November 2006 SailingNews

Photo: Mumm 30

November 30, MUMM 30 Worlds, Miami Beach, Florida: Opening day [Wednesday] had picture perfect conditions. Sailors on 30 boats from nine countries were treated to Florida sunshine, good breeze and some great surfing waves. All races were four leg windward-leeward races, with 1.75 mile legs. The easterly wind ranged from 14-20 knots, starting out light in the morning and building during the day, with stronger puffs on the left, backing slightly early afternoon.

Everyone got out of the blocks without mishap for the first race of the day. Winds were lighter inshore at the start, building at the top mark out closer toward the Gulf Stream. The natives were restless on the second race and a string of bow numbers were called over in an individual recall. The breeze built to 16-18 knots and the surf was up - giving a great ride downwind for all and causing some carnage for others.

Wind velocity increased slightly more for the final race of the day. -- Renee Mehl

Top ten after 3 races:
 1. Mammy!, Diarmuid Foley,        IRL, 8-1-1     10 pts
 2. Twins, Erik Maris,             FRA, 5-2-3     10
 3. Sixx, Tom Lihan,               USA, 2-4-6     12
 4. Mean Machine, Peter de Ridder, NED, 1-3-10    14
 5. Groovederci, Deneen Demourkas, USA, 7-8-2     17
 6. Cheyenne, Frederico Strocchi   ITA, 3-10-6.5* 19.5
 7. Barking Mad, Jim Richardson    USA, 14-5-4    23
 8. Foriegn Affair, Richard Perini AUS, 4-12-9    25
 9. Team Bold, Nelson Stephenson   USA, 15-9-5    29
10. Champosa, Jonathan McDonagh    USA, 11-11*11* 33
*AVG

November 27, 2006 Audi Etchells World Championship, Fremantle West Australia. Jud Smith, the three times North American Etchells champion and four times Worlds runner up took the gun in the eighth and final race to win the Etchells Worlds.

Smith and his crew of Dirk Kneulman and New Zealanders Andrew Wills and Thomas Saunders, crossed the finish line and shortly afterwards the Star Spangled Banner boomed from the Black Swan, the very same tender that boomed out Men at Work back in 1983 when Australia 11 took the America's Cup.

The Fremantle Doctor was pumping with winds climbing into the 20's as Smith led from the first mark he was overtaken by his countryman Chris Busch down the run but rounded inside the San Diego sailor. Half way up the beat for the second time, he crossed ahead and was never overtaken again. Smith crossed ahead of Busch, third was Craig Healy.

Ante Razmilovic from Britain needed to beat Smith by two places today, but the best he could do was fourth. New Zealander Alastair Gair who led into the eighth and final race of the series only needed to stay in contact to take the title. At the top mark for the first time the Kiwi's were 18th; they fought back valiantly to take seventh place and had to be content to settle with second overall.

Top three, eight races, 1 throwout:
 1. Jud Smith/Dirk Kneulman/Andrew Wills/Thomas Saunders USA  1-2-1-6-(21)-6-4-1     21 pts
 2. Alastair Gair/David Ridley/Carl Peters/Derek Scott   NZL  2-(23)-4-3-6-1-2-7     25
 3. Ante Razmilovic/Jez Fanstone/Stuart Flinn            GBR  9-9-(12)-1-4-2-1-4     30

ML crew members (l-r) Piet van Os, Charlie Enright, Kate Theisen and Genny Tulloch of Houston. Photo: Honolulu Advertiser

Morning Light Team, Honolulu - Never mind that the familiar trade winds failed to show for the Morning Light team's weekend adventure in Hawaii. In the words of sailing manager Robbie Haines, the young sailors were "blown away" by their two days on a Polynesian canoe with nature's navigator, Nainoa Thompson.

Roy Disney, whose documentary film production will climax when the 15 men and women sail the Transpacific Yacht Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu next July, said, "It came out by far the best it could have, especially because there wasn't much wind the whole weekend. The kids just ate it up. In just two days they figured out how to sail that thing pretty well."

Graham Brant-Zawadzki, 21, of Newport Beach, Calif., said they not only learned about navigating without instruments but the native culture behind the concept. "We all care about the ocean, but it's really cool to see the whole perspective of how they approach sailing," Brant-Zawadzki said. "When they come together they're not a crew, they're a family, and the boat is their home, not just a vehicle to take them somewhere."

Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, unraveled the mysteries of how to find the way with only the sun, the wind, the stars, the sea and the birds as guides. "The navigation system they use has been passed down orally for thousands of years," Brant-Zawadzki said. "But when you think about it, there's a lot of scientific background behind their methods, and it's very sensible how they figure it out from observations."

Photo: Leslie DeMeuse

The team, hosted by the Marine Education and Training Center and Waikiki Yacht Club, sailed the 62-foot double-hulled canoe offshore from Sand Island near the international airport. The initial plan to sail from the island of Maui to Oahu via Molokai was abandoned about a week earlier---a sound decision. The only double-digit breeze they saw was on the second day Saturday when the canoe hit 6 knots past Koko Head along the southeast shore of Oahu.

On Friday they stayed out past dark so Thompson could demonstrate celestial navigation. On Saturday they went out to a shallow offshore area where most of the team went swimming. Only one of the 15 team members, Chris Clark, was unable to participate because of studies at Univ. of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., but he'll hear all about it when they reassemble in Honolulu in January to start training for next summer's race on their Transpac 52.

Perhaps Kate Theisen, 19, of Socorro, N.M, could relate best to Thompson's explanations of natural navigation. She's studying planetary science. "Nainoa would ask questions to make sure the kids understood what he was telling them," Haines said. "Kate got all the answers right." Theisen said, "It was really neat because I do all the mathematical calculations and understand the principles behind all of it. He would apply it in a completely new way that they don't teach me at school, so it was remarkable to make the connections."

If there wasn't much wind, no problem. "When you're racing it's all about, 'Oh, I wish we had better wind,' " Theisen said, "but this was learning about the navigation." The activities and the sailors' impressions were well-reported by local media. Genny Tulloch, 21, of Houston told KHNL Channel 8, "We've gained more of an understanding about using nature . . . to know where you're going. Those are things that racers don't use. We usually use [instrument] numbers." Jesse Fielding, 19, of North Kingstown, R.I., told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin that the double-hulled canoe "has a totally different purpose" than the high-tech racing boats that sail much faster. "This boat was designed to explore and voyage," Fielding said.

But Thompson told the sailors, according to the Honolulu Advertiser, "They're more similar than you think. We come from very different cultures, but there's a shared love of the sea, a passion for sailing and a desire to pass that knowledge on to the next generation."

The sailors and Thompson are destined to meet again. The former will be back in Hawaii early in January to train for the Transpac and said they plan to be on hand to wave Thompson bon voyage when Hokule'a departs on a 7,000-mile cruise to Micronesia. Later, Thompson said, he hopes to sail the canoe out to Diamond Head to greet Morning Light when it finishes the Transpac in July.

Thompson, asked at a press conference what he hoped the kids would get from the weekend, said, "I hope we teach them about the culture and the history and respect for Hawaii and the oceans, and in July, when they sail their boat from California to Hawaii, when they get here I hope they'll feel just a little bit like theyıre coming home.' " Digital stills and digital video clips of their Thanksgiving experience are available for download at www.papahui.com

More information: www.pacifichighproductions.com/
Polynesian Voyaging Society: pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/

November 24, Lovell & Ogletree at the Tornado South American Championships. Team Advanced Equities I - Johnny Lovell, New Orleans, La., and Charlie Ogletree, Kemah, Texas - started the Championships today with a fifth place finish in Race One. There are 32 boats competing in this regatta in Buenos Aires, Argentina, that is a warm-up event for the Tornado World Championships which start on December 5. France won today's race, Greece 2nd, Argentina 3rd, Holland 4th, USA-Team Advanced Equities I 5th.

Charlie writes us: Today's race featured light and very shifty conditions with 6-12 knots of air. We sailed a solid race to move up every leg to round the last leeward gate in second. We chose the right side on the last beat and then the wind shifted 30 degrees left ahead of a rain cloud and we lost three boats. A fifth is a "keeper in this tough fleet and we are looking forward to tomorrow. Race Two today was abandoned due to an 80 degree wind shift on the first beat and a 30-knot storm.

Our team mates - Don Thinschmidt, Holland, Mich., and Drew Wierda, Miami, Fla., - who sail Team Advanced Equities II, arrive on Saturday to start preparing for the Worlds.

Argentina is a beautiful country with very friendly people. It is spring here so the weather is very warm and nice. The Argentinean steaks on the barbecue are some of the best we have ever had! We are learning Spanish phrases and acclimating quickly. We are sharing a house with our coach Jay Glaser and John Farrar, Team Puerto Rico, Team Holland and Don and Drew of Team Advanced Equities II.

1. FRA Olivier Backes - Paul Sevestre
2. GRE Iordanis Paschaladis - Constantinos Trigonis
3. ARG Santiago Lange - Carlos Espinola
4. NED Mischa Heemskerk - Herbert Dercksen
5. USA John Lovell - Charlie Ogletree

November 21, Audi Etchells Worlds. With Denis Connor unable to attend (he was hit by a baggage trolley at London's Heathrow Airport during a Terrorist scare, and unable on Doctors instructions to fly), the Field tightens at Audi Etchells Worlds in Australia,

Ante Razmilovic's win today took him to third place overall in the regatta. The 35 year old Briton is not a new kid on the block, having won the 2003 European titles, the 2004 British titles and only being beaten in the 2004 North Americans on count back.

While Razmilovic has now made a podium claim, the four times Worlds runner up and three times North American champion Jud Smith, has further tightened his grip on the 2006 Worlds, stretching his lead over Britain's Andy Beadsworth.

Smith is determined to get the monkey off his back. 'It's kind of embarrassing, to have come second in the Etchells Worlds four times. But there is a long way to go in this regatta and I've learned not to take anything for granted.

'Last year we were leading up until the second last day and one mistake, and we put ourselves away. We just want to have a chance going into the last day.'

