FALCON2000 LEADS IN NEW YORK YACHT CLUB MAXI YACHT REGATTA

NEWPORT, R.I. - Ed Baird and the NYYC/Young America team sailed the team's ILC Maxi yacht Falcon2000 into first place of the New York Yacht Club's Maxi Yacht Regatta today, winning both races in the second day of the four-day event. The team goes into Friday's race with a 3-1 record for the regatta.

Baird and NYYC/Young America supporter Don Smith shared the helm of Falcon2000 to defeat Jim Dolan's Sagamore and George Coumantaros' Boomerang under sunny skies in a 9-12 knot westerly breeze on Rhode Island Sound.

"We split a pair of races with Sagamore yesterday, so we felt we needed to beat them today," said John Marshall, president of the NYYC/Young America Challenge.

In the first race today, Sagamore edged out Falcon2000 on the first windward leg. After a head-to-head battle on the beat, Sagamore had a narrow lead at the first mark.. In a fierce jibing duel on the leeward leg, Falcon2000 snatched the lead and rounded by a boat length at the leeward mark. "We extended that lead on the beat and had excellent downwind speed," Marshall said. Falcon2000 won the first race of the day and third for the regatta by four minutes, 11 seconds ahead of Sagamore and Boomerang.

In race two of the day, Baird and Smith won the start. "We started left and were about two lengths ahead at the start," Baird said. "After the first cross, we just sailed away. The crew did an incredible job today." Falcon2000 finished one minute, 41 seconds ahead of Sagamore and Boomerang.

Falcon2000 is just one component of this year's on-the-water program for the NYYC/Young America Challenge. It includes seven events on the World Match Racing Circuit and an extensive two-boat testing and training program with the team's IACC boats Young America, USA-36, and NZL-39, in Rhode Island. The team's Rhode Island Training Center is located at Quonset Point in North Kingstown.

YOUNG AMERICA TEAM SAILS TO 1-1 OPENER AT NYYC MAXI YACHT REGATTA JUNE 18-21

NEWPORT, R.I. - Ed Baird and the NYYC/Young America team sailed the team's ILC Maxi yacht Falcon2000 to a 1-1 record on opening day of the New York Yacht Club's Maxi Yacht Regatta June 18-21, part of the NYYC 143rd Annual Regatta in Newport, R.I. The final race of the day ended in a chilly downpour, but the rain did anything but dampen spirits of the Falcon2000 crew who had a close second in race one and earned a solid victory in race two.

Falcon2000 underwent a major refit this winter. Modifications to the 80-foot racer included a slenderized keel, substantial hull form modifications and a new carbon fiber mast. This is the first regatta for Falcon2000, the Maxi yacht donated to the NYYC/Young America Challenge by Oklahoma City businessman Don Smith, since the refit.

NYYC/Young America skipper Ed Baird is co-helming Falcon2000 with Smith. Other Maxi yachts competing in the regatta are George Coumantaros' Boomerang and Jim Dolan's Sagamore.

"We could not have asked for a better opening day," said John Marshall, president of the NYYC/Young America Challenge. "The crew work is exceptional and the recent modifications to Falcon2000 have substantially improved the performance. We're definitely in a competitive mode."

Falcon2000 had an outstanding start in race one, sailed in 6-10 knots southeast on a Rhode Island Sound 10-mile course about three miles off Castle Hill. Sagamore had good speed on the first windward leg where the right side was favored and crossed ahead at the first mark, holding onto the lead. Sagamore finished three seconds ahead on elapsed time and 36 seconds on corrected time ahead of Falcon2000 with Boomerang finishing third.

In race two, the breeze built to about 15 knots and became shiftier on the 15-mile course. Sagamore won the start, but Falcon2000, showing excellent speed, gained on a left shift and rounded first at the top mark. Falcon2000 gained every leg of the way to win the race by three minutes, 10 seconds elapsed time and one minute, 40 seconds on corrected time ahead of Sagamore. Boomerang finished third.