Laser Sailor Fall 2015 by Jerelyn Biehl

速 FALL 2015 6 continents, 122 countries - the biggest adult and youth racing class in the world

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FALL 2015

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FALL 2015

Ofﬁcial publication of the International Laser Class Association North American Region US Postal Service: Please return undeliverables to: ILCA-NA 2812 Canon Street San Diego, CA 92106 USA Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608 Please return undeliverables to: Bleuchip International PO Box 25542 London, ON N6C 6BC

Editors

Sherri Campbell & Jerelyn Biehl ILCA-NA

FALL 2015

District Contacts .....................................................................................................6 President’s Report....................................................................................................8 Coaches Corner: Leeward & Windward mark drills.....................................10 Shabang! Peter Hurley is back............................................................................12 Buildling a lifetime of Sportsmanship..............................................................14 New Sail Design.....................................................................................................17 Masters Reports Master ACCs.............................................................................................18

Ofﬁcers

New England Masters............................................................................20

Andy Roy Chairman 15 Claudette Court Peterborough, ON K9J 7Y7 Canada 705-750-0189 aroy187740@gmail.com

Peter Shope - World Champion............................................................21

Meka Taulbee Vice Chairman Dunedin, FL USA 727-631-7005 meka@sailﬁt.com Eric Reitinger Treasurer 7908 Normandy Drive Mt Laurel, NJ 08054 609-206-2973 er4599@gmail.com

District 25 Championship....................................................................................24 2016 Event Schedule..............................................................................................25 Laser World Insert .........................................................................................center US Nationals...........................................................................................................26 District Reports......................................................................................................28 Laser Sailing and the Spine.................................................................................38 Why Join the Laser Class?...................................................................................40 Membership Applications....................................................................................41

John Long Secretary 4707 Sierra Madre Road Santa Barbara, CA 93110 805-705-1435 jlonginsb@yahoo.com Al Clark Member at Large 337 E 6th North Vancouver, BC V7L1P7 604-988-4799 al.clark@shaw.ca

® FALL 2015 6 continents, 122 countries - the biggest adult and youth racing class in the world

Awesome aerial shot by Sailingshot and Luka Bartulovic at the recent Laser Worlds in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

Sherri Campbell Executive Secretary 2812 Canon Street San Diego, CA 92106 USA phone: 619-222-0252 fax: 619-222-0528 sherri@odmsail.com

www.Laser.org

NEWFOUNDLAND

6 BRITISH COLUMBIA

ALBERTA

SASKATCHEWAN

QUEBEC

MANITOBA

NORTH DAKOTA

VERMONT

MINNESOTA

WISCONSIN

SOUTH DAKOTA

IDAHO

WYOMING

IOWA

ILLINOIS

COLORADO

KANSAS

CALIFORNIA

OKLAHOMA

ARIZONA

MISSOURI

MASSACHUSETTS RHODE ISLAND CONNECTICUT

NEW JERSEY

MARYLAND

NORTH CAROLINA

SOUTH CAROLINA

TEXAS

NEW HAMPSHIRE

VIRGINIA KENTUCKY

NEW MEXICO

7 7

NOVA SCOTIA

DELAWARE WEST VIRGINIA

TENNESSEE

ARKANSAS

LOUISIANA

PENNSYLVANIA

OHIO INDIANA

UTAH

NEBRASKA

NEVADA

NEW 9 YORK

MICHIGAN

MAINE

MONTANA

OREGON

HAWAII

WASHINGTON

NEW BRUNSWICK

ONTARIO

14 ALABAMA MISSISSIPPI

GEORGIA

TIME ZONE

PUERTO RICO AND THE CARIBBEAN

FLORIDA

District 1

District 9

District 18

District 2

District 10

District 19

Danielle Dube, 8 Sunnydale Dr Glen Haven, NS B3Z 2T8 902-823-2802, danielle_dube947@hotmail.com Philippe Dormoy, 385 Place Desmarest, Ile Bizard, Quebec, H9C 2G8 514-620-8124 Philippe_dormoy@steris.com

District 3

Nigel Heath 416-417-0193; nigel_heath@manulife.com D3 website: www.d3laser.com

District 4

Brigitte Smutney, Sail Manitoba; 409-145 Pacific Ave. Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2Z6 204-925-5647 sailing@sportmanitoba.ca www.sailmanitoba.com

District 5

Mark Lammens 510 Cynthia St. Saskatoon, SK S7K 7K7 306-975-0833, sasksail@sasktel.net www.sasksail.com

District 6

Andy Hunt, 111-2260 W 8th Ave Vancouver BC V6K 2A7 604-733-9663, hotline: 206-525-5788 athunt@vcn.bc.ca www.district6x.ca

District 7

Judith Krimski Laserd7@gmail.com

District 8

Frank Seckler laserd8@gmail.com www.LaserD8.org

Peter Bushnell Cazenovia, NY 13035 315-655-4671- peter.bushnell@carrier.utc.com Eric Reitinger 7908 Normandy Dr Mt. Laurel NJ 08054 Er4599@gmail.com http://d10.laserforum.org

District 11

John Shockey 216-386-1920 johnrshockey@gmail.com Ken Swetka 27022 Koerber St., St Claire Shores, MI 48081 248-635-5363 www.d19laser.org

District 20

Jon Deutsch 3422 Blithewood Dr, Richmond VA 23225 804-305-1244, jon@laserdistrict11.org http://www.laserdistrict11.org

Troy Tolan Springfield, IL Carlyle Sailing Assn. 217-960-2681, troytolan@videoop.ca Facebook: Laserd20

Charles Usher chasusher@comcast.net www.d12laserforum.org

Matthew Thompson D21.sec@gmail.com D21.laserforum.org

District 12

District 13

Michelle Davis laserbrain2@hotmail.com www.laser.org/m/_general/d13.asp

District 14

Britt Drake 805-252-3829 cbdrakelll@yahoo.com

District 15

Forest Atkins 157833@gmail.com 214-686-7035 https://groups.google.com/ forum/?fromgroups#!forum/txLaser/

District 16

District 21

District 22

Kurt Hoehne, 524 N 67th St Seattle, WA 98103 206-335-8776 kurthoehne@gmail.com

District 23

Geoff Hurwitch Geoffh437@yahoo.com

District 24

Stephen Aguilar 1809 Brier Way, Carmichael, CA sailsteve55@gmail.com 916-968-3554

District 25

Tim Fitzgerald, 2322 Bromfield Circle Wichita KS 67226, 316-650-3636 TIMFITZ875@gmail.com

Jorge Suarez, 7 Covina Ave Long Beach, CA 90803 562-260-8116. jorgesuarez0@yahoo.com Groups.yahoo.com/group/nalaserdistrict25

John E. Coolidge, Jr., 1113 Hanover St Chattanooga, TN 37405 423-309-1926 jc@chattprint.com

Guy Fleming, 44-392 Olina St. #6 Kaneohe, HI 96744-2617 808-955-4405, guynsyd@hawaii.rr.com

District 17

District 26

FALL 2015

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President’s Report With my deadline for writing and submitting this article for the TLS fast approaching, I was getting a little worried that I would have to write for maybe the 3rd time that, “… the new Standard MK II sail is expected to be approved any day”. Fortunately I didn’t have to say that again, as the ILCA was able to announce the new sail’s go ahead on September 15th and that availability will begin in November. Now the focus will be on approval of the new composite top section, and from what I’ve been told this is expected to also take place in the near future. All great news for the class, and special thanks goes out to Tracy Usher for putting a huge amount of effort into making this finally happen. There’s no doubt that the longevity of the new sail will make a huge difference and will save us all a lot of money over the long haul. Looking back on this summer’s racing season in NA, the highlights were the multiple World Championship events in Kingston (Standard Men, Masters and Radial Youth). A big congrats goes out to the folks at CORK, the race management teams, and all the volunteers who made each one of these events a success. Recently I sailed in one of the last Masters regattas of the season, the Atlantic Coast Championships held out of Brant Beach Yacht Club (BBYC) in New Jersey. I wanted to mention this event because it highlighted what makes Laser racing special, and certainly at the Masters level. The event organization (led by NA Class Exec member, Eric Reitenger) was excellent, and the hospitality (i.e., food and beer!), race management, and comradery amongst the competitors was tremendous. I’ll give an example of the latter that occurred in one race where a few of us were battling for places 3rd – 7th (Peter Hurley was already launched out in first, and went on to win the regatta without too much difficulty). I had just crossed tacks behind Scott Pakenham, and I sailed for maybe 30 seconds before tacking on to port. Scott must have tacked onto starboard about the same time I had tacked, but I didn’t see him coming. I was surprised to see his bow swerving below my transom to avoid a collision. I immediately apologized and Scott smilingly said, “don’t worry about it” (or

similar). I thanked him and no doubt owed him one. It didn’t take long to repay him the favor, as he tacked a little too close near the windward mark. I think a little good karma went Scott’s way for his show of sportsmanship, as he later caught a couple sweet shifts and went on to bag the 3rd. As an aside, this type of port-starboard incident will be much less likely to occur once we’re all using the new Mk II sail. The larger and well placed window on

Doesn’t this sailor know that weeds on your board is slow? (from ACC Masters)

the sail should enable us to easily notice approaching opposite tackers. Below is a shot of BBYC Commodore Don Hahl greeting competitors at the skipper’s briefing for the Masters ACCs. Now this guy knows how to have fun and lighten things up. Don was telling me about how he started “Thirsty Thursdays” at BBYC a few years back. Basically TT’s are about coming out to the club and getting out on the water (Lasers, Sunfish, etc.), rounding a few marks and then telling lies about it back on shore over a beverage or two. Small prizes are often handed out, but not necessarily to the race winners. I think more sailing clubs need to replicate the Thirsty Thursday format. For you northern sailors (like me), do your best to hit the gym this winter, plan to do a winter regatta if you can or plan a vacation around a Laser training week in Mexico or the Dominican Republic. You won’t regret it! Commodore Hahl in dress whites, hiker and flops

FALL 2015

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Coaches Corner

We’ve asked a few of our top North American coaches to share some of their favorite drills with us. If you have a drill to share, send it to the ILCA-NA ofﬁce for publication.

Leeward Mark Split This drill requires two boats to execute. 1 – Two boats approach the leeward mark at the same time overlapped. 2 – The inside boat rounds the mark and sails for 30 seconds (approximately) before tacking onto starboard. At the same time the outside boat rounds behind and tacks around the mark (immediately), sails for 30 seconds (approximately), then tacks back onto port. 3 – The two boats re-engage. The port tack boat is able to judge how well they executed based on the distance between them when they meet. A lot of distance between the boats equals a poor job, less distance equals a good job. This drill is continuous and switches positions of the boats. 4 – The boat approaching on port bears away inside the starboard tacker. 5 – They both head downwind toward the mark and repeat the drill from step one with rolls reversed. Objective: Concentrating on all leeward mark rounding techniques as well as speed. This includes acceleration away from the mark. Attach and defend on the ﬁnal approach to the leeward mark. Concentrate on rounding as close behind the lead boat as possible. Coaching Tip: Potential to focus on footwork, hand exchange and sail control adjustments. Be contentious of rules situation. For video the coach boat position should be below the leeward mark – shoot the video to capture both the entry and the exit angles of the two boats, or focus on only one at a time. Focus on speed through the rounding as well as turning rate and heel angle.

Skewed Windward Mark

A windward leeward course is set with the windward mark skewed either to the right or the left. The lead boat has to tack around the leeward mark immediately after rounding while the other boats in the drill may sail as they wish. Objective: To create a situation at the top mark, work on lay lines and leeward mark roundings, leebows as well as boat speed. Coaching Tip: Be sure to run both skewed courses (right and left). Roundings at the top should be very close. How well the sailors are calling the lay line is important. Also determining where the three-boat length circle is at the top is important for the lead boat approaching on port. Focus on these points in brieﬁngs and de-brieﬁngs. Thanks to Sail Canada & Ken Dool for these drills.

FALL 2015

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SHABANG! Peter Hurley is back. BY JOE BERKELEY Peter Hurley became the number one headshot photographer in the world by focusing on his career. But when the almost-45-year-old stepped on the scale in January of 2015, it wasn’t a pretty picture. Hurley, who once won the O’Day Championships, the Laser Radial North Americans, and made the US Olympic Sailing team as an athlete who was 183 pounds of chiseled muscle had become 230 pounds of middle-aged spread. He knew he needed motivation to return to ﬁtness. In the past, there were only two things that motivated Hurley to hit the gym: racing Lasers and being a model, which was an attempt to fund his Olympic campaign. Back in 1995, the famous fashion photographer Bruce Weber photographed Hurley for Abercrombie & Fitch, Polo, and other campaigns. Hurley, hit it off with Weber, who suggested he should give the other side of the camera a try. By then, Hurley was friends with many other models, so he started shooting them in his spare time. In the Laser, tiny changes can make a huge difference in the outcome of the race. So too is the case in photography. If the subject leans back instead of forward, their neck can look fat. If the photographer does not make the subject feel comfortable, the subject can look like a deer in the headlights instead of conﬁdent, approachable, and cool. The most important training Hurley received as a photographer was his training for the US Olympic team as a sailor. Simply put, he stuck with what worked, abandoned what did not, and through trial and error, willed himself into becoming the most accomplished headshot photographer in the world. But in January of 2015, his work behind the camera was not going to help him behind the tiller. The man who once modeled shirtless for Haagen-Dazs now looked like he had been eating too much Haagen-Dazs.

Hurley said, “I missed sailing the Laser. I knew age 45 was coming up, I was 230 pounds and the Laser Masters’ World Championships are going to be seven hours away at Cork, where I’ve sailed 10 times. I’ve got to get in shape, this is a no brainer. My goal was to hit 190.” As a business owner, husband and father, Hurley was time starved. He had no idea how he was going to get into shape until one of his celebrity actress clients who was training for a feature film suggested he reach out to trainer Joel Harper. Hurley said, “I never had a trainer before, I didn’t like them. But I was at the stage where I don’t like gyms, I don’t like running. So I did one session with Joel and the thing about him is having the support of my wife. It would be the two of us and sometimes a friend would come.” Harper, who has just published a book, Mind Your Body by Harper Collins, trains his clients to listen to their bodies. He said, “Everybody is different. When I take on a new client, I ask them to work on a scale of 1-10. 1 is easy, 10 is hard.” Harper’s first goal is to get each client “in balance.” Hurley had some shoulder tension from working with cameras, so stretching opened that area up. Next, he focused on hydration. His formula is take half your body weight in pounds and divide it by two. That’s how many ounces of water you should be drinking a day. During strenuous activity, add another ten ounces per hour. The workouts, which focused on legs and core pushed Hurley into the 8, 9, and 10 zone of difficulty. As a former Olympic campaigner, Hurley was physically out of shape, but he was still mentally tough. “Peter had the focus and the discipline already. Peter had a deadline and specific goals. I told him how he had to eat and how he had to drink,” said the trainer. Hurley got the result he wanted, proving once again that the best coaches and trainers are beautifully polished mirrors, reflecting back the energy and dedication the athlete puts into them.

As Laser sailing is an equipment intensive sport, it was time for Hurley to update his boat and gear. As an aspiring Olympian, he was sponsored by Colie Sails, so he returned to the store to see if things had changed. Clay Johnson, the owner of Colie Sails appreciated the Austin Powers time warp aspect of Hurley’s gear, but he figured it was time for an upgrade. Johnson said, “Peter was a fantastic sailor in the late 90s and early 2000s, but he was sailing a 20-year-old Laser with 20-year-old gear. He came in to get a new boat, and we upgraded all his gear and went over some of the new equipment options. We took out some purchase systems from his cunningham and vang. We streamlined his outhaul a little too, and I showed him a simpler, more effective way to rig up his hiking strap adjustment line.” Then they turned to the clothing rack. “I set him up with the Zhik Power Pads II, Zhik Hybrid pants, and Zhik 560 boots. The advantage to the Zhik gear is that you can dress for the exact condition you have. If it’s hot, you have your lightweight hybrid suit. If it gets colder, you still wear the pads but with a warmer suit. Maneuverability is also tremendously increased with the Power Pads. The Zhik 560 boots, paired with the new Zhik Grip II hiking strap, really let you connect to the boat.” Hurley loved his new Laser and his new gear, but there is no substitute for time in the boat. Hurley focused on three events leading up to the Worlds; a Saturday around-the-buoys regatta, the Orange Coffee Pot regatta, and a PHRF event where he finished 18th out of 31. With a chuckle, he said, “Hey, you do two Olympic campaigns, stuff can come back to you really quickly if you are in shape.” Then it was off to the Laser Masters’ Worlds. As an artist, Hurley claims he is 90% therapist and 10% photographer. He feels the same way about sailing. It’s 90% mental, 10% mechanical. He said, “Going into the Masters’ Worlds, I didn’t have an expectation. At the beginning, I would have hoped to be in the top 5. As the regatta went on, the confidence built. By the end I felt good.”