Provisional Results for Etchells Worlds Championship after 4 races with 4 races to count
 1. Jud Smith/Dirk Kneulman/Andrew Wills/Thomas Saunders USA  1-2-1-6      10 pts 
 2. Anam Chara Andy Beadsworth/James McHugh/Simon Fry    GBR  3-4-2-10     19 
 3. Ante Razmilovic/Jez Fanstone/Stuart Flinn            GBR  9-9-12-1     31 
 4. Alastair Gair/David Ridley/Carl Peters/Derek Scott   NZL  2-23-4-3     32 
 5. Julian Plante/Michael Coxon/Nick Garland/Matt Day    AUS  25-5-7-7     44 
 6. Una Mas/Mark Bradford/Graeme Taylor/Steve Jarvin     AUS  5-34-5-4     48 
 7. John Bertrand/Ian Johnson/Tim Ede                    AUS 10-17-9-12    48 
 8. Stuart Childerley/Simon Russell/Roger Marino         GBR 27-11-8-5     51 
 9. Cameron Miles/Phil Smidmore/Dave Samson              AUS 4-14-17-17    52 
10. Jake Gunther/Russell Tyson/Richard Ironmonger        AUS 12-15-10-16   53

Photo: JOY Advertising/USMCA www.usmelges24.com

November 20, Rosebud from Edmond, Oklahoma wins 2006 MELGES 24 U.S. National Championship.

Chris Larson at the helm for Scott Holmgren on Rosebud is the new, 2006 Melges 24 National Champion. In addition to Larson and Holmgren was the great league of Chuck Norris and Andrew Estcourt. Standing in for second, on his 37th birthday was Scott Nixon at the helm for David Ford on Lightwave Micro with Mark Ivey on board calling tactics, Bell Canty and Brian Smith.

Overnight leader John Pollard on Excellent seemed to have everything under control in the first two races of the day, but a DNS in the last race dropped them to third overall.

Kelly Gough from Hickory Creek, Texas, drove for Shawn Grisham on Bullseye.

Top three:
1. Chris Larson/Scott Holmgren. OK. Rosebud          7-1-2-5-(11)-8-5-7-1     36 pts
2. Scott Nixon/David Ford.      RI. Lightwave Micro (6)-6-5-3-6-5-1-(14)-5    37
3. John Pollard.                UK. Xcellent         4-4-3-1-4-13-7-2(47/DNS) 38

Audi Etchells Worlds. A win on Day one followed by a second today and Marblehead MA. sailor Jud Smith leads the 70 boat 2006 Audi Etchells Worlds fleet in Fremantle West Australia. The 'Fremantle Doctor' must have been busy with house calls today as the sea breeze did not lift above 14 knots.

Smith sailing with Canadian Dirk Kneulman, the 1998 Etchells World Champion and two Kiwi's Andrew Wells the New Zealand Optimist coach and 48kg 14 year old Opti sailor Thomas Saunders, sailed into second place and retained the regatta lead.

Racing will continue through until Saturday 25th November

Top ten after two races:
1. Jud Smith / Dirk Kneulman / Andrew Wills / Thomas Saunders, USA, 3 points
2. Andy Beadsworth / James McHugh / Simon Fry,                 GBR, 7
3. Chris Busch / Rod Hagebols / Willem van Waay,               USA, 14
4. Cameron Miles / Phil Smidmore / Dave Samson,                AUS, 18
5. Ante Razmilovic / Jez Fanstone / Stuart Flinn ,             GBR, 18
6. David Clark / Stephen Barlow / Andrew Smith,                AUS, 20
7. Alastair Gair / David Ridley / Carl Peters / Derek Scott,   NZL, 25
8. John Bertrand / Ian Johnson / Tim Ede,                      AUS, 27
9. Jake Gunther / Russell Tyson / Richard Ironmonger,          AUS, 27
10. Julian Plante / Michael Coxon / Nick Garland / Matt Day,   AUS, 30

Star North Americans, Biscayne Bay, Florida. Hamish Pepper and Carl Williams convincingly won the Star North American Championships 2006, which concluded in Miami, Florida over the weekend. Adding this to their Star World Championship win in October, the Star class rookies are rocketing up the rankings.

Pepper and Williams started their Star campaign earlier this year and have since sailed twelve international regattas in what is considered one of the toughest Olympic classes. They have won four of the last five regattas they've sailed and have captured the attention of the sailing world. -- Jodie Perkins, Yachting New Zealand

Final top ten:
1. Hamish Pepper / Carl Williams,         NZL, 13 points
2. Robert Scheidt / Bruno Prada,          BRA, 22
3. Xavier Rohart / Pascal Rambeau,        FRA, 36
4. Marc Pickel / Ingo Borkowski,          GER, 45
5. Ross Macdonald / Mike Wolfs,           CAN, 51
6. Mateusz Kusznierewicz / Dominik Zycki, POL, 56
7. Matthias Miller / Manuel Voigt,        GER, 62
8. Andy Horton / Brad Nichol,             USA, 64
9. Peter Bromby / Bill Mcniven,           BER, 65
10. James Spithill / Magnus Liljedahl,    AUS, 68

November 19, US Sailing, Newport, R.I. (Sunday 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.

US Sailing announces Jim Tichenor of Houston, TX. to its Board of Directors for a one tear term, together with:

Dick Allsopp       (Orange Park, Fla.)   - one-year term
Susan Epstein      (Sharon, Mass.)       - one-year term
Amy Gross-Kehoe    (Santa Clara, Calif.) - two-year term
Chip Johns         (Mattapoisett, Mass.) - two-year term
Bill Stump         (Venice, Calif.)      - two-year term
Tom Hubbell        (Delaware, OH)        - three-year term
Patty Lawrence     (Cincinnati, OH)      - three-year term
Jerome Montgomery  (Long Beach, Calif.)  - three-year term

The first meeting of the new Board of Directors will take place on Sunday, November 19 at US SAILING's annual meeting in Newport, R.I.

November 15, Snipe Class. Lynn Fitzpatrick last month finished her duty as chairperson of the Snipe Western Hemisphere and Orient Championship, and now files this report amid her volunteer duties at the Star North American Championship in Miami, FL that begins today Wed.

The Star Class can be a pretty intimidating Class. It's not only full of hulking giants; it's loaded with sailing legends. Living in Miami, I've grown accustomed to the North Americans Star sailors spending an inordinate amount of time at Coral Reef and the US Sailing Center during the winter months. Yet the international talent assembled here this week is nearly incomprehensible.

The Schoonmaker Trophy was sailed this weekend. This annual regatta was used as a tune up by over 40 of the 80+ boat fleet that is registered for the NA' s. Light air was forecast for the weekend, and late Friday afternoon a local fleet member asked me if I wanted to crew for the weekend. What a treat! I suited up in a droop suit and a harness that could never be made snug on me and went out with the big boys! For the first three legs of Saturday's race, we were rounding marks with Olympic Star, Finn, Soling, Laser, and FD medalists, not to mention all of the America's Cup skippers and crew!

On the first day of measurement for the Star NAs, I was concerned that there may not be enough volunteers to accommodate everyone. Before I knew it, I went from handing out measurement forms to weighing everybody in. There are four women sailing in the regatta and 160 guys. Nearly 70 of the 80 all male teams are concerned about being within 100 grams of the weight maximum. After they have starved themselves, worked out, and relieved themselves, the last resort is to strip down to everything from tighty whities, to Brooks Brothers boxers, to Speedos - in front of me! They're all very friendly. I can't wait for the rest of the week to unfold. -- Lynn Fitzpatrick

November 14, U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship Title, Newport Beach, Calif. By the time the teams for the finals of the U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship were lined up on Saturday, spectators were in for a treat, and the finalists didn't disappoint. The finals put the team led by Deb Capozzi up against another very strong team led by Katie Pilley-Lovell. After a hard-fought battle, Capozzi and her crew of Lindsay Bartel (Bayport, N.Y.), Kelly Hand (Vancouver, Canada) and Chantal Legler (Montreal, Canada) took home the National Championship title. The U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship, sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc. and Dry Creek Vineyard was hosted by Newport Harbor Yacht Club in Newport Beach, Calif., and raced on Governor Cup 21s.

It certainly was no easy win for Capozzi, particularly in the finals. Capozzi won the first race in the finals, but Pilley-Lovell - sailing with Chafee Emory (Newport, R.I.), Deb Willits (La Porte, TX) and Tara Thomas (Severna Park, Md.) - dug back in the second race to tie the series. Race 3 saw a great battle between the two, with Capozzi barely taking the win. After changing boats, the two teams went back at it. After a very exciting pre-start, Capozzi was able to control off the line, then used great boat speed to stay out in front, even with Pilley-Lovell and her team finding some great pressure and advantageous lifts. Capozzi cruised across the line to take the fourth match and win the title. Capozzi, who was on the winning boat last year, and her crew took home US SAILING's Allegra Knapp Mertz Trophy as the 2006 U.S. Women's Match Racing Champions.

By winning US SAILING's U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship, Capozzi has been presented with the Allegra Knapp Mertz Trophy and has qualified for a position on the starting line at the 2007 Mayor's Cup, an ISAF Grade 2 event. For Pilley-Lovell, this was the second consecutive year she has won the Mrs. Charles Adams Trophy.

In the Petit Finals, Liz Baylis (San Rafael, Calif.) and her team of Melinda Erkelens (Piedmont, Calif.), Pease Glaser (Long Beach, Calif.) and Jo Ann Jones (Arnold, Md.) defeated the team led by Sandy Hayes (Scituate, Mass.) and her crew Kelly Dale (Long Beach, Calif.), Lee Icyda (Stuart, Fla.) and Amanda Callahan (Canton, Mass.).

To view the complete results of the event, please visit the event website at www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/women/uswmrc.

Key West in January and Miami Beach in March - escape the winter chill and join racing sailors from around the world heading to South Florida for warm weather, sizzling nightlife, and the hottest racing North America has to offer. Acura Key West 2007 (January 15-19) and the 2007 Acura Miami Grand Prix (March 8-11) should be on your winter racing calendar. Important reminder: the Key West entry deadline is December 8. Miami Grand Prix classes include Farr 40, Melges 32, Mumm 30, TP52 and big boat IRC. For event details and entry information visit: http://www.Premiere-Racing.com

November 13, ISAF Annual Conference The second day of ISAF Council meetings in Helsinki, Finland brought the big issues of this year's ISAF Annual Conference to the table. With over 100 Submissions to discuss, including new classes and new courses, there was plenty of opportunity for the Council members to stretch their debating muscles.

