CARLYLE, Ill. (August 26, 2016) – Catamaran sailing is alive and well on Carlyle Lake. The 2016 U.S. Multihull Championship for the Hobie Alter Trophy, hosted by Carlyle Sailing Association, wrapped up a full week’s worth of racing on Friday. For the first time since 1988, this championship was raced in the Hobie 18. This opened the door for six-time Hobie 18 North American Champion, Ken Marshack (Ridgefield, Wash.). Seeking his first Hobie Alter Trophy in over 20 attempts, Marshack seized the moment and dominated the action from start to finish with crew Valerie Pioszak.
“I had never one the Alter Trophy,” said Marshack. “I have been competing at this event for over 20 years and second place was my highest finish. It feels great to win it. The whole fleet was pushing me the entire time. It was tough. I always come back to this event because of the people and the competition.”
Marshack and Ploszak won eight of the 10 races conducted this week.
The five-day regatta, which was run in conjunction with Hobie 17 North American Championship, was scheduled to begin on Monday. Due to insufficient winds, there was no racing on Monday. Several competitors enjoyed paddleboarding and other activities around the lake to occupy their unscheduled off-day.
On Tuesday, the fleet was greeted with plenty of breeze in the 10-14 knot range, which allowed the fleet to tally four races. Teams completed another four races on Wednesday under similar conditions, with gusts over 20 knots. Two races were completed on Thursday in light air. Friday’s final set of races was cancelled due to lack of wind.
Top 5 – Final Standings
1. Ken Marshack, 1-1-1-[2]-1-1-1-2-1-1- ; 10
2. James Sohn, 2-2-4-1-2-3-2-1-2-[6]- ; 19
3. Jim Doty, Jr., 3-3-2-[4]-3-4-3-3-4-2- ; 27
4. Christina Bradshaw, 4-[6]-6-3-4-2-5-5-6-3- ; 38
5. Stephen Cooley, 7-8-3-5-[10]-6-7-4-5-4- ; 49
Quotes of the Week
- On Tuesday’s racing – David Leimbach (St. Louis, Mo.) – “There wasn’t a moment to take a break out there today. It was windy and a lot of boat traffic on the lake. It was very exciting racing.”
- On Wednesday’s racing – Gillian Thompson (Kelowna, British Columbia) – “It was super windy; not quite nuclear, but it was challenging, fun, and we love to be out on the trapeze. This is one of the better Hobie 18 fleets we’ve raced against in a while.”
- On the history of the championship – Gordon Isco (Gulfport, Fla.) – “When we started the event, we wanted to integrate multihull sailors into the system. It’s great to see this event still going strong.”
Championship Facts
- The perpetual trophy was presented and named the Alter Trophy in 1986 in honor of Hobie Alter, Sr. and his extraordinary promotion of one-design multihull sailing and racing programs.
- The championship was conceived by the Multihull Council in the spring of 1985 as a service to multihull racing sailors.
- The championship has featured world champions from numerous classes, Olympic medalists and several national champions from the multihull ranks.
- Beginning in 2013, this championship rotates in discipline each year to showcase the depth of classes in multihull racing.
For social media coverage, results and standings, photos, and more information from the 2016 U.S. Multihull Championship, please visit the event website.
The 2016 U.S. Multihull Championship is sponsored by Gill North America, Hobie Polarized, and Switlik Survival Products. This US Sailing National Championship is a Sailors for the Sea certified – Clean Regatta.
US Sailing Media Contact: Jake Fish, jakefish@ussailing.org
About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
About Gill North America
Gill NA, with headquarters near Atlanta, GA is the exclusive importer and distributor of Gill-brand foul weather gear in North America including Caribbean, US and Canada. Gill is a worldwide apparel and accessories brand serving the marine industry with over three decades of experience. Gill specializes in high tech, breathable waterproof clothing. The company develops and markets a variety of performance-oriented, award-winning apparel and accessories for virtually every type of boating activity with product lines that include foul weather gear; interactive layering systems; footwear; gloves; bags; junior gear; scholastic gear and team wear. Gill products are available through hundreds of independent dealers and select West Marine Stores. For further information, please contact: Gary Barker at 941-505-2111 or gary.barker@gillna.com.
About Switlik Survival Products
Established in 1920, Switlik Parachute Co. has been owned and operated by the Switlik family for four generations and is known worldwide as a manufacturer of the highest quality sewn and heat sealed inflatable safety and survival products for the aviation, marine, and military/government markets. Our capabilities include a wide variety of anti-exposure and anti-g suits, inflatable life rafts, inflatable life vests, inflation systems and other specialty textile-based military equipment all manufactured at our 85,000 sq. ft. facility located in Trenton, NJ USA. www.switlik.com
About Hobie Polarized
Hobie Polarized is a leading designer, developer, marketer and distributor of polarized eyewear. The brand’s innovative lens technology allows total glare reduction, 100% UV protection, enhances contrast and provides optimum visual acuity. The company’s products are sold worldwide and are used by watermen at all skill and lifestyle levels. The Hobie Polarized headquarters is located in Plainview, New York. For further information, please visit the company’s website at www.hobiepolarized.com.