FALL 2015

Peter put his weight loss goal out on social media Seidenberg and gave

There are many technical terms in Hurley photography including f-stop, shutter speed, and ASA, but the term Hurley is known for is, “SHABANG!” He said, “For some reason, I yelled “SHABANG!” in a video once. Whenever I would get a good picture, I would say, “SHABANG, that picture is awesome!” On the race course, if I win a race, I scream, “SHABANG!” At the Laser Masters’ Worlds, Hurley won the 8th race of the series and a “SHABANG!!!” was heard all the way in the inner sanctums of the Kingston Penitentiary, which looks out on the lake. Hurley was pleased to escape the wrath of the on-the-water judges, who handed out yellow ﬂags for rule 42 violations like irate prison guards doling out solitary conﬁnement to impudent inmates. The Masters’ Worlds was also an opportunity to reconnect with old friends. Hurley said, “I’ve been sailing Lasers on the national level since I was 17. For me, it doesn’t matter how many years go by. If you’ve sailed against somebody for 28 years, they know you. I saw Peter

Overall, Hurley is thrilled with the results from his effort. He said, “I was at 230 pounds. I have a website with over 7,000 photographers I coach, and I put it all out there so I had to lose the weight. I can’t believe I pulled it off. I look better, I feel better, my self-conﬁdence is through the roof and that translates into my sailing. The feeling now is like a bug that’s caught me. I want to get as fast as I can with the limited time I have and do as many events as possible against the best. If you sail against the fastest guys you are going to up your game.”

in his prime - Bruce Weber shot There’s only one word for the feeling

you get from coming back to the Laser and rediscovering the ﬁtness, the fun, the competition on the water and the camaraderie on land. As Peter Hurley would say, “SHABANG!” Joe Berkeley is a freelance writer who rigged up next to Peter Hurley at the Laser Masters’ Worlds and ﬁnished well behind him. His work is at joeberkeley. com

Hurley winning a race at the Laser Masters’ Worlds. Sailingshot.com love to see his old friends on the water such as Stefan Warkalla, John Torgerson, Steve Bourdow, Nick Adamson and Andy Lovell.

WE MAKE THE TOP. YOU MAKE IT MATTER. www.Laser.org

him a hug. He is a huge inspiration to me. The guy is 77 and he is still sailing a Laser. Being at the Worlds, seeing the guys I campaigned against was really cool.” In the future, Hurley would

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Building a lifetime of Sportsmanship BY JUDITH KRIMSKI As the sailing moves from summer to fall I’ve been thinking a bit about sportsmanship. My good friend, Deborah Bennett Elfers, Fleet captain at Beverley Yacht Club, Marion MA and stellar Herreshoff 12 skipper, recently wrote a post entitled “Tiller Rage – Does It Impact Your Fleet’s Racing?” in which she writes: “Have you ever raced against someone who gets completely twisted up emotionally and seems incapable of moderating his or her anger and anxiety on the race course? Even to seasoned racers, this kind of behavior can be offputting, to say the least. If left unchecked, it can damage the morale of the fleet, and can discourage newer sailors from participating. And, all too sadly for them, these anxious, angry skippers can have a very hard time keeping crew, and don’t seem to understand why they find themselves having to recruit new victims every week.” Luckily for us Laser sailors we don’t have to worry about new recruits. That said many of us have experienced the admonition, “Stay away from Bob. He’s crazy!” Let’s face it. We’ve all experienced moments when we feel like our anger gets the better of us. But why do some sailors let loose while others rein it in and keep sailing? Temperament definitely has a part in it. Knowledge of the rules? Probably. Eye on the bigger picture? Certainly. All these factors are part of the equation.

Dave Perry describes sportsmanship It’s an attitude of respect for the game, the rules, the people you’re racing against and the officials. Respect means you go about your job of competing fairly within the rules and try your hardest to win, without doing anything that is unfair to others. Sometimes you’ll win and sometimes you won’t, but people will always have a good feeling about racing against you. — Dave Perry Setting the Right Tone We all want to win. It’s one of the reasons we compete. While society mostly defines winning as who comes in first we as individuals can and should define it for ourselves. When my son Emmitt was in fourth grade he played on an intramural travel basketball team. It was an exciting season watching the boy’s progress from fumbling around the court to executing coordinated fast breaks and defensive plays. In the end they “won” the championship and all was wonderful with the world. It’s hard not to get caught up in the moment, treating the whole experience like the NBA finals. But underneath the revelry was the knowledge that all wasn’t as wonderful as it seemed. The head coach, while being a real stickler for the fundamentals was a bit too focused on winning at all costs. The next season my son was asked to rejoin the team but declined. “Mom, I’d rather lose every basketball game than play for Coach again.” Emmitt went on to play

for another team, losing more games than winning but whenever we reminisce he always says, “I had the most fun ever with that team.” Components of a Healthy Fleet Leadership The next time you see your local fleet captain thank that person for all they do to keep the fleet organized and growing. Someone’s got to send out the weekly emails detailing scores, cheerleading those who show up and encouraging attendance. This spring I made the trek to Marblehead, MA to sail in the regular Sunday series. This fleet is a great example of a welloiled machine and fleet organizer Tom Dailey ensures that is the case. The racing is competitive and the group is very supportive. At the end of the race day everyone gathers in the EYC boat yard for pizza and beer. Prizes are given out. When I received the Corinthian Award my first day I was hooked. Many sailors asked, “Are you coming back next week?” Absolutely! Education If you are new to sailing, despite how many times you’ve read the rules, it’s hard to understand them unless you get on-the-water experience. Even top sailors don’t know it all. This winter one of the best Master sailors in the world asked me, “Can you teach me Rule 18? I only know starboard and port.” The truth is whether you are a seasoned racer or not, to really

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FALL 2015

learn the rules, you need the context that racing provides. Along with that ﬂeets should provide support for learning by discussing situations post-racing and holding organized sessions with knowledgeable peers. Chill Out In a perfect world we would all exhibit the highest level of sportsmanship—keeping calm as we raced around the course, taking our penalty turns when required, and declaring “Great race!” to a competitor who just beat us by inches. But as HUMANS we get angry, we have anxiety, and we feel pressure to win. Go into competition with a healthy dose of humility. I like to say to myself, “It’s only a stupid sailboat race.” The reality is that we live in a culture where winning trumps playing. By playing I mean having fun. Stuff happens. Just got port tacked at the windward mark? You probably did something similar to another sailor the week before. Instead of getting pissed off and spending half the downwind leg yelling at that person hail “Protest,” and move on. Every moment you spend arguing takes focus off racing. Putting a mental block on the situation is actually faster. Why is sportsmanship important? Sailing is a game, a sport, and when you choose to play a sport what you’re really saying is “Let’s all start from an equal place and see who can do it better.” When everyone is playing the same game, it’s exciting and challenging. But when some people try to win without regard for the rules, that compromises the game. Since sportsmanship is about respecting the game, I think it’s important to be a good sport; otherwise sailing won’t be very pleasurable, and people will stop doing it. — Dave Perry Citizen vs. Consumer When you join a ﬂeet ask yourself are you a consumer or are you a citizen? Consumers have a “Do you know who I am?” mentality and a stick it to ‘em attitude. He is on the racing highway announcing “Get out of my way or else.” Gaining the advantage is all that matters and if you are in his way watch out.

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Citizen sailors are contributing members of the group. They feel a sense of responsibility to have a positive impact. Citizens contribute in positive ways on and off the water. Poor sportsmanship Three things I see that reflect poor sportsmanship at regattas are the following: 1) Not taking your penalty when you know you have infringed a rule; 2) Lying (stretching the truth) in a protest hearing; and 3) Acrimonious communication with other boats. Regarding the last point, I don’t mind hearing the word “Protest.” Protesting is not poor sportsmanship because it’s part of the game. But if you choose a tone of voice which is mean and nasty, that is unsportsmanlike and, in my opinion, unnecessary. If someone gets in your way, avoid a collision and protest. You don’t have to yell at them in a way that makes them feel bad or stupid. They probably didn’t try to foul you on purpose, so why treat them in a way that is disrespectful? —Dave Perry Pass it on Several years ago while sailing the Buzzards Bay Regatta in the radial fleet (composed of about 99 teenagers and me) I experienced both bad sportsmanship and great sportsmanship in one race. After getting a great start and rounding the windward mark in first place I was overtaken by two youth sailors. We ended up entering the zone for the leeward mark clearly overlapped. I was in the middle. As I entered the zone I hailed the sailor outside me, “No room.” As I gybed to round the mark said sailor also gybed and proceeded to collide with me. Luckily no one capsized but I ended falling to third place. I immediately hailed “Protest,” but much to my chagrin the offender just kept sailing. After hailing this sailor several times with no response I harnessed my anger to focus on the last leg, passed both sailors back and won the race. Post-race the other sailor, who was inside at the leeward mark, sailed up to me. “Nice race Ma’am.” What a great sport! Still I was left frustrated and wondering what made the other sailor think that fouling someone so blatantly and not taking the requisite turns was OK.

As parents, coaches and fellow sailors we need to be better stewards of the sport we love, taking the focus on winning at all costs and making time to teach youth sailors the rules and holding them accountable while setting up our rules discussions within the context of developing good sportsmanship habits and a better knowledge of the game. Gary Werden, coach of a local high school sailing team, is a stickler for the rules. He has made it his mission to integrate rules instruction into every practice and competition. Instead of viewing the rules as an inconvenience Gary’s sailors see rules as integral to racing, giving them the ability to make better tactical decisions and sail clean races. In a recent regatta where the wind was shifting 45 degrees at the windward mark I entered the zone on starboard but was immediately hit by a windshift and had to tack to port to round the mark. As I got within one boatlength of the mark I was able to tack back to starboard but in the meantime Larry, one of Gary’s sailors, entered the zone on starboard and immediately pointed out that he had rights over me (18.1a) because I had tacked in the zone. Although I was bummed out the coach in me thought “Way to go Larry.” Rules instruction for youth can be easily parsed out into small bits that incorporate short land-based lessons with racing time. Coaches acting as referees during practices to help sailors develop good habits and of course having sailors practice penalty turns so what seems like drudgery becomes a reliable skill. The challenges of sailboat racing are many and let’s face it things don’t always go our way. As you sail around the course you have choices to make. Whether it’s lack of skill, rules knowledge or awareness, sometimes you’ll make the wrong choice or you’re forced to make a choice you don’t necessarily like. Are you going to let your emotions get the upper hand? Will you give in to “tiller rage?” Or will you be citizen sailor? Hopefully the latter. As Dave Perry says, “If you pass all your options through the “good ethics” ﬁlter, then everything will be great. But if you consider unsportsmanlike options, then you’re going to get into trouble. The key is to keep making the right choices. “

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Laser Class Announces New Sail Design The all new Standard Mark II Laser sail available on 1 November 9 September 2015 The International Laser Class Association (ILCA) is pleased to announce the release of a completely new class-legal design for the Laser standard rig sail. The release marks the ﬁrst time in over 40 years that the Laser sail design has been substantially updated. Known as the Standard Mark II Sail, the new patented design is the result of thousands of hours of design work and on-the-water testing involving the Laser builders, the Association, two major

sailmakers and some of the world’s top sailors. The Mark II features bi-radial panels, a heavier 4.5 ounce cloth and optimized reinforcement patches, all intended to maximize the sail’s competitive life. The sail also features tapered battens with Velcro batten pocket closures, a larger window for improved visibility and a patented re-designed luff tube to eliminate wrinkles at the mast joint. “This is a quantum leap forward for

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our class,” says ILCA President, Tracy Usher. “For several years the number one complaint about the Laser has been the outdated sail design. We’ve put a lot of time and effort into this new sail design and we’re really happy with the result.” As with all changes to the Laser, the new sail has been carefully designed to be backwards compatible with the existing equipment, meaning it was not designed to provide improved performance. Instead, the Mark II promises improved durability and ease of use. According to ILCA Technical Ofﬁcer, Clive Humphris, “The main objective of the design project for the Mark II was to create a sail with equal performance to the existing sail, but with better durability. We worked very hard to ensure that the Mark II was not a faster sail and wouldn’t make all the existing sails obsolete overnight. The original Laser standard sail will continue to be available through authorized Laser dealers and we fully expect to see the two designs racing sideby-side for a number of years.”

Mark II will not be used in the 2016 Olympic Games or any Olympic country qualifying events for 2015 or 2016. The use of the sail will be controlled by the Notice of Race for each event until after the 2016 games. After that time, the Mark II will be allowed in all ILCA sanctioned regattas along with the original standard rig sail. “Because many of the Olympic qualifying events have already occurred, we’ve agreed with ISAF that we shouldn’t make any major changes to the equipment for the 2016 games at this time,” says Usher. “Our goal is to have the Mark II sail available worldwide for the start of the next quadrennium, leading up to the 2020 games in Tokyo.” In coordination with ISAF and the Laser Builders, ILCA will make further announcements about the availability of the Mark II sail and its use at events over the coming months.

The initial run of classlegal Mark II sails will be available starting 1 November 2015, with worldwide availability by early 2016. Because of the timing of the release, by agreement with International Sailing Federation (ISAF) the

Masters Report BY GLEN DICKSON Masters racers are old and wise enough to know a great venue when they see one, and that explains why over 70 sailors from across the U.S. and Canada made the trip to Brant Beach Yacht Club in New Jersey for the 2015 Masters Atlantic Coast Championship on Sept. 19-20. They were rewarded with warm temperatures and strong breeze, as six of the seven long races saw full-on hiking conditions and surfable waves. “This is just the best place,” said Laser class president and rock-star Grand Master Andy Roy about Brant Beach YC. BBYC, which sits on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay, has a membership committed to one-design racing and is a regular host of major Laser events, including this year’s Laser Nationals. It offers several hundred yards of beachfront to accommodate easy Laser launching and typically enjoys strong sea breezes through the summer months. Peter Hurley of Mantoloking Y.C., fresh off a 2nd place finish in the Master Worlds in Canada and a top-ten result at the open Nationals earlier in the summer, continued his great form by dominating the 47-boat Standard fleet with five firsts and two seconds. And the ageless Peter Seidenberg, who won the 75-and-over division at the Worlds, added another title to his lengthy resume by edging fellow Great Grand Master Lindsay Hewitt of Cold Spring Harbor by a single point in the Radials.

Healthy turnout, healthy breeze for Masters ACCs Hurley, Seidenberg take top honors at Brant Beach

Rossem close behind. On the second lap the breeze built

significantly, to around 12 knots, and Hurley used his superior downwind speed to move to the front alongside Marc Jacobi of Cedar Point. Those two duked it out on the last beat with Jacobi squeaking out a photo-finish win, with van Rossem third. The breeze was a steady 12 knots for race two. Apprentice Master Christine Neville of Sail Newport, who won this year’s U.S. Women’s singlehanded championship in Radials, showed that she is plenty fast in a full-rig by jumping to an early lead. Hurley, fifth at the first mark, reeled Neville in by the second lap and held her off upwind for the win, with Ryan Minth of C-Vane Sailing third. By the start of race three the breeze was a steady 15 knots, and heavyweight Glen Dickson of Bay Head YC played the middle right to take a healthy lead over Neville at the first mark. By the next time up,

however, Hurley had passed Neville and closed to within a boat length of the lead. He smoked Dickson downwind to win handily, with Roy a distant third. The breeze stayed up for race four, though the race committee kindly shortened the windward-leeward course from five to three legs. Hurley rounded first ahead of Peter Vessella of St. Francis YC and stayed there, with Roy finishing third. Tired racers were kindly handed a cold one for the sail back to the club, which they didn’t hit until close to 6 pm. While Hurley had established a dominant position in the Standard fleet, leading Jacobi by 12 points, things were much tighter in the Radials. Hewitt and Master Ken Swetka of Crescent Sail YC were tied at 16 points, with Seidenberg and Grand Master Jean Fillion of American YC tied for third at 22.

