ICSA Afterguard Championship
Detroit Yacht Club
June 8, 2003

FINAL RESULTS

REGATTA HIGHLIGHTS: The 2003 Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association Afterguard Championship was sailed in Flying Scots on the Detroit River through the courtesy of the Detroit Yacht Club. Three of five scheduled races were sailed, as showers, building winds and further threatening skies contributed to the decision to cut racing short. It was cloudy, with temperatures hovering around 70 degrees, with puffy Southwest winds of 10-15 knots. There was a strong, 3.5 knot current. The courses were 2WL.

The first race start had the boat end slightly favored. Team "In Spite of it All" tacked to port on a big header shortly after, and stayed along the shore to the next header. The crossing on "Anything Works" was close, two-thirds of the way up the first leg. "In Spite of it All" rounded first and launched their chute. Half way down the leg they gybed to port, stretching out a lead they maintained to the finish. Anything Works rounded the weather mark in a gust and chose not to fly their chute, as the legs were short enough that if the spinnaker wasn't hoisted right away it wasn't worth it to do it, particularly sailing doublehanded. Team "Audace" rounded the first mark in third, thinking the starting sequence was five minute, not three, so they were late for the first start. The breeze built as this race went on and there was a brief shower near the finish.

The second race start was fairly square. Anything Works and Audace sailed away on starboard; In Spite of it All tacked to port about 45 seconds out. About half way up the leg, In Spite of it All got headed and tacked back to starboard. With a close crossing coming, Anything Works, who had tacked about 30 seconds after In Spite of it All, tacked into a safe leeward position on In Spite of it All. Audace had tacked to port and was approaching the overlapped starboard tack boats, which both gave a courtesy hail. Audace began avoidance maneuvers, however, the mainsheet fouled on the bolts on the rudder head and it would not ease out. At the same time, a puff hit, overpowering the rudder. Audace rounded up and collided with Anything Works. Anything Works inspected the boat to ensure it was safe to continue before resuming racing; Audace withdrew from the race. Anything Works flew her chute on the runs, hoping to close. In Spite of it All finished first, with Anything Works second. Winds had become somewhat gusty and there was a rain shower heavy enough to get the sailors wet.

In the third race the buoy end was slightly favored at the start. At the gun, Audace was called over early and returned to restart. Anything Works had the best start. Anything Works had good boat speed in slightly lighter air after the rain, and made good tactical moves to round the first mark in first place, with In Spite of it All overlapped outside. Audace was making up ground and rounded third. Anything Works went out into the oncoming current; In Spite of it All ran along the shore. One-third of the way down the leg Anything Works got a puff, In Spite of it All gybed out to get into the stronger breeze, crossing behind. Anything Works stayed on starboard, gybing close to the leeward mark, rounding two boat lengths ahead. In Spite of it All tacked to starboard, and Anything Works tacked to cover. After sailing almost to the port tack lay line, In Spite of it All hit a knock and tacked to port, with a potential for having to tack back with a potential close crossing coming. Anything Works surprised In Spite of it All by tacking to port, giving In Spite of it All the inside advantage. In Spite of it All tacked to starboard at the lay line and stretched out a lead
to take the comeback win. Anything Works finished second, and Audace
finished third.

At this point the Race Committee opted to cancel further racing. Sailors returned to shore, unrigged their boats, and enjoyed a hamburger and hot dog cookout lunch with all the trimmings. The makeup of the fleet included Afterguard Hall of Fame Chair Jim Rousmaniere, the second Commodore of the MCSA, Warren Weiant. Jackie Couillard drove the farthest; Jim Rousmaniere traveled the farthest.

The weather forecast had called for very light breezes, with sun in the morning and showers in the afternoon, which may have contributed to more than half of the people who pre-registered choosing not to come. All in attendance agreed it was their mistake, as great sailing and competition was enjoyed by all. Everyone attending agreed, the goal had been met, as they all had fun!

Thanks go to Race Committee James Rodgers (Chair), Edward George, and Past Commodore Edwin Jaquet; Mark Set boat operators Lance Smotherman and Patricia Smotherman; Judges Edwin C. Theisen, Jr. (Chair), Edward Olsen, and Bud Harrison; and Dock Committee members Alan Minsterman, Linda Minsterman, and Lonnie Pike. The awards were presented by Detroit Yacht Club Commodore David Coleman.

Photos from the event are available at www.collegesailing.org.

The 2004 ICSA Afterguard Championship is slated to be hosted by the NWICSA at the Gorge in Oregon next June. All college sailing alumni and Friends of College Sailing are invited to attend.--Gail M. Turluck, ICSA Afterguard Events Chair

TOT
1. In Spite of it All 3 Gail M. Turluck, Wisconsin '77 (Chelsea, MI)/Mary E. Vorel, Michigan State '05 (Sparta, MI)
2. Anything Works 7 Jacqueline M. Couillard, Minnesota '99 (Appleton, WI)/ Shannon E. Bonds, Ohio U. '03 (Bay Village, OH)
3. Audace 9 James Rousmaniere, Harvard '40 (1) (Southbury, CT) & Warren S. Weiant, III, Ohio State '50 (2-3) (Chagrin Falls, OH)

1 2 3
1. In Spite of it All 1 1 1 2 3

2. Anything Works 3 2 2 5 7

3. Audace 2 DNF 3 6 9