TORRESEN SAILING SITE'S
AROUND THE WORLD OF SAILING*
September 13, 2000
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Provided by the Torresen Sailing Site
http://www.torresen.com
as a service of Torresen Marine, Inc.
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This week's Stories:
Comprehensive Olympic Sailing Preview
Short Tack: James Nelson News
Interview: J.P. Mouligne Part 2
Short Tack: Newsletter Central
American's Cup Hall of Fame
Watery World News: PWC Lawsuit
Featured Brokerage: Laguna 22
Short Tack 3: Measuring in an Olympic 49er
Rowing Reporter
Finish Line
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For more Sailing News see Sailing Daily*
Recent topics included the Swiss Cup team
and news from Team Adventure
See http://www.torresen.com/sd/september00 for more
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2000 Olympic Sailing Regatta Preview
The 2000 Olympic Sailing regatta will begin Sunday 17 September
ending Saturday 30 September. 11 sets of medals will be awarded in a
variety of classes.
Venue for the regatta will be one of the world's great natural
harbors- Sydney. The Olympic fleet will use six courses, four within
the Harbor and 2 offshore.
All fleets with the exception of the 49er and Soling will sail
11 races, sailed 2 per day. The 49er's will sail 16 races at a rate
of 3 per day. The Soling's will sail six fleet races on the offshore
course and then end their competition with match racing sailed inshore.
Concluding racing by the 25th will be: 49er, Mistral
Sailboards, Tornado. Concluding on the 30th will be: Europe, Finn,
Laser, Soling, Star and 470 classes.
Below is a comprehensive preview of the racing in each class.
Only Germany, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain and America have
sailors in each class.
The class previews note top sailors, address pre race favorites
and make predictions. In many classes some or all of the medallists
are back. This experience trend is matched by the US team, which has
6 sailors who already own Olympic medals.
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Laser: Open single-handed class.
This popular 13 foot boat is sailed by one, typically athletic, sailor.
1996 Medallists: Robert Scheidt Brazil/Ben Ainslie Great Britain
Peer Moberg Norway. All are entered in the 2000 regatta.
Top 3 in Rankings: Karl Suneson (Sweden) Michael Blackburn
(Australia) Robert Scheidt (Brazil)
Favorites: Scheidt is the current world champion. Ainslie
has a strong 1999 being named world sailor of the year. Australian
Michael Blackburn is a top sailor (2nd at the 2000 worlds) with home
waters behind him. Other contenders are: Marty Essig (Canada)
Moberg (Norway) Serge Kats (Netherlands).
USA Rep: John Myrdal was the surprise winner at the USA Laser
trials. He's ranked 70th. Myrdal trains in Hawaii in an inward
focused manner. Although he pulled off the Trials upset, a medal is
not expected. A top 10 finish can be projected.
Prediction: Scheidt a 4 time world champion will be the
winner. One of the Scandinavians will be 2nd with Australia's
Blackburn 3rd.
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Europe: Single handed boat for women,
an Olympic class since 1992.
1996 Medallists: Kristine Roug (Denmark) Margriet Mattyss
(Netherlands) Courtenay Becker-Dey (USA)
Top 3 Ranked Sailors: Kristine Roug, Sari Multala (Finland)
Melanie Dennison (Australia)
Favorites: Appropriately the Europe class has been dominated
by European Sailors. Roug is the '96 gold medallist and 2000 world
champion. Matthijsse won the '99 Sydney Harbour title and World
Championship. Great Britain's Shirley Robertson also has had some
good results in the lead up.
USA Rep: Courtenay Becker Dey took up Europe sailing after
an unsuccessful 470 campaign. Current rank is 62. Her overall sailing
level and '96 medal make you think a medal is possible, but not likely.
Prediction: 1. Matthijsse 2. Robertson 3. Roug
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Finn: Men's single-handed dinghy.
An Olympic class since 1952 sailors such as Russell Coutts and Paul
Elvstrom have been Olympic medallists in this demanding dinghy.
1996 Medallists: Mateusz Kusznierewicz (Poland) Sebastien
Godefroid (Belgium) Roy Heiner (Netherlands)
Top 3 ranked Sailors: Richard Clark (Canada) Mateusz
Kusznierewicz (Poland) Fredik Loof (Sweden)
Favorites: Kusznierewicz seems to have lost nothing winning
this years Gold Cup. Godefroid was runner up. Britain's Ian Percy,
and France's Xavier Rohart are also top sailors.
