Race Notes

The Race Notes in April’s Racing Sheet were squeezed out by results from gobs of Midwinter Series that wrapped up in March. Fortunately, we have room for them here.

Bay Area sailors David Leibenberg and Dan Morris have made the U.S. Olympic Team, sailing the 49er double-trapeze high-performance dinghy. D&D Racing, as David and Dan call themselves, plus several other West Coast Olympic hopefuls, are competing this week at Trofeo Princesa Sofía in Mallorca.

Peter Craig and his Premiere Racing are stepping down from running Key West Race Week after 21 years. In November 1994 Yachting magazine consultant Gary Jobson asked Craig, "How hard can it be? Just raise some flags and blow off some guns." Yachting had founded KWRW in 1987. Now Craig says that a combination of personal and professional factors caused the decision, and pointed out that "The business model had become marginal." This despite the work of more than a hundred volunteers each year and corporate sponsorship, most recently from Quantum Sails. Hopefully, talks with a potential successor will be fruitful and KWRW will live on. See www.premiere-racing.com for more.

What parts of the California lake circuit need to keep going is not a successful business model, just some water. This summer’s High Sierra Regatta on Huntington Lake has been canceled for the second year in a row, and Lake Yosemite Sailing Association has canceled May’s Spring Regatta due to the severe drought.

Venue registration is open for the second Bart’s Bash, to be held on September 20 worldwide. The global race, which set a Guinness World Record last year, benefits the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation. See www.bartsbash.com for info.