CHARLESTON, SC (December 22, 2006)-A little less than four months remain before the action at Charleston Race Week resumes and already sailboat owners up and down the southeastern coast are gearing up for the event. Last year, this three-day regatta attracted 148 entries with over 900 sailors in attendance, cementing its stature as the premier sailing regatta on the southeastern coast between Annapolis, MD and Miami, FL. For 2007, the organizers fully expect to surpass those numbers.
"We fielded a record number of boats last year," noted Brad Van Liew, executive director of the South Carolina Maritime Foundation-the organization that co-manages the event with the Charleston Ocean Racing Association. "The turnout last year represented an increase in competitors of over 25 percent, and we feel the regatta is poised for continued growth."
Van Liew explained that his outlook is based on a history of steadily increasing participation over several years as well as a number of refinements that he and his fellow organizers have put in place for the 2007 edition of Charleston Race Week. "A few months ago, we accepted an invitation for the event to become part of the Gulf Stream Series, which is essentially a group of regattas that all include boats rated under the IRC format. For our event, that boils down to a strong chance that we’ll see additional entries from out of state and out of the region. Our location and our dates on the calendar are ideal for the many boats that race in the Caribbean and Florida in the winter, and then head north in the spring. Having those boats in the mix at Charleston Race Week-many of which are very well prepared and well sailed-will definitely enhance the regatta."
In 2006, Charleston Race Week entrants came from as far away as England, Canada, Michigan, and California, with more than 70 percent of the competitors arriving from out of town. What draws sailors from such distant ports, said Van Liew, is Charleston’s growing reputation as an outstanding sailing venue, as well as the caliber of competition, and the unequalled hospitality offered to competitors at this regatta. "We bill the event as offering ‘great racing and true southern hospitality,’ and what we delivered last year certainly lived up to that. We staged all of the shoreside events at the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina," he said, "which not only served as a beautiful venue, but the company was also one of our generous sponsors."
In 2007, Charleston Race Week will return to the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina to celebrate its 12th year in existence. The regatta, which is scheduled for April 12-15, includes three days of competition and is open to boats 24 to 60 feet in length. The fleet characteristically includes a mix of one-designs and boats competing under handicap formulas (PHRF and IRC).
This regatta is an event of the South Carolina Maritime Foundation, in affiliation with the Charleston Ocean Racing Association (CORA). Profits from the event support the construction and operation of the Spirit of South Carolina, a classic tall ship serving South Carolina’s youth.
The 20th edition of North America's premiere regatta is loaded with international sailing talent and new designs, promising intense competition on all four courses.
54 foreign entries, representing a record breaking 23 different countries, and a domestic contingent from more that 30 U.S. states are sending their best to Acura Key
st 2007, presented by Nautica (Jan 15 - 19).
For two decades now the debut of new and exciting racing designs has been a staple for this showcase event. 2007 will be no different with the list of new boats including 3 IRC designs: Michael Brennan's R/P45 Sjambok, the Ker 50 Magic Glove (IRL) and Rogers 46 Yeoman 32 (UK). Three other designs that will likely be one design classes in Key West beginning in 2008 include the Club Swan 42 (Esmeralda - hull #2), and the J/92 S and Beneteau 10R, both boasting 5 entries this year.
"The quality of this year's fleet is extraordinary and the competition will be world class", said Event Director Peter Craig. "We're really looking forward to celebrating 20 great years with another memorable regatta in January."
International competition will be at it fiercest in the IRC fleet and the perennially hot Farr 40 class. 27 IRC boats (11 foreign), hailing from nine different countries, will race in three classes.
The IRC 1 class will feature a Porto Cervo Swan 601 re-match with Moneypenny, Artemis, Spirit of Jethou and Cuordileone going head to head. Russell Coutts, back with Artemis, is looking to turn the tables on Swan Rolex Cup winner Moneypenny. The biggest Key West entry on record - the R/P 81 foot BonBon (former Carrera) - joins Newport-Bermuda winner Bella Mente and two Farr 60's Numbers and Hissar.
