New US Sailing Adult Championship In J/24s!

Men & Women to Compete in Open Format First Time!
(Portsmouth, RI) – US Sailing has adapted one of its most historic championships (the Mallory Trophy) into a new and exciting event for competitive adult women and men sailors in America. The first edition of the US Adult Sailing Championship for the Clifford D. Mallory Trophy will take place August 22-25, 2013 at the Rochester Yacht Club in Rochester, NY in matched, one-design international J/24 class sailboats!

The US Adult Sailing Championship features an open format allowing women and men to compete as skipper or crew. While women have been sailing for the US Men’s Championship since its inception, they were only permitted to race as crew. With more and more mixed gender teams now racing, there was demand for a championship to meet this ever-growing segment of the sport.

“Through hard work and dedication of the committee and Rochester Yacht Club, this championship has been restyled and rejuvenated for a broader field of participants, while allowing its rich, historical significance to continue within the sailing community,” said Shannon Bush, Chairperson of US Sailing’s Championship Committee.

Sponsored by Gill North America, the US Adult Sailing Championships will have no gender restrictions on skipper or crews. Teams will be limited by weight. The traditional format of qualifying events remains has been expanded.  Local sailing organizations will field teams to Area Qualifiers or designated qualifying events with two teams rather than one from Areas A, B, C, D, E, F, G, K and J and one team from Areas L and H proceeding onto the finals. Teams will compete in the finals in a round robin format on provided one-design International J/24s- THE world's largest one-design sailboat class.  In fact, many local J/24 fleets are helping to sponsor/ support this year's inaugural event with local/ regional qualifying regattas-- please be sure to contact them!  Girl's rule?  Maybe this year is that opportunity!!

"For many years, competitive sailors have been putting together teams of great male and female sailors to compete at local, national,and international events," said Linda Epstein, Chairperson of the US Adult Sailing Championships. "Now, they will have the chance to put together their best team from their local sailing area to compete for a US Sailing championship and the opportunity to win the Clifford D. Mallory Trophy."  Learn more about eligibility requirements, qualification process, boat and equipment, scoring, prizes, and more.  Sailing photo credits- Tim Wilkes.com

J/24 "Reality Sailing" In California

(San Diego, CA)- Manuel Morenos has been working with friends to create a unique new sailing, adventure and experiential organization called "Reality Sailing Adventure org".  Says Manuel, "Our group is embarking on an ambitious project and we need all the help we can get.  We have a dream of creating what we call the first bi-national sailing campus.  A campus which will have a variety of activities ranging from sailing instruction, adventure sailing voyages and a place for university students geared to marine biology and the research for cleaner technologies perform their studies. The development of this institution has given us the opportunity to reach to world leader in the nautical industry, and to sailing, research and governmental institutions in both the US and Mexico, generating an all around positive program. 

Our organization’s concept is simple, positive, and sustainable. Sailing is synonymous with a healthy environment. Don’t we all disapprove oils spills, pollution, punctured atmospheric layers created by carbonic emissions? Yes, we have to stop depending so much on this non-renewable fuel which is only damaging us. Sailing in the other hand utilizes the wind, currents, weather patterns and even solar energy to move from point A to B causing less harm to biospheres and so to the planet. Sailing also provides a great quiet pleasurable travel, at the same time promoting healthy life styles and good economies around it.

Help us create consciousness in the preservation of the magical waters of the Sea of Cortés and at the same time have fun doing it. Our developing organization is composed to the most part of sailors and a group of  visionaries  looking forward to create an innovative program. Additionally,  we would like to offer more opportunities for American cruisers to safely and responsibly sail this part of the world.

Part of our program is geared to connect the youth interested in sailing with other sailing schools, yacht clubs and he sport of sailing itself. This involvement game the opportunity to help direct a junior sailing in San Diego, CA for CVYC. By this community outreach program the Coronado Yacht Club offered a sailing class to (3) of my top sailing students. Opportunity which gave us the chance to meet former national champion in this class, you might remember Jon Rogers. He currently teaches sailing at the Coronado yacht Club.

Rogers who previously worked as an instructor for a J-World school in Newport, RI conducted one of the most educational and exciting class the kids and myself included ever had aboard a nice J-24 race sailboat. He gave the juniors the ins and out of this magnificent racing vessel. That confirmed what lots of people say about J boats, “They’re fast”.  Jon is a great guy and outstanding sailing instructor. We all enjoyed the class and hopefully in the near future we could have the opportunity to have one of this fast racing vessels in our fleet too."     For more information on Reality Sailing Org

Read Brothers Receive RIMTA Award

(Newport, RI) - The two ex-J/24 World Champions were awarded for their contribution to sailing in Rhode Island.  Newport's sibling sailing luminaries, Ken and Brad Read, were honored this past Sunday by the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association with the organizations inaugural "Anchor Award".

