SITE MAP          RACE WEEK NEWS         RESULTS and REPORTS            PHOTO GALLERY       CONTACT US

             RACE COURSE BLOG                               T2P.TV                                   SAILING WORLD


 

Wrap-Up Release - Complete Update - Feb 5

open or download the pdf

 

Sponsor Release - Jan 17

open or download the pdf

 

 

 

January 23, 2009 – For Immediate Release

 

Picture Perfect Conclusion to Acura Key West

---   Winners Celebrate After Ten Hard Fought Races

 

by Bill Wagner

 

Key West, Fla - Winning in Key West always broad smiles to the faces of skippers and results in much rejoicing among crew members. This was certainly the case on Friday following a week long hard fought ten race series on the waters off the Conch Republic.  Beers were hoisted dockside and hearty handshakes were exchanged.

 

   At the docks in front of the Schooner Wharf, Italian owner Vincenzo Onorato was overjoyed about capturing Farr 40 class after a classic final day duel with longtime rivals Barking Mad and Joe Fly.

 

   “This is absolutely beautiful. We are extremely happy,” Onorato said. “My only regret is that I will not be able to get drunk with my crew tonight.”

 

   Onorato had to fly out immediately after racing in order to get home to Napoli in time to see his 8-year-old daughter perform in a show on Sunday morning. Tactician Adrian Stead said the rest of the team would hoist a couple extra cold ones in honor of their skipper, who steered Mascalzone Latino to first place in the final race to clinch overall victory at Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica.

 

   “It was a story of fantastic teamwork and never giving up. We had a weird day on Wednesday that set us back, but we kept our heads together and finished strong,” said Stead, noting that Mascalzone Latino responded to finishes of ninth and 10th with a line of 3-2-2-1 in the final four races.

 

   Injury and illness forced Mascalzone Latino to constantly rotate sailors. There were at least two members of the regular crew missing every day of the regatta, but the replacements performed well.

 

   “We rounded the first weather mark in fifth place in both races today and came back to finish first and second. That shows the sort of fight in this team,” Stead said.

 

   Mascalzone Latino and Barking Mad (Jim Richardson, Newport, R.I.) were tied with 31 points apiece entering the 10th and final race of the regatta. Joe Fly, another Italian entry owned by Giovanni Maspero, was just one point behind.

 

   “It all came down to the last beat and Barking Mad chose to go hard left while Joe Fly went hard right. We knew if we covered Barking Mad we could be no worse than second so that is what we did. It was desperately close racing and we were fortunate enough to win both the race and the regatta,” Stead said.

 

   Jeff Ecklund and his motor yacht Starlight are regular sights at Acura Key West. Docked at The Galleon alongside Ecklund’s sailboat, members of the Star crew celebrated on deck after pulling out a tough victory in Melges 32 class. 

 

   Star endured a difficult Thursday with results of 11th and 12th and found itself tied with Red (Joe Woods, Torbay, GBR) going into last two races. Ecklund and tactician Harry Melges made the right calls as Star posted a fourth and a second to beat Red by nine points.

 

   “We made it difficult on ourselves with that one bad day. We had to come out today and get the job done and we did,” said Ecklund, who repeated as Melges 32 champion at Acura Key West.

 

   Ecklund, who has been semi retired for several years since making a fortune as a commodities trader in Chicago, was thrilled to learn that Star had been selected as Acura Boat of the Week. Melges 32 was deemed the most closely contested of the regatta with the top six finishers separated by only 17 points.

 

   Ecklund, 46, grew up racing Scows on the Great Lakes with Buddy Melges and his son Harry, whose family-owned company builds both the Melges 32, 24 and the hot new 20. Harry Melges, who is now president and CEO of Melges Boatworks, serves as tactician on Star.

 

  “It would be hard to do this without Harry. He is one of the best sailors in the world and I’m fortunate to have him by my side,” said Ecklund, who began steering his own boat about six years ago.

 

  UKA UKA Racing concluded an impressive regatta with a third and a fourth on Friday to secure the title in Melges 24 class, largest of the regatta with 33 boats. Skipper Lorenzo Bressani and crew were simply brilliant, winning four races and placing no worse than fifth in compiling 20 points – seven better than the Swiss entry Blu Moon, owned by Franco Rossini.

 

  American professional Jonathan McKee, a former Olympic gold medalist, called tactics aboard UKA UKA Racing, the reigning world champion which led the regatta from start to finish.

 

  Vitesse skipper Jon Halbert rewarded his crew with lunch at the Conch Republic Restaurant after winning the very evenly-matched Swan 42 class. Three different boats led the regatta at various points and all six boats were always bunched together at mark roundings. Quantum professional Farley Fontenot called tactics on Vitesse, which entered Friday a point behind Arethusa (Phil Lotz, Newport, R.I.), but beat its top challenger in both races.   

 

  “It was crazy how close the racing was all week. We won or lost five races by 30 seconds or less,” Halbert said.

 

  Halbert, from Dallas, Texas, has heard about the annual race week off Key West ever since he began sailing. He has skippered an entry here the past six years and said it was “absolutely fantastic” to finally win the prestigious regatta.

 

   “I’ve been dying to win this event practically my entire adult life. This is very, very rewarding… definitely one of the highlights of my sailing career,” Halbert said.

 

  Daniel Woolery and the team aboard Soozal relaxed in the cockpit of the brand new King 40 at the dock in front of Turtle Kraals after capturing IRC 2 class. Veteran professional Robbie Haines called tactics on Soozal, a Mark Mills design that finished first or second in nine of 10 races.

 

  “The racing was super hard all week. It was a dogfight every day and we were lucky to have Robbie, who is just a master at calling the shifts. You can have the fastest boat in the world, but it doesn’t matter if you’re on the wrong side of the course,” said Woolery, a resident of Point Richmond, Cal. “Ultimately, I would credit our preparation. Scott Eason and I spent six weeks in Palm Beach and never saw anything but Crackerboy Boatworks, West Marine, Home Depot and the Comfort Inn. We made sure the boat was right from front to back.”

 

   Ran, a TP52 owned by Niklas Zennstrom of Great Britain, put forth a commanding performance in IRC 1 – winning six races and leading from start to finish. French Olympic medalist Thierry Peponnet called tactics for helmsman Tim Powell.