The lighter displacement boats in IRC 2 have 4 TP52s including the Russian entry Rusal Synergy. David Aisher's Rogers 46 Yeoman 32, the R/P 45 Sjambok, and Ireland's swing keel Cookson 50 Chieftain and Ker 50 Magic Glove round out this competitive class. Makoto Uematsu's Club Swan 42 Esmeralda will have last year's PHRF 2 champion Peter Conrad's Sister Golden Hair to contend with along with 9 other entries from Canada, France, the UK, and the U.S. East Coast and Mid West.
The Farr 40s come with their usual hallmark of talented owner-drivers and all star afterguards. America's Cup winners and class champions take on royalty with Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik making his first trip to Key West. America's Cup defender Alinghi with Ernesto Bertarelli and Brad Butterworth, 2006 World Champion Vincenzo Onorato's Mascalzone Latino and 2006 Mumm 30 World Champion Erik Maris will ensure an intense week of competition.
The PHRF handicap rule was a cornerstone of the first Yachting Race Week in 1988. It is fitting that the rule continues as a major draw with more than 60 boats in six classes competing for their first ever PHRF National Championship twenty years later. A special championship scoring criteria has been developed and is posted on event web site. PHRF class winners will be eligible for the National Championship crown. The all-important class breaks are in process and will be posted soon.
Eight one design classes will make up two thirds of the 2007 fleet. In addition to Key West class championships, many will be vying for additional class honors. The Corsair 28R National Championship and the Melges 32 and Melges 24 Mid Winter Championships are at stake.
The Melges 32 class, which debuted in 2006 with 8 boats, will feature an astonishing 20 boats in 2007. The Melges 24s are again the largest and one of the most competitive one design classes with 5 of last year's top 6 returning (Dave Ullman - US, Franco Rossini - SUI, John Pollard - UK, Riccardo Simoneschi - ITA, Philippe Ligot - FRA).
J Boats designs, competing in PHRF and one design classes, will comprise nearly one third of the 2007 fleet. 35 J/105s and 17 J/80s will compete for their Mid Winter Championship honors, as will the J/109 class. The J/92s make their Key West debut in PHRF with 5 boats competing for PHRF and sub-class honors. Five J/120s will race boat for boat in a sub-class within PHRF with Rick Wesslund's El Ocaso defending his 2006 class and PHRF fleet wins.
Portsmouth, R.I. (December 15, 2006) – US SAILING’s Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC) seeks nominations for the 2006 Coaches of the Year Awards. The awards are a part of the United States Olympic Committee’s (USOC) Coach Recognition Program which highlights the accomplishments and contributions of coaches who train athletes at all levels of sailing.
The OSC will nominate sailing coaches in four categories: National Coach of the Year, Developmental Coach of the Year, Volunteer Coach of the Year and the “Doc” Counsilman Science Award. The OSC will accept nominations from the public until January 5, 2007, via e-mail at olympics@ussailing.org. Nominations should include coaching record, any honors or recognitions the nominee has received and a description of their service to the sport during 2006. A panel designated by the OSC will evaluate each nominee’s accomplishments and submit candidates to the USOC.
VOLUNTEER COACH – The nominee does not receive payment in any form for his/her involvement in coaching at any level. The nominee actively coaches youth athletes. Previous winners of sailing’s Volunteer Coach of the Year Award are Susan Kaseler (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) and T. Park McRitchie (Port Clinton, Ohio).
DEVELOPMENTAL COACH – The nominee coaches a youth club, high school or junior level athlete or is directly responsible for coaching athletes to the national or junior national level. They can receive payment for services. Previous winners of sailing’s Developmental Coach of the Year Award are Tom Coleman (Hixson, Tenn.), Rob Hallawell (Marblehead, Mass./Coronado, Calif.), Brian Doyle (Darien, Conn./Hanover, N.H.), Amy Gross-Kehoe (Bayville, N.Y.), Adam Werblow (St. Mary's, Md.) and Mike Zani (Bristol, R.I.).
