| Fast Fun for a Second
Day. |
| By the Rolex Big Boat
Series Media Team. |
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Photos by Daniel Forster
for Rolex,
edited By Peter Andrews. |
| September 9, 2011. |
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| With a second day of high winds pumping over San Francisco Bay, the 2011 Rolex Big Boat Series delivered blazing fast fun for 81 teams sailing in eight classes. Sailing today were four the IRC divisions and four one-design classes made up of the J/105s’, J/120s’, Express 37s’ and the Farr 30s’. |
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Day two, racing near Golden Gate Bridge, during the Rolex Big Boat Series,
San Francisco, California.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
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With a full weekend of racing still to go, it just may be that 2011 becomes one of the most memorable, if not physical years in the competition’s 47 year history.
"It was a 20 to 25 knots day today, gusting close to 30," said Andy Costello from Point Richmond, California. Costello is the owner of the J/125 Double Trouble, which leads IRC C class and is the only boat with a perfect score line after four races; two of which were held today. "We were hitting (boat speeds) in the 17 and 18s’ off the breeze, but we were fully under control," added Costello. |
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Andy Costello's J 125 Double Trouble off the Golden Gate Bridge, during
the Rolex Big Boat Series, San Francisco, California.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
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| That wasn’t true for many of the classes other sport boats, which were all within the 40-foot range and collectively referred to as the ‘fast forties’. Some wiped out and others struggled not to; while Costello sailed smoothly with his crew of seasoned dinghy sailors aboard. |
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William Markel's Farr 30 Standard Deviation dealing with the conditions
on Day 2, during the Rolex Big Boat Series, San Francisco, California.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
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| "They feel the boat and their response is quicker," said Costello, explaining that his mainsail trimmer Trevor Baylis from Santa Cruz is an Aussie 18, International 14 and 505 class world champion. Another crew member, Matt Noble from Point Richmond, is also an International 14 world champion; not to mention that tactician and Trevor’s brother, Will Baylis from Tiburon, is an Olympic silver medalist. |
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Daniel Randolph's Farr 30 Nefarious from Seattle, during the Rolex Big
Boat Series, San Francisco, California.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
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"The J/125 is only 8,600 pounds and 57 per cent of that weight is in the keel. It has a spinnaker that’s 1,900 square feet, so that’s big for a 40-foot boat," said Costello.
Costello was delighted that no less than three other J/125s’ are also sailing in IRC C, filling the next three spots on the score board. The J/125 Resolute, skippered by Tim Fuller from Murrieta, California is in second place. |
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The bowman on Tim Fuller's J 125 Resolute, trying to retrieve the take
down line on Day 1, during the Rolex Big Boat Series, San Francisco,
California.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
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"Boat-for-boat, Resolute is our best competition. They are fast upwind, but our attributes are in planing downwind. That’s where we excel over the other boats."
Even though Scott Easom’s Eight Ball from San Rafael California is leading after six races in the Farr 30 class, he says he is ‘clawing’ to hang on to his lead and the potential of being named the Farr 30 world champion at the end of this event. The challenge for Easom is to keep ahead of the strong competition from Jim Richardson’s Barking Mad from Boston Massachusetts and the two Groovederci Farr 30s’ from Santa Barbara skippered by Deneen and John Demourkas. |
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Jim Richardson's Farr 30, Barking Mad on Day 2, during the Rolex Big Boat
Series, San Francisco, California.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
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"Barking Mad and the two Groovederci entries are very, very good; it’s them and us," said Easom, noting that Barking Mad is now only one point behind him while Deneen Demourkas who won two races today, is four points behind.
"We’re local but there’s not anything we know they don’t know," added Easom. "Boat speed is king. We’re watching them carefully and they are teaching us a lot. We were leading by more yesterday, so we’ll try to stay close tomorrow and not make the big mistake. With 11 races scheduled and no throw outs, we’ll be a little cautious on the start line and around marks." |
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Leader after two days, Scott Easom's Eight Ball from San Rafael, California
(Bow No 11) just ahead of Jim Richardson's Farr 30, Barking
Mad from
Boston Massachusetts, during the Rolex Big Boat Series, San Francisco,
California.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
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The mayhem on the Farr 30 course which started yesterday in gusts of 30 knots, continued today and included Deneen Demourkas broaching, just after her downwind finish in the second race which she won.