 

   “We just have a really good team that has been together a year and knows the boat very well, knows how to make her go fast,” Powell said. “It was a fantastic week of sailing. You really couldn’t ask for any better conditions. Niklas really enjoyed himself and is looking forward to coming back next year.”

 

  Rhumb Punch capped an incredible comeback in Farr 30 class, rallying from fourth place on Wednesday to overall victory. It was the second Acura Key West crown for the husband-wife team of John and Linda Edwards of Solomons, Md., who captured J/29 class in 2007.

 

  “We had to beat Kinetic in both races today and we got it done. We had a couple brutal two-mile tacking duels with those guys, but everybody on the crew gave me 100 percent today,” Edwards said. “We are a veteran team that knows how hard it is to win a class in Key West. This is a real special victory and we’re going to enjoy it.”

 

  Edwards said the Rhumb Punch team is already anxiously looking forward to the 23rd edition of the renowned regatta. The family-based team has been coming to Key West since 2000 and hope they have another 10 years in them.

 

  “There is absolutely no question we are coming back. This is the best regatta we’ve ever been involved with. The racing is always awesome and the night life is rocking. I can’t think of any other regatta that has the complete package like this one,” Edwards said.

 

  Premiere Racing president Peter Craig said that plans for Acura Key West 2010 are already underway.  It will be held no matter what transpires with the economy and entries.

 

  “This week was typical of the reliable wind conditions we get here. Ten races over five days is one of the main reasons why sailors come to Key West. They know they are going to go racing every day,” Craig said. “To end on a picture-perfect day with solid breeze, not a cloud in the sky and the weather warming up was very fitting.”

 

   Craig said Premiere Racing has already heard from several Key West regulars who did not make this year’s event due to the economic downturn. “They all universally assure they will be back next year. It had to be painful for them to following the regatta on the internet and see the fleet racing in such superb conditions.”

 

  You didn’t have to be a winner to have a great time at Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica. Team Barbarians, skippered by Stuart Simpson of the United Kingdom, finished ninth in Melges 32 class. However, The Barbarians routinely won the party and thoroughly enjoyed the caliber of competition and conditions.

 

  “Absolutely, 100 percent,” Simpson said when asked if he would be returning to the regatta. “Yacht racing off Key West is simply the best way to spend the third week of January. Christmas is over and it’s depressing sitting around waiting for the credit card bills to come in. It’s much better to take vacation and come down here for some sun, some fun and some great, great sailing.”

 

Complete Results, Daily Blog, Photo Gallery and News: www.premiere-racing.com

For more information on Premiere Racing, Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica  and its Sponsors and Partners:

 

Premiere Racing, Inc.

67B Front Street, Marblehead, MA, 01945
Tel: (781) 639-9545 Fax: (781) 639-9171
Email:
Peter@Premiere-Racing.com           

Web Site: www.Premiere-Racing.com

 

Title Sponsor Acura is the Official Vehicle. Nautica is the Presenting Sponsor and Nautica Watches is the Official Timekeeper. Day Sponsors are Mount Gay® Rum (Official Rum), Lewmar (Official Marine Hardware) and Sperry Top-Sider (Official Footwear). Supporting sponsors are B&G (Official Marine Electronics) Marlow (Official Rope) and SLAM (Official Technical Gear). Supplier Spaten is the Official Beer.

 

Acura Key West is also supported by The Florida Keys & Key West Tourism Council. The Historic Seaport at the Key West Bight is the Official Site.

 

Thirty-six Industry Partners bring their support through a program that is now in its 8th year. Learn more about the Industry Partners and the Program on the event web site.

 

Acura Key West 2009 and the 2009 Acura Miami Grand Prix are US Sailing sanctioned events.

 About Acura

Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced luxury performance vehicles through a nationwide network of more than 260 dealers throughout the United States. The 2009 Acura lineup features five distinctive models, the RL luxury performance sedan, the  TL premium performance sedan, the  TSX premium sport sedan, the turbo-charged RDX premium sport CUV and the award-winning MDX premium performance CUV.

For more information about Acura vehicles, please visit Acura.com. 

For media inquiries, please go to Acuranews.com.

 

Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica

Final Series Results – after 10 Races – January 23, 2009

 

IRC 1

   1.   Ran, TP52, Niklas Zennstrom, Hamble, UK, 1-1-2-1-3-1-1-3-4,  18

   2.   Rosebud/Team DYT, STP 65, Roger Sturgeon, Hyannis, MA, USA, 3-2-1-2-1-5-4-5-1-1, 25

   3.   Rio, TP52, Charles Dunstone, Cowes, GBR, 2-4-3-3-4-3-3-2-2-2, 28

 

IRC 2

   1.  Soozal,King 40, Daniel Woolery, Pt. Richmond, CA, USA, 2-1-2-5-2-1-1-2-2-1,  19

   2.  Ngoni, Mills 40,Tony Buckingham, Jersey, UK, 1-2-3-6-1-3-2-1-4-3,  26

   3.  Gold Digger, J/44, James Bishop, Jamestown, RI, USA, 9-5-1-1-3-4-5-6-1rgd-7, 42

 

Farr 40

   1.  Mascalzone Latino, Vincenzo Onorato, Napoli, ITA, 1-1-2-1-9-10-3-2-2-1, 32

   2.  Joe Fly, Giovanni Maspero, Como, ITA, 3-2-5-9-2-1-4-5-1-3, 35

   3.  Barking Mad, James Richardson, Newport, RI, USA, 2-4-3-2-1-2-2-10-5-4,  35

 

Swan 42

    1.. Vitesse, Jon Halbert, Dallas, TX, USA, 5-2-2-2-2-2-4-3-2-5,  29

    2.  Arethusa, Phil Lotz, Newport, RI, USA, 4-3-1-4-4-1-3-1-4-6,  31

    3.  Celeritas, Malcolm Gefter, Newport, RI, USA, 1-1-3-1-6-6-5-2-6-4,  35

 

Farr 30

   1.  Rhumb Punch, John & Linda Edwards, Solomons, MD, USA, 3-2-5-3-2-1-3-4-2-4,  28

   2.  Mummbles, Brad Kauffman, Annapolis, MD, USA, 4-1-1-5-45-4-3-1-1,  28

   3.  Kinetic, David Sutcliffe, Vancouver, CAN, 1-3-2-1-3-3-1-6dsq,5,5  30

 