NATIONAL COACH – The nominee coaches an elite level club, collegiate, Pan-Am, world championship or Olympic Games athlete or is the coach of an elite athlete who competes at the highest level of sailing. Previous winners of sailing’s National Coach of the Year Award are Rollin “Skip” Whyte (Wickford, R.I.), Scott Ikle (Geneva, N.Y.), Serge Jorgensen (Sarasota, Fla.), Jay Glaser (Long Beach, Calif.), Betsy Alison (Newport, R.I.) and Luther Carpenter (New Orleans, La.).
“DOC” COUNSILMAN SCIENCE AWARD – The nominee utilizes science, medicine and/or technology as an integral part of his/her coaching methods or has created innovative ways to integrate sport science into coaching. This is the first year the OSC will nominate a coach for this award.
The goals of the USOC’s Coaching Recognition Program are to recognize the accomplishments and contributions coaches make to sports at all levels of athlete development and to elevate the status of coaching as a profession.
For more information about these awards or to submit a nomination, please e-mail olympics@ussailing.org.
Portsmouth, R.I. – In recognition of their outstanding on-the-water achievements in the calendar year that comes to a close later this month, US SAILING has announced the U.S. sailors who have been short listed for its 2006 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards. Established in 1961 by US SAILING and sponsored by Rolex Watch, U.S.A. since 1980, the annual presentation of US SAILING's Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards are widely regarded as the sport's ultimate recognition for U.S. sailors as evidenced by the notable sailors who have won the coveted awards multiple times: Ed Adams, Betsy Alison, Dave Curtis, Dennis Conner, Courtenay Dey, JJ Isler, John Kostecki, Ken Read, Jody Swanson and Ted Turner.
Nominees for US SAILING's 2006 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award: Bacardi Cup Champion John Dane (Gulfport, Miss.); Thistle National Champion Greg Fisher (Annapolis, Md./Columbus, Ohio); International-14 World Champion Howard Hamlin (Long Beach, Calif.); Volvo Ocean Race winning navigator aboard ABN Amro One Stan Honey (Palo Alto, Calif.); Star Kiel Week Champion Mark Mendelblatt (St. Petersburg, Fla.); and Audi Etchells World Champion Jud Smith (Marblehead, Mass.).
Nominees for US SAILING’s 2006 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award: Semaine Olympique Francaise Yngling champion Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wis.); Laser Radial Youth World Champion Claire Dennis (Saratoga, Calif.); U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Champion Sarah Lihan (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.); ISAF World Sailing Games Laser Radial Champion Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.); and US SAILING Rolex Miami OCR Laser Radial Champion Anna Tunnicliffe (Perrysburg, Ohio/Plantation, Fla.).
Portsmouth, R.I. – When US SAILING’s two Symposiums, the National Sailing Programs Symposium and One-Design Sailing Symposium, kick off in New Orleans next month, the participants better have their notebooks ready. Not only will they get to participate in numerous seminars and share notes with fellow sailing program and one-design class organizers, they will also get to listen to keynote speakers and sailing experts such as Paul Cayard, William Pinkney, and John Rousmaniere, to name a few. The two Symposiums will be held together over a five-day period in New Orleans, La., January 17-21, 2007. The National Sailing Programs Symposium, presented by Vanguard Sailboats and geared towards sailing program organizers, will kick off the events on Wednesday, January 17 and run through Sunday, January 21. The early registration deadline for both events is this coming Friday, December 15.
With the two Symposiums just over a month away, the event agendas are filling up with interesting seminars, covering a wide range of topics. For the sailing program organizers, topics will include fundraising, logistics of running a program for disabled sailors, boat maintenance, obtaining grants, and much more. The one-design fleet organizers will learn more about fleet-building strategies, creating a one-design newsletter, boat measurements, and much more. With the Symposiums taking place in the region heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina last year, participants will also learn more about how the sailing programs, clubs and one-design fleets in the area are being rebuilt.
