Velocitek Contender Worlds 2008

The ultimate souvenirs!

2008-10-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

The Worlds are over, and now is a great time to pick a Contender. We've got the following boats for sale (all boats are located in Buffalo, NY):

1. Rondar (GBR 473) for $2,500 (US) + import. See pics at: http://s286.photobucket.com/albums/ll113/Contender473/

2. Ridge (1995; GBR 621) for $5,250 (US) + import. Comes with a new sail and carbon boom.

3. Bonezzi (1995; GBR 1771) for $7,850 (US) + import. The top spec includes a current Cassidy rig and Superspar.

We also have cheaper boats available that would be great for learning. For more information, contact Neil Smith - contenderkc62@yahoo.com.

Pictures from Gil!

2008-10-19T05:52:00.000-07:00

Clicky HERE!

Proving once again that he's the biggest fan of the fleet, Gil made the drive to Kingston from the West coast of the USA, and took some great shots both ways.

And MORE pictures!

2008-09-04T18:45:00.001-07:00

The mother of all collections has arrived, courtesy of Geoff Webster (contact info is on the last image if you want to order a high res shot).

CLICKY HERE!

Enjoy!

More pictures!

2008-09-01T15:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jo Roesler for high res pics of the competitors and their friends and family. If anyone has a shot of Oliver Brandt, please pass it along.

http://picasaweb.google.com/JoeRoesler/ContenderWorlds2008

Au revoir until next year....

2008-08-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

Some pics have arrived from Rick Needham (CAN68). I'm also going to post pics on the Contender Facebook page, so join up!

(The Thorburg brothers get an award for being the best looking siblings at the 2008 Worlds)

Final results!

2008-08-24T13:30:00.001-07:00

Official results are on the CORK webpage HERE.

And video from the awards are HERE.

he last day of the Worlds started out looking like we would have the same conditions as the Canadians. The wind was up and the bay was whipped with whitecaps. By the time competitors hit the racecourse, the rollers were big (boats would disappear beneath the six foot swell), but the wind was diminishing steadily, so by the third and last race it was marginal trapezing. Marco, Marcus and Chris Sutherland each scored a bullet, and with nine races, two drops were allowed. Demonstrating he is both an ace in light and heavy air, congratulations go to Marcus Hamilton who won the 2008 Velocitek Contender World Champions (and who announced he's taking a break from racing the Contender for a little while). Marcus acknowledged it was not an easy regatta to win, with Marco Versari and Soren breathing down his neck. Apparently the cure for stress relief is finding a lot of jagerbombs post-racing.

Marcus' fellow Aussie, Chris Sutherland, was the recipient of the Master's trophy, Cristoph Engel won the Youth, and yours truly barely squeaked by Vanessa to win the Women's trophy (which I've already slightly damaged but will repair in short order). I would like to extend a huge thank you from the North American Contender fleet to all of the competitors who came to Kingston and made this such a great event. Travelling here was not an easy feat, so we really appreciated the time and expense you incurred to take part. A special thanks to Schappi and Vanessa who stepped up to get the containers from Europe and the UK packed up. I don't think anyone hasn't learned a lot from watching the competition and talking to the international sailors post-racing. I would also like to say thanks to all the local boys and girls who really pulled this all together behind the scenes. While I was sitting on my butt sending out emails, keepers were being made, boats were being imported and towed to Kingston, events were being coordinated, and the competitors were being helped in every way possible. Also, none of this would have happened without the great help we got from CORK. Thanks to their experience with world class regattas, we didn't have to worry about any of the racing logistics, there were no issues with the courses that were set, there were lots of crash boats out keeping an eye on everyone, and they've certainly inspired more of us to volunteer to run these kinds of events.

Neil Smith, who in a moment of weakness agreed to be the 2009 ICA Chairman, has been doing an outstanding job of taking video of the Worlds and sending it out so everyone can follow the regatta. If anyone else has any photos to share, send them to me and I'll post them on the blog.

Thanks again and safe travels home!

Day 4 of the Worlds

2008-08-23T05:08:00.000-07:00

Champion 505 sailor, Ethan Bixby, scored another bullet in very light wind, even though the day started out looking very promising. By the time the RC killed it, everyone had to rock, pump, and air row back to the harbour. And some sailors sucked up their pride and accepted tows, yours truly included. Right now it looks windy outside, so here's hoping we can get three races in.

Video of Day 4 can be found HERE.


POS  SAIL     SKIPPER                     RACE RACE RACE RACE RACE RACE   TOTAL   NET
                                           1    2    3    4    5    6    POINTS  POINTS
                                         Tue. Tue. Wed. Thu. Thu. Fri.           AFTER
                                         1235 1415 1412 1300 1445 1200           1 DROP

 1  AUS2323       * HAMILTON, MARCUS       15    1    1    7    4    2    30.00   15.00  AUS    Melbourne,BRYC
 2  DEN44         * ANDREASEN, SOREN        2    2  OCS    2    5    7    53.00   18.00  DEN    Hellerup,HS
 3  ITA99           VERSARI, MARCO         12    6    7    1    2    3    31.00   19.00  ITA    Milano,CNB
 4  GER531          HARPPRECHT, JOACHIM     7    5    5    3    3   10    33.00   23.00  GER    Molfsee,TSS
 5  USA2396         BIXBY, ETHAN            9   14    3   10    1    1    38.00   24.00  USA FL St Petersburg,
 6  GER53           BRANDT, OLIVER          5    3  OCS    5    6    6    60.00   25.00  GER    Hamburt,HSC
 7  GER488          BILLERBECK, MAX         4    8    2    8   15    4    41.00   26.00  GER    ,WSVK
 8  AUS2443         SUTHERLAND, CHRIS       3    7   10   14    7    5    46.00   32.00  AUS WA Swanbourne,RFBYC
 9  GER551          HOMEIER, CHRISTOPH      1    9    4   18   21    9    62.00   41.00  GER    Kiel,TSVS
10  NED212          THORBORG, BART         11    4   13    9    8   19    64.00   45.00  NED    leiden,WB
11  2398            SMITH, NEIL            13   13   12    4   13   14    69.00   55.00  CAN ON North York,OHCC
12  NED232          THORBORG, MARK          6   10    8   19   17   18    78.00   59.00  NED    haarlem,KMJC
13  473             WHITE, RODGER          21   23    9    6   22    8    89.00   66.00  GBR    ,KGSC
14  CAN2397         SMITS, MICHAEL         20   20   16   11   11   12    90.00   70.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
15  GER540          ENGEL, CHRISTOPH       14   11   11   16   18   20    90.00   70.00  GER    ,KYC
16  CAN2399         MARTIN, ROGER           8   18   18   21   16   11    92.00   71.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
17  2372            ANOSOV, ARTHUR         10   12   20   17   12   23    94.00   71.00  USA FL Ruskin,
18  GER425          ROESLER, JOACHIM       16   16   19   13    9   22    95.00   73.00  GER CT New Canaan,
19  NED218          THORBORG, RIK          19   15   14   23   10   15    96.00   73.00  NED NH Bergen,WSVH
20  GBR1771         MOLLAT, ALAN           23   19   15   15   14   13    99.00   76.00  GBR    Deal,SBSWC
21  NED233          HAANSTRA, JAN          17   17   24   12   19   16   105.00   81.00  NED    ferwoude,GWS
22  CAN2428         MARTIN, PETER          30   27    6   24   24   17   128.00   98.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
23  CAN84           MAGNAN, JOEL           18   25   21   20   23   24   131.00  106.00  CAN ON Etobicoke,OHCC
24  CAN1599         WHITTINGTON, FRANK    DNF.  22   27   22   20   21   147.00  112.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCBC
25  USA2117         WOOLLEY, GIL           22   26   17   27   27   30   149.00  119.00  USA CA Palo Alto,SCYC
26  967             CHIDDY, JOSHUA         24   24   23   28   26   27   152.00  124.00  CAN ON Hamilton,OHCC
27  CAN68           NEEDHAM, RICHARD       25   29   22   26   31   28   161.00  130.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
28  81              BIEBER, BERNIE         28   21   26   29   29   29   162.00  133.00  CAN ON Hamilton,OACC
29  CAN80           MAH, STEPHANIE        DNF.  31   25   30   25   26   172.00  137.00  CAN ON Richmond Hill,OHCC
30  USA192          CAMERON, BRAD          26   28   30   25   30   31   170.00  139.00  USA CA Tracy,SSS
31  GBR621          WEEDON-JONES, VANESSA  29   30   28   31   28   25   171.00  140.00  GBR    Eaton Bray,OSC
32  USA200          MASHI, MIKE            27   32   29   34   34   33   189.00  155.00  USA TX Seguin,SAYC
33  CAN726          JANIDLO, TOM           31   33  DNF.  32   32  DNF.  198.00  163.00  CAN ON Ottawa,
34  CAN61           WOOD, STEVEN          DNC  DNC  DNC   33   33   32   203.00  168.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC

Day 3 results

2008-08-22T06:03:00.000-07:00

The wind continued to be light and shifty, so racing on day 3 was held right outside Portsmouth. It's already up this morning, so here's hoping it stays up! An interview with Marco Versari can be found HERE.


