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Yacht Club Readies for 2002 Worlds
Lilac Regatta Helps Organizers Avoid Making Waves in Future
Hamilton Spectator, Alge Borusas, May 17, 1999 |
Royal Hamilton Yacht Club hopes its smooth sailing will last well into 2002 when it hosts the Europe Dinghy World Championship. Every regatta until then, including the Lilac Festival Regatta on the weekend, is serving as preparation for the RHYC's competition for the women's single-handed, single-sailed racing boats.
Kathryn Crowder, the RHYC director of the graduate school, said it was unusual for a fresh water venue to be granted the competition, which usually goes to an oceanside city. Brazil is hosting it next year and Portugal in 2001. She said the bid was made in Australia during this year's world sailing championships. "We worked with the city of Hamilton and put together a presentation and a chart of the bay. All the Canadians worked on it together, not just the Hamilton group," she said. "The bid was down to Canada and Japan." She said there will be about 400 competitors and support crews coming to Hamilton about three to four weeks ahead of time to train. "They'll want to get used to this water with the small waves and big winds," Crowder said. The boats themselves weigh about 120 to 155 pounds.
Together with the experience from the regattas and yachting camps, that the RHYC is hosting until then, Crowder said it should be prepared for the big event. Following the lead in Australia, she said measures will be taken to make the sport more spectator-friendly and accessible with bleachers along the course; and more understandable to the non-expert by using on-shore commentators. The RHYC has already gotten off to a good start in the world class, when its sailors took the top four places at the Lilac regatta. Victoria Crowder was first in the event, with 10 points, while Claudia Strobele was second with 12 points. Stephanie Taylor, who is also a member of the Hudson Yacht Club in Quebec, was third with 15 points and Erika Vikes, who is also a member of the Brittania Yacht Club, was fourth with 18 points.
The regatta had events in five Olympic classes plus competitions in the training laser II and radial classes. The RHYC claimed the top three places in the Star class as Brad Anderson and Ryan Smith were first with seven points and Cameron Farrell and John Finch were second with 13 points, while Ted Hains and Larry Scott had 13 points, too. Sarah Scott and Katie McIsaac of the RHYC won the Laser II class with 10 points. Carola Cooper of Bermuda, who trains with the RHYC, was first in the Laser Radial class with 12 points.
Every event was decided over seven races, except the high performance 49er class, which was determined over 10 races. Americans Chadwick Hough and David Fox won that event with 15 points.
Crewman Cabe Crowder, 20, and skipper Adam Dunn, 21, hang over side in the 49er class at the Lilac Festival Regatta on Burlington Bay Saturday. Photo by Ron Pozzer
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