Lead Changes and Challenges on Day Two at Key West: Good Tactics and Boat Speed Rule the Day
Key West, Fla - Another day of good wind brought two more races and a shakeup in some of the standings in many of the 11 classes at Key West 2010, presented by Nautica.
A northeast wind that started off at seven knots and built to 13 allowed organizers with Premiere Racing to remain on schedule for a 10-race regatta. Some of the professionally-crewed grand prix classes saw the overall lead change hands while other classes saw the opening day pace-setters strengthen their grip on first place.
Joe Fly, an Italian entry skippered by Giovanni Maspero posted a pair of fourths on Tuesday to take over the lead in Farr 40 class. Francesco Bruni is calling tactics on Joe Fly, which began the day in third and now leads fellow Italian boat Nerone by one point.
Nerone, skippered by Massimo Mezzaroma of Punta Ala, had a terrific Tuesday with a first and a third to jump from sixth to second in the overall standings. Vasco Vascotto is tactician on Nerone, which was named Sperry Top-Sider Boat of the Day.
Struntje Light, skippered by Wolfgang Schaefer of Germany, fell out of first place despite winning Race 3. Schaefer was remained optimistic despite falling to third overall due to an 11th in Race 4.
“Of course, we are very happy to be in the game. We came here to get some experience in the new boat and so far our boat speed has been very good,” said Schaefer, who took delivery of a Farr 40 formerly owned by Peter de Ridder a few days before the regatta.
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark had planned to compete in Farr 40 class at Key West 2010, but wound up having to attend the World Future Energy Summit in the United Arab Emirates. However, the prince still entered his boat and has been following the results very closely each day. He was no doubt thrilled to see that Nanoq won Race 3 on Tuesday with Anders Myralf on the helm and Volvo Ocean Race veteran Bouwe Bekking calling tactics.
“We wish Frederik was here to enjoy this win with us, but we understand that he has to take care of his official work as prince,” Myralf said.
Nanoq’s crew has not sailed together since the Farr 40 European Championship in Sardinia so that is why Prince Frederik felt it was important for the boat to race at Key West. Tuesday’s victory brought some positive reinforcement about Nanoq’s new rig setup.
“We had a very good start, hit the first couple shifts and rounded the first mark just ahead of Joe Fly. We then had a very good downwind leg and were able to extend the lead to five boat lengths at the bottom mark. We just covered the fleet from there,” Myralf said.
Barking Mad, skippered by Jim Richardson of Newport, R.I., rallied from last in the 12-boat fleet to fifth in a race for the second straight day and is fourth overall.
In the Melges 32 class, John Kilroy and his team aboard Samba Pa Ti had a superb day on the water and vaulted from third to first in the 22 boat class. Stu Bannatyne is calling tactics while fellow pro Morgan Reeser is trimming the main for Kilroy, who won Race 4 and placed fourth in Race 3 to move ahead of Monday leader Ramrod (Rod Jabin, Annapolis, Md.) by a point.
“We had confidence in our boat speed based off of yesterday so today wanted to have good clean starts so we could get clear lanes,” Kilroy said. “We were seventh at the last mark in the first race and rallied to get a fourth. We got a great start in the second race and were able to just extend and extend. Stu did a great job on tactics today while Morgan and Sam Rogers did a great job of trimming.”
This is only the fifth Melges 32 event for Kilroy, who has competed in Key West with a Farr 40 and a TP52 among other designs. The Malibu, California resident loves the exciting sport-boat and said the competition in the class is intense.
“This fleet is so close that one small mistake can cost you 10 or 15 boats. It’s the outhouse or the penthouse and you just have to try to stay in between and hope to be there at the end,” he said.
There is a new leader in the 21-boat Melges 24 class as well with Alan Field and his USA 587 team moving into a tie with UKA UKA Racing. Former College of Charleston All-American Steve Hunt is calling tactics for Field, a California resident who won Race 3 on Tuesday then tacked on a fourth in Race 4.
“It’s pretty shifty out there so it’s important to be in the front row and able to control your own destiny. Alan won the start (in Race 3) and that allowed me to play the shifts better,” said Hunt, who spent seven years mounting an Olympic campaign in 470 class. “Our boat speed is pretty decent and we really improved our tacking today.”
Field finished a somewhat disappointing 11th at the Melges 24 Worlds in October and Hunt admitted a win in Key West would help ease the sting of that result. “At the worlds Alan had a little trouble getting off the line, but here in Key West he is starting the boat much better, which makes a huge difference.”
UKA UKA Racing, the Italian entry owned by Lorenzo Santini and helmed by Lorenzo Bressani, now has an impressive series line of 2-1-2-5. Tactician Jonathan McKee, a Seattle native, said strategy and boat-handling have been paramount in the shifty conditions. “It’s not really about boat speed and much more about positioning,” he said. “Today was less shifty than yesterday, but it still wasn’t totally obvious which side of the course was favored.”
Bella Mente and Pugwash extended their leads in IRC 1 and 2, respectively, with a second straight strong day of racing. Bella Mente, a Reichel-Pugh 69-footer owned by Hap Fauth of Newport, R.I., has sailed very impressively in winning all four races.
“We are coming off a very successful summer season in Europe in which we won the Med Cup and several other regattas. Right now, the crew is on top of its game and we are getting the most we can out of the boat,” Fauth said.
Pugwash owner David Murphy looked quite content on Tuesday afternoon as he ate finger sandwiches and sipped green labeled beer aboard his Lyman-Morse 90-foot motor yacht, berthed at the end of the Galleon docks. Murphy deserved to enjoy happy hour after opening Key West 2010 with a stellar line of 2-1-1-2. The New York resident is a newcomer to competitive sailboat racing who has enjoyed tremendous early success.
Pugwash, a J/122 based in Newport, R.I., has won four of the seven events it has entered since Murphy took delivery in June. North Sails professional Larry Leonard is calling tactics for Murphy, who is looking to add Key West to his impressive list of victories that includes Chester Race Week and the Edgartown Round the Island Race.
“All the credit goes to the crew. Larry is the mastermind while our trimmers are terrific. I’m just kind of like Forrest Gump. I just focus on driving the boat,” Murphy said.
Savasana stretched its lead in J/105 class with a fourth and a second on Tuesday as skipper Brian Keane looks to repeat as winner of Key West. Mike Danish is serving as tactician for Keane, who praised the performance of second-place Ghost and said Savasana has to keep putting up good results.
“Ghost sailed great today and certainly is pushing us,” Keane said. “Ideally, our goal is to finish in the top five of every race and win each day. It’s all about avoiding the big mistake.”
North professional Will Welles holds the lead in J/80 class for the second straight day despite an eighth in Race 4. Jeff Johnstone of J/Boats steered Little Feat to a pair of bullets on Tuesday to close within one point of Welles and the Rascal team.
Johnstone may be with the company that designs the boat, but admitted even he can learn new tricks on the race course after finishing seventh in both races on Monday. "It was one of those things were you had to go left, but you couldn't bite off more than you could chew," Jeff Johnstone said, referring to how he played the shifts a bit differently on Tuesday.
Follow all the grand prix action, racing excitement, and results through the web-site blog and coverage, live tracking of the Melges 32 and J/80 fleets by Kattack Kattack.com, Scuttlebutt’s on the scene reports SailingScuttlebutt.com, and nightly on demand video by T2P on www.T2P.tv (after 9:00PM EST) and more.
Results, photos and news: www.Premiere-Racing.com
Press Officer Bill Wagner bwagner@capitalgazette.com
Showing posts with label key west race week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label key west race week. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Key West Race Week 2010 Coverage
It's beautiful in Key West today and we are underway with Key West Race Week 2010. Racing is due to start at any time and here's my mini-scoop:
Daily Blog Commentary - CLICK HERE!
That's it. Whatever work you hoped to accomplish today or this whole week, there is always next week. Hope you enjoy the event - Cheers!
Daily Blog Commentary - CLICK HERE!
That's it. Whatever work you hoped to accomplish today or this whole week, there is always next week. Hope you enjoy the event - Cheers!
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Friday, January 23, 2009
Kattack...just plain cool!
Yesterday afternoon I caught up with the Kattack "Boyz" for a little video "Bite"...
It's a beautiful day, broke back into the shorts and flips, though "Slam'ing" in my race-week fleece. It's still chilly. Stay tuned to the daily commentary. The plan is two races and if we succeed it will be a race week record of ten races...fingers and toes!
It's a beautiful day, broke back into the shorts and flips, though "Slam'ing" in my race-week fleece. It's still chilly. Stay tuned to the daily commentary. The plan is two races and if we succeed it will be a race week record of ten races...fingers and toes!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
A Beautiful Bite!
It's been chilly but we've had beautiful sailing and today was picture perfect! On a whole, this has been a pretty stellar week of racing. The slideshow is purely where I'm at from walking the docks these last few days. The tent party has officially opened and time to go visit and do what I do best...chat!
I talked with the folks from Kattack earlier and will have video up on YouTube channel later this evening. It's a unique way to enjoy the racing and for the racers, a way to learn and improve your tactics.