Things started slowly on Saturday, as the bay was covered in fog and barely ruffled by a weak gradient southwesterly. During a lengthy postponement the sun strengthened and the day warmed, and a light seabreeze began to fill in. Racing kicked off at around 12:30 pm in a six-toeight knot southeasterly with very patchy pressure across the course, a twice-around windward-leeward. Connecting the puffs was the key, and Brian Raney of Cedar Point YC did it best to lead at the first mark with Great Grand Master Joe van

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wire win, with Hurley second and Vessella third. That trio would finish first through third overall for the regatta, with Roy placing second overall and first grand master over Vessella after dropping a 22 in race two.

The ﬂeet soothed sore muscles back at BBYC with cold beers and replenished with a great barbeque feast of pork, beef and chicken, rich Mac-n-cheese and Jersey corn. With big breeze predicted for Sunday, no one was shy about having seconds.

In the Radials, Seidenberg quickly asserted himself by winning the day’s ﬁrst two races. A fourth in race seven was good enough to nip Hewitt, with Fillion third overall after winning the

The forecast was spot on, as a quickmoving cold front pushed through Sunday morning and racers rigged up with temps in the high 60s and a northerly breeze that filled in around 9 am at 15 to 18 knots. Entertainment was provided by a triathlon that was being run along the bayfront, which briefly took the fleet’s mind off their own test of endurance yet to come. PRO Paul Coward once again set a long windward-leeward, twice-around course and racing got off promptly at 10 am. While it was shifty, the right was the place to be on the first beat. Hurley played it better than anyone to round with a big lead that he extended downwind into a huge margin, finishing well ahead of Mike Matan of Royal Yachting Association and Scott Pakenham of Island Heights YC. The breeze dropped a touch, to maybe 14 knots, for race 6. Hurley found a big righty to again lead, over Dickson and Vessella. The fleet was jumbled behind Hurley on the second beat and run as the pressure got spotty across the course and the shifts grew bigger, but by the finish it was still Vessella in second and Dickson in third. For the final race the RC again shortened the course to three legs but moved the windward mark to square the course and make the beat even longer. Roy got a great start at the pin and worked the left to lead at the first mark on his way to a wire-to-

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last race. On Sunday morning, Seidenberg admitted he had not set his rig up with enough power for Saturday’s chop. But he obviously got his tuning right for Sunday’s big northerly.

Here are the rest of the division winners: Third Great-Grand Master in the Radials was Jacques Kerrest of Severn Sailing Association (6th overall). First GrandMaster was Fillion, followed by Bill Lawson (10th overall) and Steven Cofer (15th overall), both of SSA. First Radial Master was Swetka (4th overall), followed by Bob Tan of SSA (5th overall) and Chad Coberly of Grand Rapids YC (7th overall). First Apprentice was Ryosuke Sakai of Cedar Point (11th overall), followed by Dorian Haldeman of SSA (12th overall) and Rachel Gruzen of Breakwater YC (18th overall). Haldeman was also first Radial Woman. First Great-Grand Master in the Standard fleet was new BBYC Commodore Don Hahl in 15th overall, followed by Joe van Rossem of Water Rats (21st overall) and Bob Reeder of Loveladies Sail Club (40th overall). Third Grand Master behind Roy and Vessella was Dennis Russom of the host club in 10th overall. First Master was Hurley, followed by Jacobi (4th overall) and John MacCausland of Cooper River YC (7th overall). First Apprentice Master was Dickson (5th overall), followed by Neville (6th overall) and Luke Shingledecker of SSA (9th overall). Neville was first (and only) woman in the Standards. Complete results can be found be found at http://www.bbyc.net/2015laser-masters-acc. Many thanks go to Brant Beach YC and its numerous volunteers for putting on another first-class Laser event, including regatta chair and District 10 Secretary Eric Reitinger, his parents Beth and Glenn, Commodore Don Hahl and PRO Coward and his team. Everyone who attended the Atlantic Coasts looks forward to their next trip to the island.

“Today, the objective was to de-power,” Seidenberg said with a smile.

Dynamic Dolly New England Master’s Championship BY JOE BERKELEY Fleet 413 celebrated the best Dynamic Dolly New England Laser Championship in recent memory with competitors arriving from all over the country and all over the world. Sailors from the Dominican Republic, Germany, Canada, Bermuda, California, Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Florida all competed for glory. When the points were added up, Scott Ferguson won the event with a commanding lead. As a designer on the Oracle America’s Cup team, Ferg spends a lot of time staring at computer screens. But one of the many beneﬁts of the job is he works out with the team at 6:30 am every day under the watchful eye of Craig McFarlane. As a result of those grueling workouts, many of which feature boxing, Ferg is down to ﬁghting weight at a lean 185 pounds. Then there is the Olympic level, neverending battle with buddy and Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill. The pair have faced off at boxing, basketball, paddle tennis, pretty much every sport there is, except for one: sailing Lasers.

Ari Barshi of Laser Training Center in Cabarete, Dominican Republic joined the regatta and he ﬁnished ﬁfth overall. Ari’s greatest challenge wasn’t getting off the starting line. It was getting through security at the airport. The TSA agent looked at Barshi’s passport and said, “You come to the US a lot.” “Yes,” said Barshi. “I come to race Lasers.” “What’s a Laser?” “A small sailboat.” “Is there any prize money?” “No.”

bounced off the hitch. Bear smiled and said, “Well, it’s ofﬁcial, you are a grand master.” Peter Vessella of California ﬁnished in eighth overall. He is Chris Bollinger’s uncle. Chris went home with a trophy in his division.

“Get your luggage and get in that other line, we need to ask you some more questions.”

Ninth was Big Mike Matan who won the fourth race of the series. Your correspondent started one race with Ferg to weather and Big Mike to leeward.

When Barshi arrived carrying his plastic box that holds his centerboard, rudder, tiller, and tiller extension, the agent’s next question was, “What’s in the riﬂe box?”

There’s no faster way to get shot out the back. Peter Follansbee rounded out the top ten.

According to Ferg, Spithill hasn’t agreed to match race Lasers because he is, “afraid.” That may well be the case. Reached by Facebook, Spithill insisted that the reporter mention the fact that another one of the Olympic sports in their no-ﬁnish-line competition is Texas Hold ‘Em Poker. According to Spithill, he’s taken enough of Ferg’s money to “put my kids through college.” Andy Pimental was second overall and it was great to see him at a Laser regatta in the summer. Peter Shope was third overall, and his new blue Laser is to his liking. The red boat was named after Fluffy the cat. No news on what the new boat will be named. For those interested in acquiring a Laser, Shope and Neville have two hulls for sale. Steve Kirkpatrick was fourth overall, and he’s been so busy at work lately, the rest of his family staged an intervention and insisted he go race Lasers to clear his head. Amen to that.

In sixth overall, Marc Jacobi was the envy of the regatta with his Bigfoot camper. A veteran of two Olympic campaigns, the Bigfoot camper is built like a boat, with a foam core, rather than stick built, like a shed. It also sports a pretty amazing logo.

Moose McClintock and his team ran the RC and did an amazing job. Dynamic Dollies sponsored the event. Joe Berkeley is a freelance writer who ﬁnished the New England’s in 23rd place. His work is at joeberkeley.com

Seventh overall was Dan Neri. The other day at practice, he confessed to Mark Bear that he forgot to push the hasp on his trailer down, such that it could have

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Practice makes Peter World Champion BY JOE BERKELEY When Peter Shope clinched his ﬁrst Laser Grand Master World Championship in Kingston, Ontario, 1988 Olympic gold medalist Lynne Jewell-Shore shook his hand and said, “Congratulations, Peter. You earned it.”

Decades later after experiencing the ups and downs of life, Peter arrived at Sail Newport for a day of frostbite sailing with ﬂeet 413. He had not been in a Laser in more than 25 years.

In many boats, victory can be purchased with a fat checkbook, or stolen with a wily interpretation of the rules. The Laser is not one of them. The boats at the Masters’ World Championship, for all intents and purposes, are identical and the winner of the grueling 12-race series is without a doubt the best sailor on the course.

The ﬂeet welcomed the prodigal sailor back, provided him with some equipment, and when he was doing well in a race, Steve Kirkpatrick screamed from behind, “Go Shope!” Shope felt like he was surrounded by kindred spirits and he thought, “wow, I found my home.”

Peter’s prior preparation paved the way for his perfect performance. He won the regatta with scores of 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 4, 5, 1, 1, 2, (DNC,) (DNC.) His sailing was so strong, he did not have to sail the ﬁnal two races, hence the two DNC’s for “did not compete.”

That warm feeling was all that was needed to fan the ember that still glowed deep inside of Shope and turn it into a roaring ﬂame. But there was one signiﬁcant difference. Shope swore to himself that he would enjoy every aspect of the sport: the boat preparation, the training in the gym, the practicing in the boat, the competition on the water, the camaraderie on land.

According to Shope’s cousin Jon, the drive to achieve this goal was a result of some unfinished business. Jon remarked, “Peter started something as a young man and due to circumstances somewhat beyond his control was forced to find a job and put away his dreams to chase a world title. Unfinished business. Time does not heal unfinished business. His passion for sailing prevailed.” That unfinished business goes all the way back to 1988 when Shope was campaigning in the Finn class. He was a member of the US Sailing Team, one of the top six Finn sailors in the country. His sister Bonnie said, “I remember how Peter had to gain weight, a lot of weight. He worked out lifting a lot to build muscle, and swimming and biking, and couldn’t eat enough calories so he would make raw egg milkshakes and literally shove food down his throat with a fork. He would ask me to sit on his back while he did push ups, and hang from his legs while he did pull-ups. He was jacked! He had to wear suspenders to hold up his pants because his quads were so big. He finished 5th in the Trials. He was so disgusted he sold his boat in the parking lot of the Marblehead YC on the last day.” Then Peter Shope quit competitive sailing.

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and superb fitness that enables her to hike a Laser flat in 30 knots of breeze has been put to the test on occasion. At the 2013 Laser Master North Americans, Shope and Marc Jacobi were neck and neck going into the last race. Jacobi’s gooseneck failed and he started sailing around madly looking for a roll of duct tape to hold it together. A Corinthian competitor, Neville gave Jacobi the duct tape, he put the boat back together again, and took home the North American title. Imagine the scene at couple’s counseling. “So, Peter, how did you feel when Christine gave Marc the roll of duct tape?” “Are you kidding me, I was going to win the regatta!!!” But time healed that wound and there have been other tender moments in the relationship, like when Shope loaned one of his most prized top mast sections to Christine for an important regatta. Shope does not weigh his top sections like some competitors, but he does test them in practice and when he finds one he likes, it becomes a much-treasured part of the family and its passing due to breakage is a serious moment.

The return to competitive sailing was also a return to fitness as well as happiness. Shope went on a strict diet, lost 45 pounds to bring his weight down to a fit 180 pounds, and met the love of his life, Christine Neville. She is a Laser sailor with Olympic aspirations who recently won the Women’s division at the US Nationals Singlehanded Championship (potential sponsors please visit christineneville.us.) Shope’s love of Christine, a six-foot-tall free spirit of a sailor with sun-kissed blonde hair, quick hands that can weld, splice, sew sails, or do finish carpentry

Shope attributes much of his success at the Laser Masters’ Worlds to frostbiting Lasers in fleet 413. A child of an academic family, Shope chooses his words carefully and thoughtfully. He said, “Frostbiting is the greatest Laser practice for the Worlds. Every seven days you have a chance to figure out how to win the regatta for 27 weeks in a row. In addition to repeating that cycle and sailing you get to analyze how people like Ed Adams, Scott Ferguson, and Steve Kirkpatrick are sailing.” Fleet 413, whose website is newportlaserfleet.org, may well be the best

better than any practice I had done that year. Wolfgang is a very intense sailor and practice sailor. It’s a fun, intense practice.” Leading up to the Worlds, Shope and Gerz practiced five days in a row at Third Beach. Gerz was faster than Shope on every upwind and every downwind. Once in awhile, Shope would be a bit faster upwind. After practice, Shope would shake his head and ask himself, “how is this 62-year old faster than me?” Laser fleet in the world. It has been called “Home of Champions” and Ed Adams is one of the many. He was a Laser Master World Champion, a two-time Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, and is quick to share his knowledge with others. From Adams, Shope learned to sail conservatively to maximize his chances of winning the regatta and minimize his chances of sailing a bad race. He also learned the importance of practice. Of his precocious pupil, Adams said, “I wish many of the young sailors I coach trained as hard and as often as Peter. The results prove that it makes a real difference.” Shope said, “Being around people like Ed Adams and Scott Ferguson and Steve Kirkpatrick, well, they are my teachers. I spent the last five or six years trying to fix flaws I had in my sailing strategy from when I was younger.” Steve Kirkpatrick has noticed the change. He said, “Shope has been working diligently and professionally at sailing for the past few years after a long hiatus. He has always had great speed - which has only improved with practice. The most noticeable difference from my perspective is that he has refined his game tactically so he has less alphabet soup on the scorecard - those OCSs and BFD have hurt him in the past. Now he is fast, confident and a true World Champion.” Today, Shope is a captain of fleet 413 and he goes out of his way to be hospitable to all newcomers, regardless of their skill level. Tom Lemaire, who joined the fleet and lost 38 pounds in the process said, “Peter’s tips this winter were invaluable! He pulled up to me this spring while coaching Portsmouth High kids to tell me

to ease the vang on a windy reach during a practice session by myself in the harbor.” When frostbiting was over, Shope turned to his favorite practice venue, Third Beach in Middletown. By competing at regattas on weekends, and practicing twice a week with three-time world champion Wolfgang Gerz, eleven-time world champion Peter Seidenberg, two time world champion Scott Ferguson and other ﬂeet 413 stalwarts like Dan Neri, and Dwight Escalera, Shope knew he would be on par with the world’s best Laser sailors. Wolfgang Gerz is more than just a peer, he was a hero to Shope when he was young. In 1981, Lasse Hjortnas of Denmark had

Going into the regatta, Shope knew he was competitive, and as a new member of the Grandmaster class, for athletes aged 55-65, Shope, aged 55, was as young as he could be in his division. Some older competitors in his age group referred to him as, “the whippersnapper.” At breakfast, one Australian was overheard saying, “Peter Shope isn’t that big…but he can hike forever.” After winning the ﬁrst four races of the regatta, Shope had some self-doubt. He said, “I had a little bit of a mental breakdown with the knowledge that I sailed well to that point and my deepest fear was I was going to screw it up. I talked myself down, did some deep breathing exercises and calmed down.” Instead of thinking of what could go wrong, Shope focused on what could go right if he stuck to his game plan which was based on two rules: One, start in a place where he had a bit of room to sail in clear air off the line, and no one was going to go over him to windward, and two, stay away from the corners, sail the shifts in the middle of the race course.

won 22 of the previous 24 international Finn races. At the 1981 Finn Gold Cup, Wolfgang Gerz approached the legend, who was half his age, and said, “I am going to beat you because I am faster than you.” Wolfgang won that regatta by 20 points and became Shope’s hero.

Shope said, “My rule from the beginning of the regatta was “don’t screw up.” I took a page from Scott Ferguson’s book, which states, “don’t start at the ends.” My goal was to be bow even with other boats, not bow ahead. In past Worlds, I was overly eager and ended up with two OCS’s.”

