Race Talks Galore

If you weren’t one of the 70 or so people who showed up last night to see ’08-’09 Vendée Globe veteran Rich Wilson kick off the Corinthian YC‘s speaker series, you really, really missed out. The 59-year-old resident of Marblehead, MA put on a well-paced multimedia presentation that visibly moved not only himself — he became choked up when relating the tales of the support he received from the rest of the fleet and the French public — but the enrapt audience, which honored him with a standing ovation. Hitting topics like his educational program sitesALIVE!, a rib-breaking, cross-cabin fall on Day 2 of his 121-day sojourn around the world, and the support of both the French public and his fellow sailors, Wilson’s engaging, humorous and fast-paced talk painted a vivid picture of what it was like to prepare for and compete in the Vendée Globe. If you get the chance to see Wilson in action, make sure you take it — it’s a wholly worthwhile 90 minutes.

Tonight at St. Francis YC, Peter "Luigi" Reggio, one of the world’s preeminent PROs will be joined by another, Tom Duggan, to share stories, photos and experiences from their worlds. Here to teach the advanced race management seminar this weekend, the pair agreed to the event, which benefits the club’s junior program. The program starts at 6 p.m. and admission is $10.

Speaking of seminars, on Monday the SSS will present a medical seminar ostensibly for Singlehanded TransPac racers, but is really open to anyone. Dr. Lou Freeman, veteran of the ’02 and ’06 races aboard his Swan 51 Freebird, will discuss what you need in your medical kit and how to treat common injuries at sea. As ususal, the talk will be held at Oakland YC at 7 p.m., so get there a little early for socializing. Robert Crawford will also be there to share his experiences in racing his Cal 20 Black Feathers in the ’08 race, as well as to sign copies of his and wife Jeanne’s book on the subject, Black Feathers.

This weekend’s weather is looking pretty good for breeze, although it looks like Sunday will be fairly wet. It’s a busy weekend between the SSS’ Corinthian Race, the El Toro YRA’s Bullship Regatta, the St. Francis YC’s J/Fest, the San Francisco YC’s Resin Regatta and a whole host of other events you’ll find in the 2010 Northern California Racing Schedule and YRA Master Calendar. Available in both pdf, html and print editions, the calendar is an essential resource for any Bay Area sailor.