SSA Racing News
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SSA Members At the 505 World Championship in Santa Cruz, CA
The Lightsurf 2004 International 505 World Championship recently concluded at Santa Cruz Yacht Club, in Santa Cruz CA. 102 teams from 6 countries competed in the worlds, and something like 84 did in the pre-worlds/North American Championship.
Several SSA 505 teams were there to challenge the world's best in the expected windy, Pacific Ocean conditions. As it turned out, both the NAs and the Worlds had their share of lighter days, though both had racing in 25+ knot conditions too.
Racing in blue ocean swells and waves in 25+ knots is fabulous. The boats nearly fly upwind getting mostly air off of bigger waves, and then you turn downwind and hoist the kite, while dueling for position and gybing points, with all the boats around you. Exciting stuff!
John Hauser, teaming up with New England 505 sailor Sol Marini, finished 73rd at the worlds. The Jahn Tihansky/Dustin Romey team were 55th, while Alexander Meller/Jesse Falsone were 22nd.
There were other local teams participating with WRSC's Macy Nelson teamed up with Graham Schelter to finish 34th. Also from WRSC, Barney Harris/George Saunders were 43rd, and Nick Nelson crewing in his boat for Californian Jeff Sloan were 60th. From Hampton YC, Tyler Moore/Steve Sparkman were 25th and Henry Amthor/Clayton James 45th.
Meller/Falsone had a rather better NAs/pre-worlds, finishing 8th, including a very close second in the last race.
The new 505 World Champions are Morgan Larson and Trevor Baylis of Santa Cruz. Morgan has been in and out of 505s for 15 years, while Trevor was racing 505s as long as 25 years ago. Both have very impressive sailing resumes out of 505s. California 505 teams were also 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Other notable finishes included Howard Hamlin/Peter Alarie 2nd, Mike Martin/Jeff Nelson 3rd, Carol and Carl Buchan in 9th, Caris Harris (ex Europe dinghy campaigner)/Ralph Silverman in 24th, and an all-female German 505 team, Angela Stenger/Melanie/Oestergaard 59th. There were competitors ranging in age from 16 to 72 racing the worlds.
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