RACING & REGATTAS SUNCOAST RACEWEEK By Dave Ellis Distance racing, instead of around the buoys, is the fare for the annual Suncoast Raceweek. Sailing from one club’s venue to another each of three days has become as much of a tactical issue with automobile transportation each day as it is on the water. This year the course proceeded on Friday, April 4, from off The St. Petersburg Pier near the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, around some navigation buoys to Upper Hillsborough Bay near Davis Island Yacht Club. Saturday the fleet sailed down the bay toward the entrance of the Manatee River, but the light wind did not cooperate. The race was shortened at a navigation mark waypoint before the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Sunday an effort was made to shorten the course by starting near the Skyway rather than the mouth of the Manatee. Frustration for the larger, faster boats was a delight for the smaller vessels, as the wind died very near the finish, allowing the smaller boats to close up. The number of boats was gratifying and, despite the light air, smiles were seen on the crew at the docks. For complete results go online to diyc.org
DISABLED MIDWINTER CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA By Dave Ellis The final major regatta for disabled sailors at the St. Petersburg venue before the Athens Paralympic trials here in November was sailed on Tampa Bay the last weekend in March. St. Pete Yacht Club’s Judy Altenhoff and her race committee crew started races around times of little wind and blustery conditions to make the event a good test. Three classes were represented, including the Sonar and 2.4 Meter, both Paralympic boats In the sixteen-boat fleet of the Martin-16 class, Canada’s Brad Boston and Liz MacDonald finished first among the spinnaker Division 2, and Danny McCoy of Canada with crew Ken Carpenter, who hails from St. Petersburg, were second. In third were Australians Daniel and Greg Fitzgibbon. Karen Mitchell of Deerfield Beach, FL, was top female skipper. Dallaire Rene sailed his boat using the “Sip and Puff” configuration. Not having the use of hands or feet, he used straw-like pipes for the steering and sail controls that activated servos that responded to his “commands.” He came in seventh overall in the 16-boat fleet. Countries also represented were the United States and England, with the majority of the field from Canada. “Sailing these boats is the only time I get out of my wheel-
John & Maggie Manderson in the Snipe Midwinters. Photo by Bill Welsh
chair.” said Nigist Sewnet of Toronto. Sewnet was first among the Division 1 Martin-16 sailors. These sailors don’t use spinnakers, and the “crew” just goes along for the ride, not participating in the sailing of the boat. Americans swept the 2.4 Meter class, with Tom Brown of Maine in first with 5 points, followed by John Ruf from Wisconsin in a close second with 7 points. Tom Franklin of Miami was third. Twelve boats competed with representation from Canada and Singapore. In the 23-foot Sonar class there were nine teams competing with a skipper and two crewmembers. The United States finished 1-2-3 in competition that was very close. Competition in this class has become heated, with three top teams vying for the one US slot at the Athens Games. Winning overall was Paul Callahan from Rhode Island with crew Keith Burhans and Mike Hersey with 18 points. Also with 18 points, but losing the tiebreaker, was Rick Doerr from New Jersey with crewmembers Tim Angle and Richard Hughes. An apparent rules infraction between the Ireland and Great Britain teams was overturned on further review. If the ruling had stood, Doerr would have won the Sonar class. In third was 1996 bronze medallist John Ross Duggan of California with J.P. Creignon and Mike Ross crewing. The Netherlands was also represented.
SNIPE PAN AM GAMES AND CIRCUIT By Dave Ellis Clearwater Yacht Club has been hosting the Snipe Midwinters for an astounding 65 years. This year the venue was moved to the Clearwater Community Sailing Center for more convenient storage and launching and easier access to the Gulf.
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May 2003
Southwinds
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