USA Rep: Russ Silvestri. He finished an almost 20 year quest
to gain the USA berth at the spring trials. Ranked 38th Silvestri
will have to sail the regatta of his life to medal.
Prediction: 1. Kusznierewicz 2. Rohart 3. Percy
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49er: Open 2 person high performance dinghy.
Based on the Aussie 18 skiffs the 49er makes its Olympic debut.
Top Ranked Sailors: Markus Baur and Philip Barth (Germany)
Santiago Lopez-Vazquez and Javie de la Plaza (Spain) Dimitri Deruelle
and Philippe Gasparini (France)
Favorites: Three-time world champion team Chris Nicholson
and Daniel Phillips are sailing home waters. The Spanish team is the
current world champion. The Italian brother team the Bruni's won the
1999 Sydney Harbor Team.
USA Reps: Brothers Jonathan and Charlie Mckee are each
looking to become 2 time Olympic medallists. Jonathan won gold in '84,
Charlie bronze in '88. Ranked 12th, the McKee's have often been
around the top of world class events. They have a solid medal
opportunity.
Prediction: 1. Australia 2. New Zealand 3. Germany
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470 Men
There will be two fleets of two person 470 dinghies. One fleet
is for 2 man crews, the other for 2 woman crews.
1996 Medallists: Matviyenko/Braslavets Ukraine, Walker/Merricks
Great Britain, Barreto/Rocha Portugal
Top Ranked Teams: 1. Foerester/Merrick USA 2. Gildas Philippe
and Tanguy Cariou France 3. Eugen Braslavets and Igor Matvienko
Ukraine
Favorites: Portuguese team of Marinho and Nunes pre Olympic
regatta winner, King and Turnbull Australia 2000 world champions, USA,
France, Ukraine and Cooke and Nicholas New Zealand.
USA Reps: Paul Foerester and Bob Merrick have waged a
consistent campaign as their # 1 status shows.
Prediction: 1. USA 2. AUS 3. NZL
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470 Women
1996 Medallists: Via Dufrense/Zabell Spain, Kinoshita/Shige
Japan, Taran/Panholohyk Ukraine
Top Ranked Teams: Ukraine, Greece Sofia Bekatorou and Emilia
Tsoulfa and Spain
Favorites: The Grecian team were the 2000 World Champions,
the Ukrainians the 1999 titleists. The Italian team of Salva and Sossi
won the 1999 Sydney Harbour title.
USA Team: 1992 Bronze medallists J.J. Isler will sail with
crew Peace Glaser. They are ranked 13th. They are experienced and
have been moving forward. Medal not probable, but possible.
Prediction: 1. Ukraine 2. Spain 3. Italy
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Mistral Men's Sailboard
This is the second Olympics to use the Mistral board. Men
and women race in separate fleets.
1996 Medallists: Nikolaos Kaklamanakis Greece, Hernan Vila
Argentina, Gal Friedman Israel
Top Ranked Sailors: Lars Kleppisch Australia, Aaron Mcintosh
New Zealand, Alexandre Guyader France
Favorites: Lars Klepisch home team rep winner of world
championship and 1999 Sydney Harbour regatta. Aaron Mcintosh winner
of recent Oceanic Championships in Sydney. Defending Gold Medallist
Kaklamanakis won the 2000 world title.
USA Rep: Mike Gebhardt who won boardsailing medals in 1988
(bronze) and 1992 (Silver). He is ranked 22nd. Not a medal favorite,
will have to rely on experience to do well.
Prediction: 1. AUS 2. NZL 3. GRE
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Mistral Women's Sailboard
1996 Medallists: Lai Shane Lee Hong Kong, Barbara Kendall New
Zealand, Alessandra Sensini Italy
Top Ranked Sailors: Lise Vidal France, Sensini Italy, Shane Lee
Hong Kong
Favorites: Kendall twice a winner in Sydney pre Olympic
regattas, Sensini current world titlist.
USA Rep: Lanee Butler. Several time Olympian no medals yet.
Strong 2nd at recent Oceanic Championship in Sydney, ranked 19th
should sail above that at Olympics
Prediction: 1. NZL 2. AUS 3.USA
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Tornado 2 person open multi hull.
The only catamaran ever sailed in Olympic competition.
1996 Medallists: Ballester/Leon Spain, Booth/Landenberger AUS,
Grael/Pellicano Brazil
Top Ranked Teams: Roland Gaebler and Rene Schwall Germany,
Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher Austria, Darren Bundock and
John Forbes Australia
Favorites: 2000 World Champions are the German team.
Defending gold medallists from Spain. 2 time winner in Sydney Harbour
regattas - the Australian team.