Thank you to everyone who's followed the event thus far. It's the plan to get off two races on Friday and "Mr. Weather" tells me a touch warmer and just as beautiful...lets hope his "crystal ball" speaks the truth!
For Immediate Release – January 22, 2009
Final Day Drama on Tap at Acura Key West 2009
Friday’s Races to Determine Winners in Ten Classes
By Bill Wagner
Key West, Fla - Competition remains hot and the final results are going down to the wire at Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica. There was some significant shakeup in the standings for several of the grand prix classes and winners won’t be decided until the final day of racing in the week-long regatta.
Things couldn’t be tighter than they are in the Melges 32 class, where Star and Red are tied with 30 total points apiece. Star, owned by Jeff Ecklund of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., led the 20-boat class at the end of the initial three days, but suffered a pair of double digit results on Thursday. That enabled Red, skippered by Joe Woods of Great Britain, to make up a three-point deficit.
Tactician Morgan Reeser gave a gutsy performance by sailing both races with a dislocated shoulder as Red posted a pair of eighths on Thursday. Meanwhile, Star suffered an 11th and a 13th, latter of which it was able to throw out. Star technically still holds the lead by virtue of tiebreaker based on winning more races than Red.
“It has been a curious day – almost brilliant, almost disastrous,” Woods said after arriving at the dock. “Ultimately, it was a decent day and we were able to close the gap on Jeff.”
Reeser, a two-time Olympian, is relatively new as tactician aboard Red as this is just his third event with the British team. He suffered the shoulder injury during Race 7 and had the dislocation reset by an on-water medic. However, it dislocated again and Reeser was taken to the hospital after racing.
“Knowing Morgan, I am guessing that he will be sailing on the boat tomorrow,” Woods said.
Red was leading the Melges 32 class going into the fifth and final day last January and was overtaken by Star. Woods is hoping for a reversal of fortunes this year. “We’ll see if we can finish it off and come away with the win this time,” he said.
Farr 40, another professional-laden class, is also totally up for grabs with two races remaining. Barking Mad, which entered Thursday with a seemingly comfortable eight-point cushion, finished last in the 12-boat fleet in Race 8. Skipper Jim Richardson and crew still hold a one-point lead over Mascalzone Latino, the three-time defending world champion owned by Vincenzo Onorato of Napoli, Italy.
“We rounded the first weather mark in second place, but we went backward from there. It was just a matter of poor boat positioning,” said tactician Terry Hutchinson, who blamed himself for the poor result. “What’s disappointing is that we had an opportunity to go into tomorrow with a certain comfort level.”
Richardson won the Farr 40 class at Acura Key West for the first time in 11 attempts last year and is hoping to retain that title. Another threat is Joe Fly, owned by Giovanni Maspero of Como, Italy, which is just three points out of the lead.
There was much rejoicing aboard Nanoq as the Danish entry pulled into its berth at the Schooner Wharf. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark hoisted a beer with crew members to celebrate winning a race in Farr 40 class for the first time in three appearances at Acura Key West.
Prince Frederik got a great start, got lifted by a favorable shift and both upwind legs, rounded the second windward mark in first and held the lead on the finishing run. His best previous finish was a fourth last year.
“It was great sailing today and it felt good to win a race. That is always difficult in this class because it is so competitive with so many good sailing teams,” Prince Frederik said. “We have learned a lot and improved quite a bit by coming to this regatta. This result is nice, but we still have a long way to go.”
Melges 24, largest class in the regatta with 33 boats and packed with professionals like the Farr 40 and Melges 32, also has not been decided. UKA UKA Racing, the Italian entry skippered by Lorenzo Bressani, has sailed superbly and led at the end of each day’s action. UKA UKA Racing counts four bullets and a pair of seconds in seven races and holds a seven-point lead that is solid but not safe.
“We have not won this regatta yet. There will be another two races tomorrow so we cannot sleep well tonight,” Bressani said. “Seven points is a good margin, but not unbeatable. Blu Moon is our top competition so we will probably match race with them.”
Swan 42 class has been closely contested throughout the week with three different boats holding the lead upon conclusion of each day’s racing. Arethusa, skippered by Phil Lotz of Newport, R.I., was the latest to move into first – posting a first and a third on Thursday to overtake Jon Halbert (Dallas, Texas) and Vitesse. Arethusa holds a one-point lead over Vitesse while first and second day leader Celeritas (Malcolm Gefter, Newport, R.I.) is just four points astern.
“The fleet has been very, very tight. All six boats have been clumped together at most of the mark roundings,” Lotz said. “It really is anybody’s regatta at this point. It’s hard to think about covering anybody at this point. We just have to go out and sail our own race.”
There is a tie in PHRF 4 between Lightning Rod and fellow S2 9.1 Elysium. Both boats have won four races so the tiebreaker went to the number of second place finishes and Lightning Rod, skippered by David Eames of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., has three compared to just one for Elysium (John Nevin, Milford, CT).
John Storck Jr. and his team aboard Rumor have been spectacular in J/80 class, winning six of eight races thus far. Racing was particularly tight on Thursday and Rumor was rewarded with the Lewmar Boat of the Day award.
Robert Armstrong continued his impressive performance in PHRF 2 aboard the J/100 Good Girl. The St. Croix resident has reeled off seven straight bullets since finishing second in Race 1.
Action in this ten race series concludes Friday, which is Acura Day.
Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica
Series Results – after 8 Races – January 22, 2009
IRC 1
1. Ran, Niklas Zennstrom, Hamble, UK, 1-1-2-1-3-1-1, 11
2. Rosebud/Team DYT, Roger Sturgeon, Hyannis, MA, USA, 3-2-1-2-1-5-4-5, 23
3. Anema & Core, Ennio Staffini, Annapolis, MD, USA, 4-3-4-4-2-2-2-3, 24
IRC 2
1. Soozal, Daniel Woolery, Pt. Richmond, CA, USA, 3-1-2-5-2-1-1-2, 17
2. Ngoni, Tony Buckingham, Jersey, UK, 1-2-4-6-1-3-2-1, 20
3. Cool Breeze, John Cooper, Cane Hill, MO, USA, 2-3-3-1-7-4-5-5, 30
Farr 40
1. Barking Mad, James Richardson, Newport, RI, USA, 2-4-3-2-1-2-2-12, 28
2. Mascalzone Latino, Vincenzo Onorato, Napoli, ITA, 1-1-2-1-9-10-3-2, 29
3. Joe Fly, Giovanni Maspero, Como, ITA, 3-2-5-9-2-1-4-6, 32
Swan 42
1. Arethusa, Phil Lotz, Newport, RI, USA, 4-3-1-4-4-1-3-1, 21
2.. Vitesse, Jon Halbert, Dallas, TX, USA, 5-2-2-2-2-2-4-3, 22
3. Celeritas, Malcolm Gefter, Newport, RI, USA, 1-1-3-1-6-6-5-2, 25
Farr 30
1. Kinetic, David Sutcliffe, Vancouver, CAN, 1-3-2-1-3-3-2-5, 20
2. Rhumb Punch, John & Linda Edwards, Solomons, MD, USA, 3-2-5-3-2-1-3-4, 23
3. Jack-A-Roe, John Dybas, Chicago, IL, USA, 2-5-4-2-5-4-1-1, 24
Melges 32 (with discard)
1. Star, Jeff Ecklund, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA, 1-1-10-1-1-5-11-(13), 30
2. RED, Joe Woods, Torquay, GBR, 2-(8)-3-5-3-1-8-8, 30
3. New Wave, Michael Carroll, Clearwater, FL, USA, 13-10-2-9-(14)-2-2-1, 39
Melges 24 (with discard)
1. UKA UKA Racing, Lorenzo Bressani, Civitanova Marc, ITA, 1-1-(5)-1-1-2-5-2, 13
2. Blu Moon, Franco Rossini, Lugano, SUI, 4-2-2-2-(7)-6-3-1, 20
3. Joe Fly, Maspero/Zandona, Como, ITA, (10)-3-3-4-8-1-2-5, 26
J/105
1. Savasana, Brian Keane, Marion, MA, USA, Brian Keane, 3-2-1-1-2-6-2-3, 20
2. eclipse, Damian Emery, Mt. Sinai, NY, USA, 2-1-3-2-3-3-3-6, 23
3. Max Power, Gerrit Schulze, Cape May, NJ, USA, 1-3-5-3-1-1-6-4, 24
J/80
1. Rumor, John Storck, Jr., Huntington, NY, USA, 1-1-1-3-1-1-4-1, 13
2. Kicks, William Rose, League City, TX, USA, 2-2-3-1-3-2-6-5, 23
3. Angry Chameleon, Kristen Robinson, Annapolis, MD, USA, 4-3-2-6-5-5-5-3, 32
PHRF 1
1. Primal Scream, Steven Stollman, Key Biscayne ,FL, USA, 1-2-1-1-3-2-3-6, 19
2. El Ocaso, Rick Wesslund, Miami, FL, USA, 7-3-2-2-2-1-5-7, 29
3. Wairere, Pete Hunter, Kill Devil Hill, NC, USA, 3-7-6-5-1-3-4-2, 31
PHRF 2
1. Good Girl, Robert Armstrong, St. Croix, USVI, 2-1-1-1-1-1-1-1, 9
2. RUSH, Bill Sweetser, Annapolis, MD, USA, 1-2-3-2-7-2-3-2, 22
3. Man-O-War, Tom Beery, Pascagoula, MS, USA, 3-3-2-3-2-3-2-4, 22
PHRF 3
1. Tangent, Gerry Taylor, Annapolis, MD, USA, 1-1-1-1-3-2-1-1, 11
2. L’Outrage, Bruce Gardner, Annapolis, MD, USA, 2-2-2-2-1-1-3-2, 15
3. Seefest, Ira Perry, Padanaram, MA, USA, 3-3-4.5-5-5-4-2-3, 29.5
PHRF 4
1. Lightning Rod, David Eames, Ft. Walton, FL, USA, 2-1-1-2-5-1-2-1, 15
2. Elysium, John Nevin, Milford, CT, USA, 1-3-3-1-1-2-1-3, 15
3. Blah Blah Blah, Mark Milnes, Key West, FL, USA, 3-4-4-4-2-4-7-4, 32
I talked with the folks from Kattack earlier and will have video up on YouTube channel later this evening. It's a unique way to enjoy the racing and for the racers, a way to learn and improve your tactics.