Looking towards 2008, the Council approved Submission 064 (as amended by the Windsurfing Committee) to introduce a new media friendly Medal Race course with a slalom finish for the two windsurfer events.

Submission 079 to delete Regulation 16.1.6, which currently limits the classes from which ISAF can choose the equipment for the Olympic Games and Regional Games, was deferred. This followed the recommendation of the Events Committee, who felt the proposed removal of the regulation would have undesirable affects of the Regional Games.

One of the key topics was several applications for ISAF Class status. Two new classes were approved for ISAF Recognized status - the Musto Performance Skiff and the X-35 Keelboat. Both the RS:X and the RS Feva were approved for ISAF International Class status.

Submission 117 to introduce a form of performance reporting for ISAF Race Officials was approved with some amendments. This will provide a system to make positive reports on Race Officials, and also give a system for a formal reporting process on conduct and competence in respect of officials. In supporting the submission, Race Officials Chair John Doerr (GBR) pointed out that this will bring sailing into line with the common practice across the vast majority of other sports federations.

The Council also approved the recommendations for the 2008 ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship to be hosted in Auckland, New Zealand and the 2009 ISAF Team Racing World Championship to be hosted by Perth, Australia.

On the final day of ISAF Council meetings at the ISAF Annual Conference in Helsinki, Finland this year's hot topic, an ISAF World Cup for the Olympic Classes was given the go ahead.

After lengthy discussions on the World Cup series yesterday, it was clear that a consensus around the Council table was strongly in favour that this was the way forward for sailing.

After lengthy debate including representations from the classes, event organizers and the MNAs, ISAF Vice-President David Kellett (AUS) presented the Executive Committee proposal on the World Cup to Council which was approved by a large majority.

The proposal passed by Council is summarized below:

ISAF will establish an ISAF World Cup series for the Olympic Classes using the following events:
- Sail Melbourne
- Rolex Miami OCR
- Princess Sofia Trophy
- Semaine Olympique Française
- Holland Regatta
- Kiel Week

The intention is to commence the ISAF World Cup as soon as possible, and no later than 2008. ISAF will work with the event organizers through 2007, in order to promote the 2008 ISAF World Cup, and to consider the inclusion of the Olympic Class World Championships and a Grand Final event.

The Executive Committee will report on progress and report to the Council at the Mid-Year Meeting in May 2007 with a more detailed outline of the ISAF World Cup -- http://www.sailing.org

Page Railey, Florida, USA wins ISAF Female Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award.
Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/Rolex

November 8, ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards. The International Sailing Federation and Rolex have announced Laser Radial Champion Paige Railey (USA) and Mike Sanderson (NZL), winning skipper of the Volvo Ocean Race, as winners of the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards 2006.

At an Awards Ceremony in Helsinki, Railey and Sanderson were honoured for their outstanding sailing achievements between 1 September 2005 and 31 August 2006, when Railey won a number of major international regattas in the Laser Radial, and Sanderson led TEAM ABN AMRO to a dominant victory in the Volvo Ocean Race.

This is the second consecutive year that Paige Railey from Florida has been nominated for the female ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award. Last year Ellen Macarthur (GBR) pipped her to the title, but still only aged 19, it would be no surprise to see Railey nominated again in the coming years. Since the Laser Radial was selected two years ago as the new equipment for the Women's One Person Dinghy Olympic event, Railey has proven herself as the sailor to beat.

With no prior experience of Olympic level sailing, the teenager's meteoric rise to the top of the sport has shocked Railey more than anyone. But her lack of experience has proven no barrier to success as she has moved seamlessly from the top of the youth sailing world to the top of the sport at senior level. Towards the end of the 2005 season Railey won the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in Korea and then a few weeks later went on to win the Laser Radial World Championships in Brazil.

Railey opened the 2006 season with victories at the French Olympic Sailing Week and the ISAF World Sailing Games in Austria, although she struggled during the summer at the European and World Championships with some below par performances. However in August she bounced back in fine style, to win a challenging Olympic Test Regatta in Qingdao, the venue for the Olympic Sailing Competition in 2008. Paige Railey commented: "This comes as a shock, I didn't really think I had the chance to win. I was really excited just to be nominated again. So to win it, I can't tell you how excited I am. It has been an amazing year. Winning the World Championship in Brazil last year, I really didn't expect to win that regatta. It was my first World Championship at senior level, and when I first got into Olympic sailing I was really stressed about being immersed in that scene. I was told I'd have to work my way up from the bottom, so to get in at the top was a real surprise. This year winning the Olympic Test Regatta in Qingdao was a real high point. I was just coming out of a slump, and then I had a really good event in China.

Few teams have dominated a round-the-world race quite like Mike Sanderson's team on ABN AMRO ONE in the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-06. Sanderson brought an understated yet authoritative leadership to the campaign, as the team spent the best part of a year learning how to tame and master the frighteningly quick Volvo Open 70 design that was introduced for this race. Sanderson's team not only came up with the fastest boat, but they knew how to sail the Volvo Open 70 better than anyone. Over eight months and 31,500 hard miles around the planet, ABN AMRO ONE won all but three of the nine offshore legs and all but two of seven In Port races.

Sanderson commented: "I'm unbelievably honoured. These awards are something I've always followed with great interest, and to follow in the footsteps of names like Russell Coutts is amazing. I don't consider myself to be in the same league, but for people to nominate me for this is a great honour.

To lead a team like ABN AMRO ONE was a dream come true. For all 12 of us who sailed on the boat, including the two guys who joined us for the In Port races, this is a very special award. We had a really special relationship, we had a great team, we got on well, and we loved doing what we were doing. The fact that we've been honoured here by the world of sailing is very cool."

November 7, Speed Sailing at Walvis Bay. The first day [November 3] on the 500m course brought some more new national records, Nick Vardalachos from Greece made it to 38.92 knots and Morten Knutsen to a new Norwegian record at 36.98 knots. Weymouth Speedweek winner Nigel Bowley is going for a new British Kitespeed record with 41.38 knots.

Zara Davis from Great Britain set a new British womens record with 37.24 knots, after several times checking the official timing video. All new records are subject to WSSRC ratification, but commissioner Michael Ellison has so far confirmed the speeds.

Top speed of the day was set by Dave White from Great Britain at 42.91 knots on his production Tabou Manta 49, directly followed by Bjorn Dunkerbeck. Also joining the 40 knots club were Alessandro Comerlati and Darren Barker -- http://www.50-knots.com

November 2, World Speed Sailing Week, Walvis Bay, Namibia. Three world records were broken Tuesday, subject to WSSRC ratification. Hennie Bredenkamp from South Africa was leading the competition with his production Fanatic speedboard most of the time, until Bjorn Dunkerbeck switched from production back to his prototypes, smashing the old record by more than one knot to 41.14 knots. Hennie is now holding the production record on the mile with 40.33 knots, which gives some satisfaction back to him but there is still a big bullet on Bjorns back now and those two are together with Dave White the hottest candidates for new records on the 500m course, which is prepared now for the next days.

Zara Davis also bettered the old women's nautical mile world record by more than one knot to 34.74 knots and Rob Munro (Cape Doctor, Naish) set a new Kitespeed world record over the mile with 35.65 knots.

On Monday Bjorn Dunkerbeck missed the overall world record by only 0.5 knots, but set a production record on the mile with 39.52 knots. Hennie Bredenkamp (RSA), Alain de Gendt (BEL), Dave White (GBR), Franz Grabner (AUT), Frank Stein (NAM), Nick Vardalachos (GRE), Thomas Doeblin (GER), Morten Knutsen (NOR), Maaike Kallenborn (NED) on the windsurfers and Juergen Geiger (NAM) as well as Rob Munro (GBR) on the Kiteboard all set new national records on the mile (records subject to WSSRC ratification).

Complete results at http://www.50-knots.com

Bitter End Yacht Club's Pro-Am Regatta, Virgin Gorda, BVI. Paul Cayard and Russell Coutts finished overlapped in the first race of the fleet racing portion of the Bitter End Yacht Club's Pro-Am Regatta, and from that point on, the other eight skippers seemed to fade a bit as the event took on the appearance of the "Paul and Russell Show." Sailing with crews composed entirely of guests of BEYC, the two seemed right at home in the IC 24s used for the event, a J/24 that has been modified with a Melges 24-type cockpit.

Cayard's worst finish was a second place, which ultimately provided him with a seven-point edge over Coutts. Ken Read missed the first four races because of airline problems, but the judges awarded him average points, which moved him into the third spot on the podium.

The event continues on Thursday with the top four Masters Division skippers from the fleet racing portion of the event (Butch Ulmer, Keith Musto, Rod Johnstone & Bruce Kirby) and the top four Junior Division skippers (Cayard, Coutts, Read & Dave Perry) tangling in the match racing phase of the BEYC Pro-Am Regatta. http://www.beyc.com

October 30, U.S. Championship of Champions, Little Rock, Ark. The U.S. Championship of Champions is comprised of 20 class champions selected by US SAILING from applications made by their class associations. The last day at Grande Maumelle Sailing Club in Little Rock, Ark., on Saturday determined a new U.S. Champion of Champions. The title now belongs to Alan Field, the Martin 242 North American Champion from Los Angeles, and crew Steven Hunt (San Diego, Calif.).

Augie Barkow (Pewaukee, Wis.), C-Scow National Champion, had been in the lead since day one, but when he finished 15, 13, 11 in races 9, 10 and 11 respectively on the last day of the regatta, the lead was up for grabs. Field and Hunt were happy to step up, winning races 10 and 11. From then on, their lead was sealed and with a pair of fifth place finishes in the regatta's two last races, the title was theirs. Barkow ended up finishing third overall, behind Matt Burridge (St. Louis, Mo.), Lightning North American Champion, who posted some solid top ten finishes including a pair of firsts in race 9 and 13 to finish second overall. "It was pond sailing today" said Burridge when describing his strategy and the light and shifty conditions on the final day of the regatta. "And don't wait too late to consolidate," he added.

