Disabled Sailing

San Diego's Challenged America adaptive sailing program for the disabled sponsors the third Department of Veterans Affairs' Summer Sports Clinic for recently injured veterans, held at the Marriott Hotel and Marina, September 19 - 25, 2010. More than 100 recently wounded US veterans will participate in this year's event. Along with Challenged America, Sail USA 11, and Hipp Marine have joined to provide the sailing opportunities on San Diego's Bib Bay, from the dock of the Marriott Marina. An estimated 400 to 500 people will be involved in the program, to include participants and their families, medical support and other VA personnel, government officials, celebrities, and volunteers, most coming from around the nation. See the Challenged America Web site.

In each of the four classes (2.4 Metre, SKUD-18, Sonar and J/22) competing at the eighth annual C. Thomas Clagett Jr. Memorial Regatta for sailors with disabilities, an unbroken winning streak on the second and final day of racing determined the championship winners. The second and final day of the event started with a 5-7 knot westerly breeze that built to a top speed of 12-14.
In the five-boat Sonar fleet, John Porter with 2008 Paralympic Gold Medalist Maureen McKinnon Tucker and Gerry Tiernan USA (10) were unbeatable, scoring 10 bullets for the class win. Second overall was Paul Callahan/Brad Johnson/Tom Brown (18). SKUD-18 Silver medalists at the 2010 IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championship, Scott Whitman/Julia Dorsett USA (6) clinched their third consecutive class win at The Clagett after winning all four races on Day 2. In the 12-boat 2.4 Metre fleet, Charles Rosenfield USA (7) won all four races to move up from fourth and take the championship ahead of Britt Hall USA (12) and Peter Wood CAN (16). 2006 IFDS Blind Sailing World Champions JP Creignou/Jan Bartleson USA (8) with 2000 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Magnus Liljedahl and David Bannister wrapped up the 2010 Sail Newport Blind National Sailing Championship title after winning all five of their races today in the seven-strong J/22 fleet. Details at the regatta Web site.

As a summer nor’easter reluctantly released its grip, sailing got underway on Narragansett Bay for the eighth annual C. Thomas Clagett Jr. Memorial Regatta for disabled sailors. In the five-boat Sonar fleet, 2008 SKUD-18 Paralympic Gold Medalist Maureen McKinnon Tucker/Gerry Tiernan/John Porter USA (5) won all five races. In the 3-boat SKUD-18, Scott Whitman/Julia Dorsett USA (4) hold a one-point lead over husband-and wife team Brian Skeels/Sarah Everhart-Skeels USA (5). There are seven teams racing for the 2010 Blind Sailing National Championship title in J/22s, with each four-person team comprised of two sighted guides who assist the two sailors with visual impairments. After four races, 2006 IFDS Blind Sailing World Champions JP Creignou and Jan Bartleson with 2000 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Magnus Liljedahl and David Bannister are leading the standings with five points The 12-boat 2.4 mR fleet sailed three races with Britt Hall USA (4) leading Peter Wood CAN (8), followed by Scott Lutes CAN (14). The event Web site, all results and the Facebook page.

US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics members Scott Whitman and Julia Dorsett scored a silver medal in the 12-boat SKUD-18 fleet at the 2010 IFDS World Championship, held in Medemblik, The Netherlands, behind Alexandra Rickham/Niki Birrell. GBR Their final position qualified the United States in the SKUD-18 class for the 2012 Paralympic Games. Whitman and Dorsett sailed consistently, finishing first or second in all but two races. Light air was the theme of the week, except for yesterday when it blew with 20-30 knots. “We train in all kinds of situations, so we handled the light air really well and then did the same when the breeze picked up,” said Dorsett. “It was exciting to finally get some breeze in the afternoon today. The highlight was our first reach at the windward mark when we were motoring.” US sailors faced tough competition in the other two classes: 2008 Paralympian Rick Doerr and his crew, Hugh Freund and Bryan Tabler, finished 12th in the Sonars, and Mark LeBlanc took 15th among 47 boats in the 2.4mR. The next opportunity to qualify as a country in the 2.4 mR and Sonar classes will be at the 2011 IFDS World Championship. Read the entire release.

