The Buffalo Yacht Club & US SAILING
In Association with
The Western New York Chapter of
The Navy League of the United States
Present an ISAF Grade 3 Match Race Event
The 2010
GREAT LAKES INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE CUP RACE
THE P/C IRA G. ROSS
GREAT RACE
For the James H. Righter Trophy
Thursday June 10
th– Sunday June 13
th, 2010
Buffalo Yacht Club – One Porter Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14201
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
All Events other than racing are at the BYC Buffalo Clubhouse
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Team Check-in- 1500 – 1800 hours
Umpire Meeting – 1830 hours - Mandatory Skippers Briefing 1900 hours
Opening Reception: 1800 – 2000 hours,
Hors d’oeuvres
Beer, Wine and Other Liquor - Cash Bar
(Cash, MC/Visa, BYC Club Charge, Reciprocity Charge (arranged in advance))
Friday, June 11, 2010
Breakfast - 0700 hours
Mandatory Skippers Meeting - 0730 hours
Racing Begins - 0900 hours - Buffalo Harbor Entrance
Lunch - On the Water
BYC Caribbean Night - 1800 Hours - Dinner Buffet (Ticketed Entry)
Beer, Wine and Other Liquor - Cash Bar
(Cash, MC/Visa, BYC Club Charge, Reciprocity Charge (arranged in advance))
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Breakfast – 0700 hours BYC Front Porch
Mandatory Skippers Meeting 0730 hours
Racing Begins – 0900 hours - Buffalo Harbor Entrance
Lunch – On the Water
Chalk Talk – 1.5 hours after sailing ends for the day.
Beer & Wine will be served.
Dinner on your own (Club Dining Room open 1700 – 2200 hours)
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Breakfast - 0700 hours BYC Front Porch
Mandatory Skippers Meeting - 0730 hours
Racing Begins - 0900 hours - Buffalo Harbor Entrance
Lunch - On the Water
Awards Ceremony - Approximately 1430 hours
BYC PAST COMMODORE IRA G. ROSS
Ira Ross was Commodore in 1960, the Centennial Year of the Buffalo Yacht Club, which is the third oldest yacht club in the United States. A graduate of the University of Illinois with bachelors and masters degrees in engineering and physics, Ira held technical and management positions with U. S. Gypsum, then a research position with the Lockport Upson Co. In 1943 he joined Curtiss-Wright Aircraft as manager of flight research. He moved to Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory in 1946 where he headed the flight research and wind tunnel departments. He was named executive vice president and director in 1954. He served as president from 1958 to 1969.
He was elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics, a member of Sigma Xi, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Cornell Engineering Council. He was President of the 45,000 member American Ordnance Association and served on the Advisory Board of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
Mr. Ross was a firm believer in the responsibility of corporate leaders to participate in community affairs. At various times he was President of the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce,
Chairman of the Niagara Frontier Port Authority, a member of the New York State Advisory Council for the Advancement of Industrial Research and Development, and a member of the Greater Buffalo Development Foundation. He was a trustee of the Western New York Nuclear Research Center, director of the Grosvenor Society and the Albright Knox Art Gallery, a trustee of Studio Arena Theater and WNED-TV, a member of the University of Buffalo’s Advisory Council for Economic Growth and Development and the Greater Frontier Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In 1966 he was appointed Chairman of the Education Commissioner’s Advisory Council for the Buffalo Public Schools.
An enthusiastic sailing competitor during the 1950s, Ira with his wife as crew raced their 24-foot Raven sloop Ekeko. He won the Club’s Ryan Cup (overall one-design champion) three years running. In 1959, Ira and Elizabeth became avid cruising sailors, ultimately logging 3,500 miles on the Great Lakes in their 37-foot Zeeland yawl Tanuki, eventually wintering in Georgian Bay to be near their beloved North Channel. During this period Ira served as port captain for the Great Lakes
Cruising Club. Past Commodore Ross exemplified the traditional yachtsman. He was proud of his Club and continued to contribute to its dignity and reputation until his death in 1991.