Thank you to everyone who's followed the event thus far. It's the plan to get off two races on Friday and "Mr. Weather" tells me a touch warmer and just as beautiful...lets hope his "crystal ball" speaks the truth!
For Immediate Release – January 22, 2009
Final Day Drama on Tap at Acura Key West 2009
Friday’s Races to Determine Winners in Ten Classes
By Bill Wagner
Key West, Fla - Competition remains hot and the final results are going down to the wire at Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica. There was some significant shakeup in the standings for several of the grand prix classes and winners won’t be decided until the final day of racing in the week-long regatta.
Things couldn’t be tighter than they are in the Melges 32 class, where Star and Red are tied with 30 total points apiece. Star, owned by Jeff Ecklund of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., led the 20-boat class at the end of the initial three days, but suffered a pair of double digit results on Thursday. That enabled Red, skippered by Joe Woods of Great Britain, to make up a three-point deficit.
Tactician Morgan Reeser gave a gutsy performance by sailing both races with a dislocated shoulder as Red posted a pair of eighths on Thursday. Meanwhile, Star suffered an 11th and a 13th, latter of which it was able to throw out. Star technically still holds the lead by virtue of tiebreaker based on winning more races than Red.
“It has been a curious day – almost brilliant, almost disastrous,” Woods said after arriving at the dock. “Ultimately, it was a decent day and we were able to close the gap on Jeff.”
Reeser, a two-time Olympian, is relatively new as tactician aboard Red as this is just his third event with the British team. He suffered the shoulder injury during Race 7 and had the dislocation reset by an on-water medic. However, it dislocated again and Reeser was taken to the hospital after racing.
“Knowing Morgan, I am guessing that he will be sailing on the boat tomorrow,” Woods said.
Red was leading the Melges 32 class going into the fifth and final day last January and was overtaken by Star. Woods is hoping for a reversal of fortunes this year. “We’ll see if we can finish it off and come away with the win this time,” he said.
Farr 40, another professional-laden class, is also totally up for grabs with two races remaining. Barking Mad, which entered Thursday with a seemingly comfortable eight-point cushion, finished last in the 12-boat fleet in Race 8. Skipper Jim Richardson and crew still hold a one-point lead over Mascalzone Latino, the three-time defending world champion owned by Vincenzo Onorato of Napoli, Italy.
“We rounded the first weather mark in second place, but we went backward from there. It was just a matter of poor boat positioning,” said tactician Terry Hutchinson, who blamed himself for the poor result. “What’s disappointing is that we had an opportunity to go into tomorrow with a certain comfort level.”
Richardson won the Farr 40 class at Acura Key West for the first time in 11 attempts last year and is hoping to retain that title. Another threat is Joe Fly, owned by Giovanni Maspero of Como, Italy, which is just three points out of the lead.
There was much rejoicing aboard Nanoq as the Danish entry pulled into its berth at the Schooner Wharf. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark hoisted a beer with crew members to celebrate winning a race in Farr 40 class for the first time in three appearances at Acura Key West.
Prince Frederik got a great start, got lifted by a favorable shift and both upwind legs, rounded the second windward mark in first and held the lead on the finishing run. His best previous finish was a fourth last year.
“It was great sailing today and it felt good to win a race. That is always difficult in this class because it is so competitive with so many good sailing teams,” Prince Frederik said. “We have learned a lot and improved quite a bit by coming to this regatta. This result is nice, but we still have a long way to go.”
Melges 24, largest class in the regatta with 33 boats and packed with professionals like the Farr 40 and Melges 32, also has not been decided. UKA UKA Racing, the Italian entry skippered by Lorenzo Bressani, has sailed superbly and led at the end of each day’s action. UKA UKA Racing counts four bullets and a pair of seconds in seven races and holds a seven-point lead that is solid but not safe.
“We have not won this regatta yet. There will be another two races tomorrow so we cannot sleep well tonight,” Bressani said. “Seven points is a good margin, but not unbeatable. Blu Moon is our top competition so we will probably match race with them.”
Swan 42 class has been closely contested throughout the week with three different boats holding the lead upon conclusion of each day’s racing. Arethusa, skippered by Phil Lotz of Newport, R.I., was the latest to move into first – posting a first and a third on Thursday to overtake Jon Halbert (Dallas, Texas) and Vitesse. Arethusa holds a one-point lead over Vitesse while first and second day leader Celeritas (Malcolm Gefter, Newport, R.I.) is just four points astern.
“The fleet has been very, very tight. All six boats have been clumped together at most of the mark roundings,” Lotz said. “It really is anybody’s regatta at this point. It’s hard to think about covering anybody at this point. We just have to go out and sail our own race.”
There is a tie in PHRF 4 between Lightning Rod and fellow S2 9.1 Elysium. Both boats have won four races so the tiebreaker went to the number of second place finishes and Lightning Rod, skippered by David Eames of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., has three compared to just one for Elysium (John Nevin, Milford, CT).
John Storck Jr. and his team aboard Rumor have been spectacular in J/80 class, winning six of eight races thus far. Racing was particularly tight on Thursday and Rumor was rewarded with the Lewmar Boat of the Day award.
Robert Armstrong continued his impressive performance in PHRF 2 aboard the J/100 Good Girl. The St. Croix resident has reeled off seven straight bullets since finishing second in Race 1.
Action in this ten race series concludes Friday, which is Acura Day.
Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica
Series Results – after 8 Races – January 22, 2009
IRC 1
1. Ran, Niklas Zennstrom, Hamble, UK, 1-1-2-1-3-1-1, 11
2. Rosebud/Team DYT, Roger Sturgeon, Hyannis, MA, USA, 3-2-1-2-1-5-4-5, 23
3. Anema & Core, Ennio Staffini, Annapolis, MD, USA, 4-3-4-4-2-2-2-3, 24
IRC 2
1. Soozal, Daniel Woolery, Pt. Richmond, CA, USA, 3-1-2-5-2-1-1-2, 17
2. Ngoni, Tony Buckingham, Jersey, UK, 1-2-4-6-1-3-2-1, 20
3. Cool Breeze, John Cooper, Cane Hill, MO, USA, 2-3-3-1-7-4-5-5, 30
Farr 40
1. Barking Mad, James Richardson, Newport, RI, USA, 2-4-3-2-1-2-2-12, 28
2. Mascalzone Latino, Vincenzo Onorato, Napoli, ITA, 1-1-2-1-9-10-3-2, 29
3. Joe Fly, Giovanni Maspero, Como, ITA, 3-2-5-9-2-1-4-6, 32
Swan 42
1. Arethusa, Phil Lotz, Newport, RI, USA, 4-3-1-4-4-1-3-1, 21
2.. Vitesse, Jon Halbert, Dallas, TX, USA, 5-2-2-2-2-2-4-3, 22
3. Celeritas, Malcolm Gefter, Newport, RI, USA, 1-1-3-1-6-6-5-2, 25
Farr 30
1. Kinetic, David Sutcliffe, Vancouver, CAN, 1-3-2-1-3-3-2-5, 20
2. Rhumb Punch, John & Linda Edwards, Solomons, MD, USA, 3-2-5-3-2-1-3-4, 23
3. Jack-A-Roe, John Dybas, Chicago, IL, USA, 2-5-4-2-5-4-1-1, 24
Melges 32 (with discard)
1. Star, Jeff Ecklund, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA, 1-1-10-1-1-5-11-(13), 30
2. RED, Joe Woods, Torquay, GBR, 2-(8)-3-5-3-1-8-8, 30
3. New Wave, Michael Carroll, Clearwater, FL, USA, 13-10-2-9-(14)-2-2-1, 39
Melges 24 (with discard)
1. UKA UKA Racing, Lorenzo Bressani, Civitanova Marc, ITA, 1-1-(5)-1-1-2-5-2, 13
2. Blu Moon, Franco Rossini, Lugano, SUI, 4-2-2-2-(7)-6-3-1, 20
3. Joe Fly, Maspero/Zandona, Como, ITA, (10)-3-3-4-8-1-2-5, 26
J/105
1. Savasana, Brian Keane, Marion, MA, USA, Brian Keane, 3-2-1-1-2-6-2-3, 20
2. eclipse, Damian Emery, Mt. Sinai, NY, USA, 2-1-3-2-3-3-3-6, 23
3. Max Power, Gerrit Schulze, Cape May, NJ, USA, 1-3-5-3-1-1-6-4, 24
J/80
1. Rumor, John Storck, Jr., Huntington, NY, USA, 1-1-1-3-1-1-4-1, 13
2. Kicks, William Rose, League City, TX, USA, 2-2-3-1-3-2-6-5, 23
3. Angry Chameleon, Kristen Robinson, Annapolis, MD, USA, 4-3-2-6-5-5-5-3, 32
PHRF 1
1. Primal Scream, Steven Stollman, Key Biscayne ,FL, USA, 1-2-1-1-3-2-3-6, 19
2. El Ocaso, Rick Wesslund, Miami, FL, USA, 7-3-2-2-2-1-5-7, 29
3. Wairere, Pete Hunter, Kill Devil Hill, NC, USA, 3-7-6-5-1-3-4-2, 31
PHRF 2
1. Good Girl, Robert Armstrong, St. Croix, USVI, 2-1-1-1-1-1-1-1, 9
2. RUSH, Bill Sweetser, Annapolis, MD, USA, 1-2-3-2-7-2-3-2, 22
3. Man-O-War, Tom Beery, Pascagoula, MS, USA, 3-3-2-3-2-3-2-4, 22
PHRF 3
1. Tangent, Gerry Taylor, Annapolis, MD, USA, 1-1-1-1-3-2-1-1, 11
2. L’Outrage, Bruce Gardner, Annapolis, MD, USA, 2-2-2-2-1-1-3-2, 15
3. Seefest, Ira Perry, Padanaram, MA, USA, 3-3-4.5-5-5-4-2-3, 29.5
PHRF 4
1. Lightning Rod, David Eames, Ft. Walton, FL, USA, 2-1-1-2-5-1-2-1, 15
2. Elysium, John Nevin, Milford, CT, USA, 1-3-3-1-1-2-1-3, 15
3. Blah Blah Blah, Mark Milnes, Key West, FL, USA, 3-4-4-4-2-4-7-4, 32
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Birthday Bite
Would like to send out a special birthday wish to Stu, forward crew on the C&C 115 "Primal Scream" whom gave a fun sound bite at last night's tent party. The lighting was all wrong but they were all fun!