Shope said, “I remember when Wolfgang jumped on stage and I thought he didn’t look 55, he looked 25! Last summer, he asked me to practice and we spent two weeks practicing together. And it was

At the Worlds, Wolfgang and Peter had dinner together each night, and Wolfgang told Peter how to sail the runs the fastest. Peter said, “I was still learning from Wolfgang at the regatta, and he was

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teaching me. Wow, this is fascinating. I’m winning the regatta and Wolfgang is teaching me how I can improve.” Like many elite athletes, Shope relies on a routine to calm his mind. At regattas, he prefers to car camp in his Toyota minivan. He said, “It’s all about affordability. I knew if I wanted to go to a lot of regattas I was not going to be able to stay in a hotel. I don’t have any vanity about staying in a van. I have a bed in the back and privacy curtains.” The van also ensures Shope will procure a rock star parking spot near his boat so he can rig and launch early, before the ramp becomes congested. He said, “When I keep to my pattern I get a sense that everything is on track.” Another beloved regatta accessory is his bicycle. Shope said, “The bike is perfect for a place like Kingston because you ride into town and it gets the legs moving.” After a long day of hiking, the bike is a great way for Shope to spin the lactic acid out of his legs. The bicycle came in handy after the second day of racing when Shope pulled his boat up the ramp after winning two races and collapsed when his quadriceps failed. In the fall, he bruised his femur and his IT band. A small but fit female radial sailor picked Shope up from the pavement, helped him up the ramp, and pulled his boat up. The medics believed Shope lacked electrolytes so they advised him to drink more Gatorade. In the boat, Shope felt fine, but on land he struggled to walk. At night, was sleeping no more than three hours at a time, waking up in agony with a deep pain in his thigh. It was easier for him to get around on the bicycle than on foot. Shope is not alone in his appreciation for two-wheeled transport. Al Clark of Canada, the radial world champion and Royal Vancouver Yacht Club performance coach, hops aboard his Neil Pryde road bike for frequent spins. The Laser Worlds is not just about competition it is also about camaraderie. Andy Roy of Canada finished second in Shope’s division. Roy said, “It’s quite remarkable when I reflect back to when I first met Peter in the early 1970’s, and to

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that’s just how things work out.”

think that, here we are today, competing at a high level in our mid (he) – to - late (me) 50’s. The beauty of Laser Masters racing is that it allows this, and I really enjoy it when we’re in the same ﬂeet as it means it’s going to be tough competition.” Shope noted, “For some reason, the Canadian sailors bring out the best onthe-water behavior. They have a very high standard of correct conduct on the water. Both Al Clark and Andy race that way. I want to sail like they do. You’re out there trying to race on the same course but you’re not in each other’s face.” While Shope enjoys attending regattas all over the world, his heart is in Middletown. Shope’s love of Third Beach, with its varied conditions and stunning scenery inspired him to move to Middletown a few years ago with Christine Neville. He said, “We found this house and it was a ramshackle cottage, but we said, “look how close it is to Third Beach. We can be there in ﬁve minutes!” It’s so picturesque, the sunsets over St. George’s School chapel and you can hear the waves crashing on Second Beach. It has such a positive vibe, there are very few powerboats on the water, we only see one or two. Narragansett Bay is a washing machine of activity. I can’t believe I waited this late in life to move here, but

If there were a local, regional, national, or worldwide competition for the most finely manicured lawn, Shope would not be a favorite to win. In fact, he may well be disqualified before the competition began. When the breeze is up, the lawn could be ten feet tall, Shope is going sailing and that is that. His priorities are in order. There is a video on youtube of Shope winning the 2011 Laser slalom in San Francisco where he goes berserk with excitement. His joy on winning the Worlds, which is a bigger title, is more complex. For him, the journey was more important than the destination. He said, “It’s a weird thing to win a regatta, I put a lot of work into it. I can safely say I practice more than anyone in my fleet. And I’ve been practicing consistently for five or six years now. I’ve learned to not get too ebullient winning a regatta. It might be a safer place for me to live as I move forward and try to keep racing. I have to keep my ego in check because there’s always someone out there who can beat you.” Fleet 413’s Mark Bear is a professor at MIT who shared the podium with Shope at the Worlds when he finished third overall. A week before the regatta, Professor Bear was named a Laureate in Rio de Janeiro by the Fondation IPSEN for his work on Neuronal Plasticity. Someday, when a cure for Alzheimer’s is discovered, Mark Bear’s research may well play a role in it. Regarding Shope’s victory, Professor Bear said, “Peter didn’t just win, he dominated. Those of us who have the pleasure of racing against him locally saw this coming. And by having Peter to sail against, all our games have been raised. He also found through Laser sailing the fountain of youth! He gets younger, fitter, and faster every year.” Joe Berkeley is an amateur sailor and a professional writer. He finished 31st at the Laser Master Worlds. His work is at joeberkeley.com

All photos courtesy of sailingshots

Laser District 25 Championship Regatta B� S�� S�� As has become tradition, the 2015 Laser and Laser Radial District 25 (San Luis Obispo CA to the Mexican Border and Las Vegas) Championship was contested in conjunction with the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (ABYC), Long Beach CA, Labor Day Holiday Regatta August 29-30. Racers from the San Francisco Bay Area, Santa Cruz to San Diego and points in between came to ABYC to contest for International Laser Class Association Grand Prix Points. In addition to the District 25 Championship, the first of the L-R: Richard Didham (with trophy), Paul Didham, Steven Leuck, Rodion 2015-2016 Southern California Youth Yacht Racing Association Mazin, Kevin Taugher. Ullman/Frost Series was also contested over the weekend. Feves from Cabrillo Beach Y.C., Caden Scheiblauer was fourth The Ullman/Frost Series is open to junior sailors under the age of and Jessica McJones from California Y.C. was fifth. 19 and who have not yet entered college. The Ullman Series is contested in Lasers while the Frost Series is contested in Radials. Laser Radial Winners: Twenty Lasers were on the starting line Saturday to race in light Force 2 conditions. Thirty-eight Laser Radials started four minutes later. A second race was contested in the same conditions for both fleets; however, the third race saw Force 3 winds which built to solid Force 4 for the last race and sail back to ABYC. So whether you like light or moderate breeze, you had your conditions for at least one race Saturday. Getting 58 Lasers and Radials, along with the other classes competing that weekend, in and out of the water was no easy task; however, the ABYC Cal 20 Fleet volunteers did a great job managing the ramp for Lasers, as well as I-14’s, Finns, Opti’s and Sabots. Once out of the water Saturday, sailors and guests enjoyed the Summer Fanta-Sea Beach Party and dinner on the club patio. Races on Sunday began in solid Force 3 winds which built to Force 4 during the early afternoon. The Race Committee was able to run all three races twice around on the windward leeward course. We enjoyed great conditions and the Race Committee did a good job keeping the eager Laser and Radial Fleets to a minimum of General and Individual recalls. In the Laser Fleet, the Didham brothers, Richard and Paul from San Diego Y.C. each ended the regatta with 14 points with the overall win going to Richard on the tiebreaker. In third was frequent guest at ABYC, Steven Leuck from Mission Bay Y.C. Representing ABYC, Rodion Mazin was fourth and Kevin Taugher was fifth. Laser Winners: In the Radial fleet, ABYC’s Joseph Hou was dominant, winning the regatta with 11 points. Joseph will have his name engraved on the newly dedicated James A. Kirk Memorial Laser Radial District 25 Championship trophy. Joseph was also winner of the ABYC perpetual Fiesta de la Playa trophy for winner of the largest fleet competing in the Labor Day Holiday Regatta. Finishing second with 17 points was Lucas Pierce from Santa Barbara Y.C. Very close behind with 18 points was Cameron

L-R: Joseph Hou (with Trophy) Lucas Pierce, Cameron Feves, Caden Scheiblauer, Jessica McJones A big thank you is owed to our Labor Day Regatta Chairman Steve George, Board Liaison Cindy Heavrin, our Ocean course PRO, Martyn Bookwalter and his crew as well as all the volunteers on whalers and on shore from the Cal 20 Fleet for another ﬁne ABYC event. Upcoming Laser/Radial Regattas at ABYC The ABYC 2016 Laser/Radial Fleet Championship year begins with the 2015 ABYC Turkey Day Regatta November 21 & 22. The Turkey Day Regatta is traditionally the largest, in terms of entries, event on the ABYC race calendar. Adding to the turnout of Lasers and Radials, the Southern California Youth Yacht Racing Association contests the second of four events of their popular Ullman/Frost Series in conjunction with the Turkey Day Regatta. Looking forward to the New Year, ABYC is hosting the Laser Midwinters West Regatta March 18, 19 & 20, 2016. So dust oﬀ your Laser or Radial strap on your hiking pants and get ready for some competitive racing in the coming months at ABYC!

FALL 2015

2016 Schedule Regatta

Standard

Radial

Laser 4.7

Masters

World Championship

Vallarta, Mexico May 10-18

Women: Vallarta, MEX April 12-20 Youth:TBD

TBD

Vallarta, Mexico Radial: April 22-30 Standard: May 20-28

NA Championship

40 GP pts. ISAF Grade 1

Colombia Gorge RA Cascade Locks, OR July 21-24

Canadian Championships

District 4-5

US Championships

District 16, 18-21

CORK

Kingston, ON www.cork.org August 20-24

Kingston, ON www.cork.org August 15-18

Midwinters East

Clearwater, FL www.clwyc.org Feb 18-21

USSC Martin County Jensen Beach, FL Feb 6-8

Midwinters West

Alamitos Bay YC Long Beach, CA March 18-20

Rolex Miami OCR ISAF Grade 1

Miami, FL (men only) www.ussailing.org January 23-30

Miami, FL (women only) www.ussailing.org January 23-30

Atlantic Coast Championships

District 8

Pacific Coast Championships

District 24

Gulf Coast Championships

District 14

No Coast Championships

District 9

Great Lakes Championships

District 20

ISAF Grade 1

30 GP pts. ISAF Grade 2

30 GP Pts, ISAF Grade 2

30 GP Pts. ISAF Grade 1

Beaconsfield YC Beaconsfield, QC June 17-19

25 GP Pts. ISAF Grade 2

25 GP Pts

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US NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

BRANT BEACH YACHT CLUB/ BRANT BEACH SAILING FOUNDATION, BRANT BEACH, NEW JERSEY July 20-24 2015 The Brant Beach Yacht Club (BBYC) and Brant Beach Sailing Foundation (BBSF) were excited to host these combined prestigious regattas. Lasers have an extensive history with Brant Beach. For those of you with long memories, BBYC hosted the very first US National Championship in 1972. In the past 15 years BBYC has hosted the 2000 Laser Radial National Championship, 2002 and 2011 Laser North Americans, 2009 Laser Nationals, 2012 US Laser Masters Championships, and 2005 and 2008 Atlantic Coast Championships. BBSF and BBYC planned the Nationals for over a year. This past winter the Laser Class Executive Committee asked if we would consider allowing the event to also serve as the US Singlehanded Sailing Championships as well and we agreed. Some sailors had the opportunity to participate in the US Singlehanded Sailing Championships as well as the Nationals provided they met the US Sailing eligibility. Working with Liz Walker US Sailing Championships Director and Sherri Campbell Executive Secretary International Laser Class Association –North American Region the blending of the two events proceeded up to and throughout the regatta. Early arrivers were welcomed over the weekend of 18-19 July while a couple teams came in earlier to practice. Monday 20 July was the primary day for check in with some late arrivers checking in Tuesday morning. They were met by volunteers whose numbers broke 100 across the five day period. We raced Tuesday through Friday 21-24 July. The Jury was Mike Dawson, Jeff Jacobi, Jim Greenfield, and Geoff Lampshire chaired by Ken Morrison. They heard several protests and requests for redress while administering 34 Rule 42 Yellow Flags across 44 races. Competitors received four days of full breakfasts, between each race snacks, fruit, and water each race day, soda and beer after Tuesday through Friday races, Tuesday pizza, Wednesday dinner, Friday barbecue, trophies, a Gill water bottle, a Gill Tech regatta shirt, and a Coral Reef regatta T-shirt. The venue was located on a Jersey Shore Barrier Island. Long Beach Island is several miles offshore and protects the wide extent of Little Egg Harbor Bay. Over the course of the four day regatta PRO Paul Coward saw numerous wind conditions. The first day we were chased off the course by a thunderstorm and only got one full rig race completed. Sailing conditions were much better on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Five races were completed in all fleets on Wednesday and three on

Thursday. On Friday four races were completed for the Full rigs and Radials Gold and Silver while the 4.7s completed three. The water temperature of the bay was in the high 70’s to mid 80’s. The race course was in the middle of the bay with little power boat traffic. Competitors sailed Laser Trap courses with shorter weather marks for the Laser 4.7s. Races were approximately 45 minutes long. The 55 Full rigs and three 4.7s each sailed their own fleets while 132 Radials were split into two fleets, first to qualify for gold/silver and then raced in either gold or silver. Full results can be found at www.regattanetwork.com/ event9868 while the top finishers/award winners are listed below. Laser US National Championship Results: Full Rig 1. Robert Davis Kingston YC/Royal Canadian YC 2. Clay Johnson TRYC/LEHYC 3. Frederick Vranizan Royal Vancouver YC/Seattle YC/ CYC Seattle 4. Malcolm Lamphere LGYC/YCYC/CYC 5. Max Gallant Royal Victoria YC 6. Marek Zaleski Noroton YC 7. Andrew Poupolo Marsh Creek Sailing Club 8. Peter Hurley Mantoloking 9. Ford McCann TCYC/GCYSA 10. Justin Norton BYC 4.7 1. Blaire McCarthy St. Petersburg YC/BLYC 2. Hannah Widmeier Brant Beach YC 3. Connor Johnson Little Egg Harbor YC Radial Gold: 1. Scott Rasmussen Lauderdale YC 2. Nic Baird St. Petersburg YC 3. Lawson Willard San Francisco YC/ StFYC 4. Andrew Widmeier Brant Beach YC 5. Christine Neville Sail Newport/StFYC 6. Nathan Fields Old Dominion University 7. Matti Muru OST 8. Leo Boucher Severn Sailing Association 9. Colin Brego St Thomas YC 10. Paul Digham San Diego YC 11. Alexander Fritz Royal Vancouver YC 12. Jack Gower Edison Sailing Center 13. Carson Pearce Surf City YC 14. Caden Scheiblaurer Santa Barbara YC 15. Lindsey Baab St Francis YC/San Francisco YC Radial Silver: 1. Josh Paper SSA/Surf City YC 2. Emily Wright St Petersburg YC

FALL 2015

3. Matthew Priebe Seawanhaka Corinthian JYC/LISOT 4. Norman Struthers RCYC 5. Hallie Schiffman Sarasota Sailing Squadron 6. Jed Londrey Fishing Bay YC 7. Nicholas Stefanoni LISOT 8. Annika Fedde Ventura YC 9. Ellie Shaw Unger Royal Vancouver YC/Seattle YC 10. Abigal Affoo Trinidad and Tobago First Apprentice Master: Glen Dickson Bay Head YC First Grand Master: Douglas McKeige American YC First Great Grand Master: Newton Waddis Surf City YC First Junior: Ford McCann TCYC/GCYSA First Master: Peter Hurley Mantoloking YC

3. Malcolm Lamphere, LGYC/YCYC/CYC 4. Marek Zaleski, Noroton YC 5. Andrew Puopolo, Marsh Creek Sailing Club Hanley Championship Laser Radial – Top 5 1. Christine Neville, Sail Newport/StFYC 2. Lindsey Baab, St. Francis YC/San Francisco YC 3. Talia Toland, Royal Vancouver YC/Seattle YC 4. Sophia Reineke, Lauderdale YC 5. Hanne Weaver, RVYC/SYC/CYC

US Singlehanded Championship results: O’day Championship Laser Full Rig – Top 5 1. Clay Johnson, TRYC/LEHYC 2. Frederick Vranizan, Royal Vancouver YC/Seattle YC/ CYC Seattle

The Brant Beach Yacht Club and Brant Beach Sailing Foundation enjoyed the opportunity to host this event and looks forward to hosting future Laser Class Regattas.