Although neither Field nor Hunt have any experience sailing scows, they attribute their success to two factors: Field, besides growing up in a variety of one designs including Sabots, Lidos, and Thistles, sails in the ultra competitive Farr 40 fleet. "Both the Martin 242 and the Farr 40 are like big dinghies, where very small adjustments can reap large gains." said Field. Crew Hunt admitted to tuning up his dinghy skills by sailing FJs with the Point Loma High School Sailing Team, which he coaches.

For complete results, photos and daily reports visit the event website at www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/CofC. The event is sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A. Inc., as are all of US SAILING's National Adult Championships.

Final results (20 boats, 13 races, 1 throwout)
1. Alan Field, Los Angeles, CA./Steve Hunt, San Diego, CA:       5-2-3-3-7-5-5-6-[13]-1-1-5-5, 48 pts              
2. Matt Burridge, St. Louis, MO/Paul Hanson, Glen Carbon, IL:   3-4-1-1-[13]-12-8-8-1-6-2-9-1, 56 
3. Augie Barkow/Jeffrey Niedziela, both from Pewaukee, WI:     1-1-4-4-9-4-1-3-[15]-13-11-2-8, 61 
4. Paul Abdullah, Jacksonville, FL/Nick Turney, Toledo, OH:    5-5-7-12-1-2-4-[14]-9-2-12-3-2, 61 
5. Joe Kutschenreuter, E. Troy, WI/Colin Smith, Ft.Lauderdale: 4-7-[14]-9-11-8-9-2-3-3-7-1-10, 74

Amanda Blake and crew Sarah Mergenthaler Sunday
Photo: Rich Roberts

Pre-Trials for trhe RS:Xs and the 470s, Long Beach, CA. Stuart McNay and crew Graham Biehl in the men's 470, Amanda Clark and crew Sarah Mergenthaler in the women's 470 and Ben Barger and Nancy Rios in the men's and women's RS:X windsurfer, respectively, were winners in Southern California's final set of US Sailing Olympic Pre-Trials concluding Sunday.

Barger and Rios also qualified for U.S. berths in the Pan-Am Games next year. This wasn't just a dress rehearsal for the big show a year from now when they'll compete for the sole slots in their classes to represent the U.S. in the 2008 Olympic sailing at Qingdao, China. It was worth more than that. "A whole lot more," said Clark, referring to the campaign funding available to members of the US Sailing Team. "It's an important step for us being ranked number one," McNay said.

The Southern California Pre-Trials in 8 of the 11 Olympic classes this month were the first of three ranking events for the US Sailing Team of 2007, which is now only three deep in each class instead of five as in past years so that available funds for travel, shipping and equipment may be concentrated on the cream of the crop prospects.

Also, being number one is even better because that means medical insurance, plus possibly additional grants from the Olympic Sailing Committee based on performance. Clark and Mergenthaler were ranked No. 1 the past two years but were the second women's team behind Erin Maxwell and crew Elizabeth Kratzig starting the fourth and final day Sunday. "We were under pressure to get our [number one] slot back," Clark said.

Worse, a starting violation on the first day put them in a hole they dug their way out of through six consecutive races with no finish worse than fifth climaxed by first place in the second of three races Sunday. They finished three points up on Maxwell/Kinsolving as four women's teams placed second through fifth in the combined scoring with the men---and how about that?

"These were conditions that women can do very well in," Blake said, referring to the generally single-digit winds that picked up only slightly to 8 or 9 knots Sunday. "That's what is good about the 470. We can be very competitive with men." But they feared they had blown it all in the last race when, Mergenthaler said, "we sailed for the wrong windward mark." Before realizing their error, they sailed toward a mark being used by a fleet of 70-footers racing farther offshore. Their mark had been moved because of a wind shift. "We were just trying to cover our competition," Clark said, "and fortunately our competition sailed there, too." McNay and Biehl have a temporary leg up on their strongest rivals, Mikee Anderson and crew David Hughes, who missed the first day because Anderson had an economics exam at USC. The latter won two of their seven races, but McNay and Biehl finished ahead of them in four. Anderson and Hughes wound up as the third men's team behind Justin Law and Michael Miller and seventh overall. "It made for some competitive racing," McNay said, but the best part was winning the last race. Biehl said, "We were talking about that on the final leg‹how it's always nice to finish a regatta with a first."

Barger won all nine of the men's RS:X races, while Rios posted her fifth and sixth wins in eight women's races. Although the time limit had not passed for starting another race, the 10th race was cancelled because the wind was lighter than the minimum required to protect the board sailors from overextending themselves with the physical exertion required to pump their sails.

The 470s sailed out of the US Sailing Center while the RS:Xs were based at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club down the street. Previous Pre-Trials hosted this month: Tornado, San Diego YC; 49er, Southwestern YC, San Diego; Finn, Newport Harbor YC, Newport Beach; Star, California YC, Marina del Rey. Complete results are available at www.sdyc.org/trials/ or directly through the links in the right-hand column. A year from now the same venues will host the formal Olympic Trials to select the one boat in each class that will represent the United States in the Olympics at Qingdao, China in 2008.

Final leaders:

470 (men and women combined; 12 boats, 10 races; 1 throwout):
1. Stuart McNay, Chestnut Hill, Mass./Graham Biehl, San Diego,      2-1-1-1-2-1-3-(5)-3-1,   15 pts
2. Amanda Clark, Shelter Island, N.Y./Sarah Mergenthaler, N.J.,   4-(OCS)-6-3-1-2-5-4-1-8,   34
3. Erin Maxwell, Norwalk, Conn./Isabelle Kinsolving, New York,      3-3-4-2-5-4-2-7-7-(9),   37

Complete results: http://www.ussclb.org/

MEN'S RS:X (5 boats, after 9 races; 1 throwout):
1. Ben Barger, Tampa, Fla.,           (1)-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1,   8 pts
2. Seth Besse, Guilford, Conn.,      (4)-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-3,   18 
3. Mark Powell, Miami,             2-2-3-(4)-3-3-3-3.5-2,   21.5  

WOMEN'S RS:X (5 boats, after 8 races, 1 throwout):
1. Nancy Rios, Cocoa, Fla.,             2-1-1-1-1-(3)-1-1,   8 pts  
2. Farrah Hall, Annapolis,           1-2-2-2-2-1-2-(OCS),   12 
3. Karen Marriott, Lakewood, Colo.,    3-3-3-(4)-4-2-3-2,   20  
 
Complete results, photos and more information: www.abyc.org and www.sdyc.org/trials

Ainslie won the five-race series 3-1, winning three straight after dropping the first. Despite the loss, Baird moved into second place on the world championship leaderboard. His second place finish added 20 points to his scoreline and gives him 40 points total, 7 behind leader Ian Williams who placed 4th at the Allianz Cup. Paolo Cian and Jesper Bank are tied for third with 35 points. Ainslie slots in as 9th on the leaderboard with 25 points.

Semi-Finals
-- Ben Ainslie defeated Ian Williams 3-1
-- Ed Baird defeated Jesper Bank 3-0

Petite Finals
-- Jesper Bank defeated Ian Williams 2-0

Allianz Cup site: http://www.allianzcup.com World Match Racing Tour site: http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com/

October 29, Pre-Trials for trhe RS:Xs and the 470s, Long Beach, CA. A small delegation from Long Beach's Chinese sister city dropped in to watch the competition on the next-to-last day of Southern California's US Sailing Olympic Pre-Trials Saturday, and the weather conditions made them feel right at home. Whatever brought the towns together as sister cities 21 years ago, it wasn't the wind, although it may have looked that way to the visitors. While Long Beach is famous for brisk afternoon sea breezes, Qingdao, site of the 2008 Olympic sailing, is already notorious for barely a breath of air.

The only real excitement Saturday came at the end of the 470 dinghy race when Erin Maxwell fell out of her boat. We're not making any of this up. It's all part of the China Syndrome that has sailors all over the world refining the art of sailing without wind. This week it's worked out well here. On Saturday the 470s managed only one race in 3-4 knots before the wind quit entirely, while closer to shore the RS:X windsurfers squeezed in a pair of short races around a patient postponement.

Maxwell, of Norwalk, Conn., is one of the stronger contenders for the U.S. berth in women's 470. Her crew is Isabelle Kinsolving of New York, who sailed to fifth place with Katie McDowell in the 2004 Olympics at Athens. Maxwell and Kinsolving were fought their way to the finish line to nip regatta frontrunners Stuart McNay and crew Graham Biehl for second place behind winners Mikee Anderson and crew David Hughes.

Photo: Rich Roberts

"We did one big roll tack (see her demo in photo at right) and I missed my foot strap," Maxwell said. "The boat hadn't even completely crossed the line before I fell out." But the finish left them in clear second place overall, although 10 points behind McNay and Biehl with three races hopefully remaining Sunday. "Isabelle and I are a pretty new team," Maxwell said, "but we're happy with the way we're going. We haven't had many bumps." Except, well . . .

The frontrunners, McNay of Chestnut Hill, Mass. and Biehl of San Diego, were reminded that they still face a dogfight with San Diego rivals Anderson and Hughes, who joined this competition a day late. The latter fought for the early lead with a brief tacking duel near the first windward mark, gave up the lead downwind but got it back to notch their first win in four races, with three remaining. "Weıre much better with their competition," Biehl said. "They overstood the mark downwind and we sailed a little faster, but we didn't do what we should have done on the second [upwind leg]."

Women's RS:X Windsurfer Farrah Hall beats Nancy Rios on Saturday.
Photo: Rich Roberts

On the Women's RS:X course, Farrah Hall, Annapolis, broke Nancy Rios' win streak at four by outfoxing her Cocoa, Fla. rival in the last race, Hall said she finally beat Rios in the conditions that favor her lighter rival by picking the better side of the course. "I was ahead and covering her, and then she and everyone else went the other way," Hall said. "Every once in a while I get lucky."

While in Men's RS:X; Ben Barger of Tampa, Fla. stretched his perfect string to six. "I'm trying to find as much training as possible in these kind of conditions. It's good practice for China" said Barger. A win here would be a big step toward earning him not only the U.S. slot for the Pan-Am Games but a chance to sail in the Pre-Olympics at Qingdao next year. The other two events counting in the latter equation are at Miami next January. "That's why this is one of the more important events," he said. "The ranking events mean a lot for all the sailors . . . medical coverage, pay for the trip to the Pan-Am Games and the Pre-Olympics.

