SANCTIONED
event
EVENT BOOK
2011 Great Lakes International Challenge Cup
Past Commodore IRA G. ROSS GREAT RACE
For the James H. Righter Trophy
And
US SAILING Group E/K Qualifying Event
For the United States Match Racing
Championship
Buffalo Yacht Club
Buffalo, New York, USA
June 9
th
through 12
th
, 2011
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
All Events other than racing are at the BYC Buffalo Clubhouse
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Team Check-in- 1500 – 1800 hours
Opening Reception: 1800 – 2000 hours
Umpire Meeting – 1830 hours - Mandatory Skippers Briefing 1900 hours
Complimentary 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 ($25.00 ++ Ticketed Entry)
Two Bands - First Tropical Explosion - Second Gimme Buffett
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
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.
BUFFALO HARBOR SAILING CLUB
THE BICKFORD PAPER COMPANY
since 1957 Serving Buffalo’s Paper Needs
COMMODORE’S WELCOME
Dear Competitors,
It gives me great pleasure in welcoming you to the 7th annual, IRA G. ROSS GREAT RACE and
the Buffalo Yacht Club. The BYC is steeped in traditions and history. We have the distinct honor of being one of the oldest yacht clubs in North America; having just celebrated our 150th anniversary last year.
This year the race committee, headed by P/C Tim Hunt, has worked hard and diligently to make this event competitive and fun. Many activities have been planned for both on and off the water. We are pleased to welcome David Perry who will be giving a clinic on Advanced Match Racing on
Wednesday and Thursday, June 8thand 9th. In addition on Friday evening we will have the BYC
Caribbean night with live music for your dancing pleasure.
I look forward to meeting all of you over the race weekend; please enjoy our fine club and city. I would like to congratulate all of the participants in advance and may the winds and seas be favorable for this GREAT RACE.
Sincerely,
Emanuel Gambacorta
Manny Gambacorta2011 COMPETITORS
TEAM BUFFALO YACHT CLUB
CONNOR GODFREY - SKIPPER
US SAILING ID: 659474S
ISAF ID: USACG80
ISAF RANKING: UNRANKED
GRADED EVENTS: 0
GRADING POINTS: 0
SKIPPER TYPE: GROUP E/K
YACHT CLUB: BUFFALO YACHT CLUB
BUFFALO NY
SAILING RESUME
I have competed at competitive regattas in several classes, usually in the Lightning and 420 classes. Some of my highlights include 1st place in the 2009 Lightning Junior North Americans, participation in
the Ecuador Lightning Junior World Championship, and 5th place at the 2010 420 Midwinter
Championship. In addition to fleet racing, I have team raced with my school against top ranked teams in the ISSA circuit. This will be my first time as skipper in a match race event, last year I
crewed with Maegan Ruhlman. That experience showed me how much fun match racing can be, and I look forward to the competition.
GIGA RACING TEAM / BRAZILIAN NAVY
HENRIQUE HADDAD – SKIPPER
BRAZILIAN ID:
ISAF ID: BRAHH3
ISAF RANKING: 22
GRADED EVENTS: 8
GRADING POINTS: 7595
SKIPPER TYPE: OPEN
YACHT CLUB: MARINHA DO BRASIL
SAO FRANCISCO DO SUL BRAZIL
SAILING RESUME
The team was established in 2007 and has been conquering a strong position in the South American
and world match race scenario after 2 South American titles and the 2nd place in the Nations Cup
GRAND FINAL 2009. The Team was chosen to represent the Brazilian Navy in the 5th World Military Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro in July of 2011. Crew: Mario Trindade, Felipe Haddad, Pedro Caldas
TEAM SHADOW
STEVE LOWERY - SKIPPER
US SAILING ID: 128155W
ISAF ID: USASL11
ISAF RANKING: 87
GRADED EVENTS: 8
GRADING POINTS: 5157
SKIPPER TYPE: GROUP E/K
YACHT CLUB: CHICAGO MATCH RACE CENTER
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
SAILING RESUME
Steve Lowery is a graduate of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland and has won US Sailing’s Single Handed Championship, the Beneteau 40.7 North Americans and finished second in the U.S. Laser Nationals. He competed in the Olympic Trials in Atlanta in Lasers in 1996 and raced on the Mumm30 circuit nationally afterwards. His recent focus has been on the match race format with a record of improving results. Steve lives in Highland Park, Illinois near Chicago, and is married with two young boys.