Premiere Bite
For Immediate Release – January 20 , 2009
“Another Fantastic Day of Sailing in Key West”
World Class Competition and Great Breeze
By Bill Wagner
Key West, Fla - Mother Nature changed her mind and smiled on Acura Key West 2009 today. Advance forecasts called for extreme winds, but instead a consistent 15-20 knot north-northwesterly enabled this high-powered international fleet to enjoy two great races.
“Another fantastic day of sailing in Key West. Days like this are why we come here. The conditions were outstanding,” Melges 24 skipper Riccardo Simoneschi said.
Simoneschi is a two-time winner of Acura Key West, presented by Nautica. The Italian skipper posted a solid line of 4-3 on Tuesday and holds third place overall in Melges 24, largest class in the regatta with 33 boats.
Former Olympic medalist Charlie McKee is calling tactics for Simoneschi, who is 10 points off the very hot pace being set by his countrymen on UKA UKA Racing. Skipper Lorenzo Bressani has won three of four races so far, an impressive feat in the highly-competitive class.
“They are tough to beat. They are fast and smart, which is a winning combination,” said McKee, whose brother Charlie is trimming on UKA UKA Racing. “We are getting better with each race and hopefully we can remain in contention.”
Blu Moon, skippered by Franco Rossini of Switzerland, finished second in both races and won the day. He also received Tuesday’s Sperry Top-Sider Boat of the Day honors, awarded to the winner of the day’s most competitive class. Three-time Olympian Chris Rast is tactician aboard Blu Moon, which stands second in the overall standings – two points behind UKA UKA Racing.
Another Italian team continued its impressive performance in the professional-laden Farr 40 class. Mascalzone Latino, owned and driven by Vincenzo Onorato, has won three of four races with the other result being a second. Briton Adrian Stead has been on fire calling tactics for the three-time defending world champs, who hold a comfortable six-point lead over Acura Key West 2008 winner Barking Mad.
“We are sailing well, but obviously not nearly as well as they are,” said Terry Hutchinson, tactician for owner Jim Richardson aboard Barking Mad.
Hutchinson was just named Rolex Yachtsman of the Year by US Sailing, but is not afraid to admit that he can pick up a few subtle nuances from a team that is clearly at the top of its game.
“We have learned heaps in two days just from watching Mascalzone… how their sails are set up, how they are driving, what they are doing tactically,” he said. “It’s not over yet. There are still a lot of races left. We just have to keep chipping away and hope we’re in range going into the last day.”
Fort Lauderdale resident Jeff Ecklund and his team aboard Star maintained their lead in Melges 32, the other large grand prix one-design class filled with big-name tacticians. Star, like UKA UKA Racing and Mascalzone Latino, has won three of four races held so far. However, a 10th out of 20 boats in Race 3 hurt Star’s cumulative score, which is two points better than second-place Red (Joe Woods, Great Britain).
“It’s a tough fleet with real tight racing. Small mistakes can lead to big losses,” said Star tactician Harry Melges, whose family-owned company builds both the Melges 24 and 32.
IRC 2 is loaded with innovative new designs that are giving each other some real competition. Cool Breeze, a brand new Mills 43 owned by John Cooper of Cane Hill, MO, won Race 4 to vault from third to first in the 13-boat fleet.
An indication of how close the top boats are in IRC 2 comes from the fact a mere 18 second separated the top four finishers in Race 3. Soozal, one of three King 40-footers that are making their competitive debut in Key West, finished second in Race 3 by just seven seconds behind the J/44 Gold Digger (James Bishop).
“The racing in this class has been unbelievable. There are a lot of very good boats that are evenly matched,” Soozal skipper Daniel Woolery said.
Action is heating up in IRC 1 as well after Rosebud/Team DYT stretched its legs and showed its prowess in the heavy air. The STP 65-footer, largest entry in the regatta, won Race 3 then finished second in Race 4 by 34 seconds on corrected time. Ran, a TP52 owned by Niklas Zennstrom of Hamble, Great Britain, now has an impressive line of 1-1-2-1.
“It was a great day of racing for our team, although I’m disappointed we didn’t win the second race as well,” said Malcolm Park, main trimmer on Rosebud/Team DYT. “We’re stronger than the TP 52s going upwind and we had two of those legs today.”
Massachusetts-based owner Roger Sturgeon and his 16-man crew must beat the four 52-footers on its course by nearly six minutes in order to overcome its handicap. “This is a tight course for a boat this big and it’s hard to get her around the cans,” said Park, noting that Rosebud has some draft restrictions. “(Monday) was a learning experience for us in terms of figuring out where we can go. Today’s course was a little more open, both in terms of draft and length.”
PHRF 3 leader Tangent, a Cape Fear 38 owned by Gerry Taylor of Annapolis, Md., is the only boat in the entire fleet that has won all four races. Tangent, the cruising version of the design, is heavier than most of its competitors in the class and thus welcomed the strong breeze.
“We are definitely loving the conditions. When the wind is up, we are smiling,” said Taylor, whose team won Race 3 by just one second over fellow Annapolis entry L’Outrage, which has been runner-up in all four races.
“It certainly eases the pressure when you get off to a good start like this. We are feeling more relaxed and confident each day,” added Taylor, who placed second in class at Acura Key West 2008.
XS, a Robinson 41 that had been leading PHRF 1 after Monday’s action, dropped its rig in Race 3. Owner Douglas Fisher said gear failure was more to blame than the strong wind.
Racing continues tomorrow. Wednesday is sponsored by Mount Gay Rum® - the sailors’ favorite.
Race Week News, Results and more: www.Premiere-Racing.com
“Another Fantastic Day of Sailing in Key West”
World Class Competition and Great Breeze
By Bill Wagner
Key West, Fla - Mother Nature changed her mind and smiled on Acura Key West 2009 today. Advance forecasts called for extreme winds, but instead a consistent 15-20 knot north-northwesterly enabled this high-powered international fleet to enjoy two great races.
“Another fantastic day of sailing in Key West. Days like this are why we come here. The conditions were outstanding,” Melges 24 skipper Riccardo Simoneschi said.
Simoneschi is a two-time winner of Acura Key West, presented by Nautica. The Italian skipper posted a solid line of 4-3 on Tuesday and holds third place overall in Melges 24, largest class in the regatta with 33 boats.
Former Olympic medalist Charlie McKee is calling tactics for Simoneschi, who is 10 points off the very hot pace being set by his countrymen on UKA UKA Racing. Skipper Lorenzo Bressani has won three of four races so far, an impressive feat in the highly-competitive class.
“They are tough to beat. They are fast and smart, which is a winning combination,” said McKee, whose brother Charlie is trimming on UKA UKA Racing. “We are getting better with each race and hopefully we can remain in contention.”