Melges 32 (with discard)

   1. Star, Jeff Ecklund, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA, 1-1-10-1-1-5-11-(12)-4-2, 36

   2.  Red, Joe Woods, Torquay, GBR, 2-8-3-5-3-1-7-6-(13), 43

   3.  Argo, Jason Carroll, Larchmont, NY, USA, 3-(13)-5-4-8-11-4-4-2-3,  44

 

Melges 24 (with discard)

   1.  UKA UKA Racing, Lorenzo Bressani, Civitanova Marc, ITA, 1-1-(5)-1-1-2-5-2,3-4,  20

   2.  Blu Moon, Franco Rossini, Lugano, SUI, 4-2-2-2-(7)-6-3-1-6-1, 27

   3.  Joe Fly, Maspero/Zandona, Como, ITA, (10)-3-3-4-8-1-2-5-7-9  42

 

J/105

   1.  Savasana, Brian Keane, Marion, MA, USA, Brian Keane, 3-2-1-1-2-6-2-3-4-2,  26

   2.  eclipse, Damian Emery, Mt. Sinai, NY, USA, 2-1-3-2-3-3-3-6-1-5, 29

   3.  Max Power, Gerrit Schulze, Cape May, NJ, USA, 1-3-5-3-1-1-6-4-3-3,  30

 

J/80

   1.  Rumor, John Storck, Jr., Huntington, NY, USA, 1-1-1-3-1-1-4-1-1-2, 16

   2.  Kicks, William Rose, League City, TX, USA, 2-2-3-1-3-2-6-5-2-1,  26

   3.  Angry Chameleon, Kristen Robinson, Annapolis, MD, USA, 4-3-2-6-5-5-5-3-9-6, 47

 

PHRF 1

   1.  Primal Scream, C&C 115,  Steven Stollman, Key Biscayne ,FL, USA, 1-2-1-1-3-2-3-6-4-3,  26

   2.  Wairere, Thompson 30, Pete Hunter, Kill Devil Hill, NC, USA, 3-7-6-5-1-3-4-2-1-2,  34

   3.  Kali, BH 36, Lynn Dell, Pensacola, FL, USA, 5-5-3-4-5-4-2-3-3-5,  39

 

PHRF 2

   1.  Good Girl, J/100, Robert Armstrong, St. Croix, USVI, 2-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-2,  12

   2.  RUSH, J/109, Bill Sweetser, Annapolis, MD, USA, 1-2-3-2-7-2-3-2-2-1,  25

   3.  Man-O-War, J/35, Tom Beery / Mark Itnyre, Pascagoula, MS, USA, 3-3-2-3-2-3-2-4-3-3,  28

 

PHRF 3

   1.  Tangent, Cape fear 38, Gerry Taylor, Annapolis, MD, USA, 1-1-1-1-3-2-1-1-1-1,  13

   2.  L’Outrage, Beneteau 10M, Bruce Gardner, Annapolis, MD, USA, 2-2-2-2-1-1-3-2-2,  19

   3.  Seefest, J/29, Ira Perry, Padanaram, MA, USA, 3-3-4.5-5-5-4-2-3-4-4,  37.5

 

PHRF 4

 1.  Elysium, John Nevin, Milford, CT, USA, 1-3-3-1-1-2-1-3-1-2,  18

 2.  Lightning Rod, S2 9.1, David Eames, Ft. Walton, FL, USA, 2-1-1-2-5-1-2-1-2-4,  21

 3.  Lobo Rojo, B-25, Philip Davis,Oak Cliff, TX, USA, 6-7-5-5-6-3-4-2-5-1 44

 


 

For Immediate Release – January 22, 2009

 

Final Day Drama on Tap at Acura Key West 2009

---  Friday’s Races to Determine Winners in Ten Classes

 

By Bill Wagner

 

Key West, Fla - Competition remains hot and the final results are going down to the wire at Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica. There was some significant shakeup in the standings for several of the grand prix classes and winners won’t be decided until the final day of racing in the week-long regatta.

 

  Things couldn’t be tighter than they are in the Melges 32 class, where Star and Red are tied with 30 total points apiece. Star, owned by Jeff Ecklund of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., led the 20-boat class at the end of the initial three days, but suffered a pair of double digit results on Thursday. That enabled Red, skippered by Joe Woods of Great Britain, to make up a three-point deficit.

 

  Tactician Morgan Reeser gave a gutsy performance by sailing both races with a dislocated shoulder as Red posted a pair of eighths on Thursday. Meanwhile, Star suffered an 11th and a 13th, latter of which it was able to throw out. Star technically still holds the lead by virtue of tiebreaker based on winning more races than Red.

 

  “It has been a curious day – almost brilliant, almost disastrous,” Woods said after arriving at the dock. “Ultimately, it was a decent day and we were able to close the gap on Jeff.”

 

  Reeser, a two-time Olympian, is relatively new as tactician aboard Red as this is just his third event with the British team. He suffered the shoulder injury during Race 7 and had the dislocation reset by an on-water medic. However, it dislocated again and Reeser was taken to the hospital after racing.

 

  “Knowing Morgan, I am guessing that he will be sailing on the boat tomorrow,” Woods said.

 

  Red was leading the Melges 32 class going into the fifth and final day last January and was overtaken by Star. Woods is hoping for a reversal of fortunes this year. “We’ll see if we can finish it off and come away with the win this time,” he said.

 

  Farr 40, another professional-laden class, is also totally up for grabs with two races remaining. Barking Mad, which entered Thursday with a seemingly comfortable eight-point cushion, finished last in the 12-boat fleet in Race 8. Skipper Jim Richardson and crew still hold a one-point lead over Mascalzone Latino, the three-time defending world champion owned by Vincenzo Onorato of Napoli, Italy.  

 

  “We rounded the first weather mark in second place, but we went backward from there. It was just a matter of poor boat positioning,” said tactician Terry Hutchinson, who blamed himself for the poor result. “What’s disappointing is that we had an opportunity to go into tomorrow with a certain comfort level.”

 

  Richardson won the Farr 40 class at Acura Key West for the first time in 11 attempts last year and is hoping to retain that title. Another threat is Joe Fly, owned by Giovanni Maspero of Como, Italy, which is just three points out of the lead.