Current Leaders:
"MEN'S RS:X (5 boats, after 7 of 10 races; 1 throwout):
 
1. Ben Barger, Tampa, Fla.,     (1)-1-1-1-1-1-1,   6 pts
2. Seth Besse, Guilford, Conn., (4)-3-2-2-2-2-2,  13  
3. Mark Powell, Miami,          2-2-3-(4)-3-3-3,  16   

WOMEN'S RS:X (5 boats, after 6 of 10 races, 1 throwout):
1. Nancy Rios, Cocoa, Fla.,     2-1-1-1-1-(3),     6 pts  
2. Farrah Hall, Annapolis,      1-(2)-2-2-1,       8  
3. Karen Marriott, Lakewood, CO 3-3-3-(4)-2,      15

Complete results: www.abyc.org

Current leaders:
 
470 (men and women combined; 12 boats, after 7 of 10 races; 1 throwout):
1. Stuart McNay, Chestnut Hill, Mass./Graham Biehl, San Diego,              2-1-1-1-2-1-(3),   6 pts
2. Erin Maxwell, Norwalk, Conn./Isabelle Kinsolving, New York,              3-3-4-2-(5)-4-2,  18
3. Amanda Clark, Shelter Isl, N.Y./Sarah Mergenthaler, Harvey Cedars, N.J. 4-(OCS)-6-3-1-2-5, 21
 
Complete results: http://www.ussclb.org/

That would include Seth Besse of Guilford, Conn., who was second in all three of Friday's races. "I'm a good 25 pounds heavier than him," said Besse, who scales 185. "That's a big advantage for him until the wind hits 12 knots. At 15 to 18 we're pretty close, and at 20 I'm a lot faster."

The wind picked up to 11 to 14 knots on the second day of Pre-Trials for trhe RS:Xs and the 470s that sailed on an outer course with perhaps a bit more breeze. At the other end of the scale is Nancy Rios of Cocoa, Fla., all 117 pounds of her, who has now won three of four of the women's races but has worked herself hard pumping the sail---the standard style in this class, especially when the wind is light. Afterward she needed a massage from Sean Hunt, a masseuse hired by US Sailing just for the windsurfers.

Rios noted that when it's light the women have to work harder because "the boys have bigger sails and were able to plane more. I'd like to switch for one day." "I'd like to switch [bodies] with her," Barger said. He's thinking ahead to the 2008 Olympic sailing at Qingdao, China, where the wind is notoriously light. Besse said, "The guys who won [in the recent test regatta] in China weren't over 130 pounds."

MEN'S RS:X (5 boats, after 5 of 10 races; 1 throwout):
1. Ben Barger, Tampa, Fla.,          (1)-1-1-1-1,   4
2. Seth Besse, Guilford, Conn.,      (4)-3-2-2-2,   9
3. Mark Powell, Miami,                2-2-3-(4)-3, 10  
 
WOMEN'S RS:X (5 boats, after 4 of 10 races):
1. Nancy Rios, Cocoa, Fla.,           2-1-1-1,      5
2. Farrah Hall, Annapolis,            1-2-2-2,      7
3. Karen Marriott, Lakewood, Colo.,   3-3-3-4,     13

In the 470s, Stuart McNay of Chestnut Hill, Mass. and crew Graham Biehl of San Diego moved well away from the pack with two firsts and a second for a 10-point lead with six of 10 races completed. But the good news for several sailors was being able to discard their worst finishes after five races. That and scores of 3-1-2 for the day jumped one of the leading female teams, Amanda Clark of Shelter Island, N.Y. and crew Sarah Mergenthaler, Harvey Cedars, N.J., into a second-place tie with Erin Maxwell and Isabelle Kinsolving in combined scoring. Clark and Mergenthaler suffered a 13-point score for jumping the start line in the second race Thursday.

"Not having that helped things," Clark said. "Today was a lot of fun. They gave us a long course that let the boats spread out." Clark and Mergenthaler placed 11th in this year's women's 470 Worlds. "I like where we are in our campaign right now," Clark said.

The 470s are sailing out of the US Sailing Center while the RS:Xs are based at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club down the street. Previous Pre-Trials hosted this month: Tornado, San Diego YC; 49er, Southwestern YC, San Diego; Finn, Newport Harbor YC, Newport Beach; Star, California YC, Marina del Rey. Complete results are available at www.sdyc.org/trials/

A year from now the same venues will host the formal Olympic Trials to select the one boat in each class that will represent the United States in the Olympics at Qingdao, China in 2008.

Current leaders
470 (men and women combined; 12 boats, after 6 of 10 races; 1 throwout):
1. Stuart McNay, Chestnut Hill, Mass./Graham Biehl, San Diego,                (2)-1-1-1-2-1,   6 pts
2. Amanda Clark, Shelter Island, N.Y./Sarah Mergenthaler, Harvey Cedars, N.J. 4-(OCS)-6-3-1-2 16
   Erin Maxwell, Norwalk, Conn./Isabelle Kinsolving, New York,                3-3-4-2-(5)-4,  16

Nancy Rios [Coaca, FL.] shares women's RS:X lead with Farrah Hall [Annapolis, MD.]Photo: Rich Roberts

October 27, 470 and RS:X Olympic Pre-Trials open in Long Beach. Along with draw poker and American Idol, sailing is one of the few competitions where women can face off with men on equal terms. "It's wonderful," Isabelle Kinsolving said Thursday as the first day of 470 dinghy racing in the third week of Southern California's US Sailing Olympic Pre-Trials turned into Ladies Day on the water.

Stuart McNay of Chestnut Hill, Mass. and crew Graham Biehl, San Diego, emerged as the early leaders with two first places and a second, but the women's teams of Erin Maxwell/Kinsolving, Canada's Jennifer Provan/Carol Luttmer and the Czech Republic's Lenka Smidova with Elizabeth Kratzig of Miami Beach as crew grace the next three positions after the first of four days' racing.

The genders are separated in the RS:X windsurfer classes nearer the beach east of Long Beach, with Ben Barger of Tampa, Fla., runnerup to Peter Wells in the 2004 U.S. Trials, posting two runaway victories on the new Olympic board and Nancy Rios and Farrah Hall swapping firsts and seconds to share the women's lead after two races.

Following morning Santa Ana desert winds up to 15 knots, the breeze shifted 180 degrees to onshore for the rest of the day but only flirted with double-digit velocity, raising the opinion that the light wind favored the women because they're smaller. Kinsolving, a slim six feet tall and an Olympic participant at Athens, wasn't buying any of that.

"None of the men's teams here are significantly bigger than the women," she said. Paul Foerster, a 2004 Olympic gold medalist who is coaching some of the women this week, chimed in, "They're just better sailors!"

Provan and Luttmer showed that when they won the first race by relentlessly holding off McNay/Biehl and Maxwell/Kinsolving on two laps around the trapezoid track. "They're our tuning partners," McNay said. "They caught a nice right shift coming off the starting line and passed everyone."

Smidova also can be expected to hold her own this week. She won a silver medal for the Czech Republic at Athens and plans to sail with Kratzig, an American, as crew at Qingdao in 2008. Kratzig said nationality will not be a problem. "I have a residence there and meet all the requirements," she said.

Other sailors have switched countries from one Olympics to another---notably, Rod Davis of Coronado, Calif., who won a gold medal for the U.S. at Long Beach in 1984 and a silver for New Zealand eight years later.

Kinsolving said she welcomes the head-on rivalry instead of separate scoring because "otherwise when you work real hard to pass a boat and it turns out to be a man, it doesn't mean as much." Barger (pronounced with a hard G, as in burger) was never challenged in his two wins. "The rest of the Americans here aren't as tuned up in the light air," he said.

The new RS:X is about a foot wider and a foot and a half shorter than the Mistral it follows in the Games, and the downside is that it's slower in light wind. "In this wind today the old board would been faster," Barger said, "no doubt about it."

The 470s are sailing out of the US Sailing Center while the RS:Xs are based at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club down the street. Previous Pre-Trials hosted this month: Tornado, San Diego YC; 49er, Southwestern YC, San Diego; Finn, Newport Harbor YC, Newport Beach; Star, California YC, Marina del Rey. Complete results are available at www.sdyc.org/trials/ or directly through the links in the right-hand column.

A year from now the same venues will host the formal Olympic Trials to select the one boat in each class that will represent the United States in the Olympics at Qingdao, China in 2008.

Current leaders
470 (men and women combined; 12 boats, after 3 of 10 races):
1. Stuart McNay, Chestnut Hill, Mass./Graham Biehl, San Diego, 2-1-1,    4 points
2. Erin Maxwell, Norwalk, Conn./Isabelle Kinsolving, New York, 3-3-4,   10
3. Jennifer Provan, Toronto, Can./Carol Luttmer, Kingston, Ont., 1-2-8, 11

MEN'S RS:X (5 boats, after 2 of 10 races):
1. Ben Barger, Tampa, Fla.,               1-1,  2 pts
2. Mark Powell, Miami,                    2-2,  4
3. Seth Besse, Guilford, Conn.,           4-3,  7  

WOMEN'S RS:X (5 boats, after 2of 10 races):
1. Tie between Nancy Rios, Cocoa, Fla.,   2-1,  3 pts
               Farrah Hall, Annapolis,    1-2,  3
3. Karen Marriott, Lakewood, Colo.,       3-3,  6

Entry and other information is available at www.ussailing.org/olympics/pretrials/default.aspx

Allianz Cup, San Francisco, California. Italy's Paolo Cian, tied for fifth in the match racing world championship standings, leads the Group B round robin at the Allianz Cup Presented by Oracle after four flights. Cian has a perfect 4-0 record at Stage 5 of the 2006-'07 World Match Racing Tour.

After Cian there's a tie for second, at 3-1, between old foes Ed Baird [USA] of Alinghi and Peter Gilmour [AUS] of PST. The wind conditions were light for Day 2 of the $100,000 regatta. The wind blew from the northeast for most of the day around 6 knots. It would build to 8 knots at times, but also drop to 4 knots or less.