Blu Moon, skippered by Franco Rossini of Switzerland, finished second in both races and won the day. He also received Tuesday’s Sperry Top-Sider Boat of the Day honors, awarded to the winner of the day’s most competitive class. Three-time Olympian Chris Rast is tactician aboard Blu Moon, which stands second in the overall standings – two points behind UKA UKA Racing.
Another Italian team continued its impressive performance in the professional-laden Farr 40 class. Mascalzone Latino, owned and driven by Vincenzo Onorato, has won three of four races with the other result being a second. Briton Adrian Stead has been on fire calling tactics for the three-time defending world champs, who hold a comfortable six-point lead over Acura Key West 2008 winner Barking Mad.
“We are sailing well, but obviously not nearly as well as they are,” said Terry Hutchinson, tactician for owner Jim Richardson aboard Barking Mad.
Hutchinson was just named Rolex Yachtsman of the Year by US Sailing, but is not afraid to admit that he can pick up a few subtle nuances from a team that is clearly at the top of its game.
“We have learned heaps in two days just from watching Mascalzone… how their sails are set up, how they are driving, what they are doing tactically,” he said. “It’s not over yet. There are still a lot of races left. We just have to keep chipping away and hope we’re in range going into the last day.”
Fort Lauderdale resident Jeff Ecklund and his team aboard Star maintained their lead in Melges 32, the other large grand prix one-design class filled with big-name tacticians. Star, like UKA UKA Racing and Mascalzone Latino, has won three of four races held so far. However, a 10th out of 20 boats in Race 3 hurt Star’s cumulative score, which is two points better than second-place Red (Joe Woods, Great Britain).
“It’s a tough fleet with real tight racing. Small mistakes can lead to big losses,” said Star tactician Harry Melges, whose family-owned company builds both the Melges 24 and 32.
IRC 2 is loaded with innovative new designs that are giving each other some real competition. Cool Breeze, a brand new Mills 43 owned by John Cooper of Cane Hill, MO, won Race 4 to vault from third to first in the 13-boat fleet.
An indication of how close the top boats are in IRC 2 comes from the fact a mere 18 second separated the top four finishers in Race 3. Soozal, one of three King 40-footers that are making their competitive debut in Key West, finished second in Race 3 by just seven seconds behind the J/44 Gold Digger (James Bishop).
“The racing in this class has been unbelievable. There are a lot of very good boats that are evenly matched,” Soozal skipper Daniel Woolery said.
Action is heating up in IRC 1 as well after Rosebud/Team DYT stretched its legs and showed its prowess in the heavy air. The STP 65-footer, largest entry in the regatta, won Race 3 then finished second in Race 4 by 34 seconds on corrected time. Ran, a TP52 owned by Niklas Zennstrom of Hamble, Great Britain, now has an impressive line of 1-1-2-1.
“It was a great day of racing for our team, although I’m disappointed we didn’t win the second race as well,” said Malcolm Park, main trimmer on Rosebud/Team DYT. “We’re stronger than the TP 52s going upwind and we had two of those legs today.”
Massachusetts-based owner Roger Sturgeon and his 16-man crew must beat the four 52-footers on its course by nearly six minutes in order to overcome its handicap. “This is a tight course for a boat this big and it’s hard to get her around the cans,” said Park, noting that Rosebud has some draft restrictions. “(Monday) was a learning experience for us in terms of figuring out where we can go. Today’s course was a little more open, both in terms of draft and length.”
PHRF 3 leader Tangent, a Cape Fear 38 owned by Gerry Taylor of Annapolis, Md., is the only boat in the entire fleet that has won all four races. Tangent, the cruising version of the design, is heavier than most of its competitors in the class and thus welcomed the strong breeze.
“We are definitely loving the conditions. When the wind is up, we are smiling,” said Taylor, whose team won Race 3 by just one second over fellow Annapolis entry L’Outrage, which has been runner-up in all four races.
“It certainly eases the pressure when you get off to a good start like this. We are feeling more relaxed and confident each day,” added Taylor, who placed second in class at Acura Key West 2008.
XS, a Robinson 41 that had been leading PHRF 1 after Monday’s action, dropped its rig in Race 3. Owner Douglas Fisher said gear failure was more to blame than the strong wind.
Racing continues tomorrow. Wednesday is sponsored by Mount Gay Rum® - the sailors’ favorite.
Race Week News, Results and more: www.Premiere-Racing.com
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
One Last Bite For Tuesday
Day Two of Acura Key West Race Week did see a little carnage today. All photos credited to Ken Stanek who is Premiere Racing's Jack-Of-Many-Shots photographer.
Sailors And Happy Feet
Day Two of Acura Key West Race Week was sponsored by Sperry TopSider and they offered a few sounds bites on their partnership with Premiere Racing and the commitment to sailor's feet...
A Weather Bite
The boats have left, RC is ready to go and event bloggers have started sending in posts. Though before we got going this morning, thought it might be neat to meet Mr. Weather...
Monday, January 19, 2009
Day One Bite From Ken Legler
Division One PRO Ken Legler gives a brief Day One recap...
For Immediate Release – January 19, 2009
Overseas Entries Seize the Day in Key West
International Fleet Revels in Chamber of Commerce Conditions
by Bill Wagner
Opening day of Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica, showcased the international flavor of the event with foreign entries seizing the early lead in four of the grand prix classes. Italian entries set the pace in a pair of the premier one-design fleets while British teams surged to the front of two top tier handicap classes.
Competition in North America’s largest winter regatta got underway in ideal conditions with strong westerly winds allowing organizers to hold two races. An ominous squall put a brief damper on the proceedings, but moved through quickly and allowed the action to continue under sunny skies.
“It was Chamber of Commerce type of weather out there today. We had picture-perfect conditions, which is always a great way to start,” said Dave Brennan, principal race officer on Division 2.
Vincenzo Onorato and his team aboard Mascalzone Latino overcame the unexpected loss of three sailors to win both races and the Nautica Watches Boat of the Day in the Farr 40 class. Two crew members took ill while another suffered an injury in practice – forcing the three-time defending world champions to scramble. One substitute was flown in from Italy while the team coach and chef filled the other vacancies onboard.
British-born tactician Adrian Stead said Elena Frezza was the hero of the day, showing she could sail just as well as she could cook. “I think she brought us good luck,” Stead said. “We are really pleased with our performance today considering the circumstances. This is certainly a good start to the regatta.”
Onorato, a businessman from Napoli, Italy, recently took delivery of a brand new Farr 40 that is making its debut in Key West. “It certainly looks like a good boat based off today's results,” said Onorato, who captured class honors at Acura Key West 2006.
Joining Onorato on the podium for Nautica Watches Day was fellow Italian skipper Lorenzo Bressani, who steered UKA UKA Racing to a pair of bullets in Melges 24 class – largest of the regatta with 33 boats. Gabriele Benussi is calling tactics while two-time United States Olympian Jonathan McKee is serving as trimmer aboard UKA UKA Racing, the reigning world champion. McKee is taking a break from his duties in the after-guard of Puma Racing, one of the top contenders in the Volvo Ocean Race.
“We had a little problem with our starts in both races, but fortunately the boat is very, very fast and we were able to come back quickly,” Bressani said. “We have been training a lot and have got the boat going super fast while our crew works very smoothly.”
UKA UKA Racing has by far the youngest crew member of the professional-laden Melges 24 class in 15-year-old bowman Matteo Sprecacenere. “Keep an eye on Matteo. He will be a champion one day,” Bressani predicted.
Both IRC classes have seen an increase in entries this year and the British showed their colors on Monday. Skipper Tim Powell steered the Reichel-Pugh-designed Ran to a pair of first place finishes in IRC 1 while owner Tony Buckingham and his team aboard Ngoni seized the early lead in IRC 2 on the strength of a 1-2 line.
Ran is the former Patches, which enjoyed much success under the ownership of Eamon Conneely. Niklas Zennstrom of Hamble, Great Britain acquired the boat along with many the former Patches crew, including Powell.
“We had good starts in both races and our tactician Jeremy Robinson did a fine job of calling the shifts and keeping us in phase,” Powell said. “It feels good to get off to a great start and now the challenge is to keep it going.”
Fort Lauderdale resident Jeff Ecklund represented the United States well, winning both races in Melges 32 class, which has seen a significant increase in overall talent attending Acura Key West this year. Harry Melges, whose family-owned company builds the up-and-coming sport boats, is tactician aboard Star – the defending regatta champ.
“We had good speed and that enabled us to rebound from average to bad starts,” said Ecklund, who chose the right side of the course in Race 2 and benefited from being the first boat to pick up the wind shift.
“It was a beautiful day to go sailing and we’re happy to put up a couple good numbers to get things going. However, I’m not celebrating anything yet. It’s a long week and anything can happen. We just have to be smart and be conservative.”
Competitors in the J/105 class were surprised to show up on the race course Monday and not see Masquerade, the four-time defending champion in Key West. San Francisco owner Thomas Coates and team were an unexpected no-show, leaving a dozen boats to battle for the now-vacant title.