 

  There was much rejoicing aboard Nanoq as the Danish entry pulled into its berth at the Schooner Wharf. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark hoisted a beer with crew members to celebrate winning a race in Farr 40 class for the first time in three appearances at Acura Key West.

 

  Prince Frederik got a great start, got lifted by a favorable shift and both upwind legs, rounded the second windward mark in first and held the lead on the finishing run. His best previous finish was a fourth last year.

 

 “It was great sailing today and it felt good to win a race. That is always difficult in this class because it is so competitive with so many good sailing teams,” Prince Frederik said. “We have learned a lot and improved quite a bit by coming to this regatta. This result is nice, but we still have a long way to go.”

 

  Melges 24, largest class in the regatta with 33 boats and packed with professionals like the Farr 40 and Melges 32, also has not been decided. UKA UKA Racing, the Italian entry skippered by Lorenzo Bressani, has sailed superbly and led at the end of each day’s action. UKA UKA Racing counts four bullets and a pair of seconds in seven races and holds a seven-point lead that is solid but not safe.

 

 “We have not won this regatta yet. There will be another two races tomorrow so we cannot sleep well tonight,” Bressani said. “Seven points is a good margin, but not unbeatable. Blu Moon is our top competition so we will probably match race with them.”

 

 Swan 42 class has been closely contested throughout the week with three different boats holding the lead upon conclusion of each day’s racing. Arethusa, skippered by Phil Lotz of Newport, R.I., was the latest to move into first – posting a first and a third on Thursday to overtake Jon Halbert (Dallas, Texas) and Vitesse. Arethusa holds a one-point lead over Vitesse while first and second day leader Celeritas (Malcolm Gefter, Newport, R.I.) is just four points astern.

 

  “The fleet has been very, very tight. All six boats have been clumped together at most of the mark roundings,” Lotz said. “It really is anybody’s regatta at this point. It’s hard to think about covering anybody at this point. We just have to go out and sail our own race.”

  

  There is a tie in PHRF 4 between Lightning Rod and fellow S2 9.1 Elysium. Both boats have won four races so the tiebreaker went to the number of second place finishes and Lightning Rod, skippered by David Eames of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., has three compared to just one for Elysium (John Nevin, Milford, CT).  

  

  John Storck Jr. and his team aboard Rumor have been spectacular in J/80 class, winning six of eight races thus far. Racing was particularly tight on Thursday and Rumor was rewarded with the Lewmar Boat of the Day award.

 

   Robert Armstrong continued his impressive performance in PHRF 2 aboard the J/100 Good Girl. The St. Croix resident has reeled off seven straight bullets since finishing second in Race 1.

 

Action in this ten race series concludes Friday, which is Acura Day.           

 

For more information on Premiere Racing, Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica  and its Sponsors and Partners:

 

Premiere Racing, Inc.

67B Front Street, Marblehead, MA, 01945
Tel: (781) 639-9545 Fax: (781) 639-9171
Email: Peter@Premiere-Racing.com           

Web Site: www.Premiere-Racing.com

 

Title Sponsor Acura is the Official Vehicle. Nautica is the Presenting Sponsor and Nautica Watches is the Official Timekeeper. Day Sponsors are Mount Gay® Rum (Official Rum), Lewmar (Official Marine Hardware) and Sperry Top-Sider (Official Footwear). Supporting sponsors are B&G (Official Marine Electronics) Marlow (Official Rope) and SLAM (Official Technical Gear). Supplier Spaten is the Official Beer.

 

Acura Key West is also supported by The Florida Keys & Key West Tourism Council. The Historic Seaport at the Key West Bight is the Official Site.

 

Thirty-six Industry Partners bring their support through a program that is now in its 8th year. Learn more about the Industry Partners and the Program on the event web site.

 

Acura Key West 2009 and the 2009 Acura Miami Grand Prix are US Sailing sanctioned events.

 About Acura

Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced luxury performance vehicles through a nationwide network of more than 260 dealers throughout the United States. The 2009 Acura lineup features five distinctive models, the RL luxury performance sedan, the  TL premium performance sedan, the  TSX premium sport sedan, the turbo-charged RDX premium sport CUV and the award-winning MDX premium performance CUV.

For more information about Acura vehicles, please visit Acura.com. 

For media inquiries, please go to Acuranews.com.

 


 

January 21, 2009 – For Immediate Release

 

 Top Teams Tackle Tricky Conditions at Acura Key West 2009

--- Farr 40 Shakeup Puts Barking Mad Atop Standings  

 

by Bill Wagner

 

 Key West Fla - Day 3 of Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica, brought some tricky conditions that challenged tacticians on all three courses. While many of the series leaders stayed on top of the situation and further increased their advantage, there was a notable shakeup in the standings in the professional-laden Farr 40 class.

 

    Mascalzone Latino, the Italian entry owned by Vincenzo Onorato, had one of those days every sailor dreads. After winning three of the initial four races, Mascalzone Latino suffered a ninth and a 10th on Wednesday and dropped to third in the overall standings. A pair of poor starts, including an on-course-side in Race 6, had the three-time world champions playing catch-up all day and that was a real challenge in the tough conditions.

 

  Heavy air with significant oscillations and northeasterly winds that gusted between 12 and 18 knots included shifts of 20 to 40 degrees. While Key West was not in a deep freeze like much of the country, temperatures were definitely below normal. Barking Mad, owned by Jim Richardson of Newport, R.I., clearly handled the conditions well and posted a first and a second on Wednesday to produce a 16-point swing on Mascalzone Latino – going from six points behind to 10 points ahead.

 

   “Mascalzone Latino had been sailing really well so it was a little surprising they had such a rough day. It was gusty with huge shifts so it was easy to get out of phase,” said Richardson, who captured Farr 40 class at Acura Key West for the first time in 11 attempts a year ago.

  

  “We were fortunate enough to have two solid races today. Conditions were very tricky, but we were patient enough and sailed well enough to get to the top mark at the front of the fleet and then were able to sail our own race.”

 

  Joe Fly, an Italian entry owned by Giovanni Maspero, also posted a first and a second on Wednesday and moved into second place in the overall standings – eight points behind Barking Mad.