USA team: Ranked 10th Charlie Lovell and John Ogletree.
Finished 8th in 1996.
Prediction: 1. AUS 2. SPA 3. GER
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Soling 3-person keelboat.
They have the regattas most unique format. 6 races in fleet format to
qualify for a match racing series that determines the Gold Medallist.
1996 Medallists: Schuemann/Jaekel/Flach Germany, Shabanov
/Skalin/Shayduko Russia, Mardrigali/Barton/Massey USA
Top Ranked Teams: Jochen Schumann, Ingo Borkowski and Gunnar
Bahr Germany, Jesper Bank, Thomas Jacobsen and Henrik Blakskjar
Sergei Pitchugin, Volodymyr Korotrov and Sergiy Timokhov Ukraine,
Jesper Bank, Thomas Jacobsen and Henrik Blakskjar Denmark
Favorites: 2000 world champions, the USA team. Schumann
a 3 time Olympic gold medallist. Great Britain skippered by Andy
Beardsworth, Denmark helmed by Swedish Match tour regular Jesper Bank.
USA Team: Jeff Madrigali/Craig Healey/Hartwell Jordan.
They'll have Russel Coutts as their match racing coach.
Prediction: 1. Germany 2. Denmark 3. USA
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Star 2-person keelboat.
Designed in 1911, with an Olympic debut of 1932 the Star is the
regatta's Oldest boat.
1996 Medallists: Grael/Ferreira Brazil, Wallen/Lohse Sweden,
Beashel/Giles Australia
Top Ranked Teams: Australia, USA, Canada Mcdonald/Bjorn
Favorites: 2000 world champions Reynolds and Liljerdahl of
the USA, Australia (same team as '96), Britain (driven by 96 470
medallists Ian Walker), Brazil (defending Gold Medallists) and New
Zealand (Skippered by Gavin Brady)
USA Team: Mark Reynolds is the skipper with a gold medal from
the Barcelona Games. Crew Magnus Liljerdahl was recently elected
captain of the Olympic team.
Prediction: 1. USA 2. Brazil 3. NZL
Racing begins this Sunday. Torresen Sailing Site will provide
comprehensive coverage of the Olympic Regatta in Around the World of
Sailing, and Sailing Daily.
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Short Tack: Author James Nelson's plans
Maine based historical maritime fiction Author James Nelson
has plans for several books. Nelson is the author of the popular
Revolution at Sea saga. These are available in the Torresen Bookstore
at http://www.torresen.com/bookstore/james_nelson.asp.
Nelson will be taking a break from Isaac Biddlecomb and
Revolution at Sea. His next book will be the 2nd in The Brethren
at Sea Series. It will be out in hardcover in January of 2001.
Volume 1 of the Brethren of the Sea Series is also
available at: http://www.torresen.com/bookstore/james_nelson.asp
Nelson's also plans two novels on the naval portion of the
US Civil war. Not due until summer of 2002, these books will look at
the navel civil war first from a southern and then northern point of
view.
Once these projects are done, Nelson foresees a return to
Revolution at Sea. He hopes to add 5 more books to the saga.
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Interview: J.P. Mouligne Part 2
J.P. Mouligne sailed Cray Valley to a win in Class II of the
1998-99 Around Alone race. Before that race, Mouligne said he had
worked towards victory in Around Alone since 1990. During the race
Mouligne, called himself a "fiberglass salesman." Mouligne not only
won Class II, but set records for the first 3 legs of the course.
Mouligne's average of 9.75 knots from Cape Town South Africa to
Auckland New Zealand is the fastest ever by a Class II boat.
Mouligne plans to compete in the 2002-2003 Around Alone
this time on a new Open 60 in class I.
Part of the interview includes J.P.'s insights into the
upcoming Vendee Globe around the world race.
ATWOS: With your knowledge, who are your top choices for the upcoming
Vendee Globe?
J.P.: The next Vendee Globe is going to be the best ever.
All the good ones are in it, so it is tough to make predictions...
There are at least 10 boats that can pretend to win. As usual the
winner will be the one with the best average of skill, preparation
and luck.
My top picks are:
Thomas Coville on Sodebo
Yves Parlier on Aquitaine innovation
Mike Golding on Group 4
Domique Vavre on Union banque prives
Ellen McArthur on Kingfisher
Roland Jourdain on Sill Plein Fruit
But there is plenty more and anything can happen so who knows!
ATWOS: Where is Cray Valley? (the boat J.P. won the 1998-99 Around
Close Class II title with)
J.P.: I sold Cray Valley to a Frenchman, JP Amblard and they just
finished the Quebec/St Malo race under the name "Cristal finance".