It was an exciting sailing day in Medemblik with ‘fireworks’ in all classes. Fantastic weather, and , at last, good wind varying from 20 – 30 knots. In the 2.4 mR local hero Thierry Schmitter NED saved his best for last with two bullets to wrest away the title from Heiko Kröger GER. Bronze for Megan Pascoe GBR. Paul Tingley CAN finished 4th, ahead of Damien Sequin FRA. In the Skud 18, ther was nothing to stop Alexandra Rickham/Niki Birrell GBR from winning the title ahead of Scott Whitman/Julia Dorsett USA and Daniel Fitzgibbon/Rachael Cox AUS. Another Dutch winner in the Sonars, with Duo Hassles/Marcel van de Veen/Mischa Rossen who came from behind to edge the team of Jens Kroker GER. In third the team of John Robertson GBR. The final outcome hinged on a protest of NED vs. USA which was ruled in favor of the Dutch who won their second title after 2003. The event Web site, Sander van der Borch’s gallery and the last day’s video.
Ed. note: Due to technical problems with the IFDS Web site, we were unable to provide links to the class results. We apologize for this inconvenience.

After Monday’s cancellation conditions were much better yesterday in Medemblik NED at the IFDS World Championships with winds SW to W, 6-10 kts, and blue skies. In the 2.4mR class, , Heiko Kröger GER (22) holds ma narrow lead over Megan Pascoe GBR (24). Thierry Schmitter NED(30) is third. Marc LeBlanc USA (92) remained in 16th. A pattern is emerging in the Skud 18 where Alexandra Rickham/Niki Birrell GBR (8 pts.) always seem to remain half a step ahead of Scott Whitman/Julia Dorsett USA (11). The Brits had a pair of bullets, while the US team had a pair of deuces. In the Sonar the team of Jens Kroker GER (18) has a two-point edge over Udo Hessels NED (20) and six over Team Dror Cohen ISR (24) who are in third place. Two races are scheduled for today. The event Web site with images and videos.

Up in Medemblik NED, the 470s’ story was repeated. “All racing is canceled for today due to bad weather and high risk of thunderstorms. Today’s races are rescheduled,” read the RC’s announcement. Tuesday July 13th, Races 6, 7 and 8, Time of 1st Warning signal 10.25 hrs, Wednesday July 14th, Races 9 and 10, Time of 1st Warning signal 09.55 hrs. Current class leaders: Sonar: Jens Kroker/Robert Prem/Siegmund Mainka GER; 2.4 mR: Heiko Kroeger GER; Skud 18: Alexandra Rickham/Niki Birrell GBR, with Scott Whitman,/Julia Dorsett USA in second.

Tropical conditions with sun and light to moderate winds prevailed on the first two days of sailing at the IFDS World Championships in Medemblik NED. Three classes are vying for the title, four races are in the books, no discards yet. The ultra-competitive 2.4 mR singlehanded fleet (48 boats) is led by Megan Pascoe GBR (13 pts.). Battling behind her is a group of four sailors who are separated by two points: Heiko Kroeger GER (22), Thierry Schmitter NED (23), Bjørnar Erikstad NOR (23) and Paul Tingley CAN (24). Marc Leblanc USA (64) currently is 15th. In the 12-boat Skud 18 fleet it is a duel between Alexandra Rickham/Niki Birrell GBR (6 pts.) who have 1-2-1 on their scorecard. In second Scott Whitman/Julia Dorsett (18) who have two seconds and a first, but also an OCS in the third race. In third the team of Al Musatakim Matrin MAS (19). John McRoberts/Brenda Hopkin CAN (25) are eighth. In the 19-boat Sonar fleet, the Top 3 are the teams of Christoforou Vasilis GRE (14), Dror Cohen ISR (15) and Jens Kroker GER (17).Rick Doerr USA (36) is ninth. More on the event site.