In 2004 Elizabeth (Elizabeth Pierce Olmsted Ross, M.D. F.A.C.S.) re-started the “Great Race” in his memory as sailing was his greatest joy and he loved the Buffalo Yacht Club. Elizabeth was a pioneer in her own right, being one of the first Women Graduates from the UB School of Medicine ‘39, establishing the Elizabeth Pierce Olmsted M.D. Center for the Visually Impaired and then the Ira G. Ross Eye Institute in 2008. Elizabeth passed in 2007.
COMMODORE’S WELCOME
It is with great pleasure that I am able to welcome this year’s competitors to the Great Lakes International Challenge Cup: The P/C Ira G. Ross Great Race for the James H. Righter trophy.
This is a historic year for the Buffalo Yacht Club - 150 years of boating, friendship and traditions, and we are honored that you could help us celebrate this momentous occasion.
Many of you are new to our club and city; many of you are returning to what I am sure has been a challenging, fun-filled event. The members and staff are committed to providing you with the best racing competition possible, and I hope the “off-the-water” activities are just as enjoyable.
My thanks go out to all who have given so much to put this event on! My special thanks go to P/C Tim Hunt, who worked so diligently to bring this event up to its current premier level.
Sincerely
William J. Bredenberg 2010 Commodore
FRIENDS OF THE EVENT
BUFFALO HARBOR SAILING CLUB
THE BICKFORD PAPER COMPANY
since 1957 Serving Buffalo’s Paper Needs
THE BUFFALO CANOE CLUB
HOME OF LIGHTNING FLEET 12
2010 COMPETITORS
TEAM LEWIN
BUFFALO YACHT CLUB - BUFFALO NEW YORK
TIMOTHY LEWIN – SKIPPER
World Ranking - 743
Tim started his sailing career at the Youngstown Yacht Club. Currently a student at the University of Rhode Island, Tim has competed at many levels. Buffalo, NY, placed 16th/51 at the J/22 Eastern Great Lakes Championship, July 2007, as well as 14/43 in 2009. Rochester, NY, JR Olympics, Bronze Medalist. Rochester, NY, CNYRA Jr., LYRA Sears
Quarter-Finals, 2nd place. 2007/2009 BHSC J22 Fleet champion.
Beneteau 36.7 2006 Great Lakes champion and Level regatta 1st place (bow). 2007 Beneteau North Americans top all amateur crew (bow). Tim has participated in the P/C IRA G. ROSS GREAT RACE for the last five years.
NYC GIRL'S TEAM
NATIONAL YACHT CLUB – TORONTO, ONTARIO
ANNE MARIE SHEWFELT – SKIPPER
Women’s Ranking - 139
Anne Marie began sailing at the age of five on her family boat. In sailing school she raced optimists, Albacores, and Lasers before going on to teach. Since then she has raced in many classes including Lightning, J22, J24, J35, J105, Yngling, Sonar, and she loves her 2.4mR. She has
competed numerous times throughout the US, England and Ireland, achieving various awards and titles. In Match Racing, she won the Gay Lynn Memorial Trophy at the Santa Maria Cup in 2001 (highest placed first time skipper at the event). After recently taking up the sport again, Anne Marie and her new team are keen to do as much Match Racing as possible. Although Sailing is a huge passion, off season Anne Marie has been a Volunteer Ski Patroller for over ten years, and is currently completing a Masters in Theology.