It's been a busy year for the two brothers, who grew up in Seekonk, Massachusetts and learned to sail at the Barrington YC.  Ken Read, a two-time Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, five-time J/24 World Champion and former America's Cup helmsman sailing on Dennis Conner's STARS & STRIPES Team, recently returned home to Rhode Island after skippering PUMA Ocean Racing's MAR MOSTRO to a third place overall and to a first in the Inshore Series of the Volvo Ocean Race.

Not to be outdone, Brad Read, the Executive Director of SailNewport, also a two-time J/24 World Champion, led the state's effort to host the recent America's Cup World Series as the Chair of the state's America's Cup World Series Host Committee.

Both brothers, who were standouts at Boston University where they earned "College Sailor of the Year" Awards, were lauded for their respective contributions to the state's marine industry.

America's Cup World Series Celebration

(Newport, RI)- Governor and Mrs Lincoln Chaffee and the ACWS Host Committee invite you to join them for a celebration of the ACWS Newport event on June 8th, 6:00 PM at Fort Adams- North Lawn.  It will be a fun, festive affair. Enjoy lots of hors d'oeuvres, cocktails and live entertainment. You can buy America's Cup sailing celebration tickets here.

The World Series races are being held in locations around the globe; Newport's race will be the final stop before next year's America's Cup in San Francisco. Newport last hosted an America's Cup event decades ago-- back in 1983.  The upcoming ACWS regatta at Fort Adams State Park features top international sailors competing in 45 foot all carbon catamarans with massive wing-masts.

As many of you probably know, many of the top America's Cup teams feature skippers, tacticians, team managers that have sailed J/22s and J/24s and won numerous World Championships over time.  Included in that group are John Kostecki (tactician on ORACLE), Terry Hutchinson (skipper on ARTEMIS) and Francesco di'Angeles (manager of PRADA).  Plus, looking out for both the AC and Golden Gate YC's interests is Vice Commodore Tom Ehman (top J/24 sailor for years in the hot, local J/24 fleet in Newport!).

The event is scheduled for June 23 to July 1 and will include four days of exciting racing right between Ft Adams and Jamestown's Fort Wetherill across the Bay-- it promises to be extremely tight, thrill-a-minute racing. Skippers will be playing "rope-a-dope" as they challenge each other for maximum gains on every turn at NASCAR closing speeds!  For more ACWS sailing information.

Champions Return To Rolex Women's Worlds

Girls Do It Better on J/22s!
(Rochester, NY)- Thirty-six women's teams and counting.  Amazing.  Who would think today that women athletes should be mainstreamed into big-boat sailing back in 1985!? That was the general attitude in the early '80s when US SAILING, J/Boats, Ida Lewis YC and Rolex collaborated to create the Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship (IWKC) using J/24s. Twenty-five years later “The Rolex Women’s” stands as a testament to the huge strides made in women’s sailing. This biennial event regularly attracts both the "Who’s Who" and the "up-and-coming" of women’s sailing. The 14th running is scheduled for August 29 – September 1, 2011 at the Rochester Yacht Club (Rochester, N.Y.), and utilizes the International J/22 class keelboat, suitable for four-person teams.

The current champion and US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics member, Anna Tunnicliffe (Plantation, FL), recently received US SAILING’s highest honor as the 2009 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year based in part on her accomplishment of winning the 2009 Rolex IWKC. “Since US SAILING and Rolex created the Rolex IWKC in 1985, many accomplished women sailors have been part of this regatta’s 25-year history,” said Taran Teague (Annapolis, Md.), chair of US SAILING’s International Women’s Keelboat steering committee. “In fact, since its founding, this regatta has hosted more than 2,500 women representing 23 countries.”

Several teams will be in the hunt for the gold-silver-bronze on the podium, all smart, aggressive, extremely talented sailors.  Giving Anna's team a run for the money will be another USS-TAG champion sailor, Sally Barkow from Wisconsin, one of the top ranked women's match-racing sailing teams in the world is led by her.  And, she's proven fast in small keelboats at the Olympic and World Championship level. 

Other veterans that also finished in the top three in the last Rolex Women's Worlds will be on hand with even stronger crews than before.  Watch out for two sailors from the "Jimmie-town" colony on Narragansett Bay- Cory Sertl who summers in Jamestown, RI has been actively practicing and racing all summer, and her neighbor Carol Cronin has also shown her championship form this summer! 

Sure to be a factor amongst the leader-board will be two women college All-Americans and 2011 Women's College Sailor of the Year- Annie Haeger (Boston College) and her best friend Steph Roble (Old Dominion) from Wisconsin-- these girls are amongst the sharpest and quickest of the next-generation college women sailors and they know how to make a J/22 go fast! 