Delta Lloyd IFDS Worlds 2010 are under way in Medemblik NED with titles on the line in the singlehanded 2.4 mR class, the Sonar and the Skud. Ten races are scheduled in each class, with a separate course for each class. Sailors to watch in the 54-boat 2.4.mR class are reigning World Champion Thierry Schmitter NED André Rademaker NED, Heiko Kröger GER, Olympic champion Paul Tingley CAN plus British ladies Helena Lucas and Megan Pascoe. In the 20-boat Sonar fleet defending World Champions Jens Kroker/Robert Prem/Siegmund Mainka GER will battle Dror Cohen/Arnon Efrati/Benny Vexler ISR and Rick Doerr/Hugh Freund/Brian Tabler USA. Alexandra Rickham/Niki Birell GBR are defending their title in the 12-boat Skud 18 class, competing against Scott Whitman/Julia Dorsett, USA and John McRoberts/Brenda Hopkins CAN amongst others. Racing to start today with light wind and sun in the forecast. The event www.ifdsworlds2010.com Web site.

In an all-Italian final Luigi Bertanza and Sylvia Parente ITA beat Anna Gamba/Enrico Sosio ITA 2-0 to claim the title at the IFDS Blind Match Racing World Championship for IBSA B1 classified blind sailors. In the B1 petit final Manuel Ugarte/Federico Albir ESP beat Kylie Forth/Erin McGlew AUS 2-1 to claim third place overall. In class B2, Lucy Hodges/Toby Davey GBR won the International Championship over local favorites Alessandro Malapiero/Elisabetta Bardella ITA. In the B2 petit finals first-time match race helmsman Pekka Rantanen FIN sailing with local crew Egidio Carantini beat Andrea Pesaresi/Gianluca Battisti ITA 2-0. The event Web site.

The semi finals of the IFDS Blind Match Racing Championships were sailed in 4-6 knots of wind in Gargnago on Lake Garda ITA. In B1 Gamba/Sosio ITA, who were third before yesterday, beat favorites Forth/McGlew AUS for a berth in today’s finals where they will meet fellow Italians Bertanza/Parente who eliminated Ugarte/Albir ESP. If history is any indication, Bertanza will be difficult to beat when they race for the B1 World Championship. Experienced blind match racers Malapiero/Bardella ITA, swept the semifinals in B2 against Rantanen/Carantini FIN and will meet Hodges/Davey GBR who beat Pesaresi/Battisti ITA in the other semifinal yesterday. In B2 they are racing for an International Championship. The event Web site.

Through the first three days, light air has plagued the racers at the IFDS Blind Match Racing World Championships in Bogliaco, Lake Garda ITA
Still, the B2-classified sailors, competing for an IFDS International Championship, have completed their round robin with semifinals scheduled for today. Hodges/Davey GBR (5-0) lead Malapiero/Bardella ITA (4-1) and Rantanen/Carantini FIN (4-3). Antony Bersani/Mario Alciati USA are in 6th.
In the World Championship for B1-classified sailors, 18 of the 21 matches have been sailed in the round robin. Bertanza/Parente ITA (5-0) lead Forth/McGlew AUS (4-1) and Gamba/Sosio ITA (3-2). The sparse event Web site.

Racing commenced on Lake Garda, Italy for the IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships, 2010 Homerus Blind Match Racing. Conducted in conjunction with Homerus Associazione Onlus, the event is using the ISAF Experimental Appendix CBS for Blind Match Racing and the innovative Homerus system of acoustic buoys. The championships are sailed in pairs of identical keelboats by a two person blind or vision impaired crew with a sighted observer on board. Three acoustic buoys, each with a unique signal, define the course and each boat has its own acoustic device that changes signature when it is on port or starboard tack. Yesterday’s winners on the B1 course include Forth/McGlew AUS, Bertanza/Parente ITA, and Gamba/Sosio ITA, On the B2 course Malapiero/Bardella ITA and Hodges/Davey GBR had two wins each. The Web site and a report by David Staley.