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District Reports District 3 Nigel Heath Ontario, CAN

An extremely busy summer of laser sailing in D3 has come to an end with the Senior World Championships, Masters World Championships, Radial Youth World Championships, Canadian Championships, Great Lakes Champs and numerous other events now in the history books. So what do we do next year in D3 to compete with all those events? Several of us have been tossing some ideas around as we think about this. Some ideas include inter-club racing challenges. For example the Water Rats would challenge Britannia YC to a home and home event. There was also talk about doing this across districts, such as a challenge between Vancouver sailors and Toronto sailors or Calgary sailors and Ottawa sailors. Alternatively we could do formal team racing challenges as keel boat clubs often do.

sailors attended Sail West in Comox. A training camp was held in Kelowna week before. A zebra mussel scare created a real road block for the Manitoba Sailing Team. Manitoba’s truck and trailer was stopped for a zebra mussel inspection on their way to Kelowna, once in Alberta and once in Golden. The trailer was quarantined and subject to inspection for the next day. After a thorough wash down of all boats by the conservation officers all boats were cleared and received the stamp of approval. The team even made the Global News http:// globalnews.ca/news/2115996/manitoba-sail-boatschecked-for-invasive-mussels-in-kelowna/. Lake Winnipeg is a high risk lake and there is a threat of contamination of the lakes in the West, which show no signs of these nasty little mussels yet. The great lakes in the east are already infested. Gimli YC will be hosting Sail West from July 21 – Jul 24, 2016 and the Canada Summer Games from Jul 28 – Aug 5, 2017 . For both events official washing stations will be in place so that everyone can go on the road with a certified clean boat!

District 5 Mark Lammens Saskatchewan, CAN Dick Degner series events, LP Gagnon wins Wascana Short Course, son Andre wins Radial, Boat speed Barry Tee wins Icebreaker at Calgary YC, Lesley Reichenfeld wins Radial, Ben Pickford and Alec Watters win the Saskatchewan Championships at Redberry, Issac Bussin wins the Prairie Wind at Newell SC. Lewis Oteruelo wins the SK Short course, ﬁrst win since the 1986 Western Youth championships. Western Masters has Ben Pickford 1st overall, 1st GGM, Lewis 2nd overall, 1st GM, LP Gagnon 3rd overall, 2nd GM, David Elliott 4th overall, 2nd GGM, Eugene Dombrowski, 5th overall, 1st apprentice. Alberta/District 5 championships, Barry Tee and Connor Weicht are the winners.

Check out d3laser.com for the winners of the 2015 Fogh Gold Cup Series. At time of writing the last event was still pending.

Dick Degner overall scores, Masters-Barry Tee, 23 pts-1st, Ben Pickford 19 pts-2nd, Radial- Connor Weicht, 26 pts-1st, Issac Bussin 18 pts-2nd, LaserMark Bugiak is 1st overall. Bugiak just announced that he and his wife are expecting. Good luck, we will miss you.

District 6 Andy Hunt Vancouver, BC

District 4 Brigitte Smutney Manitoba & NW Ontario, CAN It was a busy season for the Laser sailors in Manitoba. The District 4 Championships was part of the 50th anniversary homecoming regatta at the Gimli YC. New crowned Champion is Master sailor Mike Couture, 18&under Champion is once again Anthony Clark. Congratulations! Beside the numerous weekend regatta lots of laser

Greetings to all District 6 sailors, volunteers and coaches. The weather for the summer of 2015 has been nothing short of spectacular. For most, if not all of the summer, sunny conditions and decent winds prevailed. There were regattas in District 6 for the months of June, July and August. The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club hosted the annual WAVES Regatta on June 26 - 29, 2015, The Standard Laser turnout was on the small size with only 11 boats. The Laser Radial Fleet had a decent turnout with 31 boats. This ratio is quite common when the regatta is part of the BC Youth Circuit. As mentioned, the weather was excellent and the winds were from the west, which is the usual case in English Bay when the city heats up. The downside is that it almost always pays to go left. The Race Committee ran 4 races on Friday and Saturday and 2 races on Sunday. The top

three Standard sailors were: Andriiy Kanyuka, JSCA, 13.00; Kyle Gerrard, RVANYC, 17.00; Adam Sorensen, RVICYC, 22.00. The top five Radial sailors were: John Owen, RVICYC, 15.00; Reece Myerscough, RVICYC, 17.00; Talia Toland, SYC/RVANYC, 24.00; Natalia Montemayor, RVANYC, 26.00; Peter Woytkowiak, JSCA, 36.00. The next regatta was the BC Sailing Championships which were hosted by the Squamish Yacht Club on July 4 and 5, 2015. For this regatta, there were 5 Laser Standards, 15 Laser Radials and 5 Laser 4.7s. In District 6, the 5 Laser 4.7s are a lot of Laser 4.7s. As I have mentioned in previous reports, the Laser 4.7 has simply not caught on in District 6. The Race Committee ran 4 races on Saturday and 3 races on Sunday, Sailors came from mainly the lower mainland and Vancouver Island. Both the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club and the Royal Victoria Yacht Club were well represented at the regatta. The results, which are on-line only listed the surname of the sailor, That said, I recognized most of the sailors and put their first names in the results. The top three Laser Standard sailors were: Adrian Vlasic, RVANYC, 6.00; Graham Brown, RVANYC, 12.00; Aiden Collins, RVICYC, 17.00. The top five Laser Radial sailors were: Reece Myerscough, RVICYC, 11.00; Ellie Shaw Ungar, SYC/RVANYC, 13.00; Herber, 20.00; Alexander Fritz, RVANYC, 21.00; Alexander Brown, CBSC, 28.00. The top three Laser 4.7 sailors were (sorry about any misspelling), Colemman, 7.00; Stranaghan, 10.00; Haines, 17.00. The following weekend (July 11 and 12), The Kamloops Sailing Association hosted the BC Laser Master Championships. Mark Fitzsimmons was the only non-local sailor that showed up for the regatta. The main reason for this was that most of the BC and Alberta Master sailors, who usually show up at Nicola Lake, were in Kingston, Ontario, competing in the 2015 Laser Master Worlds (more on this later). There were 8 Master sailors and the Race Committee ran 10 races over the two days. It looks like the weather cooperated for that number of races to be run. There was a mix of masters, grand masters and great grand masters but no apprentice masters. The master fleet (at least in BC) is slowly getting older but I think that in the next few years, there will be some apprentice masters on the scene (here’s hoping). The top three sailors were (after handicap), Mark Fitzsimons, GM, SSC, 14.00; Trevor Owen, GGM, KSA, 23.00; Bill Strodl, M, 25.00. The next regular regatta (also part of the BC Sailing Circuit) was the Whistler Sailing Association Regatta. This regatta was held on Alta Lake on August 22 and 23. There were 11 races over the two days. There were 12 Laser Standards and, again, almost double that amount in the Laser Radial Fleet which had a total of 20 boats. The Whistler regatta seems to attract sailors who don’t usually attend youth regattas. It seems to me that there were lots of sailors from the North Shore Sailing Team and some local sailors. There was also one Laser 4.7 sailor. Results: Garrett Reid (Laser 4.7) 5.00; Laser Radials: Evan Robson, RPSA, 13.00; Miranda MacGillvray, RVANYC, 23.00; Austin Stewart, HSC, 26.00; Musa Fortin, RPSA, 28.00; Alec Coleman, RVANYC, 40.00. Adrian Vlasic (RVANYC), Erik Jackson and Branden Bugden were firstm second and third with 9 points,, 18 points and 40 points apiece. The only other regatta that was in District 6 during the summer was the 2015 Canadian Laser Master Championships. The Jericho Sailing Centre hosted this event on August 1 - 3, 2015. Most of the sailors came from local clubs but there were a few sailors up from the US and one from Victoria and one from Alberta. The first day of racing started out with sunny conditions and westerly winds of about 8

FALL 2015

knots. After the first race (which was a little long), things settled down and twot more races were run without a hitch. On the second day, the Race Committee had to change the start line as there was a general recall. Once that was sorted,out, there were three more races run in perfect conditions for the Laser Standards while the Laser Radials only got three races in. The last day of racing saw three races for each fleet in different conditions (light to medium easterlies). Alter the racing was over on Monday, both regular prizes (1st,, 2nd, etc) were awarded for the various fleets and there were donated prizes (Blast Performance Sailing, Evolution Sails, West West Marine, West Coast Sailing and Victory Products / Rekord Marine) that were handed out. Every sailor got to take something home. After applying the handicap system, Jorge L Yanez del Castillo emerged the winner of the Standard Fleet. Jorge, a master, had 29 points while Grand Master Tony Martin had 31 points to take second and third place went to Grand Master Peter Woytkowiak with 32 points. Fourth place went to Andriy Kanyuka (Master) with 34 points and fifth place went to master sailor Doug Honey with 50 points. Awards were also given out to sailors in each of the various divisions. Top master was Jorge L Yanex del Castillo. Second master was Andriy Kanyuka and third maser was Doug Honey, Top Great Grand Master was Tony Martin, Peter Woytkowiak was second Great Grand Master and Paul Miachaka was third Grand Master. Doug Seeman, Doug Bell and Don Martin were first,, second and third Great Grand Masters. In the Laser Radial Fleet, Jacek Suski (GGM) was first overall while Marcia Macdonald (M) was second and Bob Ennenberg (GM) was third. Bob Lewis was second Grand Master, Richard Lament was second Great Grand Maaster and Deirdre Webster and Richard Spencer were first and second 75+ sailors. Local evening racing is now over and most of the local weekend racing will soon be over, usually by the end of October. I would be remiss if I did not mention that District 6 sailor, Al Clark, finished first in the Laser Radial Grand Master division at the recent 2015 Laser Master Worlds. CONGRATULATIONS AL! Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments.

District 7 Derek Stow Tiverton, RI The John Bentley Regatta is held annually at New Bedford YC to celebrate the life of District 7 sailor John Bentley who raced Lasers for 25 years, died way too young, and is remembered with much affection by his many Laser sailing friends. The regatta this year on June 20/21 was also the District 7 Championship for Standard Rig Lasers. After eight races in the 28-boat ﬂeet, two-time Olympic campaigner Marc Jacobi of Cedar Point emerged the winner and D7 Champion, and went home with the Bob Saltmarsh Trophy which looks remarkably like an old lobster buoy painted by some kids. Second overall was John Bentley’s best friend Mark Bear, who shared many stories about John, but sadly not the embarrassing ones because Mark is in all of them too. Third overall was Peter Vessella who traveled 3,000 miles across the country to see all of his old East Coast friends and to make some new ones. The following weekend, sailors from the Dominican Republic, Germany, Canada, Bermuda, California,

www.Laser.org

Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Florida descended on Wickford, Rhode Island for the Dynamic Dolly New England Laser Masters Championship. Maybe it had something to do with preparing for the upcoming Laser Masters Worlds? The winner overall and first Master was Scott Ferguson, famous for being the husband of former Laser D7 Secretary Kim Ferguson. Second overall and first Grand Master was Andy Pimental, and third was Peter Shope. First Apprentice Master was Scott Pakenham and first Great Grandmaster was Peter Seidenberg. Lynne Shore was first female sailor. After tuning up at the John Bentley Regatta and the New England Masters, a strong contingent of District 7 sailors hit the road to sail in the Laser Masters Worlds in Kingston, Ontario in July. Peter Shope won the Standard Grandmaster World Championship and Peter Seidenberg won the Radial 75+ World Championship. Mark Bear was 3rd in the Standard Grandmasters, Marc Jacobi was 4th in the Standard Masters, and David Frazier was 4th in the Standard Great Grandmasters. Quite a showing! Unfortunately Laser attendance was down at the Newport Regatta this year as so many D7 sailors were away at the Masters Worlds. However, the sailors who did show up at Newport didn’t really mind that all those hotshot masters world champs weren’t there winning all the trophies, not to mention drinking all the beer. Top 5 Standard Rig sailors were… 1. Marek Zaleski 2. Will McKeige 3. Ronco Giovanni 4. Doug McKeige 5. Ben Russell Back in 1930, when the Laser wasn’t even a twinkle in Bruce Kirby’s eye, Sir Thomas Lipton, of America’s Cup challenger fame, donated a silver cup for a series of sailing races to celebrate the tercentenary of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The magnificent Lipton Cup is 29 inches high and features winged ladies, pilgrims with the Mayflower, and the J class yacht Shamrock. The cup was won in 1930 by skipper Herbert K. Allbright of Squantum Yacht Club. And that is why, in case you were wondering, Lasers (and some other boats) now race in the Lipton Cup Regatta at Squantum Yacht Club every year. The America’s Cup may be older but the Lipton Cup is 2 inches higher. Length matters! Top Laser sailors in the 2015 Lipton Cup on July 18/19 were… 1.Madyson Cobban 2. Meghan Freel 3. Kathryn Anderson. Top Radials 1.Lukas Hoertdoerfer 2.Lucie Cook 3. Laura Cormican Stone Horse Yacht Club (named after the lightship and not the shoal and certainly not after a real stone horse) was founded in a shed in1933 in order “to help people who go upon the water by encouraging the exercise of courtesy, judgment and skill in the handling of craft ” which is probably why they attract so many courteous Laser sailors to their annual regatta which was on July 25 this year. Top Lasers 1.Peter Follansbee

2.Matt Evan 3.Peter Seidenberg 4.Jeff Morgan 5.Stephen Pollak Top Radials 1.Armanda Garbero 2.Mariel Marchand 3.Jonathan Noyes According to the Urban Dictionary “nood” is internet slang for “nude” but, somewhat confusingly, Wikipedia says “NOOD” is a 9 city sailboat racing circuit in which the first boat across the finish line wins. I’m not sure which applies here but there was some “nood” or “NOOD” sailing at Marblehead for Lasers (and some other boats) on July 25/26 and the top Lasers were… 1. Bill Rothwell 2. Chris Hufstader 3. Christopher Palmieri 4. Wayne Colahan 5. Jim DaSilva The Hyannis Regatta on July 31- Aug 2 (for Lasers and some other boats) is one of the highlights of the D7 racing calendar and is always fun, on and off the water. This year it was even better than usual, with some wild and woolly weather, Radials racing with the Lasers out on the wild, woolly ocean, and a crack race committee headed up by Mary Ellen DeFrias who is neither wild nor woolly. The overall winner in the Laser fleet was Stewart Roach who celebrated his 50th birthday during the regatta and said he would like to thank the Newport hot shots who stayed put that weekend so he could win. Second was Scott Bourque and third was Jeff Beckwith. The top 5 in the 24 boat Radial fleet were… 1.Caleb Robinson 2.Cooper Siepert 3.Gregory Corsell 4.Harris Padegs 5.Cameron Loncoski The Buzzards Bay Regatta was founded at lunch in Ray and Joe’s Restaurant in New Bedford in 1972 by two salty sailors called Bill Saltonstall and Bob Saltmarsh. The regatta is still going strong 43 years later which is more than you can say for Ray and Joe’s Restaurant. This year’s BBR for Lasers (and some other boats) on August 7-9 featured northerly breezes on all three days. A gazillion boats (not all Lasers) big winds, warm water and lively parties. What more could you ask for? Mark Bear sailing pork chop took first place in the Laser fleet with Brendan Shanahan in second. Christine Neville and Peter Shope of Fleet 413 were third and fourth and David Frazier was fifth. The top five Radial sailors were Leo Boucher, District 7’s own Richie Gordon, Carson Pearce, Carly Broussard and Christian Filter. This will be my last report as District 7 Secretary. I would like to thank everyone who has helped me over the past three years, especially all the hard working regatta organizers and fleet captains who are the real driving force behind the success of Laser sailing in our district. The new District 7 Secretary is Judith Krimski of Quincy, MA. Judith is an avid Laser sailor, coach and

writer. She races with the Duxbury and Massapoag YC Laser ﬂeets, and at many of the local D7 regattas. This last winter Judith was the head coach at the Laser Training Center in Cabarete in the Dominican Republic. She is also well known for her articles in The Laser Sailor (the North American class newsletter) and for her Laser sailing blog, Center of Effort. I am sure she will do a superb job as D7 Secretary. To celebrate her new role as D7 Secretary, Judith raced in the 66th Annual Massapoag Yacht Club Regatta held on September 12/13 in Sharon, MA. Judith scored 3 bullets and 2 second places to win overall. Top 5 Lasers were… 1. Judith Krimski 2. Brandon Dickerman 3. Meghan Haviland 4. Dan Abram 5. Nat Cook Please feel free to contact Judith about any district matters at laserd7@gmail.com.

