Deerfield, IL, 25
Beneteau 42 (8 boats)
1. Jeff Comeaux OUTRAGEOUS Winnetka, IL, 12
2. John Boyle MIRAGE Aurora, IL, 16
3. Ronald W. Carroll KIAORA Western Springs, IL, 18
Corsair (9 boats)
1. Matt Scharl GAMERA Chicago, IL, 14
2. David Reis TRIS “R” US Augusta, MI, 19
3. Frederick Hartray EMMA Chicago, IL, 21
Farr 40 (12 boats)
1. Robert L. Hughes HEARTBREAKER Ada, MI, 11
2. Phil Dowd/Aaron Housten INFERNO Chicago, IL, 12
3. Helmut Jahn FLASH GORDON Chicago, IL, 17
Great Lakes 50 (9 boats)*
1. Lindy Thomas GOBLIN Glenview, IL, 8
2. Dale Smirl AIRWAVES Oak Park, IL, 13
3. Dorsey Ruley MAJIC Chicago, IL, 13
J/105 (22 boats)
1. Len Siegal LUCKY DUBIE Chicago, IL, 26
2. Daniel Heun LIQUID COURAGE Chicago, IL, 31
3. Dorin Candea MESSY JESSE Skokie, IL, 34
J/24 (11 boats)
1. Scott Lammers INTUIT Mt. Prospect, IL, 9
2. Soya Bernard MOTORHOME Deerfield, IL, 10
3. Gregory Mack ANALYZE THIS This Chicago, IL, 21
J 35 (11 boats)
1. Jim Maltman NOBLE BUFFALO Winnetka, IL, 7
2. William Newman AFTERSHOCK Muskegon, MI, 18
3. Mike Sterenberg RAGTIME Grand Haven, MI, 25
Level 114-123 (9 boats)
1. Alan Freysinger RELENTLESS Shorewood, WI, 11
2. Robert J Falk RUMBLE FISH St Louis, MO, 13
3. Miles DePaepe FREE AGENT Chicago, IL, 17
Level 99-113 (11 boats)
1. Bob Vickery COLLABORATION Barrington, IL, 6
2. Sean Dwyer / Ian Fisher DECOY Chicago, IL, 9
3. Marty Finerty ORION Chicago, IL, 21
Level Farr/Sydney Class (12 boats)
1. Chuck Boelkins RAGGED EDGE Ada, MI, 9
2. Bernmaum/Schroeder /Amedio CHAOS Liberyville, IL, 12
3. Robin Munden SERENISSIMA Chicago, IL, 22
Melges 24 (11 boats)
1. Jeff Jones KILROY Shelby Township, MI, 11
2. Mike Dow FLYING TOASTER Traverse City, MI, 11
3. Karen Gottwald CAGEY Chicago, IL, 25
Mumm 30 (9 boats)
1. Dan Cheresh TEAM INTERMEC Holland, MI, 8
2. Eric Wynsma/Veronic Petty ASYLUM East Grand Rapids, MI, 8
3. Thomas F. Papanek FUZZY LOGIC Chicago, IL, 12
PHRF 126-138 (8 boats)
1. Dennis Bartley PLANXTY Oak Park, IL, 7
2. Bobby T. Cox RICOCHET Oxford, MI, 15
3. Carl Stineman WARP DRIVE Vernon Hills, IL, 24
PHRF 36-66 (14 boats)
1. Richard Montplaisir FINE LINE Chicago, IL, 13
2. James K. Hellquist SPITFIRE Libertyville, IL, 14
3. Team Regardless REGARDLESS Oak Park, IL, 17
PHRF 69-99 (9 boats)
1. John J. Gottwald EAGLES WINGS Overland Park, KS, 12
2. Jules Altenberg FIDDLER 2. Waukegan, IL, 13
3. Benjamin White RADIANCE Oak Park, IL, 22
S2 7.9 (19 boats)
1. Doug & Jeff Padnos K2 Holland, MI, 21
2. Don/Jean Bergman SECOND WIND Holland, MI, 22
3. Mo Regnier HALF BAKED Tecumseh, Ontario, 24
S2 9.1 (9 boats)
1. Dick Daniels ENTROPY Highland Park, IL, 10
2. Chris Sundberg STIMULATOR Kalamazoo, MI, 16
3. George Darrell PARADOX Evanston, IL, 17
Tartan Ten (48 boats)
1. Heidi Backus Riddle NUTS Vermilion, OH, 16
2. Rick Strilky US Chicago, IL, 23
3. Scott Bruesewitz CONTUMACIOUS Cudahy, WI, 24
*Great Lakes 50 results were protest pending at presstime.
RESULTS:
NOTE: Fleet results can be accessed at www.chicagoyachtclub.org/NOODRegatta/2002results.htm