POS  SAIL     SKIPPER                     RACE RACE RACE RACE RACE   TOTAL   NET
                                           1    2    3    4    5    POINTS  POINTS
                                         Tue. Tue. Wed. Thu. Thu.           AFTER
                                         1235 1415 1412 1300 1445           1 DROP

 1  DEN44         * ANDREASEN, SOREN        2    2  OCS    2    5    46.00   11.00  DEN    Hellerup,HS
 2  AUS2323       * HAMILTON, MARCUS       15    1    1    7    4    28.00   13.00  AUS    Melbourne,BRYC
 3  ITA99           VERSARI, MARCO         12    6    7    1    2    28.00   16.00  ITA    Milano,CNB
 4  GER531          HARPPRECHT, JOACHIM     7    5    5    3    3    23.00   16.00  GER    Molfsee,TSS
 5  GER53           BRANDT, OLIVER          5    3  OCS    5    6    54.00   19.00  GER    Hamburt,HSC
 6  GER488          BILLERBECK, MAX         4    8    2    8   15    37.00   22.00  GER    ,WSVK
 7  USA2396         BIXBY, ETHAN            9   14    3   10    1    37.00   23.00  USA FL St Petersburg,
 8  AUS2443         SUTHERLAND, CHRIS       3    7   10   14    7    41.00   27.00  AUS WA Swanbourne,RFBYC
 9  GER551          HOMEIER, CHRISTOPH      1    9    4   18   21    53.00   32.00  GER    Kiel,TSVS
10  NED212          THORBORG, BART         11    4   13    9    8    45.00   32.00  NED    leiden,WB
11  NED232          THORBORG, MARK          6   10    8   19   17    60.00   41.00  NED    haarlem,KMJC
12  2398            SMITH, NEIL            13   13   12    4   13    55.00   42.00  CAN ON North York,OHCC
13  2372            ANOSOV, ARTHUR         10   12   20   17   12    71.00   51.00  USA FL Ruskin,
14  GER540          ENGEL, CHRISTOPH       14   11   11   16   18    70.00   52.00  GER    ,KYC
15  GER425          ROESLER, JOACHIM       16   16   19   13    9    73.00   54.00  GER CT New Canaan,
16  473             WHITE, RODGER          21   23    9    6   22    81.00   58.00  GBR    ,KGSC
17  NED218          THORBORG, RIK          19   15   14   23   10    81.00   58.00  NED NH Bergen,WSVH
18  CAN2397         SMITS, MICHAEL         20   20   16   11   11    78.00   58.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
19  CAN2399         MARTIN, ROGER           8   18   18   21   16    81.00   60.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
20  GBR1771         MOLLAT, ALAN           23   19   15   15   14    86.00   63.00  GBR    Deal,SBSWC
21  NED233          HAANSTRA, JAN          17   17   24   12   19    89.00   65.00  NED    ferwoude,GWS
22  CAN2428         MARTIN, PETER          30   27    6   24   24   111.00   81.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
23  CAN84           MAGNAN, JOEL           18   25   21   20   23   107.00   82.00  CAN ON Etobicoke,OHCC
24  CAN1599         WHITTINGTON, FRANK    DNF.  22   27   22   20   126.00   91.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCBC
25  USA2117         WOOLLEY, GIL           22   26   17   27   27   119.00   92.00  USA CA Palo Alto,SCYC
26  967             CHIDDY, JOSHUA         24   24   23   28   26   125.00   97.00  CAN ON Hamilton,OHCC
27  CAN68           NEEDHAM, RICHARD       25   29   22   26   31   133.00  102.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
28  81              BIEBER, BERNIE         28   21   26   29   29   133.00  104.00  CAN ON Hamilton,OACC
29  USA192          CAMERON, BRAD          26   28   30   25   30   139.00  109.00  USA CA Tracy,SSS
30  CAN80           MAH, STEPHANIE        DNF.  31   25   30   25   146.00  111.00  CAN ON Richmond Hill,OHCC
31  GBR621          WEEDON-JONES, VANESSA  29   30   28   31   28   146.00  115.00  GBR    Eaton Bray,OSC
32  USA200          MASHI, MIKE            27   32   29   34   34   156.00  122.00  USA TX Seguin,SAYC
33  CAN726          JANIDLO, TOM           31   33  DNF.  32   32   163.00  128.00  CAN ON Ottawa,
34  CAN61           WOOD, STEVEN          DNF. DNF. DNF.  33   33   171.00  136.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC

Day 2 Video

2008-08-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

Interviews with Marcus and Cristoph HERE.

Results after day 1

2008-08-19T18:06:00.000-07:00

Day 1 of the Worlds was not as windy as the Canadians. A cold front pushed through the evening before, so Monday was cold and clear and blowing from the North at around 8 knots (with gusts). The wind was shifty, puffy, and a bit tricky, leading to some inconsistent results. Unfortunately, a few competitors sailed a bit too close to snake island (and some rocky shoals).


POS  SAIL     SKIPPER                     RACE RACE   TOTAL   NET
                                         1    2    POINTS  POINTS
                                       Tue. Tue.            NO
                                       1235 1415           DROPS

1  DEN44         * ANDREASEN, SOREN        2    2     4.00    4.00  DEN    Hellerup,HS
2  GER53           BRANDT, OLIVER          5    3     8.00    8.00  GER    Hamburt,HSC
3  GER551          HOMEIER, CHRISTOPH      1    9    10.00   10.00  GER    Kiel,TSVS
4  AUS2443         SUTHERLAND, CHRIS       3    7    10.00   10.00  AUS WA Swanbourne,RFBYC
5  GER488          BILLERBECK, MAX         4    8    12.00   12.00  GER    ,WSVK
6  GER531          HARPPRECHT, JOACHIM     7    5    12.00   12.00  GER    Molfsee,TSS
7  NED212          THORBORG, BART         11    4    15.00   15.00  NED    leiden,WB
8  AUS2323       * HAMILTON, MARCUS       15    1    16.00   16.00  AUS    Melbourne,BRYC
9  NED232          THORBORG, MARK          6   10    16.00   16.00  NED    haarlem,KMJC
10  ITA99           VERSARI, MARCO         12    6    18.00   18.00  ITA    Milano,CNB
11  2372            ANOSOV, ARTHUR         10   12    22.00   22.00  USA FL Ruskin,
12  USA2396         BIXBY, ETHAN            9   14    23.00   23.00  USA FL St Petersburg,
13  GER540          ENGEL, CHRISTOPH       14   11    25.00   25.00  GER    ,KYC
14  CAN2399         MARTIN, ROGER           8   18    26.00   26.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
15  2398            SMITH, NEIL            13   13    26.00   26.00  CAN ON North York,OHCC
16  GER425          ROESLER, JOACHIM       16   16    32.00   32.00  GER CT New Canaan,
17  NED218          THORBORG, RIK          19   15    34.00   34.00  NED NH Bergen,WSVH
18  NED233          HAANSTRA, JAN          17   17    34.00   34.00  NED    ferwoude,GWS
19  CAN2397         SMITS, MICHAEL         20   20    40.00   40.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
20  GBR1771         MOLLAT, ALAN           23   19    42.00   42.00  GBR    Deal,SBSWC
21  CAN84           MAGNAN, JOEL           18   25    43.00   43.00  CAN ON Etobicoke,OHCC
22  473             WHITE, RODGER          21   23    44.00   44.00  GBR    ,KGSC
23  USA2117         WOOLLEY, GIL           22   26    48.00   48.00  USA CA Palo Alto,SCYC
24  967             CHIDDY, JOSHUA         24   24    48.00   48.00  CAN ON Hamilton,OHCC
25  81              BIEBER, BERNIE         28   21    49.00   49.00  CAN ON Hamilton,OACC
26  CAN68           NEEDHAM, RICHARD       25   29    54.00   54.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
27  USA192          CAMERON, BRAD          26   28    54.00   54.00  USA CA Tracy,SSS
28  CAN1599         WHITTINGTON, FRANK    DNF.  22    57.00   57.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCBC
29  CAN2428         MARTIN, PETER          30   27    57.00   57.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
30  USA200          MASHI, MIKE            27   32    59.00   59.00  USA TX Seguin,SAYC
31  GBR621          WEEDON-JONES, VANESSA  29   30    59.00   59.00  GBR    Eaton Bray,OSC
32  CAN726          JANIDLO, TOM           31   33    64.00   64.00  CAN ON Ottawa,
33  CAN80           MAH, STEPHANIE        DNF.  31    66.00   66.00  CAN ON Richmond Hill,OHCC
34  CAN61           WOOD, STEVEN          DNF. DNF.   70.00   70.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC

The 2008 Canadian Open Championships

2008-08-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

Video from the Canadians can be found HERE.

S  SAIL     SKIPPER                     RACE RACE RACE RACE RACE   TOTAL   NET
                                           1    2    3    4    5    POINTS  POINTS
                                         Sat. Sat. Sat. Sun. Sun.           AFTER
                                         1200 1400 1645 1245 1402           1 DROP

 1  AUS2323         HAMILTON, MARCUS        3    3    1    2    1    10.00    7.00  AUS    Melbourne,BRYC
 2  DEN44           ANDREASEN, SOREN        2    2  DNS    1    2    39.00    7.00  DEN    Hellerup,HS
 3  GER551          HOMEIER, CHRISTOPH      4    1    2    3    5    15.00   10.00  GER    Kiel,TSVS
 4  ITA99           VERSARI, MARCO          5    5    4    4    3    21.00   16.00  ITA    Milano,CNB
 5  AUS2443         SUTHERLAND, CHRIS       6    4    5    5    4    24.00   18.00  AUS WA Swanbourne,RFBYC
 6  NED233          HAANSTRA, JAN          15    6    3    6    6    36.00   21.00  NED    ferwoude,GWS
 7  GER531          HARPPRECHT, JOACHIM     1    7   10    8    9    35.00   25.00  GER    Molfsee,TSS
 8  GER540          ENGEL, CHRISTOPH       12   11    7    7    8    45.00   33.00  GER    ,KYC
 9  GER53           BRANDT, OLIVER          7   16    8   10   12    53.00   37.00  GER    Hamburt,HSC
10  GER488          BILLERBECK, MAX         9    8   13    9   11    50.00   37.00  GER    ,WSVK
11  GER425          ROESLER, JOACHIM        8   15  DNS   12    7    74.00   42.00  GER CT New Canaan,
12  2398            SMITH, NEIL            13   14    9   14   10    60.00   46.00  CAN ON North York,OHCC
13  2372            ANOSOV, ARTHUR         14   10   11   11   15    61.00   46.00  USA FL Ruskin,
14  CAN2397         SMITS, MICHAEL         10   12   12   16   13    63.00   47.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
15  USA2396         BIXBY, ETHAN          OCS    9   14   15   14    84.00   52.00  USA FL St Petersburg,
16  CAN2399         MARTIN, ROGER          11   13   16   13   16    69.00   53.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
17  CAN84           MAGNAN, JOEL           18   18   15   17   17    85.00   67.00  CAN ON Etobicoke,OHCC
18  USA2117         WOOLLEY, GIL           17   17    6  DNF  DNF.  104.00   72.00  USA CA Palo Alto,SCYC
19  473             WHITE, RODGER         DNF.  20   17   18   19   106.00   74.00  GBR    ,KGSC
20  967             CHIDDY, JOSHUA         20   22   19   20   20   101.00   79.00  CAN ON Hamilton,OHCC
21  CAN1599         WHITTINGTON, FRANK     16   21   18  DNF. DNF.  119.00   87.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCBC
22  81              BIEBER, BERNIE        DNF.  19  DNF   19   18   120.00   88.00  CAN ON Hamilton,OACC
23  USA192          CAMERON, BRAD          19  DNF  DNF.  22   21   126.00   94.00  USA CA Tracy,SSS
24  CAN68           NEEDHAM, RICHARD       21   23  DNF.  21  DNF.  129.00   97.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
25  USA200          MASHI, MIKE           DNF  DNF  DNF.  23   22   141.00  109.00  USA TX Seguin,SAYC
26  CAN2428         MARTIN, PETER          22  DNF  DNF.  24  DNF.  142.00  110.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
27  CAN726          JANIDLO, TOM           23  DNF  DNF. DNF. DNF.  151.00  119.00  CAN ON Ottawa,
28  CAN61           WOOD, STEVEN          DNS  DNF  DNS   25  DNS   153.00  121.00  CAN ON Toronto,OHCC
29= CAN80           MAH, STEPHANIE        DNF. DNF. DNF. DNF. DNF.  160.00  128.00  CAN ON Richmond Hill,OHCC
29= GBR1771         MOLLAT, ALAN          DNF. DNF. DNF. DNF  DNF.  160.00  128.00  GBR    Deal,SBSWC
29= GBR621          WEEDON-JONES, VANESSA DNF  DNF. DNF. DNF. DNF.  160.00  128.00  GBR    Eaton Bray,OSC