 

  “We got great starts and were able to sail the shifts instead of the fleet, which makes a huge difference,” said tactician Francesco Bruni, who felt the team did a terrific job of bouncing back from a tough Tuesday that produced placements of fifth and ninth. “Our sail setup was better today and our way of trimming was more aggressive.” 

 

  Joe Fly narrowly missed winning the world championship last year, but was a disappointing 19th out of 25 entries at Acura Key West. “This has never been a good regatta for our team so it would be very rewarding to win,” Bruni said.

 

  There was a change atop the leader board in IRC 2 as well with the newly-launched King 40 Soozal replacing the Mills 43 Cool Breeze. This is the first regatta for owner Dan Woolery aboard his new boat, but the crew is clearly figuring her out quickly as Soozal has finished first or second in four of six races.

 

    Soozal’s performance earned Mount Gay Rum Boat of the Day honors as winner of the day’s most competitive class. Woolery, from Port Richmond, Cal., steered the Mark Mills design to a first and a second on Wednesday.

 

   “There were big wind shifts and huge velocity changes so you really had to be alert,” said Pete McCormick, main trimmer aboard Soozal. “It was one of those days when everything clicked. Robbie Haines, our tactician, did a great job calling the shifts and the crew work was amazing.”

 

   UKA UKA Racing and Star continue to dominate the Melges 24 and 32 classes, respectively. Skipper Lorenzo Bressani led UKA UKA Racing to a first and a second on Wednesday and the reigning world champs now hold a commanding 12-point lead over Blu Moon (Franco Rossini, Switzerland). UKA UKA Racing has won four of six races, a remarkable feat in the highly-competitive Melges 24 class.

 

   Skipper Jeff Ecklund and his team aboard Star also picked up their fourth victory of the week on Wednesday. However, a 10th suffered in Race 3 combined with superb sailing from the British boat Red has Ecklund clinging to a narrow three-point lead in the overall standings.

 

   “The points are still too close for comfort. We gave away a few points by losing some boats and finishing fifth in the second race today,” said Ecklund, a Fort Lauderdale resident who is defending Melges 32 champion at Acura Key West 2009. “Red has always been fast and now that they have Morgan calling tactics they are going in the right direction. We just have to continue sailing consistently and make sure we don’t make any costly mistakes.”

 

   With four-time defending champion Masquerade not competing this year, the J/105 class is suddenly wide-open and has seen a new leader every day. Max Power, skippered by Gerrit Schulze of Cape May, N.J., won both races on Wednesday to take over first place via tiebreaker. Eclipse, the opening day leader owned by Damian Emery of Mount Sinai, N.Y., also has 14 points, but fewer first place finishes.

 

   “Today our tactician had the course figured out from a global perspective. We wanted to start at the pin end and go toward the beach as far as possible. We were able to accomplish that goal and didn’t get engaged with any one competitor,” said Schulze, whose brother Stefan serves as team strategist.

  

  Tangent, the Cape Fear 38 owned by Gerry Taylor of Annapolis, Md., had its string of four consecutive first place finishes in PHRF 3 come to an end. L’Outrage, a Beneteau 10-meter skippered by fellow Annapolis resident Bruce Gardner, posted a pair of bullets on Wednesday and closed the gap on Tangent to just one point.

 

  John Storck’s Rumor has won five of six races in J/80 class while Robert Armstrong’s J/100 Good Girl has done the same in PHRF 2.

 

Complete Results, Daily Blog, Photo Gallery and News: www.premiere-racing.com

For more information on Premiere Racing, Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica  and its Sponsors and Partners:

 

Premiere Racing, Inc.

67B Front Street, Marblehead, MA, 01945
Tel: (781) 639-9545 Fax: (781) 639-9171
Email: Peter@Premiere-Racing.com           

Web Site: www.Premiere-Racing.com

 

Title Sponsor Acura is the Official Vehicle. Nautica is the Presenting Sponsor and Nautica Watches is the Official Timekeeper. Day Sponsors are Mount Gay® Rum (Official Rum), Lewmar (Official Marine Hardware) and Sperry Top-Sider (Official Footwear). Supporting sponsors are B&G (Official Marine Electronics) Marlow (Official Rope) and SLAM (Official Technical Gear). Supplier Spaten is the Official Beer.

 

Acura Key West is also supported by The Florida Keys & Key West Tourism Council. The Historic Seaport at the Key West Bight is the Official Site.

 

Thirty-six Industry Partners bring their support through a program that is now in its 8th year. Learn more about the Industry Partners and the Program on the event web site.

 

Acura Key West 2009 and the 2009 Acura Miami Grand Prix are US Sailing sanctioned events.

 About Acura

Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced luxury performance vehicles through a nationwide network of more than 260 dealers throughout the United States. The 2009 Acura lineup features five distinctive models, the RL luxury performance sedan, the  TL premium performance sedan, the  TSX premium sport sedan, the turbo-charged RDX premium sport CUV and the award-winning MDX premium performance CUV.

For more information about Acura vehicles, please visit Acura.com. 

For media inquiries, please go to Acuranews.com.

 


 

For Immediate Release – January 20 , 2009

 

 “Another Fantastic Day of Sailing in Key West”

--- World Class Competition and  Great Breeze

 

By Bill Wagner

 

Key West, Fla -  Mother Nature changed her mind and smiled on Acura Key West 2009 today. Advance forecasts called for extreme winds, but instead a consistent 15-20 knot north-northwesterly enabled this high-powered international fleet to enjoy two great races.

 

   “Another fantastic day of sailing in Key West. Days like this are why we come here. The conditions were outstanding,” Melges 24 skipper Riccardo Simoneschi said.

 

   Simoneschi is a two-time winner of Acura Key West, presented by Nautica. The Italian skipper posted a solid line of 4-3 on Tuesday and holds third place overall in Melges 24, largest class in the regatta with 33 boats.

 

   Former Olympic medalist Charlie McKee is calling tactics for Simoneschi, who is 10 points off the very hot pace being set by his countrymen on UKA UKA Racing. Skipper Lorenzo Bressani has won three of four races so far, an impressive feat in the highly-competitive class.

 

  “They are tough to beat. They are fast and smart, which is a winning combination,” said McKee, whose brother Jonathan is trimming on UKA UKA Racing. “We are getting better with each race and hopefully we can remain in contention.”