After three days of generally light conditions on Rutland Water, yesterday brought moderate to fresh winds at the Bruce Wake 2010 Access Class Worlds and SKUD18 International Championships, which conclude today. Wind was a northeasterly mainly 16-18 knots with the occasional gust over 20. In the Access 303 Double class is lead by Pegan/Mircsev HUN, while Rickham/Birrell GBR are ahead in the Skud 18s. The leaders in the singlehanded classes are as follows: 2.3 Single: Angus MacGregor AUS; 303 Single: Zoltan Pegan HUN; Access Liberty: Magali Moraines FRA. Herb Meyer USA is 15th. The class Web site.

USSTAG’s John Ruf, the 2008 Paralympic Bronze Medalist and 2010 World Champion in the 2.4mR, finally won his first 2.4mR National Championship Sunday with all top-3 finishes and 16 points in this 10-race series (2 discards). Behind him three Canadians: Bruce Millar, (18 pts.), Alan Leibel (19 pts.) and Jerry Wendt (33 pts.). The three-day event was sailed out of Noroton Yacht Club in Darien, Conn., where the conditions varied from 3-5 knots to 12-18 knots with strong ebb current. For a lake sailor like Ruf, battling the chop and the current on Long Island Sound was challenging. “It does not come naturally at all,” said Ruf. “Being able to fight back to the front was the key factor at this regatta.” Ruf was awarded the Nick Scandone Trophy, which honors Scandone’s sailing accomplishments. Scandone lost his battle with ALS in January 2009, less than four months after winning a gold medal at the 2008 Paralympic Games in China. The complete results. Congratulations to JR and thanks to USSTAG communications director Marni Lane for sending this report.

Light breezes and rain made for difficult conditions for the second racing day at the Bruce Wake 2010 Access Class Worlds and SKUD18 International Championships at Rutland Sailing Club GBR. Only the SKUD 18s and two-person Access 303s got two heats in while racing for the single-person classes had to be abandoned. Molesworth/Alton GBR have a 6-point lead in the 303 two-person competition ahead of Sasahara/Suzuki JPN and Pegan/Mircsev HUN. In the SKUD 18s, Rickham/Birrell GBR own a 7-point lead over Cogswell/Foreman GBR and Mirc/Eychenne FRA. The report.

Racing commenced on Rutland Water in the UK East Midlands today for the Bruce Wake 2010 Access Class Worlds and SKUD18 International Championships with 100 competitors from 10 countries. In a light and variable breeze under an overcast sky all classes sailed two races. In the Access 303 Double the leaders are Molesworth/Alton GBR, followed by Takeshita/Germain FRA and Kodaira/Ariyoshi JAP. In the single classes, the 2.3 Single is led by Angus MacGregor AUS, followed by Monique Foster GBR and Carlos Alberto Araujo POR. In the 303 Single class Zoltan Pegan HUN leads Chris Ruston AUS and Gerard Eychenne FRA while in Access Liberty Magali Moraines FRA is ahead of Chris Cook AUS and Clare Andrew GBR. Herb Meyer USA is 16th. In the SKUD 18s, Rickham/Birrell GBR lead Cogswell/Foreman GBR and Mirc/Eychenne FRA.
More on the event Web site.

After a day of close and challenging racing at the Robie Pierce Regatta hosted by Larchmont YC, the title went north of the border. John McRoberts CAN had to overcome a DSQ in Race 5, but followed up with a 2,1,4 score line to eke out the win with 44 points. Second, also with 44 pts, but losing the countback were Andrew Fisher and 2008 Paralympic Gold Medalist Maureen McKinnon-Tucker USA. In third place Tim French with 45 followed by Ted King with 46. See the final results.

Racing conditions were perfect for Day 1 of the Robie Pierce Regatta hosted by Larchmont Yacht Club. Nineteen teams of disabled sailors sailed four races in a 10-11 knot SW breeze under partly sunny skies. Anticipated heavy weather and hail never developed. After yesterday's practice racing, slight adjustments were made to adaptions in the Ideal 18's to accommodate all of the sailors' needs. Racing will continue on Sunday. The top five after four races are 1-Duane Farrar, 2-John McRoberts, 3-Tim French, 4-Ted King, 5-Peter O'Hara. See all results.