The ultimate souvenirs

2008-08-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

As some of you may already know, we've got several boats coming from the UK that will be looking for a good home after the Worlds. They are:

1. An older Rondar for 1000 pounds (GBR 473) - can include a carbon boom and sail brand new. See pics at: http://s286.photobucket.com/albums/ll113/Contender473/

2. A Ridge (GBR 621) for 2300 pounds with new sail and carbon boom (1800 with alloy and an older wavelength).

3. A Bonezzi for 3600 pounds - can supply the boat with options- an economy package includes a Goldspar aluminium mast with Superspar alloy boom, and 1 good sail. The top spec includes a current Cassidy rig (carbon slim spar and matching sail (which is proving rather quick-only needs a decent sailor!) and Superspar carbon boom. £3,600 in top trim, economy version around £3000.

We also have some older boats in Toronto for sale after the Worlds. If you're interested, contact me or Neil Smith (contenderkc62@yahoo.com). And if you're in the area, we can certainly arrange for a ride.

Early training in Kingston

2008-08-11T18:24:00.000-07:00

After successfully robbing a bank, Neil Smith quit his day job and went up to Kingston early to do some training with some German boys who clearly have sugar mommas. Some video here:

And some pics:

Cadge a ride!

2008-08-01T05:24:00.001-07:00

Hello all:

If you are arriving in Toronto on the 12th of August, you may be interested in catching a ride to Kingston with Vanessa and Nikki in the evening. Clean smelling sailors need only apply!

Internet access

2008-07-28T17:15:00.000-07:00

Hi all:

One competitor asked a very good question about what kind of internet access to expect (no doubt to keep friends and family up to date about your victories (and defeats)). The Portsmouth Olympic Harbour's sailing centre will have wireless internet and will set up an internet cafe that will be open to all competitors. If you're staying at the St. Lawrence College, there is no wireless available in the residence, but there is in the college portion of the university grounds.

Three weeks to the Worlds!

The Shirts

2008-07-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

Hi all:

Your ICA chairman, Neil Smith, went to great lengths to make sure that we will be the sexiest looking fleet in Kingston this year, and if you want your friends and family to look good too, you can order additional 2008 Velocitek Contender Worlds shirts when you register for the Worlds (or email me after registration). The shirts are Dryshirts, and are pictured below.

The DRYSHIRT™ is the ideal piece of gear to help protect you from the sun and keep you warm on days when conditions are chilly either from warm water being rapidly evaporated from your skin by wind or when the water is cold and the air may be damp. Water droplets in the air are repelled by surface tension and fluorocarbon impregnated fibers while sweat can migrate through to keep you dry and comfortable even during strenuous activities.

The benefits broken down:
UPF 50+ sun protection for the ultimate in coverage
Water repellent and breathable keeps you thermo regulated and dry
100% nylon is super soft and comfortable against your skin
Excellent outer layer but also excellent base layer
Even when fully immersed it dries in minutes once out of the water

Cross sport use includes:
Water sports in and out of the water like
Kayaking
Sailing
Snorkeling
Surfing
Kit Boarding & Windsurfing
Fishing

Foxtrot Course - Local Knowledge

2008-07-07T15:22:00.000-07:00

Contender Worlds – Kingston 2008 (August)

I have been asked to give some advice on what to expect of the conditions on the CORK course Foxtrot during the Contender Worlds this August.

There are 5 common wind directions, and each has its own key elements to understand. I will explain my best understanding of each. There are of course transition winds in which the wind direction is shifting between one of these common wind directions and those conditions are a matter of knowing which wind direction is winning or likely to win out. Determining this is usually just a matter of watching the water 500 M to 1 km out and you will know what is likely to happen.

1. South West Wind

This is the wind everyone says is the “standard Kingston wind or the Kingston Thermal”. It is not all that standard but is the most common direction in the summer. If there is an underlying gradient wind from the West in the morning and the daytime temperature is expected to be 8 or more degrees higher than the night time temperature, this wind is likely to be strong by about 1- 2 pm. By strong, I mean it can get up to 25 knots. Without much underlying gradient from the West it is not likely to exceed 15 knots and may only get up to 8-10 knots. As this breeze builds it usually backs to 210 degrees and oscillates 7- 10 degrees either side of that for 2-3 hours. If the wind is right of 210 expect a back. If it is left of 210 expect a veer.

On Foxtrot, the typical strategy once the thermal has set in is to go left. This works because there is a shift to the left as you approach Simcoe Island. I believe that this due to the coriolis effect– wind slows down when it comes over the land due to increased friction and shifts to the left in the northern hemisphere due to the spin of the earth under the wind. There is an additional effect here that is in my opinion even more important and that is there is increased velocity when you get to the zone where the left shifted wind is mixing with the wind that did not get slowed by the land. This convergence zone has more wind and results in boats covering more distance in the left shift and even means you are able to stay in the left shift longer due to a velocity shift in every puff. The velocity shift means that you are able to point higher because of the sudden shift of the apparent wind towards the true wind direction. All you need to know is that it works, but only if you are close enough to shore. Too close and the wind will die. Usually, all you need to do is sail to or slightly past the port layline and you will be in the right place. This is one condition that it usually pays to hit the layline from a long way out. The waves are smaller and boats that will plane upwind will benefit from this as well as the extra velocity and lift on port. It’s a trifecta on the left when it works. The same side is also good on the downwind due to increased velocity. (Right side when you are going downwind.)

Beware of the left. Until the thermal has solidly established itself, going right can pay. It can also pay as the thermal starts to die. The key is to remember to go hard right if you must, but it is usually not preferable to go right, especially because most of the fleet will want the left and it becomes risky to split with them. If you get stuck out there, remember to go big.

2. Northish (about 60 degrees either side of North)

This is completely head-out-of-the-boat sailing. It is usually quite windy (15 knots plus), cold and very shifty (60 degree+ shifts).

Sail to stay in the puffs and get on the lifted tack when you are in a puff. The mistake people often make is to keep going if they are lifted but not in a puff. The puffs will have an extra 10 knots. You must be in the puffs. Often it will not matter what side of the shift you are on as a 10-knot puff will yield at least a 10-degree velocity shift in your favour. Whether or not you should tack on the puff to get onto the lifted tack is usually obvious, because you will be ½ - ¾’s of the way through a tack when the puff hits. – sometimes called an “auto-tack” if you can avoid getting “tea bagged” when the sails back-wind.

3. East (could include about 40 degrees either side of East)

This condition is fairly rare and usually associated with bad weather. It usually pays to stay away from the shore of Simcoe Island. (Go left - towards the south shore = mainland.) Remember, there is a magnetic anomaly in the Kingston Harbour and it seems to me to be most pronounced on Foxtrot in an east wind when sailing close to the shore of Simcoe.

4. Due South

If you get this wind it will be strong early in the morning (6 am and earlier). It almost invariably dies by noon and gets replaced with something else that is rarely as strong unless it shifts to the South West. If it is not dying by 11 am, it may well shift to the South West.
In a South Wind, they sometimes move Foxtrot out into the lake past the lighthouse on Simcoe. The biggest factor there is the size of the waves. Get ready for slow upwind legs and surfing downwind. Basically, in this wind expect oscillating breeze about 10 degrees either side of the median.

This is the most rare type of wind to sail in because it us usually dead by noon and you will have been waiting ashore from 9 am because it is too windy to go out.

5. West

This is more common later in the Fall, but is usually strong and may have a tendency to shift to the left if it gets warm. If it is a true west Wind, left or right can work fine, even the middle can work, depending on how close you are to Simcoe Is. The RC will typically move the course north away from Simcoe Is. and this reduces the effect described above for the South West wind, but watch for that same pattern if your port layline is with in 4- 500 M of the shore of Simcoe.

Good Luck

John Curtis

Disclaimer:

Remember anything can happen and it probably will. The advice above are rules of thumb and the user assumes the full risk of following them.

A 16-year veteran of the Canadian Sailing Team in both the 470 and Tornado classes, John Curtis represented Canada in the 2004 Olympic Games in the Tornado with Oskar Johansson. In 2005, John was hired as the Canadian Yachting Association's High Performance Manager & General Counsel. Today he practices Sport Law, Mediation and Conflict Coaching. He also continues to coach sailors at all levels.

A resident of Kingston with many CORK regattas under his belt, John was the natural go to guy for advice about what to expect from the Foxtrot course. We'd like to extend a huge thank you to John for his time and comprehensive insight.

Let's Go Ride a Bike!