 

   Blu Moon, skippered by Franco Rossini of Switzerland, finished second in both races and won the day.  He also received Tuesday’s Sperry Top-Sider Boat of the Day honors, awarded to the winner of the day’s most competitive class. Three-time Olympian Chris Rast is tactician aboard Blu Moon, which stands second in the overall standings – two points behind UKA UKA Racing

 

  Another Italian team continued its impressive performance in the professional-laden Farr 40 class. Mascalzone Latino, owned and driven by Vincenzo Onorato, has won three of four races with the other result being a second. Briton Adrian Stead has been on fire calling tactics for the three-time defending world champs, who hold a comfortable six-point lead over Acura Key West 2008 winner Barking Mad.

 

   “We are sailing well, but obviously not nearly as well as they are,” said Terry Hutchinson, tactician for owner Jim Richardson aboard Barking Mad.

 

  Hutchinson was just named Rolex Yachtsman of the Year by US Sailing, but is not afraid to admit that he can pick up a few subtle nuances from a team that is clearly at the top of its game.   

 

   “We have learned heaps in two days just from watching Mascalzone… how their sails are set up, how they are driving, what they are doing tactically,” he said. “It’s not over yet. There are still a lot of races left. We just have to keep chipping away and hope we’re in range going into the last day.”

 

  Fort Lauderdale resident Jeff Ecklund and his team aboard Star maintained their lead in Melges 32, the other large grand prix one-design class filled with big-name tacticians. Star, like UKA UKA Racing and Mascalzone Latino, has won three of four races held so far. However, a 10th out of 20 boats in Race 3 hurt Star’s cumulative score, which is two points better than second-place Red (Joe Woods, Great Britain).

 

  “It’s a tough fleet with real tight racing. Small mistakes can lead to big losses,” said Star tactician Harry Melges, whose family-owned company builds both the Melges 24 and 32.

 

  IRC 2 is loaded with innovative new designs that are giving each other some real competition. Cool Breeze, a brand new Mills 43 owned by John Cooper of Cane Hill, MO, won Race 4 to vault from third to first in the 13-boat fleet.

 

  An indication of how close the top boats are in IRC 2 comes from the fact a mere 18 second separated the top four finishers in Race 3. Soozal, one of three King 40-footers that are making their competitive debut in Key West, finished second in Race 3 by just seven seconds behind the J/44 Gold Digger (James Bishop).

 

  “The racing in this class has been unbelievable. There are a lot of very good boats that are evenly matched,” Soozal skipper Daniel Woolery said.

 

  Action is heating up in IRC 1 as well after Rosebud/Team DYT stretched its legs and showed its prowess in the heavy air. The STP 65-footer, largest entry in the regatta, won Race 3 then finished second in Race 4 by 34 seconds on corrected time. Ran, a TP52 owned by Niklas Zennstrom of Hamble, Great Britain, now has an impressive line of 1-1-2-1.

 

  “It was a great day of racing for our team, although I’m disappointed we didn’t win the second race as well,” said Malcolm Park, main trimmer on Rosebud/Team DYT. “We’re stronger than the TP 52s going upwind and we had two of those legs today.”

 

   Massachusetts-based owner Roger Sturgeon and his 16-man crew must beat the four 52-footers on its course by nearly six minutes in order to overcome its handicap. “This is a tight course for a boat this big and it’s hard to get her around the cans,” said Park, noting that Rosebud has some draft restrictions. “(Monday) was a learning experience for us in terms of figuring out where we can go. Today’s course was a little more open, both in terms of draft and length.”

 

  PHRF 3 leader Tangent, a Cape Fear 38 owned by Gerry Taylor of Annapolis, Md., is the only boat in the entire fleet that has won all four races. Tangent, the cruising version of the design, is heavier than most of its competitors in the class and thus welcomed the strong breeze.

 

  “We are definitely loving the conditions. When the wind is up, we are smiling,” said Taylor, whose team won Race 3 by just one second over fellow Annapolis entry L’Outrage, which has been runner-up in all four races.

 

  “It certainly eases the pressure when you get off to a good start like this. We are feeling more relaxed and confident each day,” added Taylor, who placed second in class at Acura Key West 2008.

 

  XS, a Robinson 41 that had been leading PHRF 1 after Monday’s action, dropped its rig in Race 3. Owner Douglas Fisher said gear failure was more to blame than the strong wind.

 

  Racing continues tomorrow. Wednesday is sponsored by Mount Gay Rum® - the sailors’ favorite.     

Race Week News, Results and more: www.Premiere-Racing.com

 


 

 

  

 

For Immediate Release – January 19, 2009 

 

Overseas Entries Seize the Day in Key West

--- International Fleet Revels in Chamber of Commerce Conditions  

 

By Bill Wagner

 

  Key West, Fla -  Opening day of Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica, showcased the international flavor of the event with foreign entries seizing the early lead in four of the grand prix classes. Italian entries set the pace in a pair of the premier one-design fleets while British teams surged to the front of two top tier handicap classes.

  

   Competition in North America’s largest winter regatta got underway in ideal conditions with strong westerly winds allowing organizers to hold two races. An ominous squall put a brief damper on the proceedings, but moved through quickly and allowed the action to continue under sunny skies.

 

   “It was Chamber of Commerce type of weather out there today. We had picture-perfect conditions, which is always a great way to start,” said Dave Brennan, principal race officer on Division 2.  

 

  Vincenzo Onorato and his team aboard Mascalzone Latino overcame the unexpected loss of three sailors to win both races and the Nautica Watches Boat of the Day in the Farr 40 class. Two crew members took ill while another suffered an injury in practice – forcing the three-time defending world champions to scramble. One substitute was flown in from Italy while the team coach and chef filled the other vacancies onboard.

 

   British-born tactician Adrian Stead said Elena Frezza was the hero of the day, showing she could sail just as well as she could cook. “I think she brought us good luck,” Stead said. “We are really pleased with our performance today considering the circumstances. This is certainly a good start to the regatta.”

 

   Onorato, a businessman from Napoli, Italy, recently took delivery of a brand new Farr 40 that is making its debut in Key West. “It certainly looks like a good boat based off today's results,” said Onorato, who captured class honors at Acura Key West 2006.