From across the border up north, two of the Canadian teams entered will be vying for honors as well, the top two 2011 Canadian Women's Keelboat Champions- Nicole Bastet from Quebec who won and Marg Hurley from Ontario who finished second.  Fellow sailors from Canada that should also be contenders are Katie Colman-Nicoll's team from Ontario.  All three of these Canadian Women's teams have raced J/22s extensively so no doubt will be extremely competitive against the top American teams.

There's still time to jump into a J/22 and go for it!  Register online today at-
http://riwkc.ussailing.org/

Rolex Women's Worlds Sailing photo credits- Dan Nerney
http://www.regattanews.com

  

SpinSheet Interview- J Sailor Linda Ambrose

Linda Ambrose- another long-time J/Sailor is now the Annapolis Yacht Club's Regatta Manager.  The Annapolis Performance Sailing/ Chesapeake Racer Profile recently did an interview of Linda in their most recent Spinsheet (http://www.spinsheet.com/).  To read Molly Winans interview of Linda, please download it here (1.4 MB).  

SW NOOD San Diego- Huge J Fleet

JAVELIN Dominates J/105s

(San Diego, CA)- Fifty-one J's sailed this past weekend's NOOD in San Diego, over 50% of all offshore keelboat fleets!  The weather was spectacular.  Postcard perfect perhaps.  Great winds.  Good race management.  Great parties.  What's wrong with this picture?  Hmm, yet another great spring weekend in San Diego, CA.  Ever wonder why more US NAVY Admirals retire on Point Loma and Coronado Island?  Go figure, find out for yourself why guys like Dennis Conner, Malin Burnham and other notables can't ever be convinced there's a better climate to live in worldwide-- heck, they oughta know since they've sailed everywhere.  Although, too much sun can't possibly do the soul too much good, does it?

There were more J/Boats represented at the NOOD than any other boat manufacturer! With 18 boats the J/105s took the honors of being the largest class at the regatta with J/105 JAVELIN having a nearly perfect regatta with four bullets and one second place finish. JAVELIN, owned and sailed by Pam and Doug Werner, didn’t miss a shift and consistently lead the two day event in their home waters. JAVELIN crew SDYC Commodore Bill Campbell and wife Sherri thoroughly enjoyed being out in front with the two couple crewed JAVLEIN.  One of the big challenges for the crew was trying to keep up with the NCAA’s and Sherri’s alma mater Syracuse University’s game on Sunday.  Second was Dennis and Sharon Case sailing WINGS and third was Gary Mozer on CURRENT OBSESSION 2. The top five boats sailed remarkably well, taking all podium finishes for the series. 

J/World San Diego also came out in full force, hosting tune up races on Friday and adding four J/80’s to the racing in the 12 boat J/80. San Diego’s morning fog took a little while to burn off and the first race of the day kept the J/Sailors racing in less 150 -200 feet of visibility at times. After the fog burned off typical San Diego conditions replaced the fog revealing a beautiful day with the breeze consistently at 7 – 14 knots and sunny skies.  J/Sailors were surprised with candy and treats being delivered on the water between races by J/Concierge Amanda Denton. The twelve boat J/80 fleet was won by Curt Johnson on AVET with nine points, six points ahead of Gregg Kelly sailing MERKIN.  John Steen sailing UNDERDOG was tied for third with Steve Wyman on HUNU, but UNDERDOG won by virtue of not "who beat who" but by most 1sts, 2nds and 3rds! 

On Sunday the wind built to 12 knots, however racing proved to be challenging with constant shifts. In a great example of Sportsmanship to help his fellow fleet members Tom Brott, owner of ELECTRA and Fleet Captain of J/109 Fleet, stepped up to help Daylen Teren, new to the 109 fleet and the owner of GREAT BALLS OF FIRE in his first ever high point regatta by sailing with him during Sunday's races. Tom Brott's ELECTRA did, indeed, electrify their competition, winning with straight bullets- five firsts!  Second behind that ELECTRA-fying performance was Steve Carter's GERONIMO beating by just one point John Shulze's LINSTAR who finished third.

In the nine boat J/120 fleet, a repeat winner scored top spot on the podium. CC RIDER sailed by Chuck Nichols won with a 1-1-2-1-5 record for 10 pts to win by nine points over CAPER, raced by John Laun and JIM, raced by John Snook.  It was tight, solid racing with podium finishers amongst 8 of 9 competitors!

The J/24s as always had a great time.  After all, can't kill the spirit of a class that has survived the test of time over 30+ years!  Eight boats showed up and RUMBLEFISH with Peer Fischel won a closely fought series by a scant three points over Charlie Fox's MOURNING WOOD.  Just off the pace was Norman Hosford on SUPER STRINGS.  Susan Taylor put in a nice performance getting fourth overall with TAKE FIVE.  For more Sailing World NOOD San Diego information.  Photo credits- Tim Wilkes Photography