Newport Beach, Calif.--- December 8th was the official unveiling of this year's NOSA Newport to Ensenada painting. Carole Boller, the artist, was kind enough to share her gallery with NOSA Commodore, David Garcia and NOSA race supporters to view Ms. Boller's latest work as well as some of her other paintings.
David Garcia worked closely with Carole over the past few weeks from the time he took photos, videos and photo CD's to her for viewing; followed by pencil drawings; then on to canvas to develop the final painting. Commodore Garcia spent a lot of time discussing his vision for the painting with Carole, and she truly developed a painting to what he envisioned. Commodore Garcia wanted it to be different from anything NOSA has had in recent years. This being our 60th year, Garcia wanted the painting to tell the story of the race in a way that the racers could view it and identify it as true to life experiences and events that they live during the race. Carole has done a tremendous job of bringing this to life in her work.
NOSA Commodore, David Garcia with artist Carole Boller
In anticipation of unveiling of this year's official Newport to Ensenada
When you see the painting it begins by depicting the coastline from the Newport Harbor down to the Ensenada Harbor. The story begins with the exciting race, showing boats racing down the course while in the background you see the multitude of boats still waiting to start behind the start marks. Then it wanders down to a beautiful scene of the sunset with boats spread throughout the ocean. It then wanders further down to a scene of the ocean lit by moonlight as the race progresses through the night. In the evening clouds is the Wind God that all nighttime sailors are praying to bring the wind needed to sail through the night. And finally, in full daylight you see what the race is all about, the Finish Line with the familiar yellow marks just outside the Ensenada Harbor which includes the familiar massive Mexican Flag.
"It is a beautiful painting that I'm sure will look great on the cover of the magazine, the shirts and especially on the backdrop of the stage in Ensenada." says Commodore Garcia.
"Thank you all for attending the unveiling on December 8th and thank you to Mary Longpre and Bronny Daniels for taking pictures that evening."
David Newton of Sarasota, Florida bought a 1971 22 foot Venture for his son William about a year ago. The fixer upper was a birthday present for the 15 year old. The Newtons knew the 22-foot, 1971 Venture needed work, but planned on fixing it up in time to adorn it with Christmas lights, dock it in the water and watch a holiday boat parade from its deck.
Those plans hit a snag when David Newton was hospitalized twice for complications with his diabetes, limiting the time he and his son could work on the boat.
Then last week the Newtons found out they not only lost their chance to watch today's parade from the boat, but lost the boat itself, which was destroyed by police after they determined it to be a derelict vessel.
The boat was tagged with a bright orange sticker on Nov. 20 because it had no engine, sail or means of working, a police report states. It was destroyed on Nov. 29.
According to city code, the owner of any boat considered derelict has five days to contact the police after it has been tagged and, if they don't, the boat is crushed and the remains are taken to the city landfill.
NOAA has joined the government of Thailand in launching the first Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami (DART) buoy station in the Indian Ocean to assist in detecting tsunamis.
Following a ceremony in Phuket, Thailand, where the 2004 Boxing Day event caused the most extensive tsunami damage in Thailand, the MV SEAFDEC set sail today to deploy the buoy about mid-way between Thailand and Sri Lanka. NOAA scientists and engineers are onboard to provide technical assistance during the launch operations.
With funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), NOAA built and provided the DART station on behalf of the U.S. government. The buoy will be maintained by the Thai Meteorological Department and National Disaster Warning Center. The station's data will be available to all nations through the World Meteorological Organization Global Telecommunications System and will be part of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems.
The Thai buoy is the first of 22 tsunameters planned for the Indian Ocean's regional tsunami warning system. NOAA will provide a second DART buoy further to the south in the spring of 2007. This is part of an end-to-end warning system that includes tide gauges, communications
upgrades, modeling, and dissemination systems for five countries --
Indonesia, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
"This is one of the most important milestones in building a robust tsunami warning and mitigation system for the Indian Ocean region," said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator.