2008-07-07T15:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Competitors:

Many of you are eager to take in the sights in and around Kingston, and one of the best (and cheapest) ways to do it will be to rent a bike. If you're interested, there are several places in Kingston to rent one for a day or the entire week. We are also aiming to set up a group bike tour during the measurement day. Check out the following suggestions for places to acquire some wheels:

Ahoy Rentals

Cycle Path

Frontenac Cycle and Sports

Marco Versari (ITA 99)

2008-07-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

Name: Marco Versari

Sail No: ITA 99

Boat name: Daughter (Pearl Jam's song)

Country: Italy

Sailing Club: Circolo Nautico Bersaglio

Weight: 75 Kg

Height: 177 cm

Age: 26 (30/01/1982)

Number of years sailing (and on what)? 15 years sailing, but 13 racing. I learnt sailing in Optimist, Flying Junior and L'èquipe. I started racing L'èquipe, after which 420, and 470 since 18 years old. Since 2003 I'm sailing Contender. In 2005/2006 I sailed for 365 days 49er as a crew. I spent other days sailing IMS during a World Championship in Capri (Italy) and racing in other big boats, but I like much more dinghy than keel boat! Moreover I sailed, just cruising, in several sites in Mediterrean Sea and once in English Channel.

Number of years sailing the contender? This is the 6th.

Why did you get on the Contender? Before sailing Contender, I ever sailed racing at least in 2 people and almost with the same crew, so was a new step of my sailing growth and I chose Contender because I though was a very nice boat to sail...and it is!

Number of Worlds? Last 4.

Favourite Worlds Moment? Never thought about that...I think I had very nice moment in each one, but the nicest was the last.

Favourite Food? Is this a question? Italian, for sure,to be more accurate, my favorite restaurant is “Chez Adriana”.

How do you keep in shape? Sailing, running, doing exercices and brain training.

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? Probably many...but all the days trying doing less.

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Top 5.

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? Sail well and simple, even learning something.

Velocitek is the 2008 Contender World Championships Naming Sponsor

2008-06-30T16:07:00.000-07:00

The North American Contender Association is pleased to announce that Velocitek, the preeminent maker of performance training tools for dingy and sportboat sailors of all classes, is the 2008 Contender World Championships naming sponsor.

The highly recognizable Velocitek SC-1 is an easy-to-use speedometer/GPS compass, which is helping sailors around the world to push their performance to another level. Compatible with various tracking software programs, the SC-1s help sailors to maximize speed performance during practices, and deconstruct their performance after races.

The Contender is one of the fastest single-handed dinghies on the market, with large and highly competitive fleets around the world, so it was a natural fit for Velocitek to become the naming sponsor of the 2008 Contender World Championships. The 2008 Worlds will be held in Kingston, Ontario, from August 16 to 23, 2008, at the same time as the renowned Canadian Olympic Training Regatta, Kingston (CORK). CORK will welcome hundreds of international sailors in dozens of classes, ranging from dinghies to keelboats, in addition to the 40+ competitors expected at the Contender Worlds – including the 2007 World Champion Marcus Hamilton (AUS), up and comer Cristoph Homeier (GER), and veteran star (and builder) Joachim Schappi (GER).

Velocitek is demonstrating generous support of not only the 2008 Worlds, but of the sport of sailing in general, and the NACA and the International Contender Association are proud to have the 2008 Worlds associated with one of the most well-known racing tools in the sailing world.

See you at the Worlds in August!

What am I going to wear?

2008-06-29T04:52:00.000-07:00

Hello all:

I'm sure that all of you will be bringing your finest threads for the off-water fun, but you're probably also wondering what to bring for the on-water portion of the Worlds.

As we noted in our promotional material, August is one of the hottest months of the year. The average high temperature is 75 fahrenheit (24 celsius) and the low is 59 f/15 c. The dominant wind direction is South, and the water temperature (according to the Volvo Youth Worlds website) is around the low 20s (celsius). If you're really interested in the weather history for Kingston, Wunderground lets you see the detailed weather history of each day for the last several years.

Since it's going to be warm, a drysuit is probably overkill, but given that we're going to be quite far away from the sailing centre, I also wouldn't recommended doing the Worlds in shorts and t-shirts or swimsuits. A light wetsuit with a spray top is probably the best compromise.

Of course, you ultimately have to be your own judge of what to wear. If you get cold really easily, bring the drysuit; and if you are your own little nuclear reactor, then we look forward to seeing you racing in just a speedo. Like Neil.

Cheers!

When are you getting here?

2008-06-29T04:36:00.000-07:00

Dear competitors:

The Worlds are almost upon us, and we understand several of you are arriving in Toronto and need to figure out how to get to Kingston. If you contact me with your travel details, I will do my best to try and coordinate your transportation. Depending on your date of arrival, you may be able to catch a ride with a local sailor, or you can travel in larger groups to Kingston on a bus, train, car, etc.

I'm at stephanie.mah@gmail.com.

Safe travels!

Vanessa Weedon-Jones (GBR 621)

2008-06-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

Name: Vanessa Weedon-Jones
Nickname: Nessa
Sail No: GBR 621
Country: GB
Sailing Club: Oxford SC
Weight: 84kg
Height: 180cm
Age: 46

Number of years sailing (and on what)? Just over 20 years. Started with toppers, then laser 2, fireball, lots of time in a 470 - all crewing. Lots of miscellaneous sailing and I instruct too. Now I have a classic phantom as well as the contender. I've just bought a classic I14 as a restoration project - it came fourth in the POW in 1965 and is a thing of beauty!

Number of years sailing the contender? Not nearly enough - last year was my first time doing the Opens circuit.

Why did you get on the Contender? I wanted to helm, but I also wanted to trapeze. The contender has long been my idea of the perfect boat and I'm lucky enough to be almost the right size.

Number of Worlds? 0 in a contender. I did a 470 worlds but dislocated my shoulder. D'oh!

Favourite Worlds Moment? Yet to come!

Favourite Food? Pizza, veggie stuff

How do you keep in shape? sail, bike, weights - sometimes!

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? Too many to mention - I'm pretty good at the spectacular wipe out.

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Finish all the races, learn lots about the boat, have a good time!

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? Get lots of good sailing in, drink beer, eat good food, enjoy my first trip to Canada.

Fort Henry Sunset Ceremony (August 20)

2008-06-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Competitors:

We know many of you are coming from a long way away to compete in the 2008 Worlds, and so we're hoping to make this trip as memorable as possible. So, not only are we promising great racing, but we've lined up some fantastic social events to take place each day after racing.

One of the highlights will be a dinner and show at Fort Henry. The original Fort was built during the War of 1812 when the Brits felt Canada was still worth defending from the Americans. The Fort which now stands was the second one erected to keep the Yankees at bay.

After our second day of racing, we'll all make our way down to Fort Henry where we will be treated to a dinner and then a show:

"The Fort Henry Guard Drums, Drill Squad and Artillery Detachment present an hour and a half interpretive story of 1860s military music, precision drill and big-bang artillery maneuvers, including a mock battle! The show ends with a spectacular fireworks finale!"

It will no doubt be a great night for all!

(*photos poached from the Fort Henry web site)

Registration is open!

2008-05-31T05:51:00.000-07:00

Dear competitors:

Registration for the 2008 Worlds has started on the CORK website. Go HERE to register on line.

Bart Thorburg (NED)

2008-05-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

Name: Bart Thorborg
Nickname: I'm not aware of being given one
Sail Number: NED 212
Boat Name: Loctudeal, a friend of mine bought his Contender in Kiel and called it Kiel Deal. So when I decided to buy the 212 while at the Europeans in Loctudy, France, it was easy to find a name
Country: Netherlands
Sailing Club: Watersportvereniging Braassemermeer
Weight: 90kg
Height: 2 m
Age: 47 by the time I get to Kingston

Number of years sailing? Started at 12, like my brothers on a Vaurien, a big international class (sail numbers over 30.000 at that time) and later bought a Laser. At 20 I quit sailing, apart from joining my brothers occasionally on touring trips on yachts around the North Sea. In 1999, both my brothers were sailing Contender and they convinced me to go sailing again, in a Contender of course.

Number of years sailing the contender? That makes 9, doesn't it?

Why did you get on the Contender? For the upwind sailing. When the wind gets stronger, you don't have to work much harder, it just goes faster.

Number of Worlds? 2000 Medemblik, 2003 Plymouth, 2004 Riva del Garda, 2005 Travemuende; 2006 Fremantle, 2007 Medemblik

Favourite Worlds Moment? Many of them, starting from not being last after not having sailed more than 5 times in the boat, until running the last year's championship in Medemblik which was a sort of family job. In Fremantle, I couldn't sail for the first three days. When I was finally back on the water, I made it 2nd to the top mark, finished 18. From my perspective, that's cool!

Favourite Food? Smoked salmon on toast, along with a not too cold Sancerre.

How do you keep in shape? I wonder, it can't be the beer? Please note how low I can go whlie tacking

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? Fremantle, 1st race, doing a couple of pre-start test gybes and ruining my back.

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Having fun and being as fast as I can.

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? I would like to see a lot of boats and a lot of North Americans sailing them

NOR is up!

2008-05-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

The Notice of Race is up on the International Site, and reproduced for your convenience:

INTERNATIONAL CONTENDER CLASS
2008 OPEN CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
AUGUST 15-17, 2008
&
2008 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
AUGUST 18-23, 2008
KINGSTON, ONTARIO, CANADA
NOTICE OF RACE

ORGANIZING AUTHORITY

The Organizing Authority for the regatta is CORK/SAIL KINGSTON in conjunction with the International Contender Class Association.

CORK/Sail Kingston:
53 Yonge St
Kingston, ON, K7M 6G4
Phone: (613) 545-1322. Fax: (613) 548-3752 e-mail: sail@cork.org
http://www.cork.org/

1. RULES

The championship will be governed by:
1.1 The rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS). In the event of conflict in any translation, the English version will prevail;
1.2 The class rules and championship rules of the International Contender Class Association;
1.3 The prescriptions of the Canadian Yachting Association, which shall be stated in full in the sailing instructions. They can be found at: http://www.blogger.com/target=
1.4 The Equipment Rules of Sailing will apply and can be found at: http://www.ifds.org/technical/ERS2005-2008.pdf
Any changes will be stated in full in the Sailing Instructions.

2. ADVERTISING

The regatta will be classified as a Category C event.

3. ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY

The regatta is open to boats of the International Contender class with skippers that meet the ISAF eligibility requirements of Appendix 2 of the ISAF Eligibility Code who have paid their respective Contender Association fees for 2008 and the regatta entry fee, and have submitted the completed entry and declaration forms.
Entry forms for online registration will be available on the CORK/Sail Kingston website: http://www.cork.org/

4. SITE

The regatta will be hosted from Portsmouth Olympic Harbour (POH), in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Refer to the CORK/Sail Kingston website.