TEAM SHANNON
DOUG SHANNON - SKIPPER
US SAILING ID: 332232J
ISAF ID: USADS29
ISAF RANKING: 176
Graded Events: 8
Grading Points: 3250
SKIPPER TYPE: OPEN
YACHT CLUB: OAKCLIFF SAILING CENTER
OYSTER BAY, NEW YORK
SAILING RESUME
Doug has competed in over 50 graded match race events including the GREAT RACE in 2009 and is happy to return to Buffalo (his birth place).
He is an active participant in the match racing program at the Oakcliff Sailing Center in Oyster Bay, New York, in their fleet of Swedish Match 40’s. Oakcliff is hosting over a dozen graded events in 2011, including 4 Grade 3’s. Doug competed in the J105 class from 2002 to 2009 but starting in 2010 is dedicated to match racing - since there is now so much more match racing going on in the US. He is also active as a match racing coach, umpire, event organizer, and videographer (including live streaming commentary at the 2010 Knickerbocker Cup).
2011 COMPETITORS
.
TEAM BECKER
GEOFF BECKER – SKIPPER
US SAILING ID: 177204P
ISAF ID: USAGB25
ISAF RANKING: 80
GRADED EVENTS: 7
GRADING POINTS: 5265
SKIPPER TYPE: OPEN
YACHT CLUB: SEVERN SAILING ASSOCIATION
ANNAPOLIS MARYLAND
SAILING RESUME
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 Governor’s 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 5th at the North American Championship and was the top American finisher.
BENNETT MATCH RACING
SHAWN A. BENNETT – SKIPPER
US SAILING ID: 188618C
ISAF ID: USASB42
ISAF RANKING: 129
GRADED EVENTS: 5
GRADING POINTS: 4026
SKIPPER TYPE: OPEN
YACHT CLUB: ST. FRANCIS YACHT CLUB
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
SAILING RESUME
Shawn Bennett has over 20 years of match racing experience starting in the late 80’s crewing in events such as the Congressional Cup, Knickerbocker Cup and the Liberty Cup with multiple top finishes achieved. After over a decade away from match racing Shawn has rediscovered his
enjoyment for this exciting aspect of our sport and has quickly found his way into some great events, with some promising results. Most noteworthy being his victory at the 2010 USMRC in Bayview Detroit, which has qualified him to represent the US in the 2011 Nations Cup being held in
Sheboygan WI. With this he has built a Team that will include Dave Perry and Craig Healey at the Nations cup and events leading up to it.
TEAM SEVEN FIVE ONE RACING
MAEGAN RUHLMAN- SKIPPER
US SAILING ID: 286886O
ISAF ID: USAMR49
ISAF RANKING: 229 (OPEN) 32 (WOMEN)
GRADED EVENTS: 7 (OPEN) 8 (WOMEN)
GRADING POINTS: 2637 (OPEN) 5307 (WOMEN)
SKIPPER TYPE: GROUP E/K
YACHT CLUB: PYMATUNING YACHT CLUB
JAMESTOWN PENNSYLVANIA
SAILING RESUME
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. Maegan and her team have dedicated their time and effort over the past two years towards learning the ins and outs of the game, and continue to look for ways to improve. The team’s top finishes in 2010 were winning the
Sundance Cup, placing 3rd at the US Women’s Match Racing Championship, and 5th at the Rolex
Osprey Cup. Maegan and her team opened up the 2011 season by competing in the USSTAG Women’s Qualifiers in January and repeated their 2010 first place at the 2011 Sundance Cup in March.
Though her main passion is sailing, it remains a hobby in lieu of her job in Alumnae Relations at Laurel School, a K-12 private all-girls’ school in Shaker Heights, Ohio.
BERNOULLI PROCESS
MARK A. JOHNSON - SKIPPER
US SAILING: 228641X
ISAF SAILOR ID: USAMJ26
ISAF RANKING: 116
GRADED EVENTS: 8
GRADING POINTS: 4208
SKIPPER TYPE: GROUP E/K
YACHT CLUB: NEENAH NODAWAY YACHT CLUB
NEENAH, WISCONSON
SAILING RESUME
With a team consisting of Dierk Polzin and a small group of Midwest sailors, Mark has been match racing since 2007. Starting in Lasers and other small dinghies and small keelboats before entering match racing, Mark and his teammates have competed in The Richardson Trophy Regatta 4 times, the US Match Racing Championships 3 times, and several qualifying and Grade 3 events throughout the Midwest.