 

   Joining Onorato on the podium for Nautica Watches Day was fellow Italian skipper Lorenzo Bressani, who steered UKA UKA Racing to a pair of bullets in Melges 24 class – largest of the regatta with 33 boats. Gabriele Benussi is calling tactics while two-time United States Olympian Jonathan McKee is serving as trimmer aboard UKA UKA Racing, the reigning world champion. McKee is taking a break from his duties in the after-guard of Puma Racing, one of the top contenders in the Volvo Ocean Race.

 

  “We had a little problem with our starts in both races, but fortunately the boat is very, very fast and we were able to come back quickly,” Bressani said. “We have been training a lot and have got the boat going super fast while our crew works very smoothly.”

 

   UKA UKA Racing has by far the youngest crew member of the professional-laden Melges 24 class in 15-year-old bowman Matteo Sprecacenere. “Keep an eye on Matteo. He will be a champion one day,” Bressani predicted.

 

   Both IRC classes have seen an increase in entries this year and the British showed their colors on Monday. Skipper Tim Powell steered the Reichel-Pugh-designed Ran to a pair of first place finishes in IRC 1 while owner Tony Buckingham and his team aboard Ngoni seized the early lead in IRC 2 on the strength of a 1-2 line.

 

   Ran is the former Patches, which enjoyed much success under the ownership of Eamon Conneely. Niklas Zennstrom of Hamble, Great Britain acquired the boat along with many the former Patches crew, including Powell.

 

   “We had good starts in both races and our tactician Jeremy Robinson did a fine job of calling the shifts and keeping us in phase,” Powell said. “It feels good to get off to a great start and now the challenge is to keep it going.”

 

   Fort Lauderdale resident Jeff Ecklund represented the United States well,  winning both races in Melges 32 class, which has seen a significant increase in overall talent attending Acura Key West this year. Harry Melges, whose family-owned company builds the up-and-coming sport boats, is tactician aboard Star – the defending regatta champ.

 

   “We had good speed and that enabled us to rebound from average to bad starts,” said Ecklund, who chose the right side of the course in Race 2 and benefited from being the first boat to pick up the wind shift.

 

   “It was a beautiful day to go sailing and we’re happy to put up a couple good numbers to get things going. However, I’m not celebrating anything yet. It’s a long week and anything can happen. We just have to be smart and be conservative.”

 

   Competitors in the J/105 class were surprised to show up on the race course Monday and not see Masquerade, the four-time defending champion in Key West. San Francisco owner Thomas Coates and team were an unexpected no-show, leaving a dozen boats to battle for the now-vacant title.

 

   Eclipse, owned by Damian Emery of Mount Sinai, N.Y., came out on top after a tight day of racing thanks to a first and a second. However, Max Power (Gerrit Schulze, Cape May, N.J.) and Savasana (Brian Keane, Marion, Mass.) trail the frontrunner by just one and two points, respectively.  

 

   “We had some decent boat speed today and didn’t make many mistakes,” said Emery, who placed second last year, but was disappointed to learn of Masquerade’s absence. “We always like to face the best competition so we miss them. Fortunately, there are still some very good boats out there.”

 

   Other one-design boats that swept first place in both races yesterday were the Swan 42 Celeritas (Malcolm Gefter, Newport, R.I.) and the J/80 Rumor (John Storck Jr., Huntington, N.Y.). Another double winner among handicap classes was the Cape Fear 38 Tangent (Gerry Taylor, Annapolis, Md.) in PHRF 3.

 


 

 

For Immediate Release – January 19, 2009

 

Tradition of Excellence Continues at Acura Key West 2009 

--- Strong Fleet Set to Get Underway for 22nd Edition

 

By Bill Wagner

 

 “Blue sky, aqua-colored water, palm trees and 75-degree weather – what’s not to enjoy?” asked Annapolis, Maryland sailor Bruce Gardner. “Key West continues to be one of the premiere events in the country. It has the best competition available because teams go all out to win. A win in Key West has always been and will always be a real feather in your cap.”

  

    Gardner dismisses all the doom and gloom talk about reduced entries at this year’s regatta by saying, “Key West is still Key West.” L’Outrage is one of seven entries in PHRF 3 and Gardner said a class victory at Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica, would be just as satisfying as years past.

 

    Gardner has been competing in the renowned race week for a dozen years aboard his Beneteau 10-meter. He has experienced the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat – capturing PHRF Boat of the Week honors in 2000 and sitting out the entire regatta in 2008 after breaking his rig.

    

    Through ups and downs, Gardner and his crew have come to love their January foray to the southernmost tip of the continental United States. They weren’t about to let a global economic crisis interfere with their annual winter getaway to Key West.

 

      “There was never a second thought for me and my crew. We started planning for this year as soon as last year’s regatta was over,” Gardner said. “The economy is definitely having an effect on sailboat racing as in every other area of life. However, just because some people think the sky is falling, we are not going to hide in the bar.”

 

   Another star-studded fleet of sailors from across the country and around the world has descended upon the Conch Republic for the 22nd edition of this winter classic. Three-time Farr 40 world champion Mascalzone Latino, Melges 32 Gold Cup winner New Wave and Melges 24 world champion UKA UKA Racing are just a few of the notable entries on the scratch sheet.      

 

   While the total of 155 entries in 13 classes spread over three divisions is down from previous years, event director Peter Craig said the level of participation is really quite remarkable considering the economy.

 

   “Key West traditionally attracts top tier programs and this year is no exception,” said Craig, president of Premiere Racing. “Given the global economic issues, it’s extremely gratifying to see the number and quality of programs that will be racing in Key West.”

 

   Both IRC classes have actually seen an increase in entries with a slew of new designs adding further intrigue to a fleet filled with international flavor. IRC 1 is headlined by Roger Sturgeon’s STP 65-footer Rosebud, largest entry at Acura Key West 2009. The Massachusetts-based yacht, overall IRC winner in the 2008 Sydney-Hobart Race, will be challenged by three TP 52 designs along with the Judel-Vrolijk 52 Anema & Core (Ennio Staffini, Annapolis) and the year-old Marten 49 Pace (Johnny Vincent and Simon Tate, London).

