The defending champions of US SAILING's U.S. Independence
Cup/North American Challenge Cup (IC/NACC), one of the premier disabled sailing
regattas in the country, had reason to celebrate yesterday after winning the
event once again. For doublehanded sailors Karen Mitchell (Deerfield Beach,
Fla.) and Kerry Gruson (Miami, Fla.), it was their third consecutive time
winning the Championship, sailed in Freedom 20s. For US Disabled Sailing
Team-member Nick Scandone (Fountain Valley, CA), it was only his second time
competing in the event and his second victory in the singlehanded event, sailed
in the 2.4mR. The Championship is hosted by Chicago Yacht Club, where it will be
held again next year.In the doublehanded fleet, racing was close throughout
the three-day regatta. Karen Mitchell and Kerry Gruson took the lead on the
second day and managed to hold on to it for the remainder of the event. With six
points total, the winners finished 12 points ahead of second-place finishers Bob
Jones (Issaquah, WA) and Ken Kelly (Victoria, BC). In the singlehanded 2.4mR
fleet, Nick Scandone came prepared to win, taking the lead on day one and never
relinquishing it. Fellow US Disabled Sailing Team-member Rick Doerr (Clifton,
NJ) finished eight points behind Scandone.
"The racing in the gold fleets of both classes was highly competitive this
year," said Betsy Alison (Newport, R.I.), coach of the US Disabled Sailing Team
and clinic instructor at the U.S. Independence Cup. "I think this was the
strongest competition we've seen at this event," she added.
With their third consecutive win of the U.S. Independence Cup, Mitchell and
Gruson enter the history books of US SAILING. This is the first time in the
history of the event, held annually since 1990, that a team has won the event
for three consecutive years. Robie Pierce (Newport, R.I.) has won the
singlehanded event three times, but not in consecutive years.
By winning the U.S. Independence Cup, Californian Nick Scandone continues
what has been a very successful year thus far. He started 2005 with a third
place finish at US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR in the 2.4mR, he was the top U.S.
finisher in the event. He then finished fourth at the Disabled Midwinters and
the combined finishes at both events put him in first place for the US Disabled
Sailing Team in the 2.4mR. The U.S. Independence Cup served as great preparation
for Scandone, who leaves for Denmark later this month to compete in the IFDS
Disabled Sailing World Championship. In September, Scandone will travel to Italy
to compete in the 2.4mR Open World Championship.
