9 minute read
Sailing
The History of the America’s Cup Tradition
By: KATHERINE CLEMENTS
NEW ZEALAND—The 37th America’s Cup will be raced in New Zealand between the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and either the United Kingdom’s Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Ltd or the winner of a challenger series, such as the 2021 Prada Cup.
The 37th America’s Cup follows Emirates Team New Zealand’s successful defense of the 36th Americas Cup in 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand. As a result, the Kiwis will again be the Defender when the next America’s Cup gets underway.
The Cup will be raced between the Defender; a yacht, not yet to determined, representing The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS), and the challenger; a yacht representing the United Kingdom’s Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Ltd.
The America’s Cup has a long-standing history and tradition. American Yachtsman Dennis Conner lost the America’s Cup in 1983. Conner, now a contender for San Diego Yacht Club, is the world’s most successful Americas Cup skipper after winning it four times throughout 1974, 1980, 1987, and 1988. Conner has mounted a multi-boat campaign, trailed boats in the mighty winds of Hawaii, and beat the Australian Defender of the Cup to become the first person to both lose and then win back the America’s Cup. Because of Conner’s victory, the Cup was next held in the notoriously smooth sailing of San Diego in 1988. Conner admits there was brief consideration to host the races in Hawaii, but the club’s authority had no part in the abandonment of tradition. Defenses are held in the home waters of the winning club, a tradition that is not up for debate.
The tradition continued with two exceptions. First, when the competitive sailing team Alinghi won in 2003, their home lake in Switzerland did not have ample climate, which prompted in 2007 what many consider the high-water mark of the event with 11 challengers in Valencia, Spain; in 2017 when the pursuit of commercialism took the event to Bermuda.
The yacht Te Rehutai is owned and sailed by the Emirates Team New Zealand syndicate, the successful defenders of the 36th America’s Cup in March of this year. The winner holds an important role. The winner decides the format, type of boat raced, and the venue. This role gives the British team a top-tier seat for the first time, opening the possibility for the next Cup to be held in the U.K. The Cup has not been held in America since 2013, when it took place in San Francisco.
Emirates Team New Zealand and Oracle Team USA competed in the America’s Cup sailing races in San Francisco on Sept.12, 2013, the last time the cup was in America.
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Low Tide Yacht Club Hosts Pancake Breakfast for Human Options
By: JORDAN B. DARLING
LONG BEACH— Low Tide Yacht Club will host their second annual Pancake Breakfast on Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. to benefit their Adopt-a-Family campaign through Human Options.
Low Tide began working with Human Options, an Irvine-based non-profit focused on assisting families in need only last year.
During the holiday season, Human Options will assign in-need families to groups or organizations looking to give back. The families submit a list of clothing and shoe sizes, favorite colors, potential gift ideas for the kids, and a list of basic needs. The lists are given out to those looking to give back, and the organization will then give the gifts to those families.
Brandy Hyham, a co-founder of Low Tide Yacht Club, had worked with Human Options previously through the Marriot. When the hotel stopped participating in the fundraiser during COVID-19, Hyham took the idea to the yacht club.
“We took it upon ourselves, starting last year, to take it to the yacht club and say hey, we were looking for a second kind of donation group to do a fundraiser for because we want to do two a year,” said Hyham. “They all agreed that this would be the perfect thing to do for us because we are all parents and grandparents, and you know [you] want to give back to the community.”
As part of the campaign, the club runs a pancake breakfast where people can come over to Dock 17 in Alamitos Bay and get some pancakes and mimosas while they drop off gifts or just donate money in a collection jar.
“Brandy and I try to set it up as a social event, come on over socialize, have some pancakes, wish everyone a Merry Christmas, but the whole goal is to collect money,” said Steve Hyhamn, a co-founder of Low Tide Yacht Club. “How much money can we get to support the families and bring everybody together… It is open to anybody who wants to contribute. It is basically a thank you.”
Last year the club raised $800 for a family in need. Unfortunately, because of COVID-19, they were unable to buy actual gifts, and were limited to gift cards; this year they, have taken on three families and are looking to make it the best Christmas they can.
“We decided to take on three families this year because everybody was so generous last year and loved to do it,” said Brandy. “...We try to go above and beyond what they put down and really try to give them good gifts and make their kids be able to have a good Christmas. I am sure it is very difficult when you run into those tough situations to ask for help, so it’s really a great program to be able to provide for the community.”
Low Tide has three ways that people can donate, online at their GoFundMe page, in person with cash, or actual gifts from a list that will be posted on the Low Tide Yacht Club website.