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TEAM BECKER
SEVERN SAILING ASSOCIATION – ANNAPOLIS MARYLAND
GEOFF BECKER – SKIPPER
World Ranking - 117
The 2008 and 2009 Winner of the P/C IRA G. ROSS GREAT RACE, Geoff coached college sailing for 16 years (1993-2009) at several top ranked schools. Before he began coaching, he attended the University of California at Irvine where he was selected to the Collegiate
All-American Team three times (1991, 1992 and 1993) and was a member of UCI's National Dinghy Championship Team in 1990. In addition to collegiate coaching, Geoff has participated as part of the US SAILING Team, coaching the US Team at the 2003 and the 2007 Pan American Games. Geoff's match racing experience is rooted as far back as his junior sailing days, where he won the 1987 Governors Cup Junior Match Race. He also skippered in several Prince of Wales (US Match Racing Championship) Regattas finishing 2nd in 1997 and 1999. Currently, Geoff campaigns in both the International Lightning class and the Hobie 16. In the
Lightning Class he won the North American Championship in 2007, was 2nd in 2009 and finished 6th
at the 2009 Lightning World Championship. In 2009, in his first full year in the Hobie 16, he finished
2010 COMPETITORS
TEAM BURY
ROYAL CANADIAN YACHT CLUB TORONTO ONTARIO
SARAH BURY – SKIPPER
World Ranking – 317
Women’s Ranking - 69
Sarah is representing LYRA at the 2010 Ira G. Ross Great Race. She has been match racing for the past two summers as part of RCYC’s match racing program; participating in a weekly match race series and competing at various regattas around the Great Lakes. The highlight of her team’s season last year was a win on home waters at the RCYC Women’s Invitational Match Race regatta. Sarah is also actively involved in the Albacore dinghy fleet in Toronto.
ISV
ST. THOMAS YACHT CLUB – U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
TAYLOR CANFIELD – SKIPPER
World Ranking - 44
Taylor Canfield - Currently attending Boston College and a member of their #1 ranked and National Championship sailing team and head 420 coach at
Chicago Yacht Club in the summer. He is experienced in skippering both dinghies (Club 420, I 420, I 470, FJ’s and Vanguard 15) and keel boats (J24, IC 24, J-22, Sonar, Ideal 18, Balboa 21, Colgate 26, and TOM 28). Taylor has spent the last two years focusing on building his match racing resume by coaching match racing at the new Chicago Match Racing Center and
participating in as many events as possible. Highlights include 1st and 2nd Place at the Carlos Aguilar Match race in the Virgin Islands, two 4th place finishes at
the US Sailing Match Racing National Championship, 1st place finish at July
Chicago Match Race, 1st place finish at the Stolze Cup, 5th place finish at the Detroit Cup, and a 3rd place at last year's Great Race in Buffalo NY. Taylor has also established himself in fleet racing winning two 420 North American Championships and two High
School National Championships. He is currently ranked 43rd in ISAF open match race rankings.
SANTA MONICA WINDJAMMERS YACHT CLUB
MARINA del REY CALIFORNIA
KIM STUART – SKIPPER
World Ranking – 1205
Women’s Ranking - 116
Actively one design fleet racing in Southern California for the past several years, Kim owns and campaigns a Schock 35. Recent racing adventures have included sailing with all female teams in Mexico and the Caribbean, as well as chartering boats for mixed crew events such as Rolex Big Boat Series. Still new to match racing, Kim's resume includes the New Zealand and
Canadian Women's National Championships, along with Harken Cup in Sydney, and last year’s Great Race.
2010 COMPETITORS
NATIONAL YACHT CLUB TORONTO ONTARIO
NORRKOPINGS SEGELSALLSKAP SWEDEN
MAGNUS SANDBERG – SKIPPER
World Ranking - 874
Magnus has experience in skippering dinghies, keel boats, high
performance catamarans, International 14 Foot Skiffs, up to the Tall Ships found in the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta. His experience extends beyond regatta competition and championships in countries around the world to include sailing across the Atlantic Ocean. He was the Swedish national champion 5 years in a row in the biggest 2 man boat fleet in Scandinavia (Scandinavian type 470 dinghy) and Swedish national
champion in sprint (similar to match racing but with heats of 6 boats). 12th
in J80 World championship and 3rd place in Eurocard Round Gotland Race (One of the world’s
largest offshore races with 300+ participating boats), skippering a Beneteau First 36.7. Magnus is both a competitor and educator in match racing. He competed in the match racing tour in Sweden (however with fleet racing as the primary focus) and has been teaching match racing tactics on a regular basis. Currently living in Canada he has been active in high performance catamarans and Melges 24. Magnus is now committed to match racing and is starting up a match racing club in Toronto.