"We came screaming in and went just under her, missing her by 10 feet," said Easom. "The runs are where the stuff sorts out. The wind is so high it eliminates some teams. I feel sorry for them, that they come all the way to San Francisco to get their drawers blown off." |
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Deneen Demourkas' Farr 30 Groovederci on Day 2, during the Rolex
Big Boat Series, San Francisco, California.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
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| Upsets today included Brad Copper’s TNT from Point Richmond overtaking Sy Kleinman’s Swiftsure II from Saratoga, both from California, in IRC B. Then there was Kame Richards’ Golden Moon from Alameda California, knocking off Bartz Schneider’s Expeditious from Crystal Bay, Nevada, in the Express 37 class. Finally it was Jim Swartz’s Vesper from Park City, Utah, edging out Canadian Ashley Wolfe’s Mayhem from Calgary, Alberta, in IRC A. |
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Brad Copper's Custom Tripp 43 TNT off Pier 39, during the Rolex Big Boat
Series, San Francisco, California.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
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Maintaining their leads from yesterday were Andy Costello’s Double Trouble from Point Richmond, California in IRC division C; Donald Payan’s Dayenu from Hillsborough, California in IRC division D; Scooter Simmons’ Blackhawk from Belvedere, California in the J/105 class; and Barry Lewis’ Chance from Atherton, California in the J/120 class.
For more information and results, go to www.rolexbigboatseries.com. Facebook users can keep up-to-date with the Saint Francis Yacht Club’s Racing page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Francis-Yacht-Club-Racing/106175099461351 |
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Jim Swartz's TP 52 Vesper, IRC A leader after 4 races completed
on Day 2, during the Rolex Big Boat Series, San Francisco, California.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
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Day 2 Results
IRC A (IRC - 8 Boats)
1. Vesper, TP 52, Jim Swartz from Park City, UT, USA - 1, 3, 2, 1, for 7.
2. Mayhem, TP 52, Ashley Wolfe from Calgary, AB, CAN - 2, 1, 3, 2, for 8.
3. PowerPlay, TP 52, Peter Cunningham from George Town, Grand Cayman, CAY - 3, 2, 1, 3, for 9.
IRC B (IRC - 9 Boats)
1. TNT, Custom Tripp 43, Brad Copper from Pt. Richmond, CA, USA - 1, 2, 1, 1, for 5.
2. Swiftsure ll, Sloop 54, Sy Kleinman from Saratoga, CA, USA - 2, 1, 5, 2, for 10.
3. BustinLoose, Sydney 38, Jeff Pulford from Salinas, Ca, USA - 3, 4, 2, 4, for 13.
IRC C (IRC - 8 Boats)
1. Double Trouble, J 125 (41’), Andy Costello from Pt Richmond, CA, USA - 1, 1, 1, 1, for 4.
2. Resolute, J 125 (41’), Tim Fuller from Murrieta, CA, USA - 4, 3, 2, 2, for 11.
3. Timeshaver, J 125 (41’), Viggo Torbensen from Laguna Beach, CA, USA - 3, 2, 4, 5, for 14.
IRC D (IRC - 8 Boats)
1. Dayenu, J 120 (40’), Donald Payan from Hillsborough, CA, USA - 1, 1, 2, 1, for 5.
2. Mirthmaker, Archambault A35, Douglas Holm - Kirk Denebeim from Corte
Madera, CA, USA - 2, 2, 1, 2, for 7.
3. Tupelo Honey, Elan 40, Gerard Sheridan from San Francisco, CA, USA - 3, 4, 3, 3, for 13.
J-105 (One Design 34.5’ - 21 Boats)
1. Blackhawk, Scooter Simmons from Belvedere, CA, USA - 4, 1, 2, 1, for 8.
2. Jam Session, Adam Spiegel from San Francisco, CA, USA - 6, 5, 4, 4, for 19.
3. Risk, Jason Woodley and Scott Whitney from Tiburon, CA, USA - 7, 3, 8, 2, for 20.
J-120 (One Design 40’ - 7 Boats)
1. Chance, Barry Lewis from Atherton, CA, USA - 3, 1, 2, 1, for 7.
2. Mr Magoo, Stephen Madeira from Menlo Park, CA, USA - 2, 2, 3, 3, for 10.
3. Desdemona, John S. Wimer from Half Moon Bay, CA, USA - 1, 3, 4, 4, for 12.
Express 37 (One Design - 9 Boats)
1. Golden Moon, Kame Richards from Alameda, CA, USA - 1, 2, 1, 1, for 5.
2. Expeditious, Bartz Schneider from Crystal Bay, NV, USA - 2, 1, 3, 3, for 9.
3. Blade Runner, Michael Shlens from Palos Verdes Est., CA, USA - 4, 3, 4, 2, for 13.
Farr 30 (One Design - 12 Boats)
1. Eight Ball, Scott Easom from San Rafael, CA, USA - 2, 4, 1, 5, 2, 3, for 17.
2. Barking Mad, Jim Richardson from Boston, MA, USA - 3, 1, 5, 3, 4, 2, for 18.
3. Groovederci, Deneen Demourkas from Santa Barbara, CA, USA - 7, 8, 2, 2, 1, 1, for 21. |
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| Outimage and Rolex © 2011 |
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