What does $75 get you these days? How about a charter boat, two-day clinic, 2-day regatta, housing, regatta insurance, coaching by international champions, and even a Cuban lunch and dinner? Too good to be true? Nope! Just ask the 56 young sailors, age 30 and under, who participated in the First Annual Miami Snipe Invitational this past weekend (January 7-8).
The new event, put on by Miami's legendary snipe fleet, was designed to introduce young, high-level racers to high-level snipe racing. It worked. Competitors came from FL, CA, MA, NY, NJ, CA, RI, SC, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Four teams alone came from Boston College. Seven races were completed over two days. Twenty-three sailors raced in their first snipe event and found that time in the boat pays off. The Snipe class veterans were hard to beat.
What made such a turnout of high caliber sailors possible? Every owner of a race-ready snipe in South Florida lent their boat to a young team. Miami Fleet members were race committee, mark boats and patrol boats. They picked sailors up at the airport, housed them and fed them. Champions like Peter Commette, Augie Diaz, Ernesto Rodriguez, Tyler Sinks, Kathleen Tocke, and Nick Voss taught sailors to rig and tune boats, and coached them on and off the water. Not a bad deal for $75. Hey, college sailors, what did you do on your winter break? Join them next year.
Results:
Overall Top 3
1. Brian Kamilar, Enrique Quintero
2. Rual Rios/Edgar Diminich, Lizzie Ryder
3. Anna Tunnicliffe/Tim King
Top Junior Teams (21 and under)
1. Axel Sly/Mac Agnese
2. Nathaniel Johansson/Brendan Shanahan
3. Charlie Bess/Kristen Walker
Top New Snipe Sailors:
1. Eric Aronsohn/Nikki Bruno (Miami/University of Miami)
2. Mac Mace/Lauren McKenna (College of Charleston/Boston College)
3. Philip Alley/Devon Furlone (Cornell University)
Full results: www.snipeus.org/downloads/regattaDocs/results298.htm
Note: By placing as the top Junior team, Axel and Mac qualified to represent the USA at the Snipe Western Hemisphere and Orient (WHO) Regatta in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
LYC sailors get great results in Orange Bowl Youth Regatta
In the Laser class, LYC had a strong participation. Congratulations to the Full Rigs sailors with Eric Lawrence placing 2nd, Luke Muller 4th, Curtis Woodworth 6th and Colin Kenndy 9th. In the Radial we had Avery Fanning placing 2nd, Brendan Shanahan 5th and Erika Reineke 6th (and top girl).
As a side note, Lauderdale Yacht Club's race management team, led by PRO Tom Lihan, ran the Laser circle this year. They did a fantastic job running races for all three laser classes (Full, Radial and 4.7), on one course, simultaneously. That is no easy task, and they are all to be commended.
LYC'S Dressel 2nd in Etchells Doren Memorial Regatta
This past weekend was the Sidney Doren Memorial, the second event of the 2011-2012 Etchellls Jaguar Series. Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day for racing, clear skies and temperatures in the mid 60's. The only problem was a lack of wind on Biscayne Bay.
The race committee hoisted AP on shore and told the fleet to return for a 1300 update. A scout boat was sent out on the bay, and although they reported patches of breeze over much of the bay, they also found many holes with no wind. The decision was made to cancel racing for the day, and the first warning for Sunday was moved up an hour earlier with the hope of getting in three races. Several boats went out for a brief practice sail, and confirmed the RC decision, reporting large patches of zero velocity.
Sunday morning dawned much the same as Saturday but with a promise of better breeze. Fifty-one Ethcells reported to the starting line. By 1100 a wind line had crossed from the east side of the bay, and the RC set a course of 100 degrees and one mile in a freshening breeze of 6 knots. Leading the fleet to the top mark was Jose Fuentes followed closely by Peter Vessella and Argyle Campbell. After the next downwind, upwind and downwind legs Phil Wherheim with Vince Brun, took the horn and George Andreadis with Tony Rey and Chris Cantrick came second. They were followed by Argyle Campbell, Jeffery Siegal, and James Howells.
In the second start, the fleet was over anxious, and it resulted in a general recall, effectively ending any chance of getting off a third race for the day. The re-start was under a black flag with perennial favorite Jeffrey Siegal trapped against the pin boat and forced over early. The bulk of the fleet proceeded up the left side of the course in the fairly steady breeze that had freshened to 11 knots. At the top mark Marvin Beckmann with Morgan Reeser led the fleet. They were closely pursued by Argyle Campbell, Peter Duncan and Jud Smith.
On the downwind the right side seemed to have a bit more pressure, and those that chose that side pulled ahead. Marvin Beckmann held on for the gun. Jud Smith came second, followed by Peter Duncan, Ernie Pomerleau and Michael Frecker.
The final results were Argyle Campbell with Dwight Beldon and Jamie Hardenbergh in first. In second were Ernie Pomerleau, Mike Dressell, Monica Trejo and Chris Morgan. Finishing third were George Andreadis sailing with Tony Rey and Chris Cantrick. Fourth place went to Shannon Bush with Brad Boston and Eric Vigrass. Rounding out the top five were Jud Smith with his daughter Darby and Henry Frazer. LYC's Tom Lihan finished 9th.