5. FEES

A race entry fee of CAN $485 will apply.
After June 30, 2008 the race entry fee will be CAN $550.
The ICA will pay half of the entry fee for Juniors (under 21 years) and half the entry fee for overseas competitors under the age of 25.
The entry fee includes entry to both regattas, to 3 regatta functions, and one T Shirt .

6. SCHEDULE

CANADIAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

August 16-17, 2008

Date: August 15, 2008

Time: 9am-5pm

Race: Registration at CORK regatta office

Date: August 16, 2008
Time: 12:30pm warning signal
Race: 1, 2 and 3
Date: August 17, 2008
Time: 12:30 pm warning signal
Race: 4 and 5
Five races are scheduled for the Canadian Open Championship.

At least one race sailed will constitute a series.

Rescheduling races may be made at the discretion of the Race Committee.

Races not completed as scheduled may be sailed on the second day of the championship.

However, not more than three races per day will be scheduled.

Any change to the start time, if different than the schedule, will be posted on the Notice Board by 20:00 the preceding day.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
August 18-23, 2008

Date: August 18, 2008
Time: Measurement: 9am- 5 pm; Registration at CORK regatta office

Date: August 19, 2008
Time: 12:30 pm Warning signal
Race: 1 & 2

Date: August 20, 2008
Time: 12:30 pm Warning signal
Race: 3 & 4

Date: August 21, 2008
Time: 12:30 pm Warning signal
Race: 5 & 6

Date: August 22, 2008
Time: 12:30 pm Warning signal
Race: 7 & 8

Date: August 23, 2008
Time: 12:30 pm Warning signal
Race: 9 & 10

Ten races are scheduled for the World Championship.

At least 4 races sailed will constitute a series.

Rescheduling races may be made at the discretion of the Race Committee.

Races not completed as scheduled may be sailed at a later time or day during the championship.

However, not more than three races per day will be scheduled.

Any change to the start time, if different than the schedule, will be posted on the Notice Board by 20:00 the preceding day.

The Social Event program will be available at the on-site registration.

7. MEASUREMENTS

A valid measurement certificate acceptable to the International Contender class shall be presented for each boat. In addition the following measurements will be taken: measurement of sail and boom markings, hull weight, measurement and weight of rudder, centreboard and mast. Measurement checks and inspections may be carried out at any time during the event. A boat notified of inspection shall follow the instructions of the Race Committee and/or the jury.
Measurements will begin on August 16th at times posted on the notice board.

8. SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

The Sailing Instructions will be available at registration. An electronic copy may be available earlier on the regatta website.

9. THE COURSES

The course location will be Foxtrot course, as described on the CORK/Sail Kingston website.
The courses to be sailed will be described in the Sailing Instructions, including course diagrams.
The courses to be sailed will be triangle courses with angles of 60-30 degrees.
Length of courses will be adapted according to wind strength in order to have expected race durations of about sixty minutes for the leading boat.

10. RADIO COMMUNICATION

A boat shall neither make radio transmissions while racing nor receive radio communications not available to all boats. This restriction also applies to mobile telephones.

11. SUPPORT BOATS

Coaches, Team leaders and representatives from participating nations shall be registered at the Regatta Office before the first racing day.
Support boats shall fly their national flag or a flag with their three national letters clearly displayed, or shall be permanently marked with a sticker of their national flag or of their three national letters on each side of the boat.

12. BUOYANCY

All competitors shall wear personal flotation devices at all times when afloat, which are in good condition and in accordance with the specifications issued or approved by a national authority affiliated to the ISAF, or a standards organisation, or certification authority, recognised for the purpose by its respective government. Attention is drawn to RRS Fundamental Rule 1.2.

13. PENALTIES

RRS Appendix P, Immediate Penalties for Breaking Rule 42 – Propulsion will apply.
PUMPING FLAG:
13.1 Flag[Oscar] displayed at the start or near a mark, indicates that: "After starting or rounding the nearby mark, RRS 42 is varied in that except on a beat to windward, pumping, rocking and ooching are permitted".
13.2 Flag [Romeo] displayed near a mark indicates that: "After rounding the nearby mark, RRS 42 applies without variation".
13.3 Section 13.1 may apply in winds of 10 knots and above, measured at deck level.
13.4 Flags specified under 13.1 and 13.2 above may be changed by the Notice of Race and/or Sailing Instructions.

14. INTERNATIONAL JURY

An International Jury will be constituted for the World Championship in accordance with Appendix N. Decisions of the jury will be final as provided in rule 70.4.
15. SCORING
15.1 The Low Point scoring system, Appendix A.4.1 will apply.
15.2 (a) When fewer than 5 races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores.
(b) When 5 to 8 races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score.
(c) When 9 or more races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her two worst scores.

16. PRIZES

Canadian Open Championship
Prizes will be awarded for the Canadian Open Championship as follows:
The Canadian Open Champion may be from any nationality. The winning helmsman’s name will be inscribed on the International Contender Canadian Championship trophy.
The first three places will be awarded prizes
A prize for the first Canadian will be awarded.
World Championship
Prizes will be awarded for the World Championship as follows:
The first three places. The helmsman of the first placed boat will be awarded the International Contender World Champion Perpetual Trophy.
The Junior World Champion will be the first overall under the age of 21 on the date of the first scheduled race.
The Master World Champion will be the first overall aged 50 years old or more on the date of the first scheduled race.
Woman World Champion will be the first female overall.
A prize for the first North American will be awarded.

17. DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. The organizing authority, its associates and appointees will not accept any responsibility for material damage or personal injury or death or inconvenience sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the regatta. The organising committee encourages each competitor to continually re assess their ability to race or continue to race and to make decisions accordingly.

18. INSURANCE

Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance with a minimum cover of CAN $1 million.

19. FURTHER INFORMATION
The regatta organisers encourage entrants to use the following links:
CORK/Sail Kingston website: http://www.cork.org/
Contender Worlds 2008 blog http://www.contenderworlds2008.blogspot.com/
International Contender website: http://www.contenderclass.org/

Chris Sutherland (AUS)

2008-03-27T06:16:00.000-07:00

Name: Chris Sutherland
Nickname: Sutho
Sail No: New boat AUS 24 XX
Boat name: Travelling Girl
Country: Australia
Sailing Club: Royal Freshwater Bay Y C
Weight: 80kg
Height: 178
Age: At an age where asking is not polite

Number of years sailing (and on what)? Over 40 . Done most things. Started in 505 in HK, Mirror in UK, then back in Australia Cherub, 470 which is the boat I started to get competitive in, J24, Ocean racing 2 x Sydney Hobarts, Windsurfing (found my wife windsurfing), Americas Cup - Fremantle (Aus II, III. IV), Match racing all round the world, Maxi boats, Etchells, Magic 25 (sportsboat), Contenders, then throw in just about every other boat except sadly Skiffs.

Number of years sailing the contender? Probably 8 years.

Why did you get on the Contender? There were a couple sailing here, I probably had enough of crews, and it was a dingy again.

Number of Worlds? 3 Travemunde, Fremantle, Medemblik.

Favourite Worlds Moment? Medemblik Watching Marcus and Jono do well. Fremantle all the heavy weather reaches.

Favourite Food? Italian.

How do you keep in shape? Lots and lots of Cycling, sailing in Perth.

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? It's a long list starting from my first sail on a 505 at age 7, then I keep making the mistakes again.

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Top 10, and Veterans Trophy.

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? Wind plenty of it, Sun and warmth, 50 boats.

(Note: We'd like to acknowledge the extra effort Chris made to compete in the Worlds - he is the only competitor who FLEW his boat to Canada!).

Cristoph Homeier (GER 551)

2008-03-25T13:18:00.000-07:00

Name: Christoph Homeier
Nickname: Chris
Sail No: GER 551
Boat name: Buzz Schroeder
Country: Germany
Sailing Club: TSV Schilksee
Weight: 82 kg
Height: 187 cm
Age: 24

Number of years sailing (and on what)? 14 years

Number of years sailing the contender? 8 or 9 years

Why did you get on the Contender? In my opinion it's the best single handed boat

Number of Worlds? Many

Favourite Worlds Moment? There are always great moments!

Favourite Food? Vegetarian

How do you keep in shape? Sailing, running, swimming, gym

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? seeing the pumping flag twice a day and continuing the second race so that I got a DNE...

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? having fun and giving my best

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? meet lots of good sailors and friends and a good race committee

Soren Andreasen (DEN 44)

2008-03-20T16:36:00.000-07:00

Name: Soren Andreasen

Sail No: DEN-44

Country: Denmark

Sailing Club: Hellerup Sailing Club

Weight: 76 kg

Height: 1.82 m

Number of years sailing (and on what)? Yngling from 86-91; Contender since 95; 505 1998-2000.

Number of years sailing the contender?12.

Why did you get on the Contender? Looked cool, always liked them since I was a little boy.

Number of Worlds? Many.

Favourite Worlds Moment? Garda worlds, the best worlds we have had so far, with the strongest fleet we will have in many years.

Favourite Food? Italian, although a big t-bone is my favorite dish!

How do you keep in shape? Sailing the contender and going to the gym in the sailing club.

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? No way I am going to admit those things! Not checking my gear probably before going racing is one of them!

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Beating Marcus and Andrea just like I managed to do at the Dutch Nationals in 2006, ups also need to beat Christoph!

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? Happy faces, a serious event where the sailing is the important part.

The Outer Harbour Centreboard Club

2008-03-05T10:06:00.000-08:00

For as long as Contenders have been sailed in North America, they have been a presence at the Outer Harbour Centreboard Club in Toronto, and OHCC has closely supported the Contender sailors. In 1981, OHCC hosted the Contender Worlds, and we're thrilled to announce that once again OHCC has decided to support the fleet by donating to the 2008 Worlds!

Ideally situated in a sheltered bay with easy access to the lake, OHCC is a self-help club, meaning annual and storage fees are low. As well has being the home to over a dozen active Contender sailors, OHCC also has albacores, CLs, 505s, lasers, and 470s. Every Tuesday and Thursday night from May to September, the club has mixed fleet racing, and on Tuesday there is a dinner hosted by volunteers who change from week to week (meaning there is always interesting food being served).

If anyone in the Toronto area is looking to get into the dinghy racing scene and looking for a friendly and diverse bunch of boats and sailors, pop down to OHCC for a tour!

Thanks OHCC!

