Racing News

Hardesty Crowned 2008 Etchells World Champion In Chicago

Bill Hardesty, Erik Shampain, Steve Hunt, and Jennifer Wilson of San Diego take their first Etchells World Championship title after ending the regatta with a strong 12 place finish in race 6. After dropping a 39 point finish from their score, the team secures first place overall with a total of 30. Hardesty was the pre-event favorite having won both the Midwinters East and West.

Chris busch and crew: Chad Hough, Chuck Sinks and Peter Burton, sailed into first place in race six. They finished second in the Etchells Worlds.Chris Busch, Chad Hough, Chuck Sinks, and Peter Burton, also of San Diego, came in second with 38 points followed by Jud Smith, Henry Frazer, and James Porter with 41. After protest and redress hearings at the end of today, Peter Duncan moved from 16th to tie Beadsworth/Dwyer at 56 points for 4th. Duncan won with tie breaker with his 2nd place win in today's race.

The 6th and final race of the regatta was run today in beautiful conditions with 10-20 knot westerly winds, waves, and warm sunny weather. Bush, Hough, Sinks, and Burton took the lead on the first downwind leg, and from there they proceeded to walk away from the fleet on every leg and capture first place by a substantial margin.

"We went right on the first beat while most of our competitors went left," Busch explained. "We were pretty behind after a bad start at the right end of the line, but we found better velocity and some good shifts on our side and we were able to work out way back through the fleet. Once you're out front, it's a lot easier to stay there It's the races where you're deep and have to fight your way back that really make the difference."
Busch, Hough, Sinks, and Burton definitely take the role of the stealthy stars of the regatta. After a disappointing 49th finish on the first day, the team moved to 8th with a 2nd and a 4th on the second day of racing. They continued their climb up the score board with respectable finishes in races 4 and 5 which brought them up to 6th and then into the top three. With a decisive win today, the San Diego team ultimately captured 2nd place by three points from Smith, Frazer, and Porter.

Bill Hardesty and crew: Erik Shampain, Steve Hunt, and Jennifer Wilson, were consistently in the top twelve boats in the Etchells Worlds. Hardesty and crew also won the Midwinters East and West.Winners Hardesty, Shampain, Hunt and Wilson sailed an impressive regatta. "Our two firsts on the second day really helped. We've been training hard, and it paid off." Hardesty said. With the exclusion of their 39 point drop race, the team never scored below 13th in the racing this week. On how the team managed to stay consistent in the tricky conditions Hardesty explained, "We sailed conservatively. Once we figured out what was working for us, we stuck with that strategy."

Remarkably, with the exception of one drop race apiece, Hardesty, Busch, and Smith all posted top 20 finishes in the five races counting toward their final score. It is undoubtedly this impressive consistency, despite challenging conditions, that places these three boats on the Etchells Worlds podium this year.

The next Etchells World Championship will be held in March 2009 on Port Philip Bay, Melbourne with the host club being Royal Brighton Yacht Club. For a complete list of the final results link to event photos log on to www.etchellsworlds2008.com or www.chicagoyachtclub.org.

ABOUT THE CHICAGO YACHT CLUB
The Chicago Yacht Club is one of the oldest and most respected yacht clubs in the world. The club is one of the preeminent organizers of regattas, races and predicted-log events in the United States at both its Monroe and Belmont stations.


ILYA Class A Scow
Open Invitational

Fourteen boats assembled at White Bear this weekend to compete for the ILYA Class A Open Invitational. The event drew competitors from White Bear, Minnetonka, Calhoun, Clear, and Oshkosh. The experimental Victory by Design, V38 boat, sailing but not scored, proved again it is faster than an A Scow around a race course.

Photo by Pat DunsworthTwo races were completed in winds of 0 to 6 knots, providing very challenging conditions for competitors. Home lake knowledge paid off in Race 1 for the White Bear womens’ team (W-11) led by Kathy Sanville and Patty Zak Newell. They captured their first regatta win by keeping their wits and sailing smartly through the slot between the Peninsula and the Island. Staying left both times to windward paid off big for them and brought home the victory.

Trophies were awarded to the top three boats, with Jack Strothman of the Minnetonka Yacht Club taking the top prize. While Strothman is no stranger to the world of Scows, having sailed in various classes for many years, this is his first year campaigning an A Scow. He and his team put together an impressive first and three seconds on their way to victory. The experimental Victory by Design, V38 boat skippered by Tom Burton crossed the finish line first in all four races, but was not scored in the event./span>

Minnetonka's Dave Willette took second place followed by Lee Alnes from White Bear in third place. Jason Brown and Ken Broen, both from White Bear, rounded out the top five finishers.

The Minnetonka - White Bear Challenge trophy was won by Minnetonka. The trophy was re-dedicated a few years ago, to be sailed for when White Bear and Minnetonka A scows compete.


1. Jack Strothman, M-10;
2. Dave Willette, M-11;
3. Lee Alnes, W-1
4. Brown/Crary, W-3;
5. Ken Broen, W-28;
6. Hod Irvine, W-8;
7. Blair Jenness, M-6;
8. Kathy Sanville, W-11;
9. George Winter, J-314;
10. Steve Johnson, W-7;
11. Fletcher Driscoll, W-9;
12. Tom Erickson, Z-1;
13. Bill Coppage, C-1;


V-38, Tom Burton, not scored.

Race Results: The HOOK

The first HOOK Race was sailed in 1984 with 12 boats racing from Racine, WI to Menominee, Hook LogoMI. Bud Garcia, RYC Past Commodore, and John Bennett, Custom Sails, ran the HOOK Race during its first 5 years. In 1986 the finish location was changed to Sturgeon Bay, WI. To date, the fastest elapsed time was just under 24 hours in 1987, by Foxfire, a Hunter 54 owned by Mark Westdale.

The HOOK Race is a challenging 197.4 nautical mile race that begins in Racine and ends in Door County, the "Cape Cod of the Midwest." The HOOK Race combines strong competition with the navigational challenge of Death’s Door. Finishing the race in Door County provides opportunities for cruising vacations afterwards. This Category 3 race is open to all sailboats eligible to make a race of this distance and duration, with full regard to the safety of the vessel and crew.
 

PHRF 1:
1. Assassin;
2. Flash Gordon;
3. Marianthe;
4. Rumors;
5. Zapada;
6. Hasten;
7. Volante;
8. Grateful Red.

PHRF 2:
1. Retention;
2. Alchemist;
3. Probe;
4. Wind Chaser.

PHRF 3:
1. Ruffian;
2. Sirocco;
3. Songline;
4. Caravel;
5. Sirius.

PHRF 4:
1. Whisper;
2. Unplugged.

DBL Handed:
1. Adria;
2. Pegasus;
3. Whisper;
4. Thunder.

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