e-USSAILING - Weekly Electronic Newsletter from US SAILING

ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION AND PROMOTING EXCELLENCE IN SAILING
August 2, 2006

The top three finishers at the U.S. Junior Women's Singlehanded Championship: Claire Dennis, Ann Haeger, and champion Sarah Lihan, proudly wearing her new Texas "Leiter Champion" cowboy hat

LIHAN DOMINATES U.S. JUNIOR WOMEN'S SINGLEHANDED CHAMPIONSHIP, WINS LEITER TROPHY

La Porte, TX - Sarah Lihan (Fort Lauderdale, FL) practically breathed a sigh of relief last Thursday: after years of practice and competing in numerous regattas, the 17-year-old has finally won the U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship on her fourth attempt. This year, she clearly dominated the fleet of 56 boats, winning five out of seven races. But her win may not have been as easy as it sounds, as she was up against sailors like Ann Haeger (Lake Forest, IL) and Claire Dennis (Saratoga, CA), who finished second and third respectively and both of whom had competed in the event before.
> Get the complete results, pictures and news from this event by going to the event website at http://www.ussailing.org/championships/youth/usjrw/single.

This year's U.S. Independence Cup/North American Challenge Cup, to be held this weekend at Chicago Yacht Club, could be the beginning of a new era for this US SAILING Championship. First held in 2000, the U.S. Independence Cup has become a training ground for the members of the US Disabled Sailing Team. With the SKUD 18 named as the new doublehanded boat for the 2008 Paralympic Games, the doublehanded competition at the Independence Cup, raced in Freedom 20s, promises to heat up. Three-time consecutive champion Karen Mitchell is returning with new crew Michael Grimm. The team, along with several others, is using the Championship as preparation for the SKUD 18 qualifier for the US Disabled Sailing Team to be held later this month.
> Get the latest results as the event happens by going to the event website at http://www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/usic. The event is sponsored nationally by Rolex Watch U.S.A. and Dry Creek Vineyard.

Created by North U instructor and coach Tucker Thompson, the Race Boat Crewing video provides a detailed look at each crew position on a modern race boat. Coverage includes bow, mast, pit, jib trimmer, spinnaker trimmer and mainsail trimmer. You'll go on board to see each crew member's job during each evolution - tacks, sail changes, and every manner of spinnaker sets, jibes and douses. Plays on your DVD player or your computer's DVD drive.
> Order your copy now by going to http://store.ussailing.org. $35.00 for US SAILING members, $40.00 for non-members.

Here's an overview of where some of the US Sailing Team members are competing in the upcoming week:
- The Laser Radial World Championships are currently taking place through August 12 at California Yacht Club in Marina Del Rey. In the Women's World Championship, the 89-woman fleet was split into Gold and Silver fleets after Tuesday's racing and, at press time, US Sailing Team member Anna Tunnicliffe was in second place overall. After the Women's event wraps up this Friday with the crowning of the 2006 World Champion, the US Laser Radial Youth World Team will move in to compete for their World Championship title through Saturday, August 12. Event website with latest results: http://www.calyachtclub.com/cms/index2.htm.
- US Disabled Sailing Team member Nick Scandone is currently defending his 2.4 mR World Championship title at the 2006 2.4mR Worlds in Helsinki, Finland. Scandone is joined by US Disabled Sailing Team members Roger Cleworth and Mark Bryant, who are all supported on site by Team coach Betsy Alison. There are six other U.S. sailors competing in the event, which runs through August 4. Event website: http://www.24worlds2006.org.

In back to back regattas, Scott Whitman posted victories at the Martin 16 National Championship in Newport, RI, and at the Marblehead NOOD in the SKUD 18 class. Four U.S. teams are currently training for the new Paralympic two-person discipline and have been cross training in the Martin 16 (a similar keelboat). Whitman and teammate Julia Dorsett dominated the Martin 16 Nationals with Sarah Everhart-Skeels/Bob Jones and Jim Donahue/Mike Grimm finishing second and third respectively. At the Marblehead NOOD last weekend, the same names participated in the North American racing debut of the SKUD 18s. Whitman, again, took top honors, while Mark Lewis/Moe McKinnon-Tucker finished second and Everhart-Skeels/Jones finished third.
> All of these teams will be at the Clagett clinic and regatta August 17-20 in Newport, RI, the 2006 US Disabled Sailing Team qualifying event for the SKUD 18s. Event website: http://www.ussailing.net/clagett.

More than 1,000 sailors and 400 boats will converge on Marion, MA, this weekend (August 4-6) to compete in the 34th Annual Buzzards Bay Regatta, one of the largest multi-class regattas in the United States, sanctioned by US SAILING. Hosted by the Beverly Yacht Club and the Community Boating Center of New Bedford, 14 classes will compete on five circles. The sailors are likely to enjoy smoky southwesterns and strong race management.
> Visit the event website at http://www.buzzardsbayregatta.com to see who's coming and get latest results as the event happens.

At some regattas, the winner receives a trophy, a T-shirt, and a hearty handshake. At the Lands' End NOOD Regatta (sanctioned by US SAILING) at Marblehead Race Week, the overall champion wins a trip to the British Virgin Islands to compete for the 2006 Land's End NOOD Championship. Maybe that's why Marblehead's Rob Gorman had such a big smile on his face last Sunday evening. After winning the Viper 640 class with seven first place finishes, Gorman was chosen as the regatta's overall champion for his exceptional performance.
> Complete results and photos from this US SAILING sanctioned event are posted at
http://www.sailingworld.com/sw_nood.jsp?typeID=403&catID=602.

Summer marks the busiest time of year for most sailors and with many parts of the country suffering from a heat wave, news reporters are trying to come up with creative ways to show people how to stay cool in the heat. This has led several reporters to go out sailing with locals and taking their camera along. Here's a fun story from Austin, TX, reporter Amy Hadley who goes out on the water with the University of Texas Sailing Club, which aired last Friday on Austin News Channel 8.
> Read and watch the story at
http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=167598&SecID=2.

US SAILING MEMBERSHIP - SUPPORT THE SPORT!
US SAILING membership information http://www.ussailing.org/join/e-ussailing.
If you are already a member and have recently moved or changed e-mail addresses, please let US SAILING know so you will continue to support our sport and receive the great benefits US SAILING offers. Visit http://www.ussailing.org/myussailing/myinfo.asp to update your membership information.

US SAILING MISSION - To encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing
and racing in the United States.

COPYRIGHT - If you would like to use information included in e-USSAILING for a newsletter or other publication, please credit US SAILING as the source. Please visit http://www.ussailing.org/copyright.htm for more copyright information.