District 8 David Trinder New York coast District 8 this season was “led by committee,” a tremendous amount of thanks goes to former District 8 secretaries Lindsay Hewitt, Ted Cremer, David Trinder, for helping fortify the 2015 season. Notable acknowledgement to Bud Rogers, commodore of the NBiBCLRA fleet. Special thanks to Bob Terry, our very famous You-Tube Laser producer and District Web guru for his unwavering support of Laser sailing, even though he was a non- sailor this season due to injury recovery. I have heard he may be back, ready for frostbiting in 2015. Please visit www.laserd8.org for local events. Laser District 8 was invited to sail at Harlem Yacht Club by Fleet leader Philip Swanson, our first laser D8 regatta here was also won by Philip Swanson; Southampton hosted its annual “Dr Hull” regatta, a dual took place between Mike Matan and Chris Brodie from NZ , with Mike taking the honors. Narrasketuck YC added a Laser start to their spring One-Design spring series which had 17 total competitors and was won by female radial sailor Natalya Gontcharova. Hudson Valley Yacht Racing Association “ OneDesign Series” Chair Rick Feldman has taken an active interest in promoting small boat racing, coined the “Big boats may get the glory, but small boats make the sailors” moniker for his 6 regatta series that took place on the Hudson. The series that has its largest core of Laser sailors at Nyack Boat Club who actively race Lasers on Tuesdays led by fleet captain Jon Marsh, their 3 big events“The Lagoon “ won by Rick Wood; “Fire-Cracker” won by Rick Wood; and “Last Chance” won by Gary Schneidman, Nyack BC regattas typically have upwards of 30 boats. The “Joe Narr Regatta “ at Shattemuc YC had an increase of Laser racers to 18, was won by Amy Hudson; Chelsea YC won by Gary Schneidman had a 16 boat fleet; Minisceogno YC had 24 racers on the line won by youth Liam Noonan. Racing in the Hudson Valley is challenging, picturesque and growing. Fall Laser Racing is still going strong on Friday’s at NBIBLRA, South Bay Watersports, Fall Series sponsored by and hosted at the Dinghy Shop with 20- 30 Laser racers passing through on Saturdays.

Westhampton Sailing Squadron has pumped up the volume for their fall series on Sundays, Sebago Canoe Club is expecting a crowd at their event as we are writing this newsletter. 2015 isn’t over, try frostbiting at Break Water YC, Sag Harbor; Centerport YC, Centerport; Seawanhaka YC, Oyster Bay; or on New Years Day in Manhasset Bay. At American Y.C. in Rye, we had a fantastic day of sailing! We had a 10-15 knot easterly breeze with clear skies, which made it easy to get six solid races in with 19 sailors. Great camaraderie among the fleet - AYC was happy to host such a fantastic group of sailors and hope all will return for this event next year. Chelsea Yacht Club sponsored its fourth HRYRA One Design Regatta on August 1st. As in past years, it was an all-Laser event. Like the gearbusting Saturday of the Chelsea Open, this regatta put to rest the notion that there’s no wind at CYC. The fleet had windy conditions First place went to Gary Schneidman, second to newcomer Peter Broszkowski, and third to John Diamond, all from Nyack. Andy Hudson from Minisceongo was fourth. Carol Marsh from Nyack won the Radials match race. The most impressive performance of the day, however, was Liam Noonan, a junior from Minisceongo. At only 110 lbs., Liam is light even for the Laser Radial rig, and with the day’s shifty conditions, he lost count of the number of times he went over. But each time, he climbed back aboard and made it to the finish line. During the post-race festivities, there was a consensus among the other racers that there should be a trophy for the most recovered capsizes, and so one is on its way to Liam.

up lightening up Sunday allowing for the fleet to mix up finishing positions. The variety of wind and sea conditions ended up being to Colin Leon’s liking. Could it be all that Chesapeake Bay sailing that Colin did at Old Dominium University that paid off? Colin sailed a near perfect regatta winning 5 of the 8 races and was the most versatile sailor present. The Radial fleet ended up being a dual between Bellport Bay’s JC Hermus and NY’s Ryosuke Sakai with JC winning the tiebreaker. JC is Sayville YC’s opti coach and this was his first laser regatta. It looks like all the time spent in Optis competing internationally assisted in his success. In all a great event! At the 2015 Annual NBIBCLRA July 4th Regatta. saw 44 Lasers on Noyac Bay . The wind gods rewarded the record turn out with a shifty NE breeze ranging from 8-12kts. The big fleet made the starboard lay-line a tough place to command. Congratulations to everyone who raced. Special thanks to Marty Knab (PRO), Doug Culver, Sarah Alford, Mary Ann Eddy and Steve Tedeschi for great on water work and to Izzy Rogers for diligent scorekeeping. The overall winner was Cris Brodie; the top Radial was Pedro Lorsen; and the top female skipper was Rachel Gruzen

Standard Laser Rig 1 Gary Schneidman, Nyack Boat Club 2 Peter Broszkowski, Nyack Boat Club 3 John Diamond, Nyack Boat Club 4 Andy Hudson, Minisceongo Yacht Club 5 Jim Zambito, CYC 6 Jon Marsh, Nyack Boat Club

Laser Lagoon Regatta, May 25, 2015, Nyack Boat Club The Laser Fleet held the first of the HRYRA series of Regattas on Memorial Day. Sixteen boats were registered. The wind was challenging to say the least, 22 knots and gusting over 30. Thirteen boats started the first race, but only nine finished. By the fourth and last race, there were six intrepid sailors left. My respect and admiration goes out to those who made it to the last finish: Rick Wood, Sarah Hatsell, Gary Schneidman, Tom Lawton, Carol Marsh and Dave Foster. Sarah came in third, Tom second, Rick was first. Carol got first radial and a special award for hanging in there.

Laser Radial Rig 1 Carol Marsh, Nyack Boat Club 2 Liam Noonan, Minisceongo Yacht Club – Received our ﬁrst “Most Capsize Recoveries” trophy.

District 9 Peter Bushnell Upstate New York

2015 NBIBCLRA Labor Day Weekend Regatta--Final Results It was a great day for sailing on Noyac Bay. Twentythree boats came to the line and found a northerly fighting a SE sea breeze. After some dramatic shifts in the first race, it settled in for a nice 10kt SE sea breeze. Marty (PRO) and the rest of the RC team faced the challenges of uncooperative power boats and some massive shifts. But they were up to the task and got in six races as planned.  Thanks to everyone who sailed. Thanks also to the RC consisting of Marty, Sarah, Mary Ann, Sharon, Al and Molly, to our scorers Maggie and Alex and to Cynthia for an incredible spread.   Congratulations to Chris Brodie! Sayville Yacht Club once again hosted the annual Laser District 8 Grand Prix August 15-16 and contrary to Great South Bay tradition; it was somewhat of a light air regatta. In all 8 races were completed over the two days and Principal Race Officer Paul Abel did a fine job keeping the course square and true despite some shifting conditions. The breeze was mostly westerly and filled in with a good SW sea breeze Saturday Afternoon but ended

Here’s a brief report on results from several one day regattas, the D9 Grand Prix championship, and Radial Area E Smythe qualifier. Newport YC, Rochester, NY, June 27, 2015. Eight boats sailed in rain and strong breeze from the southeast (very unusual on Irondequoit bay). Top five: (1) Chris Wilson, (2) Dan Fien, (3) Wesley Britton, (4) Steve Leach, (5) Kenney Fourspring. District 9 Grand Prix Championship, Sodus Point, NY, SBJSA. July 11-12, 2015. Super nice day of sailing on Sodus bay on Saturday. Steady 8-10kt NW breeze. No wind on Sunday and no racing. Chris Wilson, Seneca YC and Hobart Sailing team won the championship. Final results: (1) Chris Wilson, (2) Nicholas Lyons, (3) Doug Kaukeinen, (4) Peter Bushnell, (5) Joe Miller, (6) Tom French (1st Master). Sodus Bay Jr Sailing Association, Laser Radial US Sailing Area E Smythe Qualifier, Sodus Point, NY. July 11-12, 2015. 27 boats. Top five: (1) Ryan Squires, (2) Scott Trask, (3) Joseph Lark, (4), Griffin Sheehan, (5) Cameron Douglas. Congratulations to Ryan and Scott for qualifying. Seneca YC, Doug Wisor Memorial Regatta, Geneva,

FALL 2015

NY, July 18, 2015. Very light wind for the ﬁrst two races, then a nice NW breeze kicked in for 5 more races. Chris Wilson continued his streak in the district. (1) Chris Wilson, (2) Aaron Holland, (3) Dab Fien, (4) Bobby Bryant, (5) Peter Bushnell, (6) Scott Meyer, (7) Jim Gindling, (8) Steve Leach, (9) Peter Czajkowski.

Following two weeks after the Fall Series is the event you have all been waiting for, the Chesapeake Bay Masters Regatta at Fishing Bay Yacht Club in Deltaville on October 17-18. This is deﬁnitely one of my favorite Masters events of the year. We camp out on the beautiful grounds of the club so there is no excuse for being late to the start. FBYC is a great host, providing breakfast, support on the water and a wonderful dinner on Saturday night. Jon Deutsch, the Event Chair, puts on a fantastic Regatta year after year and Alain Vincey is back again in the kitchen to assure a delicious dinner. He races and cooks!

Willow Bank YC, Death Roll Regatta, Cazenovia, NY, Sept 12, 2015 – Five races were sailed in light NE winds. Close racing with Lee Davis edging out Peter by one point. Results with one throw out. Full rig: (1) Lee Davis, (2) Peter Bushnell, (3) Max Ofer, (4) David Filiberto, (5) Alex Marshall. Radial (jr): (1) Elizabeth Wolauler, (2) Tucker Wells.

District 10 Steve Cofer New Jersey

Laser Sailors, Well, summer may be over but the sailing is just getting hot! We have the Masters Atlantic Coast Championship at Brant Beach this coming weekend and right behind that is the Laser and Laser Radial Fall Series on October 3-4. The Snipes have invited the Lasers to dinner on Saturday night. You can register for dinner on the SSA website the same way you register for the series, although it is a separate registration for dinner. Also, don’t forget that there are separate registrations for Laser and Laser Radial so make sure you are in the correct registration. This is the last Laser event for the regular season so let’s have a big turnout.

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One last thing, Frostbite is just around the corner and I will have the schedule out shortly. Looks like 15 November for the ﬁrst day.

Jon Deutsch District 11 VA, MD,DE

What a great summer we’ve had on the Chesapeake Bay - not too hot and plenty of good quality sailing. The ﬁnal fall events like the Chesapeake Laser Masters & Hard Rock Masters are happening now and very soon some of our ﬂeets will be beginning their frostbite seasons on Sunday afternoons. Some results: FBYC Hosted the USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival-

Chesapeake Bay Open at the beginning of June. 32 Laser radials sailed in strong winds on Saturday and moderate winds on Sunday. Leo Boucher (SSA) recovered from a broken gudgeon to win 5 of the 7 races. 2nd place was a tie between Christian Filter (SSA) and Gray Kiger (BBSA) broken in Christian’s favor. Top female was Jessica Williams (BBSA). 16 Lasers were out for the Junior regatta at West River just a few days later. Leo Boucher (SSA) again took the title and this time followed by Vicleis Take (AYC) and Ainsley Parramore (SSA) The final regatta of the junior series is the Sandy MacVickar regatta on July 1st at Severn Sailing Association. The 32-boat fleet was lead by Gray Kiger followed by Jake Vickers and Leo Boucher. Jessica Williams was the top female. For the open regattas this summer Deep Creek Laser Invitational had 25 boats get in 7 races over two days on the beautiful mountain lake. John Benhart took top honors followed by Darrell Van Hutten and Joni Palmer. FBYC’s Summer Laser Regatta saw 10 boats out for 5 races in 8-10 knots of breeze. Jon Deutsch (FBYC) lead the day with Brad Squires (FBYC) and Alain Vincey (FBYC) behind. FBYC’s 76th Annual One Design Regatta was a windy affair on Saturday with 10 in the Standard fleet and 15 in the Radials and only a handful of each completing the racing on Saturday. Sunday’s lighter air got the entire fleet out racing. The standard fleet was lead by Charles Brewer, Jon Deutsch (FBYC) and Graeme Alderman (FBYC). Top finishers in the Radial fleet were Alex Hanna (FBYC/HYC), Erin Jacob and

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Garrett Levy (FBYC). At the Annual Oxford Regatta at Tred Avon Yacht club light air plagued both days. Leading the 15boat radial fleet was Aaron Helmley (TAYC), Coleman Walker (TAYC) and Bryan B (WRSC). THe 4-boat Standard fleet was won by Bob Tan. SSA held their summer series on 3 weeknights throughout the summer this year. Over the 11 races the top finisher was David Petty (SSA) followed by Luke Shingledecker (SSA) and Leo Wilson (SSA). In the radials it was John Z(SSA) & Dorian Haldeman (SSA). SSA also moved up their Crab Claw Regatta to August to make way for some big 505 regattas in September - 7 races were sailed over two day and a lot of crabs were consumed Saturday night. Top of the 24boat standard fleet was Leo Boucher (SSA), Conner Bayless and Luke Shingledecker (SSA). Leading the 12-boat radial fleet was David Grace (SSA), Dorian Haldeman (SSA) and Susan Taylor (SSA). Look for results of the FBYC Laser Fall Regatta, Hard Rock Laser Masters, Chesapeake Laser Masters and FBYC Fall Frostbite Regatta in the next edition of the Laser Sailor. Looking for frostbite sailing? Keep an eye on our website at www.laserdistrict11.org for up to date information on all of the programs around the area starting in November.

District 12 Charlie Usher NC, SC, GA The District has completed four of six Championship Regattas with multiple different Regatta Champions in the Full Rig and the Radial Fleets. Full Radial Savannah Yacht Club Peter Gamble Collin Porter Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club Robert Burke Walt Gnann Carolina Yacht Club – SC Rob Bowden Thomas Smith Carolina Yacht Club – NC Martin Willard Thomas Smith We have had 60 different skippers at the four events. Finn Hassing, who is a GGM, is the only one to sail at all four events. Congrats to Finn!! [I’m looking forward to a Laser retirement…] The district championship is determined by the total points from the scores of the best three regattas. Martin Willard is leading the Fulls with 9 points but mathematically 17 sailors could still win the district! The Radial Fleet is lead by Thomas Smith with 4 points but Collin or Walt could win the district with two bullets. The last two regattas are excellent lake venues which are fun for camping and socializing! Hope you join us for the exciting finish at Lake Norman Yacht Club and Columbia Sailing Club.

Martin Willard racing in the 2015 Laser Masters World Championship. He ﬁnished 8th in the Radial Grand Master Fleet and was the highest placing American!