 

   IRC 2 is the largest it has ever been in Key West with 13 entries, half of which are brand new designs. There are three King 40-footers, designed by Mark Mills and built by Summit Yachts. One of them is owned by Houston resident Jim Hightower, who has enjoyed much success at Key West aboard his various boats named Hot Ticket. Mills also designed the IRC 43 Cool Breeze, which will make its debut for owner John Cooper (Cane Hill, Missouri). Finally, there are also a couple Santa Cruz 37-footers, which were awarded Performance Boat of the Year by Sail Magazine.

 

   “IRC 2 is going to be very, very competitive. We are looking forward to some great racing and are anxious to see how our boat performs against some of the new designs,” said Robin Team, who skippered his J/122 Teamwork to fourth place in class and a Boat of the Day honor last year.

 

   “Those Santa Cruz 37s look hot floating at the dock so we expect them to be hot out on the race course,” added Team. The Beaufort, N.C. resident has been competing in Key West since 1994.

 

   “Key West has the best sailors in the world and the best conditions in the world and that is why it’s the best racing in the world,” said Team, a class winner in 2003 aboard his J/120 of the same name.

 

    Melges 24 is again the largest class in the regatta with 33 boats, many of which hail from European ports in Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden and Germany. Among the notable foreign entries are reigning world champion UKA UKA Racing (Lorenzo Bressani, Italy), 2008 world rankings leader Blu Moon (Franco Rossini, Switzerland) along with 2006 and 2007 Acura Key West winner Giacomel Audi Racing (Riccardo Simoneschi, Italy).

 

  Top American entries include Full Throttle (Brian Porter, Lake Geneva, WI), Bailout (Vince Brun, San Diego, CA) and Monsoon (Bruce Ayres, Newport Beach, CA). Ayres, who competes with an all-amateur crew and captured class honors at Acura Key West in 1998, figures the competition will be fierce as usual.

 

   “The quantity may not be the same as years past but the quality sure is. All the top teams are here,” Ayres said. “It will be a challenge just to get into the Top 10 in this fleet.”

 

    One of the world’s hottest classes is the rapidly-developing Melges 32, which will have 20 entries featuring a bevy of big-name tacticians on the start line in Key West. Star, skippered by Jeff Ecklund of Fort Lauderdale with boat builder Harry Melges calling tactics, is back to defend its regatta title. One of the more notable newcomers to the class is War Canoe, owned by John Dane of Pass Christian, Missouri. Dane represented the United States in Star class at the 2008 Summer Olympics in China.

 

   Marty Kullman, who co-owns New Wave along with fellow Clearwater (FL) resident Michael Carroll, said the bar has been raised big-time. Quantum professional Scott Nixon will call tactics on New Wave, which finished second to Star by a mere two points at Acura Key West 2008 before going on to capture the Gold Cup.

 

   “The overall talent in this class is coming up very quickly. You look at the scratch sheet and see top pros calling tactics on just about every boat,” said Kullman, rattling off names such as Mark Reynolds, Morgan Reeser, Steve Benjamin and Charlie Ogletree.

 

   Of course, the standard-bearer among grand prix, professional-laden classes in Key West has long been the Farr 40, which boasts an impressive lineup of 12 boats. Mascalzone Latino, owned by Vincenzo Onorato of Napoli, Italy, is riding a remarkable run of three straight world crowns. Barking Mad, skippered by Jim Richardson of Newport, R.I., won both Acura Key West and the Acura Miami Grand Prix in 2008. Goombay Smash, a relative class newcomer steered by Doug Douglass, captured the North American Championship off Miami in November.

 

   “We have another great fleet here in Key West, which has always been one of the favorite events for Farr 40 owners. It doesn’t get any better than Key West in terms of organization both on and off the water,” said Richardson, the class president.

 

   Richardson is fortunate to have one of the world’s finest tacticians in Terry Hutchinson, who was recently selected as Rolex Yachtsman of the Year. The Annapolis-based professional has been competing in Key West since 1991 and could not imagine being anywhere else in January.

 

   “This truly is one of the greatest regattas in the world and to me it’s the perfect winter break. It has steadily evolved over the years into an extremely high-level event in all respects,” Hutchinson said. “What I find neat about Key West is that there is a place for the ultra-serious, grand prix programs as well as the more relaxed club-based programs. Both types of teams can come here and find fantastic racing while at the same time having a lot of fun.”

 

 

The 2009 divisions and class assignments are:

Division 1 (PRO Ken Legler) - IRC 1, Farr 40, Swan 42, IRC 2 and Farr 30

Division 2 (PRO Dave Brennan) – Melges 32, Melges 24, J/105

Division 3 (PRO Wayne Bretsch) – J/80 and PHRF 1 - 4

 

Race Week News, Results and more: www.Premiere-Racing.com

 

For more information on Premiere Racing, Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica  and its Sponsors and Partners:

 

Premiere Racing, Inc.

67B Front Street, Marblehead, MA, 01945
Tel: (781) 639-9545 Fax: (781) 639-9171
Email: Peter@Premiere-Racing.com           

Web Site: www.Premiere-Racing.com

 

Title Sponsor Acura is the Official Vehicle. Nautica is the Presenting Sponsor and Nautica Watches is the Official Timekeeper. Day Sponsors are Mount Gay® Rum (Official Rum), Lewmar (Official Marine Hardware) and Sperry Top-Sider (Official Footwear). Supporting sponsors are B&G (Official Marine Electronics) Marlow (Official Rope) and SLAM (Official Technical Gear). Supplier Spaten is the Official Beer.

 

Acura Key West is also supported by The Florida Keys & Key West Tourism Council. The Historic Seaport at the Key West Bight is the Official Site.

 

Thirty-six Industry Partners bring their support through a program that is now in its 8th year. Learn more about the Industry Partners and the Program on the event web site.

 

Acura Key West 2009 and the 2009 Acura Miami Grand Prix are US Sailing sanctioned events.

 About Acura

Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced luxury performance vehicles through a nationwide network of more than 260 dealers throughout the United States. The 2009 Acura lineup features five distinctive models, the RL luxury performance sedan, the  TL premium performance sedan, the  TSX premium sport sedan, the turbo-charged RDX premium sport CUV and the award-winning MDX premium performance CUV.

For more information about Acura vehicles, please visit Acura.com. 

For media inquiries, please go to Acuranews.com.

 

  



 

PREMIERE RACING HOME    |     CONTACT US