"I'm pleased that NOAA could contribute the technology and technical expertise to the Indian Ocean Warning System Program. Once operational, this system has the potential to save lives."
The DART system provides real-time tsunami detection as waves travel across open waters. The stations consist of a bottom pressure sensor that is anchored to the seafloor and a companion moored surface buoy. An acoustic link transmits data from the bottom pressure sensor to the surface buoy, and then satellite links relay the data to ground stations. The DART
buoys were developed by NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and are being transitioned into NOAA's operational tsunami warning system that is being deployed.
Until a regional tsunami warning capability is established, NOAA's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, in Hawaii, and the Japan Meteorological Agency, are providing tsunami advisory and watches alerts to 27 Indian Ocean countries on an interim basis. The individual countries then
determine if and how they issue a warning to their publics.
In 2007 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, celebrates 200 years of science and service to the nation. From the establishment of the Survey of the Coast in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson to the formation of the Weather Bureau and the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries in the 1870s, much of America's scientific heritage is rooted in NOAA.
NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS),
NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 60 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.
The HSBC Tornado World Championship at San Isidro, Argentina, drew to a close on Sunday (10 December), with British sailors missing out on the medals at the final Olympic classes World Championship of 2006.
Skandia Team GBR’s crews struggled to gain control amidst the shifty conditions and muddy brown waters at the Argentinean venue, with 2005 silver medallists Leigh McMillan from the Isle of Wight and Southampton’s Will Howden finishing in 19th place after the nine race series, and teammates Rob Wilson and Mark Bulkeley, based at Weymouth and Portland, right behind them in 20th position.
An already tough series was made worse for Team McMillan-Howden when, on the penultimate day, they were called OCS and suffered a ripped spinnaker, putting any hopes of a comeback beyond their reach.
Andrew Walsh of Cornwall and Loughborough’s Ed Barney were the third ranked British crew in 23rd overall, with Brits Hugh Styles and Tom Peel, in 32nd and Skandia Team GBR’s youngest crew, development squad sailors, Chris Rashley and Marcus Lynch in 33rd from the 47-boat fleet.
The world title was won by the world number seven ranked Australians Darren Bundock and Glenn Ashby, who beat Argentina’s silver medallists Santiago Lange and Carlos Espinola, the Athens bronze medal winners, by a 14-point margin. European Champions Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher claimed bronze for Austria.
A disappointed Howden commented: “Sometimes in sailing you need a bit of luck and this week we certainly haven’t had any of that.
“You only have to look at the Olympic Silver medallists [USA’s John Lovell-Charlie Ogletree] in 27th to see how hard this has been.”
This weekend some of the most talented match racers in the world brought a sparkle to the JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge Series at the first Grade 2 qualifier of the Challenge.
Run by the Royal Yachting Association, the match racing weekend attracted ten teams from six nations, including six of the top 25 from the World Match Race rankings. Every match was hotly contested and several were not decided until the final few seconds of the race.
Ian Williams, currently ranked second in the world, looked to be dominating the round robin with no losses until he met last year’s Winter Challenge overall winner Damien Iehl from France. Staffan Lindberg from Finland took third with fourth place decided by a tie break between Andrew Cornah and Mark Campbell-James; Cornah took the win.
The best of five races, semi finals and finals, sailed in almost perfect match race conditions with a crisp, sunny seven to 12 knots, produced fantastic match races. Iehl and Williams went through to the finals both winning three and losing one match in the semis. As this was a Grade 2 qualifier both have secured their place in the JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge final 9-11 March.
The wind steadily increased during the final and after one win each, the final place was wide open but Williams with his top crew of Simon Shaw, Mark Nicholls and Mark Williams kept the British flag flying and took the victory 3 to 1. Williams said “normally we have starting superiority but today we had to fight hard from the start. It has been a tough event and we are delighted with the outcome.”