District 18 John Shockey Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky Greetings!When the leaves begin to fall the sailing season is wrapping up throughout District 18, but there are typically a few great events we can count on to end the year on a high note. This year it was the District 18 Grand Prix hosted by Eagle Creek Sailing Club of Indianapolis, Indiana. This is the second time Eagle Creek has hosted this event and this year we brought in 21 Laser full rigs. The special part about this year’s District 18 Grand Prix was the fact the regatta was held in conjunction with the Governer’s Cup, a prestigious inland event where J24’s and other sailboats 30 foot and under attend in droves. This meant for the Laser class we were competing not only for the D18 title but the Governer’s Cup as well which is awarded to the largest class. Sailed in a steady 15-22knt breeze piping down the lake with gusts close to 30knts on Saturday, and a similar but less dramatic 6-15knt breeze on Sunday, the smaller races courses reminded me of the days racing Lasers in college and for the healthy mix of junior Laser sailors on the starting line it was their first glimpse of what college Laser sailing brings with short course sailing a no wind-limit mentality; we sailed 9 races in all! When the finish bell rang it was Roman Plutenko of Chicago taking home the first place honors and lucky him he gets his name etched in the famous Governer’s Cup. I finished second despite winning 5 of the 9 races, a remarkable accomplishment by my usual standards, but the old lesson that every point matters came true and missed out on the Cup by one point! Tying for third and winning the tie breaker was my twin brother Kevin Shockey [Wombmates Racing], and our good friend and life-long Laser regatta co-traveler of Indianapolis, Tyler Andrews, finished up 4th. My favorite parts of the regatta was without question the exciting racing, but the huge BBQ spread was a close second and I would be remise having not mentioned the pirate themed big-boaters made for quite the spectacle. A special moment when I look back was proudly announcing and presenting a brand new perpetual trophy in our district awarded to the top finishing junior which honors Wayne Myers of Indianapolis, Indiana, for his relentless dedication to the sport of sailing and promoting youth sailing at all levels. For decades Wayne has been a chief measurer of

the Finn Class and competed in countless Olympic Trials events. Now Wayne can be found shuttling youth sailors to Laser regattas throughout the Midwest and North America. Wayne PRO’d the D18 regatta this year at his home club of Eagle Creek Sailing Club, and I must say he did a fantastic job as always. Thank you Wayne for your friendship and all your work throughout our district! We wouldn’t be the same district without you! And special congratulations to JJ Miller of Port Clinton Yacht Club for winning the inaugural Wayne Myers Perpetual Trophy! So hats off to another ﬁne season of Laser sailing throughout District 18. Friends from Indy, Columbus, Michigan, Chicago, Cleveland, Louisville, and more, you make the district great! We look forward to building on this year’s momentum and building out more Laser sailing throughout the region next year and beyond. See you in the spring as we bring back the Louisville regatta and of course the Indy Spring regatta will be in full form. To keep up to date with all the news at District 18 check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/LaserDistrict-18/113692818672336

District 19 Ken Swetka Michigan Michigan now has two new fleets at opposite ends of the state. One is near Michigan’s southern border while the other is on Lake Superior. EAGLE LAKE SAILING CLUB Edwardsburg, Michigan www.eaglelakesailingclub.org The Laser Fleet at ELSC (one of six active one-design fleets in the club) has had a particularly exciting summer in 2015. In addition to the regular race season, consisting of 29 races (every Saturday, June - August) and three 5-race regattas (Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day), this year the Laser Fleet enjoyed: - an on-the-water sailing clinic led by Dick Tillman in June, - Tiller-Time Thursday, evening fleet sailing and snacks in June and July, - Laser mini-series short-course racing, Thursday evenings in August. As the cool weather draws this season to a close, we are looking forward to another active year for Lasers in 2016. Eagle Lake is conveniently located near the Indiana border in Southwestern Michigan. ELSC is currently home to 21 Laser sailboats and 13 Laser racers. For additional information, please see our internet web site. New members are welcome. Marquette Yacht Club Marquette, MI www.marquetteyachtclub.org The club is located on the shore of Lake Superior and home to boats of all sizes. Also home to the sailing team at Northern Michigan University www.nmu. edu/sportsrecsports/node/46 . They host an annual Dinghy Free For All in late September that draws over 40 boats. D19 District Championships Story By: Polk Wagner

FALL 2015

12.Jim Axelson 13.Charles Hallett 14.George Peet 15.Gary Marx Western Michigan Yachting Association 86th Annual Championship Regatta Story by: Steve Johanson

HARBOR SPRINGS - Fifteen of the State’s top Laser sailors gathered in Harbor Springs, Michigan to battle in the 2015 Laser District 19 Championships, held in on the waters of Little Traverse Bay on June 20 and 21, 2014. The competitors raced in a huge range of conditions over the weekend, from light and shifty winds on Saturday that resulted in only two races being sailed, to classic Harbor Springs 12-15 knot thermal conditions under (mostly) sunny skies on Sunday, when five races were sailed. Showing impressive early-season form was Ken Swetka of Detroit, Michigan, who won the regatta handily -scoring five bullets in the seven races. A very strong second was Chad Coberly of Grand Rapids, who finished with twelve points after a throwout race. Third place was local sailor and LTYC member Mac Jacob, with twenty points. The top Laser master award (for sailors 45 and over) was given to Ken Swetka, and LTYC and LTS Junior Race Team member Ian Beckley won the top junior award. The 2015 Laser District 19 Championships were organized and run by Little Traverse Sailors, with heavy support from Irish Boat Shop and the Little Traverse Yacht Club. Although the total attendance was down somewhat from 2014 (probably owing to the late spring and very chilly water), the racing was as tight and competitive as ever. On Saturday the light and variable winds saw the Race Committee gamely struggle all afternoon to get in two complete races. On Sunday, however, after a hour-long shore delay while the fog burned off, the traditional westerly wind came in, treating the racers to excellent (albeit rather cold) sailing conditions. Saturday evening the competitors enjoyed a barbecue at the Irish Boat Shop and a Sunday afternoon Awards Ceremony at the Little Traverse Yacht Club. The organizers would like to thank Dan Thompson (LTYC Sailing Director and LTS Director) and Meade Maxwell (LTS Head Sailing Instructor) for outstanding Race Committee work under very difficult conditions. The event could not have happened without the support of Irish Boat Shop, Little Traverse Sailors, and the Little Traverse Yacht Club. Although after three years the Laser District 19 Championships will rotate away from Harbor Springs in 2016, we hope and plan to host a Laser Regatta next summer for all to attend.

Torch Lake Yacht Club hosted the 86th Annual WMYA Championship Regatta from August 4-8. Lasers were one of 7 fleets sailed. 30 competitors showed up with a strong showing from Grand Rapids and Spring Lake. The weather was great and the race committee successfully got in all 5 scheduled races. The first three races were in medium breeze and Peter Johanson (TLYCC) handily won the first one followed by Steve Johanson (TLYCC) and Mason Wolters (SLYC) in third with an excellent last leg, gaining a lot of ground. The second race went to Steve Johanson with Peter Johanson and Isaac Kremers in second and third. And the third race again went to Steve Johanson but he had to hold off a very fast Isaac Kremers at the finish. The last two races were in light and puffy conditions. The fourth race was shortened in order to meet the schedule, Steve and Peter Johanson got first and second with Libby Reeg sailing quickly in third place. The last race was the most hard fought as at least 7 boats rotated through the lead. Rachel Rantanen showed great downwind speed and foresight in gaining buoy room--she led at both leeward marks and finished 4th right behind Sam Ralston. Mason Wolters gained the lead at the end of the final leg and finished first just feet ahead of Steve Johanson. In the Radial Class, Ben Finkelstein came in first place with two wins in his class. Reed Lorimer (TLYCC), who tied in points with Ben, was second and proved that consistency pays off (2 -3 -3 -2 -2). And Miranda Malden was only three points behind in third with two race first places. This was a great regatta with fast and clean sailing by all the contestants. Also, it was great to see a fleet that was so well represented by talented female sailors. We will see you all next year in Spring Lake.

Laser 1 Steve Johanson - 7 2 Peter Johanson, -19 3 Mason Wolters, 21 4 Sam Ralston, 31 5 Isaac Kremers, 32 6 Libby Reeg, 32 7 Olivia Windemuller (JR), 38 8 Connor Goulet, 42 9 Rachel Rantanen, 49 10 Michael Madden, 50 11 Spencer McCormick, 51 12 Jason Locascio, 54 13 Eric Wynsma, 63 14 Ben Lilly, 71 15 Jimmy Frisinger, 74 16 Patrick Reeg, 74 17 Ian Jones, 75 18 Lauren Lopez, 88 19 Jim Lopez, 95 20 Joshua Wallace 105 Laser Radial 1 Ben Finkelstein , 12 2 Reed Lorimer, 12 3 Miranda Madden, 15 4 Justin Lovell, 18 5 Ella Wynsma, 22 6 Sophie Jones, 31 7 Sarah Reid (JR), 39 8 Samantha Koenen, 39 9 Max Koenen, 41 10 Kate Robertson, 52 Lansing Sailing Club Annual Regatta Report By: Doug Carlson August 22, 2015: Light and shifty winds welcomed 24 sailors from around the state of Michigan to Lake Lansing for the 2015 Annual Lansing Sailing Club District 19 Laser Regatta. After a short delay the fleet got on the lake with 5mph winds from the south with the fleet sailing Olympic courses. Chad Coberly from East Grand Rapids, MI started the regatta with a first place finish and held on winning the regatta with 10 points. This was Chad’s second LSC Laser Regatta championship. Ken Swetka from St. Clair Shores, MI and also the 2011 regatta champion finished 1st in the second race and went on to finish 2nd for the day. Doug Carlson, a LSC member from Okemos, MI rounded

Name 1.Ken Swetka Top Master 2.Chad Coberly 3.Mac Jacob 4.Steve Johanson 5.Polk Wagner 6.Peter Johanson 7.Bruce Hansen 8.Michael Madden 9.Ian Beckley Top Junior 10.Robert Duﬀ 11.Ben Finkelstein

www.Laser.org

out the top finishers in 3rd place. All three top finishers were within 3 points of each other making this one of the closest LSC regatta ever. There was special recognition this year for the six Junior competitors. Conner Goulet from East Grand Rapids, MI topped the group finishing 6th overall in the regatta. Ben Lilly also from East Grand Rapids finished 12th to take the second Junior spot. The light and shifty winds that created challenges for the racers kept the race committee on their toes too. For a second year in a row Gil Chesbro led the Race Committee supported by LSC members Larry Koster, Andrew Eriksen, Alanna Harvey and Stephen Wagner. The entire team did a great job keeping the races moving and enabled the fleet to sail the

of the event taken by LSC Photographer Stephen Wagner. There is also a link to view the aerial video taken by Sean Fidler. Thank you to all our participants. Without you we could not have had such a fun day! 2015 Regattas/Events Sept 26

No Sweat Regatta - Portage Yacht Club

Sept 26

GTYC Fall Regatta - Traverse City

are hard at work with clean-up. Spirits are now high again and this weekend should be a busy one for casual sailing, practicing and the Sunday races. Next up is the CSA Fall Laser Regatta set for October 17th and 18th. Being the most southern fleet in the district, the water will still be warm and the hospitality even warmer. I look forward to welcoming you at the “Meet and Greet” Friday evening! We will have music, camp fire and hor’s d’ouerves hot off the grill!!!

Oct 3 Frosty Mug Regatta - Irish Laser Fleet, Little Traverse Bay, Harbor Springs Oct 11 Pumpkin Head Regatta - Grand Rapids Yacht Club That’s all for now from D19 (Michigan)! As always check www.D19Laser.org or www.facebook.com/ D19Laser for even more schedules, more reports, and photos!

District 20 Troy Tolan IL & WI A disaster for fleet building at CSA: scheduled six races. Once back on shore and while the big grills were being fired up, regatta awards were presented and the door prizes provided by Avon Sailboats of Rochester, MI were passed out to the lucky ticket holders. Then it was time for the LSC regatta traditional “you cook-it” BBQ which gave everyone an opportunity to discuss all the on the water activities and that shift that never filled in that would have made the difference… Everyone enjoyed huge steaks, chicken breasts, corn on the cob and all the fixings. No one left the regatta hungry! The BBQ was made possible because of a lot of time by LSC members Brenda Maynard and Julie Pierce who picked up all the food and prepared the entire layout. As always the regatta was supported by many LSC members before and during the race day that helped getting the facilities ready for hosting this annual event. Everyone appreciated our regatta sponsors especially Avon Sailboats for the many door prizes provide that helped make this regatta a little extra special event for everyone that attended. Visit the Lansing Sailing Club site, www. lansingsailing.org, for complete race results and a link to our Flickr site to view over 200+ pictures

Fleet building as you know is hard enough even when you have great facilities, excellent weather conditions for good racing and the manpower needed to host memorable events. All which CSA had this year except for one major problem. Water discharge from the lake had to be slow because of the high water level of the Mississippi and the potential of flooding downstream in the St. Louis area. This is a problem that CSA has faced for years, but it is never easy to endure and it is difficult to keep sailing interest and momentum moving forward. I had to cancel the CSA Laser Open, which was set for the weekend of July 11th, one month after the Districts in Springfield. Lined-up for the event, were the juniors from Springfield and Eagle Creek plus the adults. Next came the chance to concentrate just on the young sailors with the CSA Junior Olympic Festival. It too had to be discarded as the facility was just not safe. The good news is, the water is receding with the Mississippi being down and a discharge rate of ~1200 cfs. The hoists are back on and volunteers

Photo by Tina Powell. Around the District’s Local Fleet Racing: I get most of my news about local fleet activity from e-mail lists and from checking out their FB groups and pages. From what I see and read, the local activity is alive and well. This is great news and I believe it’s a continuing trend. Keep up the good work, promoting, teaching and sailing together. Just a reminder, a few local Laser fleets in our district don’t have Facebook groups or pages. I highly recommend using the platform for real time communications. A local fleet that just started a group is Chicago Corinthian (CCYC) and you will find them by searching CCYC Laser Fleet at the top left on FB. CCYC is growing rapidly and by the time this is published, they will have completed the Red Flannels Regatta with a strong 20 plus Laser entries. Club Liability: This summer I had the pleasure of video recording the on-the-water portion of Carlyle’s Adult Sailing Camp. It was my way of volunteering my time and talent for a good cause. This was a beginner’s class with only a few who had ever sailed before. Unfortunately, a student on the first day, first session

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near the leeward mark traveling downwind at about 3 miles per hour was run over by a bass boat traveling at high speed. In my 37 years of sailing/racing I have never seen a serious injury for boating. It made my wife and I think more about the responsibilities I have assumed as Regatta Chairman on a number of events and hope to with future events. So, in order to know more about the risks as well as protecting myself, I enrolled in the Level 1 Instructor Training class held at North Shore Yacht Club, Highland Park, IL. The class was taught by a Snipe racing rival, fellow member of CSA and longtime friend, John Sepanski. The first time we met was at the 1980 Snipe Nationals at Carlyle. John is a great teacher, with a passion for sailing that won’t quit. If you sign up for courses with US Sailing, look to John for your instructor. At NSYC, there were a number of adults in the course who are members of NSYC. They obviously get it. And have made a commitment to certify as many members as possible even though their goal is not as individual sailing instructors. It will no doubt strengthen and produce a better, safer and longer lasting sailing program with such education over a large number of members and employees. Passing the course and getting certified comes with the requirements of completing a NASBLA Boater Education, CPR and First Aid. Although all these requirements alone would be helpful in an emergency, the US Sailing certification go way beyond in assuring a well thought out overall sailing program.

This past weekend I sailed the 2015 Governor’s Cup and Laser District 18 Champs at Eagle Creek Sailing Club. In the category of Friday evening “Meet and Greet” it rated oﬀ the charts. Deep fried appetizers with burgers and hot dogs, plus cold drinks and lots of conversation. Eagle Creek is a small lake and I was ready to give them low marks especially at a multi-class venue. But they get high marks because they used a second race committee with a separate course for the Lasers with 6 races on Saturday and 4 races on Sunday. Saturday night’s entertainment hosted a band that seem to be willing to play all night long—again a rating over the top! The last notable high mark was the regatta fee. I got to sail, Saturday night dinner, a tee shirt, discount for being a US Sailing member and I made a donation to the ECSC junior program—all for $27 dollars. Thank you D18 and Eagle Creek for such an all-around excellent venue!

District 22 Kurt Hoehne Oregon & Washington Paciﬁc Northwest Laser sailors enjoyed one of the warmest years on record, and for the most part the winds cooperated as well. Most of the action, as usual, was on the Columbia River courtesy of the Columbia Gorge Racing Association (CGRA)

Dire predictions of hot Portland weather (read, not much wind on the Columbia) discouraged a few masters from making the trip to Cascade Locks for June’s Master Pacific Coast Champs, but once again the Columbia River Gorge delivered the wind, and there was great racing for the dozen sailors who attended. Nick Pullen won a tight battle over Grand Master Tracey Usher who edged out Martin Hartmanis after the master’s math was calculated. The CGRA’s WIND Youth Regatta attracted a great fleet of 21 eager Radial sailors and a couple of full rigs. The kids were kept busy, with 10 races and tight finishes. This year’s Gorge Blowout downwind run was bumped to August. Six Lasers made the start, and five finished, in challenging but not record-setting conditions. On the opposite side of the district, the Fort Peck Can-Am Regatta saw Saturday’s racing cancelled due to too much wind. However, Sunday’s racing was challenging, and once again the Fort Peck community made the event friendly and memorable. As this is going to press, preparations for Bellingham’s Dale Jepsen One Design Regatta were

So, Laser Fleet Captains, and club members, look at your programs, examine and determine if you have a shortage of certified individuals. Yes, it is a big commitment but one that needs to be done for sailing/racing to exist in perpetuity. 2016 D20 Events Schedule: It’s time to plan the 2016 schedule! In the last e-letter I asked for input from members so they could share and be heard. I got a couple of responses but the most significant, IBYC, Springfield, IL eager to hold a Masters Event. The District Champs early in the year was a success and bolster by the IBYC Sailing Foundation with sufficient funds makes them a good candidate and a great location to have such an event. Milwaukee Yacht Club has submitted a request to host the Great Lakes Championship. And there are other opportunities for major events if interested. It’s Wisconsin’s turn to host the 2016 District Champs and elect to make it the Grand Prix or allow another club to host the Grand Prix as a second event. I will be glad to help oversee the management of the event with understanding and adhering to the guidelines. Regatta Strategy Canvas for 2015: This is a concept I developed and have been working on for the last few years. I have explained it to other District Secretaries who think it has merit and value to the regatta management. Essentially it compares the likes and desires of the participants and not the Clubs or Regatta Management. There are 12 categories I rate from 1-10 and chart them for comparison.