Last year, a total of 22 teams raced in the inaugural Robie Pierce One Design Regatta on Long Island Sound, making it the area’s largest one-design event for sailors with disabilities. Competing with the physically disabled were two blind crews and one skippered by a stroke survivor. This year's event runs from June 3 to 6 and will be hosted by Larchmont YC, which has declared to continue the high standard of competition. As many as 35 Ideal 18s adapted to meet the specific needs of each disabled sailing team will be provided. The event is named after Robie Pierce, a driving force in national and international disabled sailing who was diagnosed with MS in 1985. The objective of the regatta is to foster the sport of sailing among the disabled community – attracting new participants and opening new opportunities for established sailors. The event Web site.

"Up two degrees ... hold it there," says tactician Al Spector to Mitsuhiro Iwamoto, steering a J24 race boat sailing a beeline toward another boat. "Tack on a long count. Three... two... one... tack! It sounds like typical regatta chatter. But these tactical calls are especially important. Iwamoto is blind. The event was the first California Invitational Blind Sailing Regatta, organized on the Oakland-Alameda Estuary by the Marin Sailing School and Island Yacht Club. Teams represented Boston, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, the Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors and Iwamoto's team, called 'California 1'. Read the story on SF Gate

After two light-air races in the Paralympic classes in Hyeres, Damien Seguin FRA and Helena Lucas GBR are tied in points for first in the 14-boat 2.4 mR class with three points each. In third is Megan Pascoe GBR, followed by Palma winner Thierry Schmitter NED and Barend Kol NED. The 9-boat Sonar class is led by the Norwegian trio of Aleksander Wang-Hansen/Per Eugen Kristiansen/Marie Solberg.

The Circolo Vela Gargnano on Lake Garda ITA will host the IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships 2010, Homerus Blind Match Racing from 20-27 June. Conducted in conjunction with Homerus Associazione Onlus, the event will employ the ISAF Experimental Appendix CBS for Blind Match Racing using the innovative Homerus system of acoustic buoys. Teams from Italy, Spain, Great Britain, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Finland have already confirmed their entries. This is the 12th Homerus International Championships and the inaugural event to be conducted as an IFDS authorized World Championship. A separate series of match races will be held for the B1, B2 and B3 classifications for the first time in Bogliaco. The B1 Division for totally blind sailors will be an IFDS World Championship, while the B2 and B3 Divisions will sail Level 2 IFDS International Championships. The preview on the ISAF site.

Victory for second consecutive year for Thierry Schmitter NED in the Paralympics class 2.4mR. In second Helena Lucas GBR and third Andre Rademaker NED. Schmitter deserved to win as he controlled the standings all week long, while Lucas won her third race at the end to vault past Rademaker. Paul Tingley CAN constantly improved his results in the individual races, but remained stuck in sixth overall.

Separated by three points Thierrry Schmitter and Andre Rademaker NED are duking it out for the lead in the 15-boat 2.4 mR class at the Princes Sofia on the Bay of Palma. But watch Helena Lucas GBR, just one point behind with the advantage of two first-place finishes, which could decide a tie break in her favor. She already took third here last year. Canada’s Paralympic hero, Paul Tingley, is clawing back from a bad first day and stands in 6th overall after five races and one discard.

A Dutch triple pack is leading the 2.4 mR class after two races at the Trofeo Princes Sofia in Palma. Andre Rademaker, followed by Thierry Schmitter and Barend Kol and the top lady, Helena Lucas GBR. Canda’s Paralymic Gold medalist Paul Tingley had a 6th in the first race but a DNS thereafter, which puts him in 11th overall.

Larchmont Yacht Club and American Yacht Club (Rye, NY) will hold their second annual Robie Pierce One-Design Regatta for sailors with disabilities from June 3 to 6 in Larchmont, NY. Last year's inaugural regatta at American Yacht Club saw 22 teams compete in Ideal 18s. Robie Pierce has been a driving force in National and International disabled sailing for nearly 20 years. A life-long sailor prior to his 1985 diagnosis with MS was Pierce’s impetus to share his sailing experience with the disabled community. Registration