Ecover - The Power of Nature

2008-02-24T13:55:00.000-08:00

Dinghy sailing is one of the most eco-friendly sports on the planet. Unlike race cars, we don't burn tons of fuel in our bid to get around the course - all we use is the wind and our bodies. This is why our sport is so attractive to individuals who embrace a sustainable lifestyle. Indeed, more and more big boat campaigns and races are starting to emphasize and promote the environmental benefits of sailboat racing, including the recently announced Carbon Challenge, which is hoping have an entry in the next Volvo Ocean Race.

So, when we started to think about who to contact for support for the 2008 Worlds, we felt it would be great to target companies who embraced sustainability in addition to the usual suspects, which let us to Ecover.

In the 2004 Vendee Globe, Mike Golding of the UK, was sponsored by Ecover, which is an international producer of eco-friendly cleaning products. The Vendee is considered the toughest single-handed non-stop round the world race, and Mike placed third, despite losing his keel along the way. Ecover continues to support Mike in his ocean racing exploits, and we're pleased to announce that they've generously offered to donate products to help with our fundraising for the 2008 Worlds. I'd certainly like to think we have a bunch of tough little sailors in our fleet who would do this great company proud.

For anyone in the Toronto area who is interested in purchasing Ecover products, you can find them at the Big Carrot. If anyone else is interested, check out their website for local retailers.

Thanks Ecover!

Joel Magnan (CAN 84)

2008-02-10T12:21:00.000-08:00

Name: Joel Magnan

Sail No. CAN 84
Boat Name: still thinking about it
Country: Canada
Sailing Club: Outer Harbour Centreboard Club
Weight: 155 lbs
Height: 5’11”
Age: 36

Number of years sailing (and on what)? 25 years. Laser 2, iceboat, keelboats, Contender

Number years sailing Contender? 17. For many years, I was sailing and racing it “in secret” on Georgian Bay, and doing silly things like loading it up with camping gear for overnight sailing adventures to the islands, before I saw the light and “discovered” the Toronto fleet.

Why did you get on the Contender? It was fast and challenging, lots of power, I love trapezing and I’d rather blame myself rather than someone else.

Number of Worlds? 2

Favorite Worlds moment? Finishing a windy day race in Medemblik 2000, just minutes before the pintles ripped off the back of the boat and getting towed back to shore.

Favorite Food? A nice thick Rib Eye steak followed by chocolate mint Nanaimo bars for dessert.

How do you keep in shape? Running, cycling, kayak, swimming.

Stupidest thing you’ve done on the boat? Turtle the boat with both feet securely fixed in foot straps. Those foot straps were promptly removed.

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? It would be great to be surrounded by other competitors while on the race course.

What you’d like to do/see at the 2008 worlds? I hope not to have to make big repairs to my boat or someone else’s!

Gil Woolley (USA 2117)

2008-02-08T19:53:00.000-08:00

Name: Gil Woolley
Nickname: Gil
Sail No: USA-2117
Boat name: Atzuma

Country: USA
Sailing Club: Santa Cruz Yacht Club
Weight: 15 stone
Height: 1.97 m 4 ft, 29 inches.
Age: 71 (by the time of the Worlds)

Number of years sailing (and on what)? 62 years. Dad's keel boat, Penguin, Sailfish, Cape Cod Knockabout, Sunfish, Beetle Cat, Cape Cod Mercury, El Toro, Super Satellite (boy, is that a stupid name for a boat. Of what was I thinking?), Thistle, 505, International One Design (keel boat) and Contender.

Number of years sailing the contender? 36 years. Launched my own boat 1 January, 1972

Why did you get on the Contender? No one could stand my body odor. Actually, Dr. Dennis Surtees kept going off sailing his 505 at various exotic sounding places like Adelaide and La Baule. Then sailing in the 505 Worlds at Santa Cruz in 1971 is what pushed me over the edge. It was so exciting seeing sailors coming from all over the world to my favourite sailing venue. I had to do more of that.

Number of Worlds? 17: 1976 - Palo Alto, 1977 - Kiel, 1979 - Takapuna in New Zealand, 1981 - Kingston, 1984 - Garda, 1989 - Brisbane, 1995 - Connecticut, 1997 - Sydney, 1999 - Kiel, 2000 - Medemblik, 2001 - Kingston, 2002 - Melbourne, 2003 - Plymouth, 2004 - Garda, 2005 - Travemünde, 2006 - Fremantle, 2007 - Medemblik.

Favourite Worlds Moment? In first place crossing eventual winner Barry Watson's bow on the first work at Garda in 1984. 113 competitors. Finished that race in 4th place. I'll never forget that.

Favourite Food? Vindaloo

How do you keep in shape? Eat lots of Vindaloo. Cleans you right out.

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? Tee boned an Enterprise.

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Have fun. Have a great time. See lots of old friends and meet new ones. Maybe, maybe maybe finish in the top half of the fleet.

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? The winner on my transom at the finish line of a race.

Any other comments? The Brits are wusses if they don't send a container of 10 boats. Their idea of good sailing is so distorted. They ought to come to see really good sailing weather.

Rick Needham (CAN 68)

2008-02-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

Name: Rick N. Needham

Sail No: CAN 68

Boat name: Bert's Boat

Country: Canada

Sailing Club: OHCC

Weight: 165 lbs

Height: 5' 6"

Age: 62

Number of years sailing (and on what)? 25 years with 505, Shark, Albacore, Contender

Number of years sailing the contender? 7

Why did you get on the Contender? Right number of crew required

Number of Worlds? 0

Favourite Worlds Moment? upcoming

Favourite Food? lots of spicy foods

How do you keep in shape? sailing

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? hard to choose from the many

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? survival

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? race and have fun in a large fleet

K7 Waterfront

2008-02-01T04:33:00.000-08:00

By dumb luck (which is what usually gets me around a race course) I was contacted by an administrator of the K7 Waterfront website - which is a page dedicated to celebrating the Kingston waterfront. Just about everything and anything you need to know about anything that gets wet in Kingston is on this page, including:

- Information about the Foxtrot Course

- Information about shipping containers to Kingston

- The history of the wind and sensors

- A map of where to get beer and liquor (under construction but will hopefully be ready for the Worlds)

There is also an excellent page for regatta competitors.

I would encourage everyone to have a look through the K7 site, which also includes a lot of helpful photographs. I guess the downside is that there won't be much in the way of a surprise when you arrive in Kingston, but the advantage is that you'll know the city well enough to feel confident about navigating it.

Queen's University

2008-01-31T07:55:00.001-08:00

Queen's University is one of the most prestigious universities in Canada (and I'm not just saying that because I went to school there). The campus is old and a lovely place to explore in your downtime. Queen's also rents out rooms in the summer, although it is further away from Portsmouth Harbour (but an easy drive or bike ride). Queen's is also situated right in between Portsmouth and Kingston's downtown, so if you are bringing a family, they might be happier with the location as they can walk to the stores and restaurants. (See the MAP for more exact locations.)

Rates for rooms are: CDN $45.00 for a single per night, and $60.00 for a double. The washrooms are shared, parking can be a bit of a hassle, there is no air-conditioning, and there is no breakfast included.

The full address of the Queen's residence is: Victoria Hall, 75 Bader Lane, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N8. You can book online HERE or contact Queen's HERE for further information or to book via phone.

Once again, if you need any further information, feel free to contact me.

St. Lawrence College Residence

2008-01-31T07:04:00.000-08:00

We know a lot of you are spending a lot of money to get to the Worlds, so we want to help keep your costs as low as possible. As we mentioned before, Kingston is a huge university town, so one benefit is the availability of cheap rooms at the local residences.

Probably your best bet for where to stay is St. Lawrence College, as it is a five-minute walk to Portsmouth Harbour. You can book a single room for CDN $54.50 per night, or a double room for $68.00. It has:

- Lots of free parking
- A kitchenette (small fridge/stove)
- Private bathroom
- A cafeteria nearby

This makes it great for families or individuals.

Because it's so popular with CORK competitors, the St. Lawrence Residence will book up fast (they start to get inquiries in March). If you are interested, BOOK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. You can book via email (write to Lana Campbell: lcampbell @sl.on.ca (remove the space in front of the @)), or give them a call: 613-544-6600 x4999. You will need a credit card.

The address of the residence is: 23 Country Club Drive, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7M 9A4. The St. Lawrence Residence has been added to the customized map, HERE. If you click HERE you can find a virtual tour of the rooms.

Contact me if you need further help.

Portsmouth Olympic Harbour

2008-01-30T18:05:00.000-08:00

Aerial view of Portsmouth Olympic Harbour

When Canada hosted the 1976 Olympic games, the sailing events were held at the Portsmouth Olympic Harbour, and it is now one of the most renowned sailing venues in North America. With the reliable thermal (15 - 20 knots every afternoon), and the large and accesible marina and clubhouse, it became the venue for the Canadian Olympic Training Regatta ("CORK"). Every year, CORK attracts hundreds of sailors in dozens of different one-design classes, and since we're using the same organizers, you can be assured that the Worlds will run smoothly and professionally.

Map of POH - Click HERE for a larger view

3...2...1...BLAST OFF!

(All images from http://k7waterfront.org/Topic/PortsmouthOlympicHarbour)

Algonquin Park

2008-01-27T18:54:00.000-08:00

Nature porn!

As well as having some great cities, the province of Ontario is also famous for its fantastic parks, one of the most famous being Algonquin Park. If you love the outdoors, you have to make time to go see it. Algonquin is about four hours drive Northwest of Kingston, and is a lovely spot to camp, canoe, hike, pick berries, bicycle, swim in clean lakes, and see all sorts of wild animals, like moose, beavers, foxes, fish, and the wildest animals of all - other Canadians.

Unlike the typical Australian animal, this moose doesn't want to kill you.

If you aren't travelling with your camping gear, you can also rent some. Wikipedia has a great entry about Algonquin with more pictures.

You should also be aware that Algonquin books up pretty fast in the summer, so if you're interested, reserve something as soon as possible!

It's Mr. Canoehead!

Other useful links:

Algonquin Park Eco-Lodge (a great place to stay in the park)

Voyageur Quest (they'll arrange canoe trips and other excursions in the park for you)

Bartlett Lodge (an upscale place ($$$) to stay in the park)

Dave Kleinman (USA 185)

2008-01-24T15:57:00.000-08:00

Name: Dave Kleinman
Nickname: DaveK

Sail No: 185 is my best sail. The rest have different numbers.