751 RACING
PYMATUNING YACHT CLUB – CLEVELAND, OHIO
MAEGAN RUHLMAN – SKIPPER
World Ranking - 311
Women’s - 50
Maegan began sailing at the age of four at Pymatuning Yacht Club, in Jamestown, PA. Beginning in optimists, she sailed a variety of boats
throughout her career as a junior sailor, before finding her way to the Lightning Class around the age of 16. After having many successful years fleet racing in a very competitive Lightning Class, including multiple appearances at North American and World Championships, Maegan has switched her focus from fleet racing to Match Racing. Though relatively new to the sport of Match Racing, Maegan and her team have dedicated their time and effort over the past year towards learning the ins and outs of the game, and continue to look for ways to improve. Though her main passion is sailing, it remains a hobby in lieu of her job as the Middle and Upper School Admission Officer at Laurel School, a K-12 private all-girls’ school in Shaker Heights, Ohio.
2010 COMPETITORS
VAN TOL MATCH RACING
BAYVIEW YACHT CLUB – DETROIT MICHIGAN
CHRIS VANTOL – SKIPPER
World Ranking - 60
JOHN VANTOL
MICHAEL B. HOEY
The VanTol Match Racing Team was formed with Chris helming alongside his brother John and a group of young Detroit area sailors in various junior
match racing venues. A professional career in the marine insurance industry has allowed his team, primarily consisting of John and veteran
Michael B. Hoey, to put together an aggressive racing schedule. The team has extensive match racing experience and currently has an ISAF USA ranking of #2 and a world ranking of #57. Chris and his team have
captured first place in the 1999 Young American Match Racing Championship, 2003 -2007 USMRC Area E/K, and 2006 & 2008 Detroit Cup Grade 3 Qualifier. In
2005 they also finished 2nd at the US Match Racing Championship. The team has competed in the
several Richardson Cups, Bermuda Gold Cups, Detroit Cups and represented the United States at the 2008 Congressional Cup. VTMRT highlighted wins include 2007 Knickerbocker Cup and 2009
Richardson Cup. www.vantolmatchracing.org
NEW ORLEANS
LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN WOMEN’S SAILING ASSOCIATION
NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA
LOUISE BIENVENU – SKIPPER
World Ranking - 1043
Women’s - 105
Louise Bienvenu is the skipper of Team New Orleans, a women's match race team that has been competing nationally and internationally for six years.
Louise didn't step foot on a boat until she was 30, when she began sailing out of the New Orleans Yacht Club in the PHRF division. She got hooked on One Design, bought a J22, and began to compete in the local
J22 fleet. Now Louise sails her Finn against the guys (but only in light Southern breezes) and travels from coast to coast on the women's match race circuit.
Louise is an attorney for AIDSLaw, a non-profit law firm representing HIV+ clients in Louisiana. She founded the Lake Pontchartrain Women's Sailing Association in 2003, and served again as Commodore 2008
2010 UMPIRES
DAVID PELLING (CAN) IU / IJ
David is a retired aeronautical engineer living in Montréal. . He has been
umpiring match racing since 1991 and has been an IU and IJ since 1995. David has umpired many Grade 1, Swedish Match and World Match Racing Tour events and was on the umpiring team for the 1999/2000, 2003/2003 and 2005/2007 Louis Vuitton Cups. He was chief Judge at CORK from 1997 until 2007.
ANGELO BUSCEMI (USA) IU / IJ
A native Buffalonian, Angelo lives in Washington, DC and sails out of Annapolis and Eastport Yacht Clubs. He has served on the umpire team for many ISAF graded events including the Congressional Cup, Internationaux de France, Santa Maria Cup, and the inaugural Women’s Match Race at the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta. Angelo has also served as a judge for the past two US
Olympic Team Trials and served on US Sailing’s Judges Training and Testing Committee.