ATWOS: What are the most important lessons you learned in Around Alone?
J.P.: The biggest lesson I learned from the last Around Alone is the
importance of preparation. Nothing can replace it. Preparation alone
will not make win the race but if you are not fully prepared there is
no need to worry about the rest. I was lucky to have Phil Lee as my
shore manager, he is one of the most knowledgeable boat guys I have
ever met and made sure that Cray Valley was always ready. We will
work again together on the next one and I cannot tell you how
important that is to me.
ATWOS: What are your expectations for this campaign?
J.P.: My only goal is to win class one of the next Around Alone.
ATWOS: Besides Brad Van Liew what other Around Alone projects are
you aware of?
J.P.: I am not sure who is preparing for the next Around Alone.
Almost all the open 60 available today are focused on the next
Vendee Globe, but I am sure that a number of them will participate
in the next Around Alone. The only open 60 under construction that
I am aware of in the US is Bruce Schab's who originally intended to
do the Vendee, but I think has run out of time. I really hope that
he participates in the next Around Alone because he is a very
competitive sailor with a very different boat (very narrow) and it
will be interesting to see if he got the right concept.
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Short Tack: Newsletter Central
Today, Torresen Sailing Site announced a new feature:
Newsletter Central. Located at http://www.torresen.com/newsletters
this page enables visitors to subscribe or unsubscribe to any
newsletter published by Torresen Sailing Site.
In addition to Around The World of Sailing, Torresen
Sailing Site publishes three other newsletters.
The Torresen Brokerage update is e-mailed weekly with new
sailboat listings, price reductions and other brokerage information.
A new offering is the Torresen Sailing Site Logbook which
is a convenient way to keep up to date on the latest sailing events
added to the Torresen Online Sailing Calendar, new Web sites in the
Torresen InterSail directory and new features at the Torresen Sailing
Site.
The Marine Engine update features Yanmar, Universal,
Westerbeke, Atomic 4, Volvo and Perkins news and information. It is
published every other week.
Just go to http://www.torresen.com/newsletters and you will
be able to add a free e-mail subscription to any of these newsletters.
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America's Cup Hall of Fame: 3 New Members
This Sunday the America's Cup Hall of Fame located in Bristol
Rhode Island will holds its 8th induction ceremony. Three men are to
join the hall this year.
Inaugurated in 1992, The Hall of Fame is located in an historic
building on the grounds of the former Herreshoff Manufacturing Company
in Bristol.
Edward I. du Moulin of Sands Point NY has been involved in the
shore side management of many Cup efforts. He has managed the following
Cup campaigns: Enterprise 1977, Freedom the successful defender in
1980, Liberty loser to Australia II in 1983 and Stars and Strips the
successful challenger in 1987.
Edwin Morgan an American who lived from 1854 to 1933. Teaming
with famed designer Nathaniel Herreshoff Morgan was involved with 4
Cup defenses. These were: Vigilant in 1893 over Valkyrie; Defender
in 1895 over Valkyrie II; Columbia in 1899 over Shamrock; and Columbia
in 1901 over Shamrock II with E.D. Morgan as syndicate manager.
Since 1983 the two Cup nations from 'Down Under' have won the
America's Cup as many times as the USA. Tom Schnackenberg has
participated in all 3 of the winning efforts from 'Down Under'. He
designed sails for Australia II in 1983. The past 2 Cups won by New
Zealand's Black Magic's have seen Schnackenberg serve in a dual role
of design coordinator and on board navigator. His America's Cup
participation will continue as one of the leaders of Team New Zealand's
next defense effort in 2003.
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Watery World News
Watery World News is dedicated to our watery planet and the
things that people do on the water other than sail. Whether it's
tug-barges, kayaks, rowing shells, PWC's, swimming or other water
activities Watery World News will attempt to give the sailing audience
of ATWOS a look at other water activities.
Environmental group Bluewater Network has filed a lawsuit
seeking to have PWC's/Jet Ski's banned from all national parks. The
lawsuit is backed by assertions that PWC's have already contaminated
lakes and reservoirs.
Russel Long, Bluewater Director said: "The parks aren't
for the few, the loud and dangerous; they're for everyone to enjoy."
Some of the parks where PWC's are still allowed include:
Cape Cod National Sea Shore, Cumberland Islands National Sea Shore, and
Pictured Rocks in Michigan.
