TERRA NOVA TRADING KEY WEST 2003 /
JANUARY 20-24
www.Premiere-Racing.com
Dec. 9, 2002 For Immediate Release
KEY WEST ON CHRISTMAS LISTS AROUND THE WORLD
Another Strong International Fleet Prepares for
January Racing
KEY WEST, Fla.---Let's see, tie for
dad, cookbook for the mother-in-law, gloves for the sail trimmers
and entry form in the mail for Terra Nova Trading Key West
2003. That ought to do it.
So goes the holiday list for the world's
most serious sailors this side of Auckland who plan to race
in the 16th edition of the premier winter regatta Jan. 20-24.
Most will have filed before the early entry deadline of Wednesday,
Dec. 11 at 1700 EST (fees increase thereafter). The current
entry list is on the event Web site.
New "names" to be reckoned
with are Steve Phillips of Arnold, Md., and Deneen Demourkas
of Santa Barbara, who finished a surprising one-two in the
recent 2002 Rolex Farr 40 Worlds in the Bahamas. Earlier,
Phillips has been better known for his success in a J/105.
Robert L. Johnstone of J/Boats pointed
out, "In September he also won the 2002 J/105 North American
Championship in Chicago in a 50-boat fleet, after winning
at Annapolis in 2000. Combine that with the Farr 40 Worlds
and you'd have to say that he's topped two of the most competitive
owner/driver one-design classes one could sail in."
Time will tell, but Phillips, CEO of
the Phillips Seafood Empire, has been on a steep learning
curve. He placed 16th among 25 Farr 40s at Key West last January
when he first took on this international class.
He had San Diego's Mark Reynolds, the
Star boat supremo and ISAF World Sailor of the Year in 2000,
as his tactician, although Reynolds will sail on Philippe
Kahn's Melges 24 at Key West. Other Farr 40s will pick from
the usual pool of world-class tacticians including Paul Cayard,
Ian Percy, Robbie Haines, Stu Bannatyne and Chris Larson,
to name but a few.
Even without Phillips, the J/105s will
present an exceptionally strong turnout of perhaps 30 boats,
including Gigi, David Wagner's entry from Chicago that finished
third last January. He also was second in the Chicago NOOD
Regatta and second in the solo Chicago-Mac race in June, although
he isn't a dedicated weekend warrior.
"I only race the boat three weekends
in the summer and two in the winter," Wagner said. "I
have two little children, so I mostly cruise with the family.
But it's better to do a little racing rather than none at
all, especially when you can do it at incredible venues like
Key West."
The number of J/105 entries will be
topped only by the Melges 24s. Overall, J/Boats will comprise
three classes---J/105, J/80 and J/29---with more than a light
sprinkling of other J/Boats throughout the PHRF fleets. All
told, they’re about one-fourth of the total entry list.
The Melges fleet will be bolstered by
two entries from the Team Pegasus stable---Kahn and Reynolds
on one and Kahn's 13-year-old son Samuel, a.k.a. "Shark,"
on the other.
The international aura continues to grow with competitors
from 15 countries and others facing free time as the Louis
Vuitton Cup challenger trials for the America's Cup continue.
Italy's Vincenzo Onorato has already changed plans following
the elimination of Mascalzone Latino, which also freed up
tactician Flavio Favini, who won the delayed 2001 Melges 24
world championship at the regatta last January.
Onorato and his Farr 40 Mascalzone Latino
team (translation: "Latin Rascal") have chartered
Breeze. Favini, helming again for Franco Rossini meets the
new Melges 24 ruling duo, Harry Melges and Jeff Ecklund, on
another of four race courses.
One-design classes include the 1D35,
Farr 40, J/105, J/80, J/29, Mumm 30, Melges 24 and Corsair
28R trimarans. The Tartan Tens and Henderson 30s have built
their numbers to one-design "sub-class" status this
year - competing as groups within a PHRF class.
The PHRF presence remains strong, enhanced
by the recent entry of Andrew Fisher's Swan 56, Vanish 2,
from Greenwich, Conn. Santa Cruz 70s---Steve Gagne’s
Renegade and Bill Alcott’s Equation---are at one end
of the scale. John Burgess' Wavelength 24, Outtasight, from
Gulfport, Miss. is at the other. In between there’s
the Transpac 52s, a new Farr 36 and the returning PHRF Boat
of the Week, Othmar Mueller von Blumencron’s Beneteau
1st 40.2 Dame Blanche.
Sponsors include Terra Nova Trading
L.L.C., Mount Gay Rum, RealTick(r), Lewmar Marine, Nautica
Watches, Nautica Eyewear, Pearson Yachts, Samson Rope Technologies,
Saucony and the Florida Keys & Key West Tourist Development
Council. The Historic Seaport at the Key West Bight is the
Official Site.
The Performance Sailing Industry Partner
Program is in its second year, with 24 members at press time.
Participating companies and details about the program are
on the event web site.
Racing is scheduled Monday through Friday,
Jan. 20-24, on four circles off the south shore of the island.
Registration is on Sunday, Jan. 19. The regatta is open to
entries in PHRF, one-design and IMS classes of 24 to 85 feet
LOA. PHRF entries must have a rating of 175 or lower.
CONTACTS
PREMIERE RACING, Inc. 67B Front Street,
Marblehead, MA, 01945,
Tel: (781)639-9545, Fax: (781) 639-9171
Event Email: KWInfo@Premiere-Racing.com
Event Web Site: www.Premiere-Racing.com
Terra Nova Online: www.TerraNovaOnline.com
PRESS OFFICER
Rich Roberts
(310) 835-2526
richsail@earthlink.net
