Today's Sailing News 

Chicago NOOD Fleet Complete 5 races

Sunday was the third and final day of racing at the 2000 Sailing World Chicago NOOD regatta.  A fifth, final and in some classes deciding race was sailed.  Winds for the 5th race were light, from 3 to 8 knots.  Racing was initially postponed as the breeze built.

Perhaps one of the most significant facts about this event that the 282 boat fleet was an all time record for a NOOD regatta.

After the 5 race series, with winds from 3 to 25 knots the class winners can claim to be skillful all around sailors.

Biggest margin of victory:  6 points, Fin-ese PHRF 81-96 and Voodo Farr 40

Narrowest Margin of Victory:  Megles 24 class, winner determined by tie breaker

Lowest Point Total:  Rumble Fish PHRF 114-132 5 points on 5 bullets.

Highest Point Total Class Winner:  Laser 28, 18 points.

Defending champions:  4 boats that were defending champions managed a repeat performance.  In a special note of home waters pride, 2 of these boats were Richard Rodseth's Vagary and Ken Gray's Stirred, Not Shaken.

Beneteau 40.7 (8 boats) 1) Tom & Deb Weber, St. Charles, IL, LA TEMPETE, 6  

Beneteau 42 (8 boats) 1) Ronald W. Carroll, Hinsdale, IL, KIAORA, 12  

Corsair (9 boats) 1) Robert Lang, Chicago, IL, RUSH HOUR, 7  

Cruiser Racer (8 boats) 1) Bob Foley, Vernon Hills, IL, *BRAVO IV (Metalmast 30),  

Farr 40 (13 boats) 1) Richard Grunsten, Chicago, IL, Voodoo, 6 

Great Lakes 70 (10 boats) 1) Bill Alcott, St Clair Shores, MI, EQUATION (Santa Cruz 70), 14  

J-105 (15 boats) 1) Len Siegal, Chicago, IL, LUCKY DOBIE, 12  

J-24 (15 boats) 1) Kenneth Gray, East Grand Rapids, MI, *STIRRED, NOT SHAKEN, 13  

J-30 (9 boats) GREAT LAKES CHAMPIONSHIPS 1) Dan Darrow, Libertyville, IL, SALACIOUS, 13  

J-35 (13 boats) 1) Jack Amedio, Libertyville, IL, INFINITY, 12  

Laser 28 (13 boats) WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 1) Denise C. Bienvenu, Dorval, Quebec, Canada, Convictus, 18  

Level 35 (8 boats) 1) Ronald DeBruin, Lake Forest, IL, 4TH OF JULY (Frers 38), 8  

Level 60 (9 boats) 1) Richard Rodseth, Muskegon, MI, *VAGARY (Peterson 43), 7  

Melges 24 (8 boats) 1) Karen Gottwald, Chicago, IL, CAGEY, 15  

Mumm 30 (12 boats) 1) Thomas F. Papanek, Chicago, IL, FUZZY LOGIC, 9 

PHRF 114-132 (14 boats) 1) Robert J. Falk, St Louis, MO, RUMBLE FISH (J-29), 5  

PHRF 15 (8 boats) 1) Robert Verb, Chicago, IL, Goblin.com (Tripp 47), 7  

PHRF 24-54 (16 boats) 1) Robert L. Hughes, Ada, MI, HEARTBREAKER (1D 35), 11 

PHRF 81-96 (10 boats) 1) Alan C.McMillan, Palatine, IL, FIN-ESSE (Sirena 38),6  

PHRF 99-113 (10 boats) 1) Sean Dwyer, Chicago, IL, Decoy (W.D. Schock/NY 36), 11  

S2 7.9 (12 boats) 1) Doug Padnos, Holland, MI, *K2, 8 

S2 9.1 (12 boats) 1) Donald G. Rychlinski, Milwaukee, WI, KATO, 9  

Tartan Ten (42 boats) 1) Bill Buckles, Lorain, OH, Liquor Box, 13 

Yesterday the Race Class catamaran Club Med arrived in San Salvador, Bahamas.  As Club Med finished, the catamaran became the new record holder on the Discovery Route.  Club Med's new record time is 10 days 14 hours 54 minutes and 43 seconds.  Average speed was 15.3 knots.  The voyage earns a sailing record score of 1352.4

Upon arriving in San Salvador, co-skipper Grant Dalton made these summarizing comments: "This boat has a potential of 25% more than those of the previous generation (Jet Services V)  it was normal that we should beat this record. It is in the logic of current technological evolution."

Next for Club Med is a run at the Miami/New York record and the west to east transatlantic record.

At 0621 this morning Ellen Macarthur sailed Kingfisher across the finish line to win the Class I monohull division.  For the 23 year old Macarthur this was her first race on Kingfisher.  

Kingfisher's time was 14 days 23 hours and 11 minutes.  This was 7 hours off the race record for monhull's.  This victory makes Macarthur the race's youngest winner and also the youngest entrant.

Kingfisher's approach to the finish was plagued by trying conditions.  These generated comments such as this from Macarthur: "Not much more than 4 or 5 knots of wind, and lots of wind shear. Its going to be a tough day. I'm just longing to see that finish line."  

Following Kingfisher are Sill (123.6 miles out) and Group 4 (127.9 miles).  Group 4's progress is notable as Mike Golding's boat is wounded.

In an eerie incident reminiscent of his grounding off New Zealand in the Around Alone race Group 4 has been damaged.  According to Golding, " Team Group 4 struck an unknown submerged, very solid, object (perhaps a whale or container?) whilst travelling at 11kts. This brought the boat to a complete stop, and on inspection, I found that the already damaged dagger board, which was half down, had sliced back into the hull, and its' collision box, with the top smashing through the already jury rigged daggerboard case inside the boat."  Golding had underwater epoxy on board and made a hasty repair stating, "It also told me that it would be ready for use in 1 hour, I gave it the time it took me to get on deck, smoke a cigarette, and unfurl the sails - 7 minutes tops! Still despite my abuse of the instructions it has worked. Not yet a total seal but close enough to get on with the race."  

It seems possible that despite Group 4's less than ideal condition 2nd place is not out of the question.  This would give British skippers 2 of 3 podium spots, quite remarkable news in what has been a French dominated sport.