GARY SHOEMAKER IU / NJ USA
Gary is an ISAF International Umpire and US Sailing Senior Judge. He is a member of Bayview Yacht Club, North Star Sail Club, and Port Huron Yacht Club. He resides in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan with his wife and two daughters. As a competitor, Gary has raced for more than 40 years including 30 NOOD Regattas and 25 Bayview Mackinac Races. He has been a certified as a National Umpire since 2004 and International Umpire since 2009. Gary has umpired in both North and South America, including the United States Match Racing Championship, The Nations Cup, and the Congressional Cup.
KATHY DYER (CAN) IJ / NU
Kathy hails from Hamilton, Ontario and has been an IJ since 2006, officiating at a variety of local, national and international events, such as the Laser Worlds, CORK, Richardson Trophy and the Great Race. She serves on the CYA Racing Rules Committee and chairs the Ontario Sailing and LYRA Appeals Committees. Kathy campaigned as crew on a J24 for many years and has competed in the
2010 UMPIRES
WILLIAM THORPE (USA) IJ / NU
Bill is an International Judge and US Sailing Umpire and Senior Judge. He is a member of the US Sailing Judges Committee. He resides in Grosse Pointe
Farms, MI and is a member and Past Commodore of Bayview Yacht Club. He has raced Etchells for many years and is a veteran of over 50 Mackinac races. He has umpired match races throughout the U.S. and Canada including several Great Races and Richardson Competitions.
KATIE COLEMAN NICOLL (CAN) NU / NJ
Katie lives in Toronto and is a member of the Port Credit YC. She has umpired the Great Race for six years, Stolze Cup, York Club, Canadian Women’s Match race, and served as a judge for the 2009 Canada Summer Games. In August of 2006 she was the Chief Umpire for the Combined Past Commodore Ira G. Ross Great Race, Stolze Cup and Shore Sails Cup held at the BYC. She was chosen to be an observer with the international jurors at the 2007 Volvo Youth Worlds. While
growing up at the BCC she sailed lightnings, albacores, and lasers. She has campaigned in 4 Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championships, including 2009 with her daughter. Katie campaigns her J/24 in local, national, and
international events with her son in the cockpit and her daughter on bow.
RICK SULLIVAN (USA) NJ
Rick grew up sailing in Rochester and attended college at Georgetown University where he participated in college sailing and subsequently coached the sailing team for 2 years. After sailing in Annapolis for 8 years he moved back to Rochester where he competed in the Soling and Sonar classes, attending several national and international regattas. He has been active over the years in regatta
organization at the Rochester Yacht Club. He is US SAILING Senior Judge where he has been active both national and international events. Currently he is
organizing both match racing and team racing events at RYC. Rick is both a Match Race and Team Race Umpire in training and has officiated at the IRA G. ROSS GREAT RACE for the past 3 years.
2010 UMPIRES
JOHN TRACY (USA)
John is a native Buffalonian. He and his wife Deb live in Tonawanda, NY . He has been sailing competitively for 30 years. He currently owns a Shark, Wavewacker USA 1757, which he sails out of Niagara-on-the- Lake, Ontario. John has
competed in several Worlds and won 2 US Shark Championships. In addition to big boat sailing, John designs, builds and races Radio Controlled sailboats in 6 different classes. He has competed in over 15 RC National Championships, won one and placed second 5 times in different classes. John attended the US Sailing Umpires program in Buffalo and has umpired at the 2007, 2008 and 2009 IRA G.ROSS GREAT RACE and the 2008 and 2009 Richardson Trophy Race. He is a US Sailing certified Club Race Officer and is the PRO for the Tuesday night J/22 and China Light Series in Buffalo. He is currently working towards his US Sailing National Umpire Certification.
