| They came, they saw, they didn’t quite conquer
Amy Linton
Davis Island yacht club’s Coppa dei Campioni team, headed by Jeff Linton, and
crewed by Mike Gable and Mark Taylor, put up a valiant challenge for the “Cup
of Champions” in Sardinia, Italy in July. Alas, they did not sail to the
very top of the fleet, but the three skippers above them were world champions.
In point of fact, all ten skippers at the event were world champions. This
regatta is a prestigious event where a select group of sailors -- each
skipper having won a world championship in the previous year -- is invited to
a match race that will determine who is the champion among champions.
The sailors competed aboard the yacht club’s fleet of German Frers-designed
Smeralda 888, which the club keeps for events like the Coppa dei Campioni.
The boats are nearly 30 feet long, looking something like an overpowered
Etchell with an extra-tall rig and a modern bulb keel.
The competitors included:
Alessandra Sensini, Italy, 7 time Mistral World Champ
Lorenzo Bressani, Italy, ILC-25 and IMS World Champ
Vasco Vascotto, Italy, ILC-30, Sydney 40, and J-24 World Champ (9 titles
altogether)
Pierre-Andre Bonjour, Switzerland, 8-meter World Champ
Tom King, Australia, 2-time 470 World Champ
Santiago Lopez, Spain, 49er World Champ
Christoph Skolaut, Austria, Yngling World Champ
Gustavo Warburg, Argentina, Soling World Champ
Sofia Bekatorou, Greece, 2-time 470 Worlds
Jeff Linton, USA, Lightning World Champ
After two hours to try out the boats before racing, the ten teams were split
into two groups, and within the groups the skippers competed once against
each other. The top four then went on to the next round. Jeff and team made
it into the semi-finals, but could not hold boatspeed against the other
competitors when the Mistral breeze blew in. As the wind picked up over 15,
over 20, over 25, the Davis Island team simply didn’t have the speed upwind.
Local sailor Vasco Vascotto won the event, with Bressani of Italy second, and
Santiago Lopez third. The DIYC team was just one race out of the final round,
and the other sailors could be heard worrying in various languages about the
Americans. By way of consolation as well, Linton was the top finishing
centerboard skipper -- Lopez, Bressani, and Vascotto were all keelboat
champions.
The team would like to thank a legion of supporters from the Davis Island
Yacht Club and the area. The following is a partial list of helpers,
sponsors, supporters, training partners, and good friends who helped get this
team to Italy and back again:
Commodore Frank Selph, Pat O'Neal, Robert Hill, Sarah Smith, Henry Moore, Jay
Tyson, Max Dufany, Allen Cappellin, Tracey Milvain, Brian Richardson
David Toland & Angela Max, Richard Borde, Ed Collins, Dave Clement, King
Purton, Mike Horan, Jeff Siewert, Dave Bell, Barb Wolf, Cheryl & John Hodges,
Beth Farrel, Howie & Vi Smith, Robin Clement & Jeep, Heinrich and Joann
Rodewald, Zef & Oona Fessenden, John & Kyle Linton, Dar & Robert Hill, Pat
Linton, Judy Sutfin, Jamey Rabbitt, Maggie Liss, Jack & Bonnie Sevier, Don &
Tanya Highnote, Lou Putney, Brooke Milvain & Brian Malone, Amanda Hus & Pat
Crump, Steve & Paula Leonardo, Tim Rumen, Kate Ross, Reggie Atkins, Nate
Villardebo, Bill Iceley, Jeff Siewert, Bill and Nancy Curtis, Dave Bell &
Susan Cintron, Bill and Nancy Curtis as well as Dr. John Jennings, Morton
Christianssen, Ed Baird, Mike Milvain, Rod Koch, Stuart DeLisser, Bill Mauk,
Evan Brown/Sears Cup Team: Josh Willis, Alyson Dagly Kristen Britt, Jean &
Randy Marks, Pat Feinberg, Cameron Carlin, Matt Mulock, John Humphries
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Photos by Tony Miro© - www.sailboatspecs.com |