Boat name: Crash Monkey

Country: Texas (We have that option to succeed)

Sailing Club: Who's Ever YC. I'm not picky.

Weight: 175

Height: 6'2"

Age: 45

Number of years sailing (and on what)? From the age of 7 but, on lead mines. The bigger the better is what I thought until 4 years ago. My son turned 7 and he needed to learn sailing so I bought a performance dinghy (US1) and realized I was the person learning how to sail.... That boat is like a Finn.. I have literally hiked my shorts off it. Plumbers butt is not pretty.

Number of years sailing the contender? Zero.

Why did you get on the Contender? Cause I'm suicidal. Seriously.... the Garda Vid, I hate hiking and I want to race single handed with 1 sail.

Number of Worlds? Nada.

Favourite Worlds Moment? I got nothing.

Favourite Food? Falafel.

How do you keep in shape? I'm working on that part. St. Pete said hello to my body and if your gonna sail this boat, get in shape now!

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? Take a Contender sailing for the first time in 30+ winds. Ended up with 11 holes in the bottom and stuck on a lee shore in freezing cold weather for 2 hours.

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Be there!

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? Have a great time!

Dear Germany

2008-01-24T09:16:00.000-08:00

Ich habe gehört, dass etliche deutsche Contendersegler sich schon entschieden haben, zu unserer Weltmeisterschaft 2008 in Kingston zu kommen. Ich finde das klasse und freue mich darauf, Euch alle kennen zu lernen. Und allen Unentschlossenen verspreche ich, dass Ihr die Reise nicht bereuen würdet. Kingston ist eine sehr freundliche Stadt mit netten Leuten, prima Essen und Trinken, und hervorragenden Segelbedingungen. Und wenn Euch das alles nicht genügt: Wenn wir 12 oder mehr Segler aus Deutschland begrüssen können, erklären wir einen Abend zum "Augustfest", und bewirten Euch persönlich mit Bier und Würsten. Neil hat versprochen, dazu Lederhosen zu tragen, und ich werde mich in ein Dirndl-Kostüm stürzen.

Stephanie

Neil Smith (CAN 2398)

2008-01-24T04:56:00.000-08:00

Name: Neil Smith
Nickname: Smitty
Sail No: 2398
Boat name: Adele
Country: Canada
Sailing Club: Outer Harbour Centreboard Club
Weight: 180
Height: 6'2"
Age: 42

Number of years sailing (and on what)? around 30 years, but for many crew of a CL16(I am not sure if that counts) .

Number of years sailing the contender? 8 years.

Why did you get on the Contender? I always loved the look of the Contender, and since I didn't need to worry about crew it was a great option.

Number of Worlds? 4 Kingston 2001, Plymouth 2003, Perth 2006, Medemblik 2007.

Favourite Worlds Moment? Sailing in 35 knots in Perth, also when sailing out seeing the flying fish jump over your bow.

Favourite Food? Salad.

How do you keep in shape? Swimming, Cycling and Yoga - if the knee is working.

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? Sail with a torn meniscus.

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? To sail to my best ability - #1 is to be able to sail with my knee issues.

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? Over 50 Contenders and then to Party like it is 1999.

Any other comments? I promise that everyone who comes to Kingston will have a great time, there will be lots of free beer and great things to do. Plus we will get to see Steph mounting the centerboard trick which is very amusing. [The Dictator: It really is something to see!]

Tom Janidlo (CAN 752)

2008-01-24T04:49:00.000-08:00

Name: Tom Janidlo
Sail No: CAN 752
Country: Canada
Sailing Club: Nepean Sailing Club, Ottawa
Weight: 190
Height: 6 feet
Age: 37

Number of years sailing (and on what)? 6 years, mostly racing 505s.

Number of years sailing the contender? 0, just got it in September and have sailed it 3 times.

Why did you get on the Contender? Cool boat, needed a single hander to train for my 505 campaign and couldn’t stand doing it in a laser.

Number of Worlds? 0, but I’ll be doing Contender and 505 Worlds in 2008.

Favourite Worlds Moment? Saving this for Kingston.

Favourite Food? Poutine.

How do you keep in shape? Poutine, Bench pressing daughters Fiona 5 and Philippa 2.

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? Haven’t had it long enough to have anything interesting...

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Finish every race, don’t finish last. Top Ottawa boat!

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? See something other than transoms, bring on that bullet proof Kingston thermal.

Jacqueline Ruefenacht (SUI 82)

2008-01-23T12:23:00.000-08:00

Name: Jacqueline Ruefenacht
Nickname: Jac
Sail No: SUI 82
Boat name: Nadjeshda
Country: Switzerland
Sailing Club: Thunersee Yachtclub
Weight: depends - from 62-66
Height: 1.73 m
Age: nearly 31

Number of years sailing (and on what)? 13 - 420, 470, CONTENDER - and various sins on types which I call "Trucks" or "Lead-transporters"

Number of years sailing the contender? Uh, started in late summer '99. So - 8? But the first three it was more swimming than sailing!

Why did you get on the Contender? My 470 crew didn't have any more time - I wanted a single hander. But the common boats do not have a trapeze - they're too boring. What's more: I love wooden boats! So was there any choice?!?

Number of Worlds? 3 (Garda 04, Travemuende 05, Medemblik 07).

Favourite Worlds Moment? first surf on a wave.

Favourite Food? Raclette.

How do you keep in shape? my job does it for me...and the way to get there (bicycle).

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? Many! Well, here's the story that takes the cake: Europeans 06, I start close to the pin end, some heavy guys overpass windwards - I get in a panic for losing the good position - and - tack. Alone against 90 others, without the right of way. No need to explain the consequences....

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Have a good time and no damages.

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? Heaps of contenders.

Any other comments? Come on guys. Look, I'm not a good sailor, don't expect fame, but I am flying to Canada because the event is important for the class as whole. So do the same!!!

Jo Roesler (GER 425)

2008-01-23T10:39:00.000-08:00

Name: Joachim Roesler

Nickname: "Jo", "JoRoe", "JoR", "Dr. Jo" - you tell me

Sail No: GER 425

Boat name: wat mutt dat mutt

Country: USA/Germany

Sailing Club: HSC

Weight: 180 lbs

Height: 6'

Age: 51

Number of years sailing (and on what)? Since age 14, starting out on Vauriens, Klepper dinghies, Moths, H-Jolle, on the Lake of Constance in southern Germany. A Contender was my first own boat, and ever since then I have always had one. Later in Kiel I also did some big boat and multi-hull racing and cruising, including races across the North Sea to Scotland and back. We moved in 1990 from Germany to Connecticut, and discovered the Roton Point Beach Association (site of the 1995 Contender Worlds). I kept a Hobie 18 there, then I crewed for a few years with Sonars for very tactical racing. I experimented on my Contender with a larger rig and wings to keep up with the multi-hulls of Roton Point, that was pre-Musto Skiff. I'll bring the rig to Kingston.

Number of years sailing the contender? Since 1977. When I left the army in Germany, at age 20, I had scraped the money together to buy my first Contender. That was an old yellow Rondar. Boats #2, #3 and #4 I built myself. I'm now on Contender #6, a 1995 Bonezzi.

Why did you get on the Contender? I have to blame reading a Paul Elvstroem book. Somewhere in it he lauds single handed trapeze sailing, going as far as saying that "if you can sail a single handed trapeze boat, you can sail anything". I figured, why not start at the top. There was his own trapeze dinghy with which he tried to popularize the concept. Upon closer inspection of course the Contender emerged as the much better design, and a trial sail with Schappi's boat in the fall of 1976 in Kiel quickly won me over. Before that I had rigged a Klepper two-person dinghy from my high school with a long tiller extension and sailed it single handed. Somewhere I have an old b/w picture. I'll try to find it.

Number of Worlds? First one 1977 in Kiel. Fewer since we live in the US.

Favourite Worlds Moment? I like the buildup to it in the days before, the getting together, meeting old friends again from all over the world, and making new ones during the course of the week.From the past, of course I like to remember the occasional moments when I thought I sailed well. I always seemed to have good speed on Lake Garda. The free sailing on a too breezy day in Sardinia was just spectacular. In hindsight I also cherish the tough and ugly days, like you get them in England, where just making the finish line can seem like an accomplishment. It feels good to come in 5th in a race where from a 75 boat fleet only 50 start and 25 finish. Of course, the older I get, the better I was.

Favourite Food? Many. Good bread. Espresso. Mediterranean ingredients, Italian cooking, Peruvian ceviches, Japanese aesthetics, Brazilian grilled meats, real American smoked BBQ, Austrian cakes, some German classics.

How do you keep in shape? Not enough of course. Some Contender sailing, working out with light weights, biking, hiking my paraglider up mountains. I hate running.

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? Hmmm. That I both care to remember and admit? Well, there was i.e. that perfect summer day with a light steady breeze, when I tried to show off by trapezing on my shoulders (feet out). It worked quite well and for a long time. Unfortunately, I did it on port, and got flattened by a keel yacht which couldn't understand how I would not have seen them. But wait, there is more…

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Enjoying myself. Finishing every race. Staying out of trouble. Sailing fast and well enough to be able to focus on sailing smart (questionable). Seeing if I can catch up to the present speed level in the class after upgrading to all the fancy carbon stuff (questionable). Making it through the week without Ibuprofen (there is hope).

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? I have sailed in Kingston before of course, and know how pleasant the sailing there is. I hope we'll the usual nice mix of weather conditions. I'm not a fan of the trend to a lot of short races. Two per day is definitely the maximum for serious events, and I don't think I'd want two scheduled for every single day, especially if it's breezy and easier to break stuff. I think it's a great idea for weekend and club races, where it can feel like a waste to have driven hundreds of miles for only one start per day, especially if you mess them up. But in a World Championship I'd rather like to see longer races that count and that take all your focus. 10 races in 6 or 7 days are more than enough. Maybe people feel that in a 45 min race they could get lucky once and hold a finish ahead of their usual placements, but I don't think that's what a World Championship should be about.