Like Day 1, the current played a major factor in the racing, on the runs in particular. In a largely ebb tide starboard jibe was the fast tack, going with the 2-knot current.

Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle, the world's largest enterprise software company, and a member of the BMW ORACLE Racing afterguard, completes the round at 0-4. He's competing in his first World Tour event as a skipper. In the past three years he's won the Owner/Driver series at the Moët Cup and UBS Trophy, both America's Cup Class regattas. He's also a five-time maxi yacht world champion.

Friday's schedule calls for a Pro-Am regatta in the morning, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Group B racing is scheduled to resume around 1:30 p.m. and, time permitting, the race committee would also like to start the repechage round in the afternoon.

Group B Provisional Standings Thursday (After 4 of 7 flights)
1. Paolo Cian       (ITA) Team Viano Mercedes Benz-Shosholoza, 4-0
2. Peter Gilmour    (AUS) PST,                                 3-1
T. Ed Baird         (USA) Alinghi,                             3-1
4. Jesper Bank      (DEN) United Internet Team Germany,        2-2
T. Mathieu Richard  (FRA) Saba Sailing Team,                   2-2
6. Cameron Dunn     (NZL) Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia,         1-3
T. Brian Angel      (USA) King Harbor Match Race,              1-3
8. Larry Ellison    (USA) BMW ORACLE Racing,                   0-4

Tune into http://www.sail.tv for updates and for the final rounds of the Allianz Cup 2006.

Video clip from Wednesday's sailing on YouTube.com: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUVby_Ye1Dw

October 22, The three-day US Sailing Olympic Pre-Trials, California. Morgan Larson and crew Pete Spaulding held on to win the 49er competition at San Diego, Brian Boyd rallied for the Finn title at Newport Beach and George Szabo and crew Mark Strube cruised home in the Stars at Marina del Rey as the three-day US Sailing Olympic Pre-Trials wound down Sunday.

Dalton Bergan, Seattle, and crew Zack Maxam, Coronado---currently Larson and Spaulding's hottest rivals for the 49er U.S. Olympic berth in 2008---overtook them by winning the first two races on the final day. Then, as the breeze on Coronado Roads cranked up from 12 knots---best of the weekend---to a peak of 23, Larson and Spaulding won the last race to prevail by one point.

The breeze also was better with 9 knots fading to 6 at Newport Beach, where Boyd, from Annapolis, came out of a three-way tie for second with a 1-2-7 score line for the day. That was good for a three-point edge over veteran Darrell Peck of Gresham, Ore., who with five races sailed was able to discard a 40-point hit for being OCS in the first race Saturday.

First-day leader Andy Casey of Fountain Valley was another point back in third, one point ahead of Zack Railey of Clearwater, Fla., the highest-ranked US competitor. Szabo and Strube had sailed together in a 2004 Olympic campaign and this weekend marked their reunion. The Californians' only win in seven races came in the first race Friday but it allowed them to lead comfortably throughout for a final 10-point margin over Andy Horton, Shelburne, Vt., and crew Brad Nichol, Miami Beach.

"He's great to sail with," Szabo said of Strube. "Our really good first day was the difference. Now we'll go to all the events we can and see how it goes." Next October for the Trials they'll be back in their light-air comfort zone on Santa Monica Bay, where Szabo also won the Star North Americans last year.

Horton and Nichol will be waiting for them. They were fourth and the top Americans in this month' s Star Words at San Francisco but dug themselves too deep a hole with a 7-11-12 performance on the first day. They had never sailed in Southern California but plan to return next August for an intense buildup to the Trials.

Winds were 4-5 knots following a brief fog delay but grew to 8-10 for the second race Sunday. Boyd, 30, a real estate developer, wasn't at his best the last time he sailed his Finn in California. He competed in the Olympic Classes Regatta at Long Beach last spring with a cast on one hand after driving a spike through it a week earlier.

"I just tried to stay out of trouble today," he said. "There was a lot of kelp in the water and I noticed a current sheer at the windward mark that worked out for me. It felt good to be back in the boat. I'll be going back to work now but will get ramped up for a full European tour next spring and summer."

Meanwhile, Larson/Spaulding and Bergan/Maxam seem destined for a shootout over the next year. Larson in 2000 and Bergan and Maxam in 2004 just missed the Olympics with second-place finishes in the Trials. Last year Larson joined up with Spaulding, who was Tim Wadlow's crew for an Olympic fifth place at Athens.

The Pre-Trials spectacle will finish Oct. 26-29 with four days of racing for the men's and women's 470s at the US Sailing Center in Long Beach and the men's and women's RS:X---the new Olympic sailboard---just down the street at Alamitos Bay YC.

A year from now the same venues will host the formal Olympic Trials to select the one boat in each class that will represent the United States in the Olympics at Qingdao, China in 2008.

Final class leaders
FINN (39 boats; 5 races, 1 throwout):  
1. Brian Boyd, Annapolis,               (9)-3-1-2-7,   13 points.
2.  Darrell Peck, Gresham, Ore..       (OCS)-4-7-4-1,  16
3. Andy Casey, Fountain Valley, Calif., 3-5-6-(12)-3,  17

STAR (23 boats; 7 races, 1 throwout):
1. George Szabo, San Diego/Mark Strube /Corona del Mar, Calif.,  1-2-2-3-3-(12)-6,  17 pts  
2. Andrew Horton, Shelburne, Vt./Brad Nichol, Miami Beach,       7-11-(12)-1-1-4-3, 27
3.  Andrew McDonald, Laguna Beach, Calif./Brian Faith, Miami,    3-6-3-7-8-(11)-5,  32  

49ER (13 boats;  9 races, 1 throwout):
1. Morgan Larson, Capitola, Calif./Pete Spaulding, Lafayette, Ind., 1-1-2-2-2-1-3-(4)-1,  13 pts
2. Dalton Bergan, Seattle/Zack Maxam, Coronado, Calif.,            (3)-3-3-1-1-2-1-1-2,   14
3. Tim Wadlow, Beverly, Mass./Christopher Rast, Wake Forest, N.C., (5)-4-4-4-3-3-2-2-3,   25

"Definitely," Lovell said after the 39-year-old veterans posted third and first places on the final day of the Tornado catamaran competition in the US Sailing Pre-Trials Sunday. "We came back for this campaign to win a gold medal."

Lovell and Ogletree's tuning partners, Enrique Figueroa and Jorge Hernandez of Puerto Rico, finished second overall in the 12-boat fleet, five points behind the winners and three ahead of the next best American team of Robbie Daniel and Hunter Stunzi of Florida.

Winds were a light 6 knots for Sunday's first race but built to 12 for the second, giving Lovell and Ogletree a boost in their preferred conditions. "We were able to double trapeze downwind," Ogletree said. "That was fun, and we won by about one-and-a-half minutes."

Next month their campaign moves to Argentina for the South American Tornado championships, a tune-up for the Worlds in Buenos Aires starting Nov. 18. Another major step will come in Portugal next year in their first opportunity to qualify the U.S. for the Olympics in the Tornado class. Each country must demonstrate a high level of performance in a class before any of its individual competitors are allowed to compete.

"After the Worlds we'll take a littler time to rest, then start to focus again," Ogletree said.

Next weekend (Oct. 20-22) the 49ers will be at Southwestern YC in San Diego, the Finns at Newport Harbor YC and the Stars at California YC in Marina del Rey. The spectacle will finish Oct. 26-29 with four days of racing for the men's and women's 470s at the US Sailing Center in Long Beach and the men's and women's RS:X---the new Olympic sailboard---just down the street at Alamitos Bay YC.

A year from now the same venues in San Diego, Newport Beach, Long Beach and Marina del Rey will host the formal Olympic Trials to select the one boat in eight of the 11 classes that will represent the United States in the 2008 Olympic sailing at Qingdao, China in 2008.

Final Tornado leaders (12 boats; 7 races, including one discard):
1. John Lovell, New Orleans/Charlie Ogletree, Kemah, Texas  2-1-1-1-1-(3)-1,   7 points
2. Enrique Figueroa/Jorge Hernandez, Puerto Rico,           1-(3)-2-2-3-1-3,   12  
3. Robbie Daniel/Hunter Stunzi, Florida,                    3-2-(13)-4-2-2-2,  15

The first of the two day event was postponed with a strong front bringing winds exceeding 40 MPH. The second day saw a cloudless sky with winds in the 10-15 range. Sam Williams from Bay Head won the Club 420 with 14 points, with Taylor Lutz of Houston placed second, also with 14 points.

420 Class Series:
1. Sam Williams      Bay Head Yacht Club (OCS)-1-5-1-1-6	 14
2. Taylor Lutz       Lakewood YC    (TX)   1-2-2-4-5(DNS)	14
3. Elizabeth Whipple Manhasset Bay  Y.C.   3-(7)-3-2-7-5	 20

Laser Radial:
Best Southwest
17. Jeff Strebel     Lakewood Yacht Club, Seabrook, Texas.

October 9, U.S. Match Racing Championship, Fort Worth, TX. It all came down the final race on the final day of the U.S. Match Racing Championship on Saturday, hosted by Fort Worth Boat Club. A face-off between the team representing Pequot Yacht Club led by Dave Perry and the team led by defending champion Brian Angel representing King Harbor Yacht Club went to the max, as the best out of 5 series went to 2-2.

In the deciding race, Dave Perry and his crew Terry Flynn and Chris Museler came out ahead of Brian Angel and his crew Michael Delanty and Payson Infelise to take home the title. This marked Dave Perry's second U.S. Match Racing Championship title, after previously winning it in 1982 (when he represented Yale Corinthian Yacht Club).

The Petit Final, the battle for third place, turned out to be just as exciting as the competitors went to the best-out-of-three limit. The Bayview Yacht Club team led by Nathan Hollerbach, who won the Championship just three years ago, edged out over Benz Faget's team representing Southern Yacht Club. Hollerbach had set the stage on Friday starting off the Petit Final with a win in the first race, but Faget came out prepared on Saturday-morning to tie the series 1-1. In the final race, Hollerbach came roaring back to win the race and take third place.