“If there is someone who wants to give us a donation, we will find a way somehow,” said Brandy.
If you are unable to make the pancake breakfast, you can pop in for the Christmas Dingy Float through Belmont Shores at 6:30 p.m. on the same night. Dinghies will meet on Dock 17 behind Mark Rowen, a co-founder of Low Tide Yacht Club’s boat.
Low Tide Yacht Club will accept donations for their adopt-a-family campaign until Dec. 14. For more information about the campaign, to RSVP or the pancake breakfast, or learn more about the dinghy float, visit https://lowtideyachtclub.com/.
The pancake breakfast is held on Dock 17 in Alamitos Bay as a thank you to those participating in the fundraiser.
The 2021 World Championship was held in Oman from Nov. 16-21.
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ON THE HORIZONS
USA Takes on Skiff/Nacra Worlds and Leaves with Best Results in Decades
By: JORDAN B DARLING
AL-MUSSANAH, OMAN— Six U.S. teams took on the 2021 annual Skiff and Nacra World Championships in Oman Nov. 16- Nov. 21. Teams, including recent Olympic competitors Stephanie Roble (East Troy, Wis.) and Maggie Shea (Wilmette, IL) in 49erFX, walked away with what is reported to be some of the best scores the U.S. team has seen in decades. US Sailing reported that the final fleet and medal race delivered strategic execution and nail-biting finishes, with U.S. teams ranking among the world’s best. Ian Barrows (St. Thomas, USVI) and Southern California local Hans Henken (Coronado, Calif.) tied for third place in the final race and placed fourth overall, leading the pack for the U.S.; Andrew Mollerus (Larchmont, NY) and Ian MacDiarmid (Delray Beach, Fla.) placed sixth. “This was our first Worlds as a team, so our goal was to finish tenth in the fleet races and get a shot at the medal race,” said Hans Henken in a Nov. 21 article from US Sailing. “Heading into the medal race with at least a top-10 finish locked in gave us a sense of freedom to sail and lay it all out on the water. We executed, we had fun, and we walked away with a 4th place finish. We’re proud of what we accomplished as a team and are just really stoked.”
Final Results: 49er
4th: Ian Barrows (St. Thomas, USVI) & Hans Henken (Coronado, Calif.) 6th: Andrew Mollerus (Larchmont, NY) & Ian MacDiarmid (Delray Beach, Fla.) 49erFX
8th: Steph Roble (East Troy, Wis.) & Maggie Shea (Wilmette, IL) 20th: Lucy Wilmot (Orinda, Calif.) & Erika Reineke (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) Nacra 17
12th: Ravi Parent (Bradenton, Fla.) & Sara Stone (Newport, RI) 14th: Carson Crain (Houston, Tex.) & Caroline Atwood (Blue Hill, ME)
‘Tis the Season to PARTICIPATE! VOLUNTEER! DONATE!
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By: JORDAN B. DARLING
SAN DIEGO— The Cortez Racing Association is hosting the Year-End Regatta and first regatta of the 2022 CRA High Point Championship sponsored by Ullman Sails on Dec. 11. The regatta is open to all members of organizations affiliated with US Sailing and all boats of the J-24 class. PHRF classes are open to all boats with a current, valid PHRF certificate issued by PHRF San Diego. There are two races scheduled for all classes, the warning signal for the first race is set for 11:55 a.m., and the final warning will be no later than 3:30 p.m. The races will start near the halfmile marker mid-Harbor Island and will take place in San Diego Harbor. There is a $40 registration fee for non-CRA members and no charge for CRA members. Registration is due no later than Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. Late entries will be accepted only for CRA members.
Boxing Day Pursuit Race (Dec. 26)
LONG BEACH— The Alamitos Bay Yacht Club will host the Boxing Day Pursuit Race on Dec. 26 in Alamitos Bay. The race is open to crews who are in good standing with their respective yacht clubs and to foreign sailors who are members of their respective National Governing Authorities. Boats will need to be equipped with a Portsmouth yardstick; if they do not have one, a yardstick will be MacGyvered. The pursuit is scheduled for Alamitos Bay, Naples Sabot’s warning signal will be at approximately 12:55 p.m., Formula 18 Cat’s at 2 p.m., and the race is set to finish at around 3 p.m. An entry fee of $15 is due by Dec. 25. Late entries will be charged $16. Interested parties may enter online or in-person only. For more information or to enter, see https://www.abyc.org/.