Lindberg won the 3rd/4th sail off against Cornah. Campbell-James won the 5th/6th sail off against Dorte Jensen, Women’s World Champion from Denmark.
Jensen summed up the feelings of most of the competitors “The JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge at Queen Mary Sailing Club is such an ideal location for visiting overseas teams. It is marvellous to have the opportunity to compete in the winter months against such strong teams. The Winter Challenge has become one of the key events in the Match Racing calendar and we are grateful to JPMorgan Asset Management for all their support.”
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Newport, R.I. (November 19, 2006) The Board of Directors of US SAILING, national governing body of the sport, today has elected Jim Capron of Annapolis, Md., as the organization's new president. Immediate past president Janet Baxter (Chicago, Ill.) passed the helm to Capron at the organization's annual meeting in Newport this morning.
"I'm looking forward to working with our many sailors, clubs, classes and partners in promoting and improving our sport," said Capron. "Serving as president of sailing's national governing body is quite a responsibility and I am honored to have been elected for this position."
Capron has been involved with US SAILING in many capacities over the years. He has served on the organization's Board of Directors since 2001, most recently as a Vice President. He has also been a member of numerous committees, including the Appeals, Judges, Race Administration, and Olympic Sailing Committees. In addition, Capron is a US SAILING Senior Judge and Umpire as well as an International Judge and Umpire certified by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). As an official, he has served as a judge or umpire at many international events, including the Olympic Games, Louis Vuitton Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, and the ISAF World Sailing Games.
Capron is an experienced sailor as well, having owned and campaigned various classes of sailboats over the years, from a Penguin to a J/35 racer/cruiser. An engineer by trade, he is the founder and president of Capron Company, Inc., a facility automation design and contracting firm located in Rockville, Maryland. Between cruising the Chesapeake Bay and his volunteer work at US SAILING and ISAF, Capron still finds time to race his Etchells.
The US SAILING President serves for a one-year term and a maximum of three consecutive terms.
Janet Baxter led the organization from October 2003 through this 2006 annual meeting. "I have thoroughly enjoyed serving the sport of sailing as president of this dynamic organization," said Baxter. "I am confident that US SAILING will continue to advance and evolve under Jim's leadership and sailing will benefit."
Newport, R.I. (November 20, 2006) – US SAILING, national governing body for the sport, has presented Urban Miyares (San Diego, Calif.) with the Gay S. Lynn Memorial Trophy for his outstanding contribution to disabled sailors and the sport of disabled sailing. Miyares, a blind sailor who has skippered two Transpac races and numerous Newport-Ensenada races, is the founder and CEO of Challenged America, an organization focused on providing free sailing opportunities for children and adults with disabilities. Miyares was presented with the award during an awards banquet at US SAILING’s Annual Meeting in Newport, R.I., last Saturday.
Challenged America’s mission statement is to “enhance the lives of people with disabilities and their loved ones, from around the world, through innovative sailing programs and technology designed to advance their rehabilitation, expand life-experiences, and increase successful mainstream outcomes.” Founded in the late 1970s, the program has over the years helped numerous people with a rehabilitation program that also encourages family members to come out on the water.
In addition to running a successful disabled sailing program, Miyares is an accomplished athlete. While he’s a skipper most of the time, Miyares is also the one who usually does foredeck, primarily because he usually is the only sailor among an all-disabled crew who can walk. His athletic abilities aren’t limited to sailing: in the 1990-1991 season, he was the U.S. Alpine Ski Champion and ranked as the fastest blind skier in the world. Always looking for new challenges, Miyares is hoping to sail singlehandedly around the world one day.
“Urban Miyares has moved far beyond his disabilities,” said Hugh Elliot, Secretary of the Council for Sailors with Disabilities, when presenting the award. “More important than his own personal achievements, Urban has made it possible for many others to do the same by helping them to understand that, while a disability may make life complicated, it does not in any way prohibit dreams and successes in the able-bodied world.”