1999 The Year in Sailing as Reported in ATWOS

The Year in Sailing Review: 1999
Here's a blast through the year's top stories 
as reported in Around the World of Sailing.

February 17-
Soldini's Southern Ocean Rescue of Autissier- 
Soldini made two close passes yelling to alert Isabelle. This 
did not do the job. On the 3rd pass, he threw a hammer at the hull. 
Isabelle appeared and exited through the stern escape hatch.

March 31- 
The 24-Hour Sailing Speed record falls
Steve Fossett's 105 foot catamaran Playstation has broken the 
first record of her career. Playstation now holds the record for 
distance sailed in a 24-hour period. Playstation sailed 580 miles in 
24 hours an average of 24.17.

May 5- 
Soldini finishes Around Alone with victory and record
Fila's overall time of 116 days 20 hours 7 minutes and 59 seconds 
is a new race record. It breaks the Christophe Augin's record by 4 days 
21 hours.
The Around Alone finish puts a cap to a dramatic period for 
Soldini and Fila. In April of 1998 a crewman and friend of Soldini's 
was lost during a transatlantic record attempt. This caused some doubt 
for Soldini. 

May 12-
Worrell 1000- Close finish
Defending champion Randy Smyth sailing with crew Keith Notary again 
took the Worrell 1000 winners honors. Sailing Chick's Beach Smyth and 
Notary won by a margin of 23 minutes over the 1000-mile course. At the 
finish Randy Smyth limped off the beach with a badly infected knee. 
Despite medical advice to the contrary Smyth finished the race

June 9- A preview of things to come?
Dawn Riley CEO of the America True America's Cup syndicate took 
time off to sail in the regatta. By regatta's end Dawn had become the 
Santa Maria Cups' first two time winner.

July 14-
New Transpac Mark
Saturday morning at 0941 Hawaii time the Reichel Pugh maxi 
Pyewacket officially set a new monohull Transpac elapsed time record. 
The new time is 7 days 11 hours 41 minutes and 27 seconds. Average 
speed calculates to 12.35 knots.

July 14-
The Chicago Mac Race
The 1999 Chicago to Mackinac was a race of contrasts. All 
boats began the race in a boisterous northerly that produced seas of
6 to 10 feet.
As Saturday turned to Sunday the winds had turned around and 
were blowing the fleet up the lake. However, this southerly produced 
neither the wind strength nor wave heights of the races northerly 
opener.
Most of the fleet used spinnakers, and if they had one, an 
asymmetrical spinnaker. At certain points almost all boats were 
becalmed. As is often case, the parking lot of choice was after the 
fleet crossed under the Mackinac Bridge, but before the finish in 
sight of the Grand Hotel.

July 21-
The Port Huron Mac
During the wait for more finishers it became apparent that 
John Nedeau's Windancer VI had won the IMS/GL 70's class. Windancer VI 
scored a remarkable 42-minute victory on corrected time. 2nd was 
Chicago Mac winner Pied Piper.
It was a 7 to 8 hour wait for more boats to finish. Folks awaiting 
the boats on Mackinac Island ran out of ways to say the wind is calm.

September 1- 
One Design 35 Nationals
Sunday's racing decided the order of podium placing. Rather 
than the light westerlies of the 1st days, a Force 3-5 northeasterly 
blew in. Especially downwind speeds increased.
Extreme finished off a remarkable comeback with finishes of 3rd 
and 1st. Windquest posted a first race 7th. This meant going into the 
7th race, Extreme and Windquest were level pegged at 40 points. 
Heartbreaker posted an 11th that put her 2 points back.
The 7th race fittingly saw Extreme win the race. Windquest 
was 2nd and so finished a mere 1 point back. Heartbreaker could only 
manage a 7th and so took 3rd overall.

September 15-
Farr 40 Worlds
The final day of the championship saw two races sailed. In 
the first race it was obvious that to make up 8 points John Kilroy's 
Samba Pa Ti needed a win. That is exactly what they got. 4th was 
Barking Mad with Mascalzone 9th. This race still left Barking Mad 
with a 4 point lead. Another tie had developed, but this time for 2nd.
Over 20 knots of wind greeted the fleet for race 2. At the 
first windward mark, Barking Mad had to make a 360-degree penalty 
turn. This dropped them from 8th to 17th. 
With Barking Mad at the back of the pack two 40's still 
contended. On the downwind leg Samba Pa Ti passed Mascalzone. This 
pass decided the 2nd class World Championship.

December 15-
(C)update
Question: Who's In the Semi Finals?
Answer: Prada, America True, Nippon, America One, Team Dennis 
Conner and France.
Question: Who's not in the Semi Finals?
Answer: Young America, Spain, Abracadabra, Young Australia and 
Fast 2000.

December 15-
Olympic Trials
By winning their respective classes in the just concluded
Olympic Selection trials, the following sailors have gained the right 
to Sail in the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Mistral boardsailors Lanee Butler 
(Aliso Viejo, Calif.) and Mike Gebhardt (Ft. Pierce, Fla.); the 
doublehanded teams of Paul Foerster (Garland, Texas) with Bob Merrick 
(Portsmouth, RI) in the 470 Men's class, JJ Isler (La Jolla, Calif.) 
with Pease Glaser (Long Beach, Calif.) in the 470 Women's class, and 
brothers Jonathan McKee and Charlie McKee (both Seattle, Wash.) in the 
49er.

All of the above articles are available for review at
http://www.torresen.com/sailingnews.net/atwos1999.htm
Check on 1999 event coverage at the above address.