Eclipse, owned by Damian Emery of Mount Sinai, N.Y., came out on top after a tight day of racing thanks to a first and a second. However, Max Power (Gerrit Schulze, Cape May, N.J.) and Savasana (Brian Keane, Marion, Mass.) trail the frontrunner by just one and two points, respectively.
“We had some decent boat speed today and didn’t make many mistakes,” said Emery, who placed second last year, but was disappointed to learn of Masquerade’s absence. “We always like to face the best competition so we miss them. Fortunately, there are still some very good boats out there.”
Other one-design boats that swept first place in both races yesterday were the Swan 42 Celeritas (Malcolm Gefter, Newport, R.I.) and the J/80 Rumor (John Storck Jr., Huntington, N.Y.). Another double winner among handicap classes was the Cape Fear 38 Tangent (Gerry Taylor, Annapolis, Md.) in PHRF 3.
Race Week News, Results and more: www.Premiere-Racing.com
For Immediate Release – January 19, 2009
Overseas Entries Seize the Day in Key West
International Fleet Revels in Chamber of Commerce Conditions
by Bill Wagner
Opening day of Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica, showcased the international flavor of the event with foreign entries seizing the early lead in four of the grand prix classes. Italian entries set the pace in a pair of the premier one-design fleets while British teams surged to the front of two top tier handicap classes.
Competition in North America’s largest winter regatta got underway in ideal conditions with strong westerly winds allowing organizers to hold two races. An ominous squall put a brief damper on the proceedings, but moved through quickly and allowed the action to continue under sunny skies.
“It was Chamber of Commerce type of weather out there today. We had picture-perfect conditions, which is always a great way to start,” said Dave Brennan, principal race officer on Division 2.
Vincenzo Onorato and his team aboard Mascalzone Latino overcame the unexpected loss of three sailors to win both races and the Nautica Watches Boat of the Day in the Farr 40 class. Two crew members took ill while another suffered an injury in practice – forcing the three-time defending world champions to scramble. One substitute was flown in from Italy while the team coach and chef filled the other vacancies onboard.
British-born tactician Adrian Stead said Elena Frezza was the hero of the day, showing she could sail just as well as she could cook. “I think she brought us good luck,” Stead said. “We are really pleased with our performance today considering the circumstances. This is certainly a good start to the regatta.”
Onorato, a businessman from Napoli, Italy, recently took delivery of a brand new Farr 40 that is making its debut in Key West. “It certainly looks like a good boat based off today's results,” said Onorato, who captured class honors at Acura Key West 2006.
Joining Onorato on the podium for Nautica Watches Day was fellow Italian skipper Lorenzo Bressani, who steered UKA UKA Racing to a pair of bullets in Melges 24 class – largest of the regatta with 33 boats. Gabriele Benussi is calling tactics while two-time United States Olympian Jonathan McKee is serving as trimmer aboard UKA UKA Racing, the reigning world champion. McKee is taking a break from his duties in the after-guard of Puma Racing, one of the top contenders in the Volvo Ocean Race.
“We had a little problem with our starts in both races, but fortunately the boat is very, very fast and we were able to come back quickly,” Bressani said. “We have been training a lot and have got the boat going super fast while our crew works very smoothly.”
UKA UKA Racing has by far the youngest crew member of the professional-laden Melges 24 class in 15-year-old bowman Matteo Sprecacenere. “Keep an eye on Matteo. He will be a champion one day,” Bressani predicted.
Both IRC classes have seen an increase in entries this year and the British showed their colors on Monday. Skipper Tim Powell steered the Reichel-Pugh-designed Ran to a pair of first place finishes in IRC 1 while owner Tony Buckingham and his team aboard Ngoni seized the early lead in IRC 2 on the strength of a 1-2 line.
Ran is the former Patches, which enjoyed much success under the ownership of Eamon Conneely. Niklas Zennstrom of Hamble, Great Britain acquired the boat along with many the former Patches crew, including Powell.
“We had good starts in both races and our tactician Jeremy Robinson did a fine job of calling the shifts and keeping us in phase,” Powell said. “It feels good to get off to a great start and now the challenge is to keep it going.”
Fort Lauderdale resident Jeff Ecklund represented the United States well, winning both races in Melges 32 class, which has seen a significant increase in overall talent attending Acura Key West this year. Harry Melges, whose family-owned company builds the up-and-coming sport boats, is tactician aboard Star – the defending regatta champ.
“We had good speed and that enabled us to rebound from average to bad starts,” said Ecklund, who chose the right side of the course in Race 2 and benefited from being the first boat to pick up the wind shift.
“It was a beautiful day to go sailing and we’re happy to put up a couple good numbers to get things going. However, I’m not celebrating anything yet. It’s a long week and anything can happen. We just have to be smart and be conservative.”
Competitors in the J/105 class were surprised to show up on the race course Monday and not see Masquerade, the four-time defending champion in Key West. San Francisco owner Thomas Coates and team were an unexpected no-show, leaving a dozen boats to battle for the now-vacant title.
Eclipse, owned by Damian Emery of Mount Sinai, N.Y., came out on top after a tight day of racing thanks to a first and a second. However, Max Power (Gerrit Schulze, Cape May, N.J.) and Savasana (Brian Keane, Marion, Mass.) trail the frontrunner by just one and two points, respectively.
“We had some decent boat speed today and didn’t make many mistakes,” said Emery, who placed second last year, but was disappointed to learn of Masquerade’s absence. “We always like to face the best competition so we miss them. Fortunately, there are still some very good boats out there.”
Other one-design boats that swept first place in both races yesterday were the Swan 42 Celeritas (Malcolm Gefter, Newport, R.I.) and the J/80 Rumor (John Storck Jr., Huntington, N.Y.). Another double winner among handicap classes was the Cape Fear 38 Tangent (Gerry Taylor, Annapolis, Md.) in PHRF 3.
Race Week News, Results and more: www.Premiere-Racing.com
Official Blog Update
Ahh! My computer for blogging and communicating with the RC reporters chose to bail on the party. Final report will be up when we get back online.
Mid-Day Bite
Feels good to be back at it as everything is running smoothly here minus the gnarly squawl that ripped through. The sun is shining and all Divisions are embarking on race two for the day. If conditions favor there could be a third race.
A Race Week Nibble
The gear is dried out from a few days of pre-race practice...
The morning due has been wiped from all the decks...
It's a beautiful day kicking off day one of racing...
The race blog is live and will run commentary with updates ~ 3-5 minutes apart till the end of racing. Cheers!
The morning due has been wiped from all the decks...
It's a beautiful day kicking off day one of racing...
The race blog is live and will run commentary with updates ~ 3-5 minutes apart till the end of racing. Cheers!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Pre-Race Bite!
I am figuring this video bit out as I go...I have a mini habit of cutting off heads and hope to improve by weeks end!
For Immediate Release – January 19, 2009
Tradition of Excellence Continues at Acura Key West 2009
--- Strong Fleet Set to Get Underway for 22nd Edition
“Blue sky, aqua-colored water, palm trees and 75-degree weather – what’s not to enjoy?” asked Annapolis, Maryland sailor Bruce Gardner. “Key West continues to be one of the premiere events in the country. It has the best competition available because teams go all out to win. A win in Key West has always been and will always be a real feather in your cap.”
Gardner dismisses all the doom and gloom talk about reduced entries at this year’s regatta by saying, “Key West is still Key West.” L’Outrage is one of seven entries in PHRF 3 and Gardner said a class victory at Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica, would be just as satisfying as years past.
Gardner has been competing in the renowned race week for a dozen years aboard his Beneteau 10-meter. He has experienced the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat – capturing PHRF Boat of the Week honors in 2000 and sitting out the entire regatta in 2008 after breaking his rig.
Through ups and downs, Gardner and his crew have come to love their January foray to the southernmost tip of the continental United States. They weren’t about to let a global economic crisis interfere with their annual winter getaway to Key West.
“There was never a second thought for me and my crew. We started planning for this year as soon as last year’s regatta was over,” Gardner said. “The economy is definitely having an effect on sailboat racing as in every other area of life. However, just because some people think the sky is falling, we are not going to hide in the bar.”
Another star-studded fleet of sailors from across the country and around the world has descended upon the Conch Republic for the 22nd edition of this winter classic. Three-time Farr 40 world champion Mascalzone Latino, Melges 32 Gold Cup winner New Wave and Melges 24 world champion UKA UKA Racing are just a few of the notable entries on the scratch sheet.
While the total of 155 entries in 13 classes spread over three divisions is down from previous years, event director Peter Craig said the level of participation is really quite remarkable considering the economy has forced cancellation of many regattas around the world.
“Key West traditionally attracts top tier programs and this year is no exception,” said Craig, president of Premiere Racing. “Given the global economic issues, it’s extremely gratifying to see the number and quality of programs that will be racing in Key West.”
Both IRC classes have actually seen an increase in entries with a slew of new designs adding further intrigue to a fleet filled with international flavor. IRC 1 is headlined by Roger Sturgeon’s STP 65-footer Rosebud, largest entry at Acura Key West 2009. The Massachusetts-based yacht, overall IRC winner in the 2008 Sydney-Hobart Race, will be challenged by three TP 52 designs along with the Judel-Vrolijk 52 Anema & Core (Ennio Staffini, Annapolis) and the year-old Marten 49 Pace (Johnny Vincent and Simon Tate, London).
