By kimball | Published:
October 31, 2010
Whenever you go abroad to race you count on a cultural experience, but the details might be way, way off from your expectation. For example, I take it for granted that, going to any regatta in the USA where crews are invited and boats are provided, you will find a breakdown boat standing by for [...]
By kimball | Published:
October 28, 2010
Rob Douglas today renewed his claim as the only American to ever hold the world sailing speed record. Would you believe 55.65 knots? It happened at the Luderitz Speed Challenge in Namibia, where just weeks ago Alex Caizergues reclaimed the speed record for kite sailors, posting 54.01 knots on a 500 meter course to beat [...]
By kimball | Published:
October 25, 2010
So here we are in the final week of the month, and earlier this month Russell Coutts told an audience there would be an America’s Cup venue announcement— “This month, I think.” Which is a long way from a guarantee, but it does have me thinking sooner rather than later. San Francisco city officials have [...]
By kimball | Published:
October 20, 2010
California Maritime Academy—a comfortable driving distance from AT&T Park, gratuitously noted— just never did fit into the regular run of college sailing. That was frustrating, but they’ve found their sweet spot or they wouldn’t be flying into France on Thursday night, to La Rochelle, to prep for Sunday’s opener of the Student Yachting World Cup. [...]
By kimball | Published:
October 19, 2010
I’ve picked up a phrase from a friend of mine, “Now go make something happen.” To that end I stand in rapt admiration of Craig Bergh, the nurse-anesthesiologist/gonzo windsurfer from Worthington, Minnesota who continues to make something happen year after year in the form of the Midwest Speed Quest. It’s his baby, lock, stock and [...]
By kimball | Published:
October 13, 2010
Ross Stein, who races Corsair 24 #357, Origami, out of San Francisco Bay, sends this report from Italy’s big, crazy, beautiful Barcolana race, or Coppa d’Autunno. With turnouts in the thousands for a course only 19 miles long, there’s not much that compares. The race is sailed in the Gulf of Trieste, with one of [...]
By kimball | Published:
October 11, 2010
Can you find the Marina Green in this photo? Being local, I know where it is, but there are just too many people taking up space for me to really confirm the existence of grass. No, the lawn at Fort Mason (foreground) doesn’t count. I took the shot on Fleet Week Sunday, and I wouldn’t [...]
By kimball | Published:
October 10, 2010
Can you name this yachting venue? Try Luderitz, Namibia, where the Luderitz Speed Challenge has been under way since Friday. Kite sailors from three countries—New Zealand, Sweden and Australia—upped their respective national speed records in winds of “only” 25-28 knots, with a forecast of bigger winds to come. The highest of the new records was [...]
By kimball | Published:
October 5, 2010
Item 39: Affirmation of Support of San Francisco’s Bid for the 34th America’s Cup and Endorsement of Host City 9-2 in favor is the vote San Francisco Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, chair of the Land Use subcommittee, brought the city’s America’s Cup proposal to the full Board of Supervisors today, reporting “a robust hearing” on the [...]
By kimball | Published:
October 5, 2010
As reported in the mainstream press, Tuesday’s vote at City Hall went 3-0 to pass the term sheet for an America’s Cup bid out of the Land Use subcommittee to the full San Francisco Board of Supervisors. As noted but not explored in those same reports, attendees were treated to a bit of political theater [...]