The American Watercraft Association which represents PWC
owners believes that a new generation of PWC's will replace the
existing fleet in a few years. The AWS believes they will be an
environmental friendly form of motorized recreation.
In other PWC regulation news, New York passed a law that
allows cities, towns and villages to regulate or even prohibit PWC's
in municipal waters following the holding of a public hearing and the
adoption of a local law. PWC's can be regulated up to 1500 feet off
shore.
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Featured Brokerage: Laguna 22
This week's featured brokerage boat is a sharp looking pocket
cruiser, 'Child's Play'. If you view Child's Play you'll have a hard
time believing the boat is a 1984. It doesn't look it.
The boat has a number of details that make her stand out.
A 1996 gas outboard provides reliable power. The cockpit has cushions
and a cover to help the tiller last longer.
'Child's Play' comes with a trailer making increasing her
cruising range. A solar vent keeps the interior cool.
'Child's Play' is currently in the water at Torresen Marine.
If you want a well conditioned, small cruiser you should have a look
at this Laguna 22.
For more, including pictures, see:
http://www.torresen.com/brokerage/laguna22
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Short Tack: Measuring an Olympic 49er
Before many one design sailing regattas, boats are measure
to make certain they conform to the class rules. Things such as
weight, keel dimensions, sail area etc. are measured.
The Olympic 49er class has added an information age wrinkle to
the measurement process. For this Olympic regatta all 49ers must have
been built after 1 March 1999.
To ensure compliance 49er builders were required to place a
computer chip with a bar code in the hull, rudder or centerboard.
Chips were placed at random.
Measurers use a sonograph to locate the chips.
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Rowing Reporter
The Rowing Reporter is a look at life and conditions on
Muskegon Lake, home waters of Around the World of Sailing.
As I write this the sky is cloudless. It's vacant except for
base color blue. The atmosphere is please with temperatures in the
60's and light south winds. For this native of the UP it wouldn't
bother me if it never got any warmer than this.
Earlier this week the sky was not vacant and the atmosphere
was decidedly nasty.
Monday morning was dark and cloudy. Visibility was restricted
as I heard, but did not see, an overflying prop plane. Bushes along
the lake were awakening to stirrings of a heavy breeze.
Mid morning an easterly of moderate yet possibly threatening
proportions arose. Although the wind peaked at 31 knots, an easterly
on Muskegon Lake can bring out the worst in the 'little lake'.
Around 1130 came thunder, lightning and a down pouring
'Old testament' rain. The rain came fast, making a go at flooding.
I crossed the street with sea boots on and the water easily came
over my feet. A total of 1.39 inches of rain fell.
Tuesday morning I turned my attention to the local forecast
segment of the Weather Channel. The forecasters had gone beyond,
partly sunny or 40% chance of rain. They boldly stated at 0553,
"SW wind becoming NW before noon."
I decided I'd better watch if this factual and certain sounding
forecast came true. A large wind switch as predicted usually indicates
that a weather front will pass through.
In Muskegon the wind was 195º at 0200 and 197° at 0300.
By 0400 the wind had gone to 239°, and by 0600 it was 280°. Finally,
by 0700 the wind direction was 300°, very near Northwest. This
would indicate the front passed Muskegon and the wind direction
forecast was accurate.
Looking at data from the Southern Lake Michigan weather
located 43 miles ESE of Milwaukee the classic pattern of frontal
passage is clearer. At midnight Tuesday, the wind at the buoy was
South. For the next 9 hours the wind went as far to the right as SE
and as far to the left as WSW. In fact it was SW @ 0800, moved
slightly left to WSW @ 0900 and then the front passed and at 1000
eastern the wind was NW.
My observations show then that this very specific weather
forecast was exactly true in at least two areas of Lake Michigan.
Not that this makes up for the razzing and querulous way in which we
treat weather forecasters, but in this case we all owe you one!
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Finish Line
Ray Woods of Jeffersonville, Kentucky began building his boat
Ever-Free 20 years ago.
Woods was told it would take five years. No matter, Woods cut
steel, and built his boat in due time.
The 40-foot Everfree weighs 15 tons, with a main mast of 40
feet and a mizzen at 33 feet.
Ever-Free will be launched in the Ohio River and then head to
Gulfport Florida to begin a much delayed on the water career.
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Around the World of Sailing Staff
Written by: Ike Stephenson marine informationist
(ike@torresen.com)
Edited: Kathleen Torresen(k_torresen@torresen.com)
Thanks be to: www.jameslnelson.com,
J.P. Mouligne, Bluewater Network, www.boating-industry.com
US Sailing, Evansville Courier and Press