IRC 2 is the largest it has ever been in Key West with 13 entries, half of which are brand new designs. There are three King 40-footers, designed by Mark Mills and built by Summit Yachts. One of them is owned by Houston resident Jim Hightower, who has enjoyed much success at Key West aboard his various boats named Hot Ticket. Mills also designed the IRC 43 Cool Breeze, which will make its debut for owner John Cooper (Cane Hill, Missouri). Finally, there are also a couple Santa Cruz 37-footers, which were awarded Performance Boat of the Year by Sail Magazine.
“IRC 2 is going to be very, very competitive. We are looking forward to some great racing and are anxious to see how our boat performs against some of the new designs,” said Robin Team, who skippered his J/122 Teamwork to fourth place in class and a Boat of the Day honor last year.
“Those Santa Cruz 37s look hot floating at the dock so we expect them to be hot out on the race course,” added Team. The Beaufort, N.C. resident has been competing in Key West since 1994.
“Key West has the best sailors in the world and the best conditions in the world and that is why it’s the best racing in the world,” said Team, a class winner in 2003 aboard his J/120 of the same name.
Melges 24 is again the largest class in the regatta with 33 boats, many of which hail from European ports in Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden and Germany. Among the notable foreign entries are reigning world champion UKA UKA Racing (Lorenzo Bressani, Italy), 2008 world rankings leader Blu Moon (Franco Rossini, Switzerland) along with 2006 and 2007 Acura Key West winner Giacomel Audi Racing (Riccardo Simoneschi, Italy).
Top American entries include Full Throttle (Brian Porter, Lake Geneva, WI), Bailout (Vince Brun, San Diego, CA) and Monsoon (Bruce Ayres, Newport Beach, CA). Ayres, who competes with an all-amateur crew and captured class honors at Acura Key West in 1998, figures the competition will be fierce as usual.
“The quantity may not be the same as years past but the quality sure is. All the top teams are here,” Ayres said. “It will be a challenge just to get into the Top 10 in this fleet.”
One of the world’s hottest classes is the rapidly-developing Melges 32, which will have 20 entries featuring a bevy of big-name tacticians on the start line in Key West. Star, skippered by Jeff Ecklund of Fort Lauderdale with boat builder Harry Melges calling tactics, is back to defend its regatta title. One of the more notable newcomers to the class is War Canoe, owned by John Dane of Pass Christian, Missouri. Dane represented the United States in Star class at the 2008 Summer Olympics in China.
Marty Kullman, who co-owns New Wave along with fellow Clearwater (FL) resident Michael Carroll, said the bar has been raised big-time. Quantum professional Scott Nixon will call tactics on New Wave, which finished second to Star by a mere two points at Acura Key West 2008 before going on to capture the Gold Cup.
“The overall talent in this class is coming up very quickly. You look at the scratch sheet and see top pros calling tactics on just about every boat,” said Kullman, rattling off names such as Mark Reynolds, Morgan Reeser, Steve Benjamin and Charlie Ogletree.
Of course, the standard-bearer among grand prix, professional-laden classes in Key West has long been the Farr 40, which boasts an impressive lineup of 12 boats. Mascalzone Latino, owned by Vincenzo Onorato of Napoli, Italy, is riding a remarkable run of three straight world crowns. Barking Mad, skippered by Jim Richardson of Newport, R.I., won both Acura Key West and Acura Miami Grand Prix in 2008. Goombay Smash, a relative class newcomer steered by Doug Douglass, captured the North American Championship off Miami in November.
“We have another great fleet here in Key West, which has always been one of the favorite events for Farr 40 owners. It doesn’t get any better than Key West in terms of organization both on and off the water,” said Richardson, the class president.
Richardson is fortunate to have one of the world’s finest tacticians in Terry Hutchinson, who was recently selected as Rolex Yachtsman of the Year. The Annapolis-based professional has been competing in Key West since 1991 and could not imagine being anywhere else in January.
“This truly is one of the greatest regattas in the world and to me it’s the perfect winter break. It has steadily evolved over the years into an extremely high-level event in all respects,” Hutchinson said. “What I find neat about Key West is that there is a place for the ultra-serious, grand prix programs as well as the more relaxed club-based programs. Both types of teams can come here and find fantastic racing while at the same time having a lot of fun.”
For Immediate Release – January 19, 2009
Tradition of Excellence Continues at Acura Key West 2009
--- Strong Fleet Set to Get Underway for 22nd Edition
“Blue sky, aqua-colored water, palm trees and 75-degree weather – what’s not to enjoy?” asked Annapolis, Maryland sailor Bruce Gardner. “Key West continues to be one of the premiere events in the country. It has the best competition available because teams go all out to win. A win in Key West has always been and will always be a real feather in your cap.”
Gardner dismisses all the doom and gloom talk about reduced entries at this year’s regatta by saying, “Key West is still Key West.” L’Outrage is one of seven entries in PHRF 3 and Gardner said a class victory at Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica, would be just as satisfying as years past.
Gardner has been competing in the renowned race week for a dozen years aboard his Beneteau 10-meter. He has experienced the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat – capturing PHRF Boat of the Week honors in 2000 and sitting out the entire regatta in 2008 after breaking his rig.
Through ups and downs, Gardner and his crew have come to love their January foray to the southernmost tip of the continental United States. They weren’t about to let a global economic crisis interfere with their annual winter getaway to Key West.
“There was never a second thought for me and my crew. We started planning for this year as soon as last year’s regatta was over,” Gardner said. “The economy is definitely having an effect on sailboat racing as in every other area of life. However, just because some people think the sky is falling, we are not going to hide in the bar.”
Another star-studded fleet of sailors from across the country and around the world has descended upon the Conch Republic for the 22nd edition of this winter classic. Three-time Farr 40 world champion Mascalzone Latino, Melges 32 Gold Cup winner New Wave and Melges 24 world champion UKA UKA Racing are just a few of the notable entries on the scratch sheet.
While the total of 155 entries in 13 classes spread over three divisions is down from previous years, event director Peter Craig said the level of participation is really quite remarkable considering the economy has forced cancellation of many regattas around the world.
“Key West traditionally attracts top tier programs and this year is no exception,” said Craig, president of Premiere Racing. “Given the global economic issues, it’s extremely gratifying to see the number and quality of programs that will be racing in Key West.”
Both IRC classes have actually seen an increase in entries with a slew of new designs adding further intrigue to a fleet filled with international flavor. IRC 1 is headlined by Roger Sturgeon’s STP 65-footer Rosebud, largest entry at Acura Key West 2009. The Massachusetts-based yacht, overall IRC winner in the 2008 Sydney-Hobart Race, will be challenged by three TP 52 designs along with the Judel-Vrolijk 52 Anema & Core (Ennio Staffini, Annapolis) and the year-old Marten 49 Pace (Johnny Vincent and Simon Tate, London).
IRC 2 is the largest it has ever been in Key West with 13 entries, half of which are brand new designs. There are three King 40-footers, designed by Mark Mills and built by Summit Yachts. One of them is owned by Houston resident Jim Hightower, who has enjoyed much success at Key West aboard his various boats named Hot Ticket. Mills also designed the IRC 43 Cool Breeze, which will make its debut for owner John Cooper (Cane Hill, Missouri). Finally, there are also a couple Santa Cruz 37-footers, which were awarded Performance Boat of the Year by Sail Magazine.
“IRC 2 is going to be very, very competitive. We are looking forward to some great racing and are anxious to see how our boat performs against some of the new designs,” said Robin Team, who skippered his J/122 Teamwork to fourth place in class and a Boat of the Day honor last year.
“Those Santa Cruz 37s look hot floating at the dock so we expect them to be hot out on the race course,” added Team. The Beaufort, N.C. resident has been competing in Key West since 1994.
“Key West has the best sailors in the world and the best conditions in the world and that is why it’s the best racing in the world,” said Team, a class winner in 2003 aboard his J/120 of the same name.
Melges 24 is again the largest class in the regatta with 33 boats, many of which hail from European ports in Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden and Germany. Among the notable foreign entries are reigning world champion UKA UKA Racing (Lorenzo Bressani, Italy), 2008 world rankings leader Blu Moon (Franco Rossini, Switzerland) along with 2006 and 2007 Acura Key West winner Giacomel Audi Racing (Riccardo Simoneschi, Italy).
Top American entries include Full Throttle (Brian Porter, Lake Geneva, WI), Bailout (Vince Brun, San Diego, CA) and Monsoon (Bruce Ayres, Newport Beach, CA). Ayres, who competes with an all-amateur crew and captured class honors at Acura Key West in 1998, figures the competition will be fierce as usual.
“The quantity may not be the same as years past but the quality sure is. All the top teams are here,” Ayres said. “It will be a challenge just to get into the Top 10 in this fleet.”
One of the world’s hottest classes is the rapidly-developing Melges 32, which will have 20 entries featuring a bevy of big-name tacticians on the start line in Key West. Star, skippered by Jeff Ecklund of Fort Lauderdale with boat builder Harry Melges calling tactics, is back to defend its regatta title. One of the more notable newcomers to the class is War Canoe, owned by John Dane of Pass Christian, Missouri. Dane represented the United States in Star class at the 2008 Summer Olympics in China.