Final results:
 1. Pequot Yacht Club:      Dave Perry, Terry Flynn and Chris Museler
 2. King Harbor Yacht Club: Brian Angel, Michael Delanty and Payson Infelise
 3. Bayview Yacht Club:     Nathan Hollerbach, Evan Jahn and Micheal Rehe 
 4. Southern Yacht Club:    Benz Faget, Dave Bolyard and John Duffy
 5. King Harbor Yacht Club: Scott DeCurtis
 6. Bayview Yacht Club:     Chris Van Tol
 7. King Harbor Yacht Club: Steven Natvig
 8. Rush Creek Yacht Club:  Jake Scott
 9. Larchmont Yacht Club:   Jon Singsen
10. SouthernYacht Club:     Devon Sweeney

October 7, Wells Fargo Private Bank Star World Championships, San Francisco, California. In a classic nail biting finish Friday, where one small wave would have made a difference to the points standing between those fighting to take home a gold star today, New Zealand won its first Star World Championship.

The trophy went to skipper Hamish Pepper and crew Carl Williams, with 19 points on the board. Racing got underway just after noon in cold, gray and cloudy conditions, with the breeze a steady westerly of 10-12, with occasional puffs to 15 knots.

Peter Szasz, St Francis Yacht Club Regatta Chairman, commented, "We're thrilled to congratulate Hamish and Carl on their victory today. It's been an extremely demanding week on the water and our accolades go out to every competitor." Peter continued, "With the 2008 Olympics just around the corner, this has been one of the most exciting events ever hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club. With the unusual weather delivered to us this week, the Berkeley Olympic Circle proved it's worth as a world-class course location, providing demanding conditions that have kept this international fleet of sailors focused and challenged throughout this 6-day series. We know that this is an excellent sailing venue to host a future summer Olympics event."

Brazilians Robert Scheidt and Bruno took second place (22 points), while defending champions Xavier Rohart and Pascal Rambeau (FRA), took third place (23 points), Andy Horton and Brad Nichol (USA), took fourth (30 points), and Fredrik Loof and Ander Ekstrom (SWE), took fifth place (40 points).

Top ten Friday:
 1. Hamish Pepper / Carl Williams,     NZL, 1-(20)-4-1-5-8     19 points
 2. Robert Scheidt / Bruno Prada,      BRA, 6-4-(13)-5-3-4     22 
 3. Xavier Rohart / Pascal Rambeau,    FRA, (14)-5-5-2-8-3     23
 4. Andy Horton / Brad Nichol,         USA, 2-9-1-(32)-9-9     30
 5. Rohan Lord / Miles Addy,           NZL (33)-13-12-13-1-1   40
 6. Flavio Marazzi / Martin Kozaczek,  SUI, 3-2-10-11-(46)-14  40
 7. Flavio Marazzi / Martin Kozacrek   SUI, 4-1-14-(15)-12-15  46
 8. Mateuse Kuznierewick/Domonik Zycki SUI, 17-10-(67)-21-4-7  59   
 9. Jim Buckingham / Mike Dorgan,      USA, 13-23-19-4-2-(40)  61
10. Marc Pickel / Ingo Borkowsky       GER (43)-35-2-9-20-5    71

October 7, SUNFISH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, Charleston, South Carolina: The Charleston wind gods nearly took a powder Wednesday as 96 Sunfish sailors waited out on the harbor for two and a half hours before a light southeasterly breeze finally filled in and the competition ensued. The race committee staged two five-leg, windward-leeward contests today, the first with a fierce two-knot ebb moving across the course, and the next one with a burgeoning flood tide that caused the fleet to get unusually spread out, with many sailors finding it difficult to lay the weather mark.

Texas sailors at the Sunfish Worlds were: Gust - RCYC; Collins - Dallas; Saavedra - RCYC, V. Manning & P. Manning - Austin YC

  With the breeze ranging between 6 and 10 knots all day, and relatively flat water for most of the afternoon, the conditions on the racecourse were none-the-less demanding. Not too surprisingly, it turned out to be a very good day for regatta leader David Loring, who consolidated his spot at the top of the leaderboard by posting two top-three finishes (2nd and 3rd).

Loring's elation was due to the fact that he now sits with a 28-point margin over his closest competition- David Mendelblatt of St. Petersburg, Fla. Loring has 15 points, and Mendelblatt has 43. If the race committee can accomplish seven races by the end of the event on Friday, then the competitors will have the option to throw out their worst race. In Loring's case, that's a sixth place. For Mendelblatt, that would be an 18th that he picked up during Tuesday's first race.

Despite Loring's good fortune on the water, the day really belonged to Mendelblatt. The 36-year-old opthamologist led each of the day's races, exhibiting superior speed and good tactics.

Top ten of 96 places
 1. Loring,         USA,  1-1-2-(6)-2-3-4       13 points
 2. Mendelblatt,    USA, 3-(13)-18-7-1-1-2      27
 3. Whitehurst,     USA (13)-3-13-1-4-11-3      43
 4. Stanton,        ISV  (12)-4-3-9-9-9-9       55
 5. Gust RCYC Texas USA, 21-14-7-3-8-2-(34)     55
 6. Delgado,        GUA 6-11-14-11-(18)-10-6    58
 7. Colmenares,     VEN, 7-5-(31)-10-24-5-16    67
 8. Jones,          USA 15-8-(35)-16-28-18-1    86
 9. Clifton,        USA, 2-28-(36)-4-26-7-19    86
10. WIllard,        USA, 9-15-10-8-(54)-20-33   95

October 5, Wells Fargo Private Bank Star World Championships, San Francisco, California: Hamish Pepper and crew Carl Williams (NZ) stole racing Wednesday, leading the rock star fleet around each mark to finish in first place overall in Day 4 of the Wells Fargo Private Bank Star World Championships. Fellow New Zealanders Rohan Lord and Miles Addy, while taking 11th today, move up the ladder to 2nd place overall.

Sailors were presented with the most challenging day thus far in the competition with gray skies, flat water, occasional rain and the lightest of air. The start was delayed while the St Francis Yacht Club race committee was forced to move marks to adjust for some significant shifts. The breeze never realized more than 8 knots from the west with lows of 3-5 knots during racing - tricky sailing even for the local guys.

Title defenders, Xavier Rohart and Pascal Rambeau (FRA), took second place today, Iain Percy and Steve Mitchell (GBR) picked up their performance for a third, with Jim Buckingham and Mike Dorgan (USA) taking fourth place. Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) took fifth.

Hot favorites, youngsters Fredrik Loof and Anders Ekstrom (SWE), are making their come back and sitting comfortably in 10th overall.

With much at stake in this competition, there have been some serious disappointments during the starting sequence. Today saw a general recall at the first start and the second a Z-flag start.

Head of International Jury, Ralph Roberts, commented, "The biggest thing is that San Francisco is losing its image as a heavy weather venue. Everyone measured in their heavy weather sails because it purportedly never blows under 20 knots here. It's just been challenging for everyone however this is the best fleet I've ever seen. While it's been difficult, at the same time this contest is made for those who are training for Beijing."

Top ten:
 1. Hamish Pepper / Carl Williams,     NZL, 26 points
 2. Rohan Lord / Miles Addy,           NZL, 26
 3. Xavier Rohart / Pascal Rambeau,    FRA, 26
 4. Robert Scheidt / Bruno Prada,      BRA, 28
 5. Flavio Marazzi / Martin Kozaczek,  SUI, 34
 6. Andy Horton / Brad Nichol,         USA, 44
 7. Jim Buckingham / Mike Dorgan,      USA, 59
 8. Daniel Stegmeier / Beat Stegmeier, SUI, 69
 9. Afonso Domingo / Bernardo Santos,  POR, 71
10. Fredrik Loof / Anders Ekstrom,     SWE, 71

International Sailing Federation (ISAF) World Rankings for Olympic Classes, Newport, RI. Hello Everyone [from Anna Tunnicliffe] as many of you already know, I'm now the top-ranked woman Laser Radial sailor in the world, 93 points clear of my nearest competition. In the rankings a year ago I was in 17th place but I had already improved on that and moved up to #2 in the previous rankings announcement in August.

One of my friends was quick to point out that I'm the only American ranked Number One in any of the 11 Olympic Classes and asked me how it feels. After a year's hard work, with some mixed results at times, I have to admit that it feels very good indeed. I'm really psyched. Of course it's just a ranking and when it comes to racing you still have to perform.

I'm writing this from Newport, RI, where I've been training for the last couple of days in preparation for US Sailing's Olympic Pre-Trials to be sailed here October 11-15.

We're sailing out of the parking lot on Newport's Third Beach and so far we've had two really good training days in classic Newport 12-15 knot breezes and good waves. I've been training here with Tania Elias-Calles from Mexico. This weekend coach Luther Carpenter is conducting a team training camp and next week my college coach Mitch Brindley is arriving to be my personal coach for the series.

The raw numbers in the rankings don't show the extremely strong position of the US in the Radial Class 22 months before the Olympics in Qingdao. My American team mate Paige Railey, who previously topped the rankings, dropped to third place after she was knocked out of this year's Radial World Championships. Paige posted strong results in other events this year and our battle for the US Olympic berth in the Radial Class over the next 12 months promises to be epic.

I can't finish this note without saying a huge thankyou to all my supporters and sponsors, especially Carmeuse. I draw strength from your messages of encouragement, and I wouldn't be at this level in my training regimen without your financial support.

For more information, check my website at www.annatunnicliffe.com.

The rankings are at http://www.sailing.org/rankings/publishrankinglist.asp?rankdd=4&rankmm=1 0&rankyy=2006&clscode=W-LAS&clsdesc=Laser+Radial+%2D+Women%92s+One+Perso n+Dinghy++

My sponsor, Carmeuse, is at www.carmeusena.com

Until next time,
Sail hard, Anna

Photo: Wells Fargo Bank Star World Championship

October 4, Wells Fargo Private Bank Star World Championships, San Francisco, California: Day 3 [Tuesday]. A breezier day brought plenty of action to San Francisco Bay on Day 3 of the Wells Fargo Private Bank Star World Championships. A delayed start while the breeze kicked in was worth the wait to see a solid 11-12 knots at the gun. After two general recalls, the Z flag was raised and at the 3 rd start, 8 teams were called over early. Protests were subsequently filed and are under review by the jury.