YUKI TAKAHASHI ( JPN ) NJ
Yuki lives in Tokyo and enjoys sailing in Tokyo bay.
He is a Japan Sailing Federation (JSAF) National Judge and a Club Race Officer. He used to live in the United States for many years. Yuki has been umpiring match racing since 2006. He has served as an umpire at the following events in Japan: All Japan Match Race Championship/Asia-Pacific Match Race in 2006, JYMA Queens Match Race 2006, 2007, Kururu Match Race in Hayama 2009, Wakasu Match Race 2010, while in the United States Yuki participated as an umpire in the Governors Cup 2008 and the IRA G. ROSS GREAT RACE 2008. Yuki is currently working towards his JSAF National Umpire Certification.
GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES
The event would like to extend a sincere thanks to the following Governmental
entities for their support.
US NAVY OPERATIONAL SUPPORT CENTER BUFFALO
US COAST GUARD
ERIE COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT
CITY OF BUFFALO POLICE DEPARTMENT
Volunteers
The event wishes to thank the following volunteers for their support of the event.
RACE COMMITTEE
Tom Lewin
Jamie Clement
Joe Weppner
Dan Massing
Flo Vach
Bonnie McAuley
Bob Dobmeier
Joe Ritzert
Dave Nieman
CREW HOLDING AND REPAIR
Bud Jordan
Doug Bienko
Charles Obersheimer
UMPIRE AND TEAM HOUSING
Thomas Tepas
Thomas Lewin
John Pettis
Charles Obersheimer
John Sanderson
Michael & Joanne Barry
Dr. Merrily Kuhn
James Knodziela
Edward Gawarecki
Dick Ham
Bill Bredenberg
Paul Johnson
COMPETITOR BOATS
UMPIRE AND SUPPORT BOATS
Tom Tepas
Peter Johnson
Doug Bienko
Chris Mierzwa
Andy Ryan
Dr. Rick Sullivan
Mark Dad
Gary Shoemaker
Mark Stuhlmiller
Jim Fronzak
BYC Club Boats
RCR Yachts
BCC
EVENT FORMAT AND LOCATION
EVENT FORMAT
Weather Conditions permitting, each team will race against every other team at least once between Friday and Saturday. All teams will rotate through the six boats available in a preplanned order. Sunday’s races will determine 1st through 4th place. With match racing there are only two boats in a race. Once the starting signal is given, it doesn’t matter how long the boats take to cross the starting line, the only object being to be the first across the finish line. A pair of umpires follows each pair of racing boats and decides protests on the spot. Each umpire is assigned one of the racing boats and becomes the advocate for that boat. The umpires decide on the spot whether an alleged rule infraction stands or is invalidated, and they communicate this to the racing boats by flying a flag. The offending boat must take a penalty turn,
although under most circumstances the penalty turn doesn’t have to be taken immediately. The type of penalty turn varies depending on which leg the boat is sailing when the skipper decides to take the penalty turn i.e. when sailing upwind the penalty is a gybe followed by a return to a close-hauled course and when sailing downwind the penalty is a tack followed by a return to a downwind course.
The boats are pre-assigned a side of the course from which to start the race, and the side is indicated by a yellow or a blue flag attached to the backstay. One of the umpires is the yellow boat’s umpire and the other the blue boat’s umpire, and in signaling a penalty a yellow or blue flag is flown from the umpires’ boat. Since an impending penalty doesn’t require immediate satisfaction, the skippers will usually wait until an opportune time to satisfy it. This is usually on an upwind leg or immediately before the race end so that it can be done without involving the spinnaker.
COURSE AREA
The course is located behind a west breakwall of Buffalo’s Harbor and stretches back to the east where it meets land. Spectators can secure a good view of the start area from Buffalo’s Erie Basin Marina as shown in the picture below. The prevailing wind is from the Southwest.
EVENT SPONSORS
P/C IRA G. ROSS GREAT RACE
ENDOWMENT FUND