Marty Kullman, who co-owns New Wave along with fellow Clearwater (FL) resident Michael Carroll, said the bar has been raised big-time. Quantum professional Scott Nixon will call tactics on New Wave, which finished second to Star by a mere two points at Acura Key West 2008 before going on to capture the Gold Cup.
“The overall talent in this class is coming up very quickly. You look at the scratch sheet and see top pros calling tactics on just about every boat,” said Kullman, rattling off names such as Mark Reynolds, Morgan Reeser, Steve Benjamin and Charlie Ogletree.
Of course, the standard-bearer among grand prix, professional-laden classes in Key West has long been the Farr 40, which boasts an impressive lineup of 12 boats. Mascalzone Latino, owned by Vincenzo Onorato of Napoli, Italy, is riding a remarkable run of three straight world crowns. Barking Mad, skippered by Jim Richardson of Newport, R.I., won both Acura Key West and Acura Miami Grand Prix in 2008. Goombay Smash, a relative class newcomer steered by Doug Douglass, captured the North American Championship off Miami in November.
“We have another great fleet here in Key West, which has always been one of the favorite events for Farr 40 owners. It doesn’t get any better than Key West in terms of organization both on and off the water,” said Richardson, the class president.
Richardson is fortunate to have one of the world’s finest tacticians in Terry Hutchinson, who was recently selected as Rolex Yachtsman of the Year. The Annapolis-based professional has been competing in Key West since 1991 and could not imagine being anywhere else in January.
“This truly is one of the greatest regattas in the world and to me it’s the perfect winter break. It has steadily evolved over the years into an extremely high-level event in all respects,” Hutchinson said. “What I find neat about Key West is that there is a place for the ultra-serious, grand prix programs as well as the more relaxed club-based programs. Both types of teams can come here and find fantastic racing while at the same time having a lot of fun.”
Saturday, January 17, 2009
The Mercury Is Rising!
The temps are up but so is the breeze and it should be taping off as this post makes its way around the globe. The weigh-ins have been underway, final touches to sponsor booths and all the signs say Acura Race Week is ready to get the party started.
The folks from Sperry have a "HOT" deal for every shoe purchase you will not only get one of their sharp long-sleeve shirts, your new kicks will come packaged in an earth friendly reusable bag! I am ALL over this one and Sperry gets massive "SailTrim Kudos."
While walking the docks I came across a favorite team of mine:
The Russians are back! Team Synergy, a TP52 owned by Sergey Pichugin and guided around the course by Cameron Dunn was looking quite mellow this Saturday morning.
Joining them on the dock and also from the other side of the pond:
Team Yeoman XXXII, a Rogers 46 owned by Brian Benjamin, led around the course by Simon Rogers and based out of Hamble, GBR; will be sharing dock and race course with the Russians in the IRC 1/Division 1. Today the very friendly sailors (they were quite happy to pose for this shot) were on their way out for some testing of the waters.
Saturday is typically a little nutty in the Race HQ and the calm of shore-side affairs has come to an end with the activity level more than doubled from yesterday afternoon. The weather is lovely but the folks at the PRPs fave cafe, Harpoon Harry's had a nice little reminder of what us Northern folks are missing out on...
It is a beautiful day. Tonight the PRPs (Premiere-Racing Peeps) kick off the event with a "cook-out" for our volunteers and support staff whom many take a week off from the day-job to make sure this event is the Premiere sailing event of the US.
The official event blog site is live. The on-site photogs are nothing like past years but expect a number of video gurus kicking around the course.
Phew...going for a single shot of espresso was smart...
Scratch Sheet
SailFlow
WeatherBug
The folks from Sperry have a "HOT" deal for every shoe purchase you will not only get one of their sharp long-sleeve shirts, your new kicks will come packaged in an earth friendly reusable bag! I am ALL over this one and Sperry gets massive "SailTrim Kudos."
While walking the docks I came across a favorite team of mine:
The Russians are back! Team Synergy, a TP52 owned by Sergey Pichugin and guided around the course by Cameron Dunn was looking quite mellow this Saturday morning.
Joining them on the dock and also from the other side of the pond:
Team Yeoman XXXII, a Rogers 46 owned by Brian Benjamin, led around the course by Simon Rogers and based out of Hamble, GBR; will be sharing dock and race course with the Russians in the IRC 1/Division 1. Today the very friendly sailors (they were quite happy to pose for this shot) were on their way out for some testing of the waters.
Saturday is typically a little nutty in the Race HQ and the calm of shore-side affairs has come to an end with the activity level more than doubled from yesterday afternoon. The weather is lovely but the folks at the PRPs fave cafe, Harpoon Harry's had a nice little reminder of what us Northern folks are missing out on...
It is a beautiful day. Tonight the PRPs (Premiere-Racing Peeps) kick off the event with a "cook-out" for our volunteers and support staff whom many take a week off from the day-job to make sure this event is the Premiere sailing event of the US.
The official event blog site is live. The on-site photogs are nothing like past years but expect a number of video gurus kicking around the course.
Phew...going for a single shot of espresso was smart...
Scratch Sheet
SailFlow
WeatherBug
Friday, January 16, 2009
The Calm Before Acura Key West
It's beautiful in Key West. A touch cooler, solid breeze and much quieter than normal.
There were a few folks out practicing...
The docks look as they should with gear stacked and dockboxes in place...
There was not a massive amount of "boat bimbling"...
I hiked around Truman Annex and it was a ghost town for now. There were maybe four Farr30s on the hard, a J105 and a couple of Melges 24s lingering with a few peeps meandering about. It is after all, only Friday and many will magically appear overnight.
With a quick visit to Race HQ the word is a rise in the serious sailors and a serious down turn in those who seek out events like Acura Key West as their holiday. It's sad to not have as many this year, though on the flip we are expecting some solid competition and tight racing...
More to come tomorrow ~ cheers!
SailFlow ~ Southern Florida
There were a few folks out practicing...
The docks look as they should with gear stacked and dockboxes in place...
There was not a massive amount of "boat bimbling"...
I hiked around Truman Annex and it was a ghost town for now. There were maybe four Farr30s on the hard, a J105 and a couple of Melges 24s lingering with a few peeps meandering about. It is after all, only Friday and many will magically appear overnight.
With a quick visit to Race HQ the word is a rise in the serious sailors and a serious down turn in those who seek out events like Acura Key West as their holiday. It's sad to not have as many this year, though on the flip we are expecting some solid competition and tight racing...
More to come tomorrow ~ cheers!
SailFlow ~ Southern Florida
Thursday, January 15, 2009
KW Weather Bite
Folks, I am in Florida and it is . . . chilly! Not meaning to complain, today there is breeze but for all you Acura Key West peeps, toss in an extra fleece, on-the-water layers and maybe a pair of socks or two. Ah, and a hat! If you bring, you won't need. Furthermore, it may be Key West...there is a proven history of it being cold. Hence the abundance of rum at the event...
On-The-Water coverage will rev up with the racing, pre-race blogging will begin as soon as I get there. The folks from Sailing Anarchy and SailGroove should be on-site Sunday and can't wait for remaining media gurus to arrive. There is one thing I personally will not be participating in, putting self in a situation of mass emails with folks looking for free pictures from our bloggers.
Sorry folks, I'm truly apologetic if this comes across as a b*@#% statement. With the world's state of affairs it is more important then ever to see and show value in the hard work of each, even if "you" are on holiday many of those who support race week, especially the photographers are not. It's no different then buying the crazy picture of your family all shell shocked on the roller-coaster ride, etc. You see value in purchasing that, please see value those who embrace on-the-water photography. The shot may look easy, it's far from it.
There will be a follow-up bite with a solid list of the photographers and their websites.
Ok...tomorrow afternoon will mark the "pre-event" coverage. Cheers!
On-The-Water coverage will rev up with the racing, pre-race blogging will begin as soon as I get there. The folks from Sailing Anarchy and SailGroove should be on-site Sunday and can't wait for remaining media gurus to arrive. There is one thing I personally will not be participating in, putting self in a situation of mass emails with folks looking for free pictures from our bloggers.
Sorry folks, I'm truly apologetic if this comes across as a b*@#% statement. With the world's state of affairs it is more important then ever to see and show value in the hard work of each, even if "you" are on holiday many of those who support race week, especially the photographers are not. It's no different then buying the crazy picture of your family all shell shocked on the roller-coaster ride, etc. You see value in purchasing that, please see value those who embrace on-the-water photography. The shot may look easy, it's far from it.
There will be a follow-up bite with a solid list of the photographers and their websites.
Ok...tomorrow afternoon will mark the "pre-event" coverage. Cheers!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
KWRW Mount Gay Run Will Flow in One Week
In one week, most of the boats will be rigged, on the docks with all crew's weighed-in and geared up for Acura Key West. One Week from today, Mount Gay will be serving up their famous Rum beverages and the "Big Top" will be open for business. One Week, sailors from around the globe will gather!
Are you ready...
Are you ready...
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