NAUTICA 2002 STAR CLASS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
California Yacht Club/Aug. 18-23
*** Entries, photos, video and more at http://www.starworlds2002.com
***
Aug. 17, 2002 For Immediate Release
103 BOATS POISED FOR SIX PAINFUL DAYS
OF SAILING
MARINA DEL REY, Calif.---There was a
lull known as the official practice race Saturday before Sunday's
start of the Nautica 2002 Star Class World Championship, but
don't expect a storm.
Not on Santa Monica Bay in August, locals
say. The forecast for Sunday was for winds of 3 knots leading
up to 10 knots at the 1 p.m. starting time and holding, it
was hoped, through the afternoon.
It was humid and overcast Saturday as
the veteran Stephen Gould of San Francisco won the final tune-up
in a breath of air building to 9 knots, perhaps setting the
tone for the next six days of serious and painfully tactical
racing.
"It's such a hard place to sail,"
Eric Doyle, the '99 winner from San Diego, said. "You
have to be consistent and not go for the home run."
"Patience," Doyle's crew,
Rodrigo Meireles, counseled. "You must have patience."
Behind Gould, in order, were Australia's
Ian Walker, New Zealand's Gavin Brady, Denmark's Niklas Holm,
Bermuda's Peter Bromby, San Diego's Robbie Haines, Canada's
Ross Macdonald, Seattle's Dave Watt, England's Iain Percy
and Denmark's Mads Christensen.
Macdonald, the 1994 winner at San Diego,
is the only past champion in that group, although Brady was
runner-up to Loof at Medemblik, The Netherlands last year
and Bromby is ranked No. 4 in the class.
The final entry list is 103 boats but
only 34 completed the race. Several of the elite chose not
to finish or, in the case of defending champion Fredrik Loof
of Sweden, not to sail at all.
"I never to do the practice race,"
Loof said. "It's a waste of time. I was out there in
a coach boat. You get a better picture."
There will be one race each day starting
at 1. A boat may discard its worst race in the low-point scoring
system, but two-time champion Mark Reynolds of San Diego figures
it won't be a low-scoring regatta in which one boat dominates.
"If you finish every race in the
top 10 you'll have a good chance to win," Reynolds said.
The colorful opening ceremonies Saturday
evening featured appearances by Anita DeFrantz, first vice-president
of the International Olympic Committee; Paul Henderson, president
of the International Sailing Federation, and Riccardo Simoneschi,
president of the International Star Class Yacht Racing Association.
Women of the host California Yacht Club carried in the flags
of each of the 26 nations represented. The climax was a cannon
shot and the release of dozens of balloons.
Nautica International, the Gold Star
Title Sponsor, 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.
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.
NAUTICA STAR WORLDS GENERAL CHAIRMAN
Alex Benson
California Yacht Club (310) 823-4567
alexbenson@baywoodinn.com
PRESS RELATIONS
Frank Gleberman
(310) 823-0284
FGleberman@aol.com
PUBLICITY
Rich Roberts
(310) 835-2526
cell phone (310) 766-6547
richroberts@compuserve.com
NAUTICA PRESS CONTACT
Mary Ellen Barone
(212) 887-8114
maryellen.barone@nautica.com
