NAUTICA 2002 STAR CLASS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
California Yacht Club/Aug. 18-23
http://www.starworlds2002.com
Aug. 11, 2002 For Immediate Release
IRISH UNKNOWNS SHOCK BIG NAMES AND SELVES IN WORLDS
TUNE-UP
 |
| The 74-boat fleet starts off
a split line in the King of Spain Regatta, the final tune-up
to the Nautica 2002 Star Class World Championship Aug.
18-23. |
MARINA DEL REY, Calif.---To say Irish
eyes were smiling at the end of the California Yacht Club's
King of Spain Regatta Sunday would be an understatement. They
were flabbergasted with joy after this final tune-up for the
Nautica 2002 Star Class World Championship Aug. 18-23.
The 73-year-old event had never seen
as large or strong a field, including seven world champions
and the current No. 1-ranked sailor in the class. But the
name to be engraved on the silver replica of a 15th-century
Spanish galleon donated by the late King Alphonse won't be
Reynolds, Loof, Buchan, Cayard, Brun, Beashel, Macdonald or
Van der Ploeg. They weren't even in the running.
Try Max Treacy, 24, and crew Anthony
Shanks, 30, a pair of Dublin lads sailing for the Royal St.
George Yacht Club. They slew those dragons and several other
celebrities in the 74-boat field with a modest string of 8-18-6-5
finishes. That's three results in the top 10, one more than
anyone else managed in Santa Monica Bay's devious zephyrs
and easily the highlight of the 18 months they've been racing
a Star.
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| Unsung Irishmen Max Treacy and
Anthony Shanks are pleasantly shocked as they are shown
the scoresheet of their victory. |
"Wow!" Treacy exclaimed when
he was shown the final standings at the dock. "And we
won by a mile."
The Augie Diaz/Christian Finnsgard duo
from Florida and Sweden were nine points behind, 37-46, after
leading the first day. San Francisco's Howie Shiebler, with
local crew Rick Peters, was another point back in third after
winning the final race in a runaway.
Sunday's other winner, Bill Buchan of
Seattle, won two of his three Star Worlds before Treacy was
born. Sailing with Mark Brink, he wound up ninth overall---obviously
still competitive at 67. Like Shiebler, they sailed into command
from the pin end of the two-part line and led at every mark
in the light and streaky winds of 6 to 8 knots. The air temperature
peaked at 75 (F.).
Canada's Ross Macdonald and crew Eric
Jespersen were eighth---the top performing former world champions.
A summary of the others' efforts was offered by Paul Cayard,
who was 16th with Hal Haenel: "This regatta is going
to make some people famous---people you never heard of."
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| Bill Buchan, 67, and crew Mark
Brink won this race to show they'll be a threat in the
Star Worlds starting next Sunday. |
Treacy and Shanks might qualify for
that distinction. They were 32nd in last year's Worlds at
Medemblik, The Netherlands, but they aren't counting on it
being as easy starting next Sunday.
"I have to think there are a lot
of guys that weren't trying as hard as they will be in the
Worlds," Treacy said.
Double world and Olympic champion Mark
Reynolds of San Diego was 19th, sailing with crew Magnus Liljedahl,
whose weekend was clouded by concern for his girl friend,
Kimberly Birkenfeld, 37, of Miami. Sailing a Mistral, she
suffered a head injury from a chase boat's propeller in Athens,
Greece late last week while training for the upcoming Athens
2002 Regatta, a pre-Olympic event. The latest report was that
she had undergone two surgeries and remained in a coma.
Complete King of Spain Regatta results
and photos and the Nautica 2002 Star Class World Championship
entry list may be accessed at http://www.starworlds2002.com
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| Howie Shiebler and crew Rick
Peters ran away with the last race to claim third place
overall. |
Nautica International, the Gold Star
Title Sponsor for the Nautica Star Worlds, is a leading global
fashion and lifestyle company with products ranging from men's,
women's and children's sportswear and accessories to a complete
home collection. Nautica is a subsidiary of Nautica Enterprises,
Inc. (NASDAQ: NAUT) which, through its subsidiaries, designs,
sources, markets and distributes apparel under the following
brands: Nautica, Nautica Competition, Nautica Jeans Company,
John Varvatos, Earl Jean, E. Magrath and Byron Nelson.
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| Crew David Giles lets it all
hang out as Australia's Colin Beashel ponders his next
move. The former world champions placed 12th. |
Other sponsors of the Nautica 2002 Star
Class World Championship at various levels are: Silver Star---RB
Zack and Associates and California Yacht Club; Blue Star---Bang
and Olufsen; Green Star---Samuel Adams
Beer, Sea Wynde Pot Still Rum, Quantum
One-Design Sails, North One-Design Sails, Domaine Danica Winery,
Brophy Clark Cellars, Presidio Winery, Dry Creek Vineyard,
Star Frozen Foods, pyacht.com.
 |
| Crew try to coax increments of
speed out of their Stars in 6-knot winds. |
KING OF SPAIN CO-CHAIRMEN
Dean Dierks
ddierks@socal.rr.com
Bill Stump
NAUTICA STAR WORLDS GENERAL CHAIRMAN
Alex Benson
(805) 704-3333
alexbenson@baywoodinn.com
PRESS RELATIONS
Frank Gleberman
(310) 823-0284
FGleberman@aol.com
PUBLICITY
Rich Roberts
(310) 835-2526
richroberts@compuserve.com
NAUTICA PRESS CONTACT
Mary Ellen Barone
(212) 887-8114
maryellen.barone@nautica.com