Next up are the Florida State Champs and the Midwinter Championships.
Waddell, Sly represent LYC at Opti Worlds in New Zealand
Two members of the LYC Opti team traveled to Napier, New Zealand to take part in the 2011 World Championships, with 210 young skippers representing 48 countries taking part in the racing. Wade stayed near to top of the leader board for much of the regatta and finished an impressive 7th, Martina finished 59th, and was the 10th girl. In team racing, Team USA made it to the quarter finals before losing to Netherlands. In the Nations Cup, a competition where the total scores of each nation's five sailors is tabulated, Team USA finished fourth.
Peter Commette wins 2012 Hangover Bowl
The Hangover Bowl is a New Year's tradition at LYC. Started over 30 years ago, the regatta uses a double-elimination ladder of match races. This year's event was sailed in 420's with over 35 entries ranging in age from young Opti kids through Masters like Peter Commette and Tom LIhan.
Peter Commette schooled a talented group of competitors to win this year's Hangover Bowl. Sailing with crew, Eduardo Mintzias, Peter advanced all the way through the winners' bracket, knocking out many of LYC's top sailors along the way.
In the finals, he came up against Christopher Williford, sailing with Niki Medley, who had advanced to the top of the losers' bracket. Christopher managed to draw a foul against Peter in the pre-start, and after Peter spun his circle, Christopher passed him up the left side of the course. He rounded ahead at the top mark and hung on for the win. Because of the double-elimination format, a second race was required. Though Christopher was clearly over early at the start, with several members of the crack race management crew watching, nobody bothered to call him over. After the race, he and Pete decided on a do-over. In the pre-start of the last race, Peter managed to get off the line in the lead, and never looked back.
Each year's Hangover Bowl also features a winner of the Oinker Award. The award is bestowed on a skipper who manages to tarnish an otherwise stellar reputation for sailing prowess, by losing to a young sailor with perhaps less of a reputation. This year's Oinker Award was presented to LYC Sailing Director Phillip Muller after losing to Niki Medley. His name will be added to the perpetual trophy alongside those of several well known LYC skippers.
Special thanks to Governor Pat Ross, who served as regatta chairman. PC Clyde Wright, and his dedicated crew of chefs turned out an incredible feast of barbecue. Assisting Clyde were PC Dave Rulien, Buzz Smith, Rear Commodore Lang Ryder, Olie Parker, Maggie Wright and Dana Lihan. Working the race committee side were scorer Governor Mark Smith, starter (PRO?) Are Frieseke, and the regatta Judge, Governor Bob Meagher. Many thanks to all.
For photos visit: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3044123710494.156958.1485157030&type=3
LYC sailors compete in the "other" Orange Bowl Regatta
Several LYC Juniors opted to skip the traditional Orange Bowl Regatta in favor of the Open Orange Bowl Regatta.
Haley Fox teamed with Sarah Williams to compete in the International 420. Similar to the Club and Collegiate 420 sailed extensively in the US, the I 420 is a lighter version with a much more tunable rig. Sarah and Haley finished fourth in the 20-boat fleet, and were the second place girls' team.
Also back at Orange Bowl was the 29er class. Several of the LYC juniors have moved over to that high-performance skiff class after finishing their Opti careers. Duncan Williford teamed with Mathew Mollerus to take 4th in the 25-boat fleet. Duncan's twin brother Christopher teamed up with Kai Friesecke to finish 13th.
Payne sails for Tulane in the collegiate Sugar Bowl Regatta
Tulane University and Southern Yacht Club hosted the annual Sugar Bowl collegiate inter-sectional regatta. Eleven schools from SEISA, SAISA, and MCSA participated. With several upperclassmen back from semesters abroad, Alec Payne was assigned to be crew for the B boat. After a shaky start with an unfamiliar skipper, and crewing for the first time, Alec and Mackenzie managed to pull off three 1sts and two 3rds. They finished 4th for the regatta, as did Tulane as a team. University of Michigan won the event.
Peter Commette sounds off in Sailing Scuttlebutt
From Peter Commette:
Chris Caswell, in Scuttlebutt 3497, stirs passions, as good writers do. However, I disagree. Our sport still is filled at every level with those older sailors who say, "Hey, wanna go sailing?"
The tradition Chris believes challenged for more has plenty and is
thriving, from old and washed up sailors contributing to our youth programs with time, money, and/or sail-alongs, to older gods doing the same (Bill Koch, Gary Jobson, Augie Diaz, Tom Lihan), to our sport's gods in their prime (Russell Coutts, James Spithill, Ed Baird, Anna Tunnicliffe-Funk, Brad Funk), to top youths helping the even younger ones (Williford brothers, Mac Agnese, Wade Waddell, Luke Lawrence), to various sailboat classes (Melges-32's, Snipes, Lightnings, Scows).
Meanwhile, there is a strong trend for yacht clubs to open their youth programs to non-member children; yacht club walls are not holding youth development back. Chris, don't be so curmudgeonly.
NOTE: Peter hails from Lauderdale Yacht Club in south Florida, a club that appears to be doing well due to the examples he mentions above.