Any other comments? Some Sunday night back in Europe, driving home from yet another light wind/rainy/cold/protested/not-finished-first regatta, I decided to enjoy my regattas no matter what. It's not my livelyhood after all. Since then I have been a little bit more selective about where I race, and how I approach it. If I can sail only a limited number of weekends, I'll gladly drive twice as far to a place with sun, breeze or good food. I prefer places that are original and attractive and I'll make use of it. I'll have a good time no matter how the sailing goes, although that doesn't mean that I don't get focused and competitive once I'm on the water. The people one can meet in sailing are interesting, and tend to be individualists. That's especially true in a class like the Contender. It's worth getting to know everyone. Bigger regattas are a challenge because you can't get to all the new sailors you meet in that one week.

Other things I learned: I took up paragliding in 1986, and hang gliding in 2002. Only on a strictly relaxed and recreational base, no competitions. The aerodynamics of flight are very familiar to a sailor, and lots of other pilots are sailors too. But it was eye opening for me to be studying and experiencing the weather now in three dimensions rather than two. Everything that is happening on the ground is of course connected to the conditions at higher altitudes.

Kingston - a customized map

2008-01-23T07:55:00.000-08:00

A suggestion was passed on to create a customized map of Kingston, so I've started one here using google maps. I will continue to populate it with relevant addresses as we get closer to the Worlds, and if there is any place you want to see on the map, let me know.

Enjoy!

Mike Smits (CAN 2397)

2008-01-23T07:12:00.000-08:00

Name: Mike Smits
Nickname: Mikey
Sail No: CAN 2397
Boat name: Ubersonic
Country: Canada
Sailing Club: Outer Harbour Centerboard Club
Weight: 162 lbs
Height: 5' 11"
Age: 52

Number of years sailing (and on what)? 40 years- Gasp! Started crewing on a Shark as a young teenager and I bought my first boat, a used Laser, the second year they were in production. Progressed to an ancient Soling that I cruised on the Ottawa River from Montreal. I then moved to Toronto and got involved with the Albacore fleet for a few years and noticed Contenders sailing in the harbour while hiking my guts out in an Albacore. That was it, I bought my first boat shortly after the Contender Worlds were held in Toronto in the early 80's and I have been at it ever since. I also owned a C&C 25 lead dragger for a few years before I saw the error of my ways. I also have been sailing an International 14 for about 15 years which simply means I sail two boats - neither one particularly well.

Number of years sailing the contender? 25 years.

Why did you get on the Contender? When I first saw the boat it was the only single handed trapeze boat and I was hooked.

Number of Worlds? 3 Santa Cruz, California (yeah I'm that old), Kingston, Ontario and Rowayton, Connecticut.

Favourite Worlds Moment? Kingston - Right at the start of the 5th race the gun went off and I had a great start with Andreas Bonezzi stuck behind my transom. Worst moment - 45 seconds later when Andreas bore off and sailed right through my lee.

Favourite Food? Donuts - hey I'm Canadian.

How do you keep in shape? Huh?

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Top North American and top half of the fleet.

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? A tuning clinic from some fast Europeans for all us slow Canadians.

Stephanie Mah (CAN 80)

2008-01-22T20:01:00.000-08:00

Name: Stephanie Mah
Nickname: The Dictator
Sail Nos: KC47 / CAN 80
Boat name: Princess Petalpuff / Sweet Pea
Country: Canada
Sailing Club: Outer Harbour Centreboard Club
Weight: For me to know and for no one to find out
Height: 5'6"
Age: 30

Number of years sailing (and on what)? 5 (albacore, lightning, hobie 16, 420, Sydney 41, Volvo 60 (a puketacular ride), contender)

Number of years sailing the contender? .5 (but it has aged me 10 years)

Why did you get on the Contender? Originally to spite my albacore skipper who kept criticizing me for being too light to sail the boat.

Number of Worlds? 0.

Favourite Food? Chocolate.

How do you keep in shape? By running away from my favourite food.

Stupidest thing you've done on a boat? Not bringing earplugs on board. I discovered that Aussie males snore. Very loudly.

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? To keep my mast pointing up, and to make sure everyone has fun.

What you'd like to see at the 2008 Worlds? Someone, ANYONE, finishing behind me.

Any other comments? If I get my way, the sailing instructions will state that you are not allowed to pass women on the racecourse.

Roger Martin (CAN 2399)

2008-01-22T19:30:00.000-08:00

Name: Roger Martin
Nickname: (the most recent, bestowed by F. Whittington: “dodger”)
Sail No: CAN 2399
Country: Canada
Sailing Club: Outer Harbour Centreboard Club
Weight: 190 (I’ll be 180 at the Worlds!)
Height: 5’ 10”
Age: 52

Number of years sailing (and on what)? 52 (although I spent 25 of it sailing very little. Parents' keelboats, Albacores, 505s, 420s, Lasers, Contenders)

Number of years sailing the contender? 2

Why did you get on the Contender? Good group of guys [the dictator: and a girl!]. Very fun and demanding boat. Singlehander.

Number of Worlds? 1 so far

Favourite Worlds Moment? Finally receiving my new boat the morning of the first race, closely followed by finishing 4th in the Silver fleet in the last race.

Favourite Food? Dunno, but it isn’t good for me.

How do you keep in shape? Running, some strength training.

Stupidest thing you've done on a boat? Pulled the starting cord on an outboard motor while a priest was holding the spark plug lead (he almost blasphemed), closely followed by attempting to hold onto the spinnaker sheet on a large keelboat while it smoked through my hands. I could go on.

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Top half.

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? Steph complete every race. [the dictator: light wind here we come!]

Any other comments? Come to Kingston!

Our Course - Foxtrot

2008-01-21T18:42:00.000-08:00

See how far we are from the land? Big waves! Big wind!

Kingston: an Introduction

2008-01-21T16:32:00.000-08:00

Kingston is a little city about 200 km East of Toronto, and 200 km West of Ottawa. With a population of about 120,000 people, Kingston is the home of Queen's University, Fort Henry (a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which we'll be touring), and the famous 1,000 Islands (which we'll be seeing on a dinner cruise).

The Thousand Islands (just take our word for it that there are 1,000 of them)

Being a university town, Kingston is full of cheap and cheerful places to eat. Some of my favourites (from my school days) are the Sleepless Goat (great for vegetarians and vegans), Mekong, Windmills, and Luke's. All of these restaurants are located along Kingston's main street - Princess street, which also has heaps of cute little stores. Throughout the week, Kingston also has a farmer's market in the Market Square, with great local produce on sale.

Oooh, pretty!

Other Links:

The Haunted Walking Tour of Kingston (ooooh, scaaary)

Maps of Kingston

The Wikipedia entry on Kingston (Apparently there are a lot of buildings made from limestone.)

Where to Stay in Kingston

2008-01-21T16:05:00.000-08:00

Although a certain birdy (Gil Wooley) told me that it hasn't been unheard of to sleep in one's boat, I can't imagine it's comfortable - no matter how much progrip you've laid. I would think that's a shared sentiment, so I'm posting some suggestions for where to stay. As I've noted before, we're also working on large group accommodations through Queen's University, which should reduce costs (and enhance the fun - nothing like a bunch of smelly sailors under one roof! Contact me asap if this is what you want to do). If you want to book a place on your own, you may want to take into account the distance of your accommodation from the sailing area, known as the Portsmouth Olympic Harbour. My suggestion is to take the address of your hotel and map it against POH (53 Yonge St, Kingston, ON K7M 6G4). Since there are many of us driving from various areas around North America, it shouldn't be a problem arranging for shared transportation. You can also try the Kingston bus system, or rent a bike for the most scenic way to get around.

General listing of places to stay (from the Tourism Kingston site):

Bed and Breakfasts

Hotels, Motels and Resorts

Camping and Cottage Rentals

KOA Campgrounds

Niagara Falls

2008-01-20T13:35:00.000-08:00

Some of you want to make the 2008 Worlds into a proper holiday, so we'll be making suggestions for what to do with the family while they're here.

Niagara Falls is probably the most obvious thing to see while you are in Ontario. The city of Niagara is about 2 hours drive West of Toronto (4 hours West of Kingston), and the Falls are one of the most spectacular sights we have to offer. The surrounding area is also great to tour, as the wineries in Niagara on the Lake produce most of Canada's famous ice wine. A nice way to spend a day is to rent a bike and drink yourself silly.

The Falls

But back to the awesome Falls - this wonder of nature generates power for a lot of us Ontarians (and some mooching Americans). The Falls are over 176 feet tall, with 150,000 gallons of water per second rushing down its mighty walls. And guess what - Neil, your ICA Chairman, has promised that if we get more than 50 competitors at the Worlds, he'll sail his new Schappi boat down this mighty rush of furious water. So what are you waiting for? Book your trip now!

Schappi versus the Falls - who will win?

A Blast from the Past

2008-01-20T13:23:00.000-08:00

Getting to Kingston - Planes, Trains and Automobiles

2008-01-20T09:57:00.000-08:00

I've heard people say that it's the journey, not the destination, that is important. To them I say, "phooey". I'm sure you've all had your fill of lost luggage, delayed flights, rude co-passengers, and crummy airplane meals, and are looking to make the trip here as hassle-free as possible, and we're here to help.

Kingston is a small city about two hours East of Toronto, and there are flights between Toronto's International Airport (YYZ) and Kingston's airport (YGK). An alternative to flying straight to Kingston is to fly to Toronto and rent a car at the airport and drive (for most of you coming from across the Atlantic, keep in mind that we drive on the wrong side of the road). It's a pretty simple drive from the Toronto airport and Kingston - straight East on the 401.

Buses are another option - check Greyhound for times and prices. Going to Kingston by train is also possible, but it's pricey.

The best thing to do if you're really nervous about the trip is to get in touch with me or Neil with your arrival/departure dates. We'll do our best to lump travellers together (and if you're really lucky you can catch a ride with the Canadians who are making the trip to Kingston).

Cheap flights:

Kayak (they compile and compare results from all of the major discount flight websites - expedia, travelocity, and orbitz)

Flight Centre (check their international sites)

Why come to Kingston?

2008-01-20T09:18:00.000-08:00

Big wind, big waves, friendly people, cheap food and beer, no crocs, no sharks, no salt water, and no ferries. The 2008 Worlds will also be held at the same time as CORK (the Canadian Olympic-training Regatta Kingston), which means there will be heaps of 49ers, 29ers, lasers, Bytes, 420s, RS:Xs, Finns, 505s, Solings, and other one design boats with tons of international crews.

For some great videos of the sailing venue, see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otXrORC4JRQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwZRKrPGGS0

http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=uRKNce1_ GhU