The westerly breeze was steady during racing at 14-15 knots. Andy Horton and Brad Nichol (USA), took first, ahead of Marc Pickel and Ingo Borkowski (GER), in second. Mark Reynolds and Hal Haenel (USA), took third, followed by Hamish Pepper and Carl Williams (NZ), in fourth. Xavier Rohart and Pascal Rambeau (FRA), took fifth.

Said Reynolds, "We had a good start, tacking very quickly to the right. It was a little better to go right but not much. We lost the Germans on the second beat who then went more south on the second run, while Horton (USA) went back to the right as the wind shifted. We missed both shifts on the second beat but were able to stay in the top three. Those guys are a little faster than me downwind."

At the end of racing Nicolas Rosas (ARG), was on the dock at the St Francis Yacht Club furiously pumping water from the boat he and Juan Kouyouumdjian are racing. Hit on their port aft quarter off the start by Bill Buchan and Erik Bentzen (USA).

Day 2 on the Berkeley Circle today. A moderate westerly breeze of 10-12 knots prevailed although the start was delayed several hours due to a dense marine layer suffocating the breeze earlier in the day. The cloud burned off about 2pm bringing brilliant sunshine and steadier conditions. Reading the shifts was the answer to success on the course with competitors reporting very shifty conditions at the outset of racing.

Taking first place on Day 2 was the Swiss team of Flavio Marazzi and Martin Kozaczek, with Rohan Lord and Miles Addy from New Zealand in second. In third place was the Swiss team of brothers Daniel and Beat Stegmeier. Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada took fourth, with Xavier Rohart and Pascal Rambeau of France in fifth.

Arriving in town late last week and sailing on a 12-year old chartered Star, the Stegmeier brothers are elated with their success so far, currently sitting in 7th place overall.

Top ten - at end of Racing Tuesday:
 1. Andy Horton / Brad Nichol,          USA, 12 points
 2. Rohan Lord / Miles Addy,            NZL, 15
 3. Flavio Marazzi / Martin Kozaczek,   SUI, 19
 4. Robert Scheidt / Bruno Prada,       BRA, 23
 5. Xavier Rohart / Pascal Rambeau,     FRA, 24
 6. Hamish Pepper / Carl Williams,      NZL, 25
 7. Daniel Stegmeier / Beat Stegmeier,  SUI, 39
 8. Mark Mendelblatt / Mark Strube,     USA, 49
 9. Iain Murray / Andrew Palfrey,       AUS, 54
10. Jim Buckingham / Mike Dorgan,       USA, 55

October 3, The 2006 Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina Sunfish World Championships, began with a bang Monday as ninety-eight sailors from 16 countries were treated to relatively steady east-southeast winds for two, five-leg races. Charlestonian David Loring, the 1995 world champion in this class and chairman of this regattaıs organizing committee, showed incredibly consistent boat speed by winning both races. His margin of victory in the first contest was 55 seconds. He won the second race by a similarly convincing margin.

The competition was almost without incident, though one sailor did capsize (Jacob Donkersloot of the U.S.), and at least two protests had been logged by 6:00 p.m. As most observers might expect, the fleet did suffer one general recall during the second race. ³That was a real break for me,² explained Loring afterward. "I was buried, and I probably would have wound up in 60th place if there wasnıt a general recall in that one. It really taught me a lesson. There's no reason to start in a crowd in this 100-boat fleet. I'm much better off finding clear air somewhere else down the line and using my speed to get out front."

The action resumes tomorrow with Race No. 3 scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. The forecast calls for northeast winds in the 10-15 knot range on Tuesday, which is good news for Loring and those sailors who favor stronger winds. -- Dan Dickison, http://www.sunfishworlds-2006.com.

September 29, 30th Annual Houston In-The-Water-Boat, Watergate Yachting Center.

Show hours Saturday 10 a.m. - 7:30p.m. & Sunday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

200 vessels moored dockside and two colorful air-conditioned tents with exhibits

Experts are available to discuss financing options, insurance, marine engines, electronics and much more.

September 28, The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and Rolex announced today that US Sailing Team member Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.) has been named to the shortlist of the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year award. The only USA sailor on the shortlist, Railey joins ten other world-class sailors nominated for this prestigious award. This is the second consecutive year that 19-year-old Railey has been named to the Sailor of the Year shortlist. The winners will be announced on November 7 in Helsinki, Finland.

The 121 ISAF Member National Authorities - the national governing bodies for sailing around the world - will now be invited to vote for the one female nominee and one male nominee whom they feel deserves the honor of receiving the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award.

Railey was recognized for the World Sailor of the Year award for her outstanding performance in the Laser Radial during the nomination period (September 1, 2005-August 31, 2006).

"Ever since the Laser Radial was selected as the women's single-handed dinghy for the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition, Paige Railey has shown the world that she means business," reads the announcement by ISAF. "At her first event in the current nomination period she claimed the 2005 Laser Radial World Championship title in Brazil and went on to claim five more top spots at ISAF Graded events in 2006."

The ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year award is not to be confused with US SAILING's Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year award, for which nominations are currently accepted at www.ussailing.org/awards/rolex. These awards are specifically for U.S. sailors and the eligibility period is for the 2006 calendar year.

For more information on the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year award, Railey's accomplishments and the other sailors named to the shortlist, please visit the ISAF website at www.sailing.org.

The board of directors of the Quantum Sail Design Group confirmed today that founder and managing partner Larry Leonard is stepping down and relinquishing his role in the day to day operations of the company. He will continue to be a minority share holder.

Leonard and his partners started Quantum in 1996. Today the company is the second largest sailmaker in the world, with more than 60 locations in 22 countries.

"This was a very difficult decision," said Ed Reynolds, president and a founding partner. Reynolds was named president of Quantum in 2005. "Over the past three years our structure has changed from a collection of sole proprietorships to a unified, global corporate entity. Quite simply, we have been unable to come up with a way to redefine Larry's role within the company that is acceptable to all parties."

Co-founder and partner Farley Fontenot* said: "We acknowledge and appreciate all the contributions Larry has made in helping create the Quantum Sail Design Group. It is due in part to his original vision that we owe the strength of our current position. Quantum has gone through a period of unprecedented growth and is today enjoying a period of financial and market success that would have been impossible without the groundwork he helped lay. We look forward to continuing growth and innovation in the years ahead."

* of Seabrook, Texas.

Quantum Sail Design Group designs, engineers and manufactures sails for racers and cruisers who demand the highest levels of quality and performance. Quantum has achieved a leadership status in the sail making industry by offering highly differentiated quality products supported by an uncommonly high level of personalized customer service, recognized expertise, professionalism and an exhibited passion for development of the sport of sailing. Quantum sails are available through more than 55 lofts located throughout the U.S., Canada, Caribbean, Europe, South Africa, South America, Malaysia, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia.

ELISSA Youth Seamanship Program. Texas Seaport Museum's annual Youth Seamanship Training Program aboard ELISSA, the Official Tall Ship of Texas, is still welcoming new participants at its second session this Saturday, September 30 at 9 a.m.

Any interested person between the ages of 11 to 17 is invited to attend with no obligation for further participation. Youth who join the 129-year-old ship's volunteer crew not only learn the skills required to sail this ship, they also become part of the team that keeps her in seaworthy condition. They will work alongside and learn from masters of centuries-old technologies, like sailmaker Jim Brink, who designed and built the sails used in the Hollywood productions Master and Commander and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Parents or guardians should accompany any new children to meet the youth seamanship training leaders and to read and sign necessary paperwork allowing the children to work onboard the ship. All Saturday seamanship training sessions begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4 p.m., during which time youth participants are not permitted to leave the site. Youth are encouraged to bring a sack lunch. The Texas Seaport Museum is located at 21st and Harborside Drive on Galveston Island. ELISSA is docked next to the museum.

Those children who go on to participate in the 14-session program become an integral part of the ELISSA crew. (Participants are required to attend at least 10 of 14 every-other-week sessions.) Children who complete the program will have the opportunity to serve as crew members when ELISSA sails in the spring. The seamanship training program is free of charge (except for the purchase of a Youth Crew shirt), but requires a commitment of time to attend at least the 10 mandatory sessions. The sessions are held every other Saturday running through mid-March.

For more information or the complete schedule for the Youth Seamanship training program, contact John Schaumburg, ship manager or Kurt Voss, director, Texas Seaport Museum, at 409-763-1877.

2006 IFDS Blind Sailing World Championship, New York Yacht Club, Newport, Rhode Island.

Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalists:
B1 Division (6 Sonars):   
NOR Thomas Johannesen/Jostein Stenevik/Stian Soltvedt/Jon Lystrup 1-5-3-2-(6)-2-2-3-1-1-2-2-1-1 26 pts
NZL Rob Aislabie/Dave Allerton/Wayne Holdt/Simon Holdt            4-1-4-(5)-1-4-3-1-2-2-1-4-2-2 31
USA-Mass Sengil Inkiala/Deborah Keating/Ken Legler/Lisa O'Connor  2-3-5-1-2-3-1-5-3-3-4-3-(6)-4 39

B2 Division (7 Sonars):   
NZL Paulien Eitjes/Dick Lancaster/Gary Smith/Scott Burling        1-(3)-2-1-1-2-1-1-3-1-1-2-1-1 18
GBR Lucy Hodges/John Simpson/Chris Sinclair/Gary Butler           2-1-(3)-2-3-1-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-3 27
USA-Mass Matt Chao/Nina Kagan/Bill Rapp/Peter Frisch              3-2-5-4-2-3-5-3-1-(6)-3-1-4-4 40

B3 Division (6 J/22s): 
USA-FL J.P. Creignou/Jan Bartleson/Colin Park/Patty Forrestel     2-1-1-1-2-1-1-(3)-1-1-2-1-1-1 16
GBR Gary Kirby/Toby Davey/Martin Moody/Ian Shirra                (5)-2-3-4-1-2-2-2-4-2-3-2-3-5  35
NZL Eddie Moree/Shannon Leslie/Brian Trubovich/Tony Poolman       3-3-(4)-2-3-4-3-1-3-3-1-4-2-4 36