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taking place. Once again, battles on the water may pale in comparison to the fun planned at the clubhouse.

District 24 Stephen Aguilar NorCal Redwood Regatta 2015 By Hendrik Reidel #162390 The Redwood Regatta takes place every year on Labor Day weekend at Big Lagoon, California, which is about a thirty minute drive North of Eureka. The Laser fleet included nine competitors, who were also competing for points in the Svendson’s Grand Prix. Some sailors traveled all the way from Moss Landing and Reno to participate in this event. The boats launched from the beach, right by the beautiful and hidden campsite in the woods. The conditions for the weekend proved to be ideal, with sunny skies, warm weather, and a strong and steady breeze, unlike the usual fog and light winds. On Saturday, one race was completed before the winds became too strong to race anymore. Saturday evening was met with a delicious dinner of tri-tip and albacore tuna, followed by an entertaining night at campfire. On the second day of racing the wind was slowly building throughout the afternoon to provide for excellent sailing and a fast reaching leg in the last race! After a total of four races, the winner was Tim Sullivan who finished with 6 points. Second, went to Tom Burden, who finished with 8.5 points. Rounding up the podium was Bruce Braly, with 11 points. The Big Lagoon turned out to be a wonderful venue with sweet sailing, a cozy campsite, and fun and friendly atmosphere. Lake Tahoe Championships 2015 By Hendrik Reidel #162390 With Stampede Reservoir having low water levels once again in 2015, the venue this year was the breath-taking and high altitude, Lake Tahoe. The ‘ A’ fleet included eleven sailors that were also competing in the Svendson’s Grand Prix, with several sailors coming from the Bay Area and one coming all the way from Oregon. The Radial fleet had four sailors. The Lasers launch at the Lake Forest Boat Ramp, which is just down the road from Tahoe Yacht Club. This year’s conditions proved to be too windy for any races to be held Saturday, with the race committee recording a maximum wind speed of 36 knots and a steady breeze of 22-27 knots! However, the strong winds didn’t keep sailors from

enjoying these thrilling conditions. Several competitors sailed a while longer after racing was abandoned and were able to test their skills in the challenging and shifty winds renown to Lake Tahoe, as well as surf down sloping waves. On Sunday, the race committee did an exceptional job of squeezing in a total of seven races in strong and shifty conditions. The course had to be changed when the prevailing Southwesterly shifted to a Westerly but racing was back underway in a matter of minutes. After a long four and half hours of racing with seven races UNIVERSAL DOLLY FULLY ADJUSTABLE and one throw-out, Nick Pullen came out on top winning five races and a total of 8 points. Martin Hartman is finished runner up, winning two EXTENDED races with 12 points. Emilio Castelli finished third, sailing consistently RETRACTED throughout the regatta with 16 points. In the Radial Fleet, Ryan Canfield, OH • Toll Free 1-800-282-5042 Conner comfortably www.trailex.com won with 7 points from Sailing in D25! six races. In the end, But don’t’ worry, D25 Sailors will be Lake Tahoe proved to be a fantastic venue, full of sailing through the Fall and Winter in preparation for close racing and plenty of wind along with great fun, next year’s Midwinters West March 18-20, 2016 at friends and fellow sailors. Hopefully next year there Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (www.abyc.org). The Turkey will be as good a turnout if not better with more Day Regatta will also be at ABYC November 21-11, participants and calmer winds! 2015, where, last year, 25 Standard and 36 Radials sailed in pre-winter conditions, at least for Southern District 25 California! This year, the El Nino will keep the water Jorge A. Suarez warmer as well! SoCal Enough about the weather, time to go sailing! I am glad to announce that we have

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Laser Sailing and the Spine DR. CHRIS HERRERA DPT, CSCS, USAW TARA O’BRIAN B.S, SPT Laser Sailing has a very unique set of stresses put on the entire spine of the athlete. I have written a variety of articles about the risks and stresses put on the muscular & cardiovascular systems, and specific joints during sailing. I have given detailed strength and cardiovascular programing to improve these areas, but have never focused on the center of everything: THE SPINE. The spine can feel like a very complicated subject based on the numerous segments, its structural complexities, variety of movement patterns, and interaction with the muscular system. For this article I am going to break the spine down to how it is structured, how the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions work together, the 3 most common spine injuries for laser sailors, and most importantly basic techniques to keeping the spine healthy and injury free. The spine is made up of three regions: cervical, thoracic and lumbar. Each region has specific movement patterns based on how the small joints are shaped and aligned. The Cervical Region The cervical region is composed of 7 vertebrae that move on one another via facet joints. These joints are oriented at a 45 degree angle which help connect the vertebrae and allow range of motion in any direction (flexion, extension, side bending, rotation). Between each vertebrae are discs that help with weight distribution and act as shock absorbers. Because of this facet joint angle the cervical spine functions best with two movement patterns: 1. 2.

Cervical rotation with opposite side bending Cervical ﬂexion with extension

When these patterns are working together with no dysfunction the neck is able turn quickly and smoothly allowing each athlete to have an almost 360 degree boat awareness. The Thoracic Region The thoracic region is comprised of 12 vertebrae that are joined by facet joints, similar to the cervical region. One major difference about the thoracic region is the facet joints are oriented at a 60 degree angle, restricting lateral movements and primarily allowing flexion and extension. The thoracic vertebrae are also unique in that they attach to the ribs & therefore are further limited in their amount of motion. With this movement pattern, the thoracic spine allows for forward and backwards movement of the torso & typically rests in a more flexed posture. The Lumbar Region The lumbar region is composed of 5 vertebrae that are significantly larger than the cervical and thoracic vertebrae. The lumbar vertebrae are stacked on top of one another with the intervertebral discs, providing a cushion in between each of the vertebrae. The

facet joints in the lumbar region are angled vertically at 90 degrees, allowing for increased side bend, rotation, and ﬂexion/ extension. This movement pattern encourages movement in all directions with the lumbar spine typically resting in a lordotic, or extended position. The three most common injuries for laser sailors are: ● Cervical region: Facet Joint Dysfunction ● Thoracic region: Increased Kyphosis ● Lumbar region: Hypo-Mobility Cervical Facet Joint Dysfunction One of the most common neck injuries experienced by laser sailors is cervical facet joint dysfunction. When the cervical spine engages in repetitive motions, such as what happens while sailing, the facet joints are moving quickly over one another and can become worn out. The facet joints can become irritated, inﬂamed, painful, and potentially even maligned causing a sharp shooting pain with severe decrease in range of motion. The athlete will complain of a “kink” in the neck and inability to turn their head with pain and pinching. Preventing Cervical Facet Joint Dysfunction While it’s impossible to restrict head motion during sailing, stretching as well as strengthening your neck muscles can help decrease the stresses placed on your neck and facet joints and help to prevent facet joint dysfunction from occurring. Strengthening:

Stretching: ● Upper trap stretch o Bring right ear towards the right shoulder. Use right hand on head to pull head more into right side bend. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Repeat on the left. Perform 3x/side. ● Levator stretch

FALL 2015

Bring nose towards right armpit. Use right hand on head to hold this position for 30 seconds. Repeat on the left. Perform 3x/side.

Increased Thoracic Kyphosis Laser sailors spend most of their time bent over in “thoracic kyphosis” where the midback (or “thoracic spine”) is flexed forward. This kyphotic position ultimately results in decreased mobility of the midback because of the significant amount of time sailors spend in this position. Over time, the spine becomes fixed in this position, altering muscle lengths and preventing upright posture. With less mobility through the midback, the neck and low back are forced to react to the sudden changes in wind forces, potentially creating more risk of injury at these sites. Preventing Increased Thoracic Kyphosis In order to prevent stiffness and a hunched posture, strengthening the back and stretching the spine are going to be very important. Self-Mobilization (foam rolling) ● Vertical hold: o Lying with foam roll vertically along the spine with knees bent, let arms rest out to either side for 3-5 minutes. ● Vertical long back extensor release o Lying in the same position as the Vertical Hold, roll side to side the foam roll in order to place pressure on the spine extensors. ● Horizontal P-A mobs o Lying on foam roll with foam roll oriented horizontally, arms extended overhead, and knees bent, slowly roll up and down thoracic spine. Perform 5x. Strengthening

Lumbar Spine Hypomobility Hiking has been shown to create the greatest stresses on the body, especially on the low back (or “lumbar spine”). A combination of poor hiking technique and weak abdominals can result in increased forces placed on the low back. These forces can be compressive, causing stiffness in the low back and irritation to the vertebral discs. Lumbar spine hypo-mobility (or “flat back” or “laser back”) occurs when the spine is constantly placed in the same position, causing ligaments to stiffen, tighten, and potentially become fibrotic around the lumbar vertebrae. When this happens, low back movement is prevented causing inflammation and increased stress on the lumbar discs. If each vertebra does not move independently the vertebral disc can bulge posteriorly and pinch, resulting in a herniated disc.

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Preventing Lumbar Spine Hypomobility A combination of lower body stretching, low back extensor strengthening, and joint mobility techniques are essential in order to prevent lumbar spine injuries and low back pain. Strengthening:

Stretching: ● Hamstring stretching o Lying on your back, lift right leg up to 90/90 position & place hands behind back of knee. Slowly straighten the leg and use hands to pull leg towards chest. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with left leg. Perform 3x/leg. ● Glute Stretching o Lying on back, use arms to bring right knee towards left shoulder & hold in this position for 30 seconds. Repeat with left leg. Perform 3x/ leg. ● Hip flexor stretching o In a half kneeling position with right leg forward, squeeze left glutes and slowly lean body forward over right leg in order to feel a stretch in the left hip flexors. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with left leg. Perform 3x/leg. Lumbar Joint Mobility techniques: ● Lumbar foam rolling o Start with the foam roll at your midback with knees bent. Using your heels to push against the floor, slowly roll up on foam roll, with foam roll sliding down your back to the base of your spine. Repeat x10. ● Cat-Camel o On hands and knees, round your back up toward the ceiling. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Let your back sway by pulling your stomach toward the floor & lifting your buttocks toward the ceiling. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Repeat x10. ● Supine lumbar rotation o Lying on your back with arms outstretched to either side, lift both knees up to the 90/90 position. Let knees fall to the side & hold stretch for 10-15 seconds. Rotate knees to the other side & hold stretch for 10-15 seconds. Repeat x10. Athletes that are able to take 20 minutes three times a week and complete these techniques to keep each spinal region healthy will have a longer career with more pain free years of sailing!

Why Join the Laser Class? What are some of the benefits of a strong class association? 

A strong class association means lots of boats to race against, near you and around the world!

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A strong class association with lots of racing attracts the world’s best sailors - giving you the best racing possible!

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A strong class association means major events scheduled at the best sailing locations and moving all over the North American Region - there will always be a big event near you!

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points when sailing in major events, ranking you against your fellow competitors and making you eligible for end of the season prizes, like new sails, carbon tillers, etc.

You get direct beneﬁt by joining the Laser Class!

What does the class association do with your membership dues? 

The ﬁrst $14.00 of your membership dues go to pay the North American staff who work incredibly hard to: make sure our North American events get scheduled every year and that these events follow the high standards of the Laser Class, to publish our quarterly newsletter, etc. Importantly, that money also makes sure that if you ever have a question you can simply pick up the phone, or send an email, and a knowledgeable person will answer you right away.

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$9.72 of your dues goes to the International Class where they use the money to pay their staff to make sure world level events get scheduled, ensuring all the boats are the same by inspecting the builders to make sure they are complying with the Laser Construction Manual, keep track of rules changes proposed by members, interfacing with ISAF on various levels, including keeping both the Laser Standard and Laser Radial as Olympic equipment, etc.

You receive the annual Laser Class Handbook with the current class rules, interpretations of those rules, class constitution, guidelines for events, useful information for keeping your boat in good shape, contact information for your district, etc.

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A little over $7.00 goes to the quarterly assembling, printing and mailing of The Laser Sailor to you for the year.

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Around $5.00 goes to support and promotion, ranging from direct support of the districts and regattas to the website.

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You receive the International Class Association’s quarterly publication “Laser World” which gives a roundup of international events sailed around the world, as well as information from the international ofﬁce.

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You receive the North American Association’s quarterly publication “The Laser Sailor” which is loaded with regatta reports, technique articles, fitness and nutrition tips, sailor profiles, reports from each of the North American Region’s 26 Districts and much, much more. In addition, the magazine also contains advertising from Laser dealers selling Laser specific gear and aimed entirely at Laser sailors - if you are looking for something for your boat you will see it advertised here!

Most of the remaining dues go toward all the things it takes to running an organization of 2400 members, from Executive Secretary travel costs, to federal income taxes all the way to mundane ofﬁce expenses. Your membership dues are used to keep the Laser Standard, Laser Radial and Laser 4.7 as THE singlehanded dinghy to sail and race in North America and throughout the world!

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A strong class association means solid class rules making all boats as identical as possible - you are competing against other sailors, not their pocket books!

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A strong class association means lots of people looking to buy boats keeping the resale value of your boat high.

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A strong class association keeps an eye towards the future and works with the builders to make improvements where needed while preserving as well as possible the competitiveness of older boats.

To be strong, a class association needs the support of its sailors!

What are some of the direct benefits of membership? 



You will have access to the class website at www.laser. org containing all the latest news as well as the up to date calendar of events, complete with maps to show you how to ﬁnd the events. And you can also ﬁnd archived copies of The Laser Sailor as well as useful articles on how to sail your boat faster.

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Your membership makes you eligible to sail in any of the 50+ major Laser Class regattas scheduled every year throughout the North American Region, including open, masters’, youth and women’s events.

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Your membership makes you eligible for the LaserPeformance/ILCA-NA Grand Prix where you earn

Why should you join the Laser Class? 

To enable the Laser Class to remain a strong class association and continue to make the Laser the pre-eminent singlehanded dinghy of our time.

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To gain the beneﬁts of membership outlined above.

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To protect your investment in your boat, making sure that if the time comes to sell then you can be certain that the high demand driven by a strong class will enable you to get the best price for your boat.

The International Laser Class Association, North American Region is what it is today because of the support of its members. Keep that tradition alive, join or renew your membership TODAY!

FALL 2015

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Name_______________________________________________________ Address_____________________________________________________ City ___________________State / Prov. _____Zip / postal code ________ Phone ____________________ E-mail____________________________ Sail # ______________DOB (month/day/year) _____________Sex ______ Boat usually sailed _____Laser ______Radial _____Laser 4.7 Current Membership Fees All amounts are in US dollars. (Canadian checks must be in US dollars.) • Regular - $45 for one year or $85 for 2 years • Junior - $40 (Member may not turn 18 during term of membership), or $75 for 2 years (Member may not turn 18 during term of membership) • International - $55 (any member not living in the US or Canada), one year only

Amount enclosed __________________US$ Please make checks payable to ILCA of NA or provide credit card information as shown below. Thank you for joining the Laser Class. Credit Card payment by Visa, Mastercard or AMEX (Sorry – no Discover)

Name on credit card: ________________________________________________________ Credit card number: ________________________________________________________ Exp. date: _________ Credit card billing zip/postal code _________ Security code____ NOTE: Occasionally we make our mailing list available to our advertisers. If you do not want your name included on these lists, please check here: _________

RETURN THIS FORM TO: ILCA OF NA 2812 CANON STREET SAN DIEGO, CA 92106

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