2011 COMPETITORS
TEAM NATIONAL YACHT CLUB
MAGNUS SANDBERG - SKIPPER
CANADIAN SAILING: 4940
SWEDEN SAILING: 5490102
ISAF ID: SWEMS5
ISAF RANKING: 204
GRADED EVENTS: 4
GRADING POINTS: 2946
SKIPPER TYPE: GROUP E/K
YACHT CLUB: NATIONAL YACHT CLUB, TORONTO CA
YACHT CLUB: NORRKOPINGS SEGELSALLSKAP
WORLDS END 7 VIKOLANDET SWEDEN
SAILING RESUME
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 now lives in Canada and has been active in high performance catamarans and Melges 24.
Magnus is both a competitor and educator in match racing. He competed in the match racing tour in Sweden and has been teaching match racing tactics on a regular basis. Magnus is now committed to match racing and is starting up a match racing club in Toronto. He is building a new match racing
team and participated in 8 match racing events in 2010. One of the highlights 2010 was finishing 5th
at the Open Swedish March Racing Championship, sailing against and beating teams with current or past match racing world raking of top 5.
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 ISAF 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. David
has been the Chief Umpire for THE GREAT RACE since 2009.
ROB OVERTON (USA) IU
Rob is a retired mathematician and inventor, living with his wife Andi on their cruising sailboat, currently off the Caribbean coast of Panama.
He sailed J/24’s and Lasers for 20 years in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area before leaving for blue water. He has been a US SAILING certified Umpire since 1993, and an ISAF IU since 2006. He has been a US Senior Judge for many years. While his primary focus is team racing, he has umpired at several Grade 1 and World Match Race Tour events. He is Chairman of the US SAILING Racing Rules Committee.
KATHY DYER (CAN) IJ / NU
Kathy hails from Hamilton, Ontario and has been an ISAF 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 Trafalgar Cup and Ontario Sailing match racing events.
WILLIAM THORPE (USA) IJ / NU
Bill is an ISAF 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.
2011 EVENT UMPIRES
HANS C. GRAF (USA) NU
Hans is a lifelong sailor. He started sailing Lightnings as a young man, and sailed for Ken Legler at Tufts University in College. He spent many years crewing aboard Santa Cruz 70’s based in his home town of Sheboygan, WI. In 2005 Hans, served as founding President for Sail Sheboygan an organization founded to host major sailing regattas. In 2008 Sail Sheboygan formed a Match Racing Center that later became a primary training ground for US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics Match Racers, and a United States Sailing Center. Hans has been umpiring match and team racing since 2008.
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 seven 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 P/C 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 GREAT RACE since 2007.
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 GREAT RACE since 2007 and at the 2008 and 2009 Richardson Trophy Regatta. 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.
EVENT PRO
WILLIAM CANFIELD
Virgin Island resident for over 35 years and has been involved in the sport of sailing all his life. He is a Past Commodore of the St. Thomas Yacht Club where he has been a member there since 1975.
With over 20 years of experience as a Race Officer he has recently been serving as the PRO at Chicago Match Race Center the past two summers and is also PRO for the Carlos Aguilar Match Race in St. Thomas. Last year he served as PRO for the Canada Cup Challenge.
GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES
The event would like to extend a sincere thanks to the following Governmental
entities for their support.
US COAST GUARD
ERIE COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT
VOLUNTEERS
The event wishes to thank the following volunteers for their support of the event.
RACE COMMITTEE
Bob Ihrig – Committee Boat Skipper and Owner
JoAnn Ihrig – Committee Boat Owner
William Canfield – Event PRO
Joe Ritzert – Line Judge
Bonnie McAuley – Timer
Flo Vach - Timer
Mike McGee – Signal 1
Judy Cole – Signal 2
Nancy Robinson – Backup Signal
Tom Lewin – Pin Boat
Jamie Clement – Pin Boat
Bob Kaine – Pin Boat
Margaret Kaine – Pin Boat
Chuck Chilcott – Mark Set
Thomas Gaffney – Mark Set
CREW HOLDING AND REPAIR
Doug Bienko
Chris Mierzwa
Michael Berry
UMPIRE AND TEAM HOUSING
Kevin Gregory
Thomas Lewin
Paul Grenauer
Charles Obersheimer
John Sanderson
Michael & Joanne Barry
Dr. Merrily Kuhn
James Kondziela
Edward Gawarecki
Dick Ham
Bill Bredenberg
Paul Johnson
COMPETITOR BOATS
UMPIRE AND SUPPORT BOATS
Dan Gradwell
Peter Johnson
Doug Bienko
Chris Mierzwa
Mark Dadd
Dr. Rick Sullivan
Mark Stuhlmiller
Jim Fronzak
Brad & Laurin Derrick
RCR Yachts
Adam Masters
BYC Club Boats
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.
No sailing permitted on this side of the red line due to current and shallow water
GREAT RACE ACTION 2010
BUFFALO HARBOR
