1997 World Championship - Marblehead, Massachusetts, USA
September 3-14, 1997
The following results are from the Star Logs. Starting with 1977 frequently only yacht numbers were given. The last time both yacht numbers and yacht names were given was 1989. In later years sometimes, fleet designations were omitted. In these cases some of the more obvious fleet designations were supplied. Also from time to time only last names were supplied. First names, where known, were added.
Results
Place No. Skipper Crew Fleet Daily Places Pts. 1 7759 Alexander Hagen Marcelo Ferreira Glu 3 36 9 5 1 2 20 2 7829 Mark Reynolds Magnus Liljedahl SDB 4 10 3 11 7 3 27 3 7834 Peter Bromby Michael Marcel ISOL 2 3 6 6 16 dnf 33 4 7862 J.A. MacCauslandPhil Trinter CR 1 2 13 4 15 20 35 5 7828 Colin Beashel David Giles SY 10 11 14 3 5 dsq 43 6 7710 Howard Shiebler Rick Peters LB dnf 5 8 2 6 26 47 7 7604 Cuyler Morris Mike Dorgan CasB 5 6 16 21 dsq 1 49 8 7836 Vincent Brun Rodrigo Meirelles SDB 12 21 31 8 9 4 54 9 7838 Larry Whipple Barry Van Leeuwen PS 9 17 10 53 13 11 60 10 7515 Ross Adams Chuck Nevel WH 20 19 44 13 11 6 69 11 7657 Eric Doyle Brian Terhaar SDB 15 1 1 1 2 dnd 77 12 7630 Ben Mitchell Bill Stump LB 19 24 4 44 4 32 83 13 7815 Albert SchweizerFlorian Fendt ZuW 13 dnf 12 12 40 12 89 14 7590 John King Wellington De Barros Cop 35 44 18 7 25 7 92 15 7213 Eduardo Farre Sergio Bonelli OL 11 20 7 34 30 28 96 16 7736 Bill Buchan Jr Bill Bennett PS 6 32 46 9 17 34 98 17 7791 Peter Vessella John Rokosz BH 17 14 5 36 26 39 98 18 7462 Dave Watt Ed Snyders PS 16 30 36 10 12 dsq 104 19 7655 Rob Maine III Andrew Higgs WH 18 13 dnf 31 22 22 106 20 7765 Mike Ilgenstein Lutz Boguhn HF 21 26 15 38 8 41 108 21 7830 Andrew lvey Scott Zimmer Sun 34 25 11 20 19 dsq 109 72 7784 Douglas Wefer William Burtis Mid 38 37 25 26 24 5 117 23 7874 Alberto LaTegolaGiovanni Di Cagno BAR 28 50 57 14 10 17 119 24 7885 Ric. Simoneschi Corrado Cristaldini FdiG 22 9 21 27 41 dsq 120 25 7887 Joachim Helmich Martin Nixdorf Moh 29 7 20 33 32 42 121 25 7718 Alberto Zanetti Juan Pablo Englehard OL dnd 15 33 16 14 9 126 27 7765 Bill Allen Eric Beckwith WH 36 29 2 40 43 19 126 28 7647 John Safford Joe Chambers CA 43 16 41 17 18 35 127 29 7338 Ingvar J. Krook Lars Edwall AR 26 51 28 19 21 37 131 30 7728 Fran Charles Ron Sandstrom BH 59 41 30 30 20 13 134 31 7779 Werner Fritz George Iverson B 7 12 32 42 48 dnc 141 32 7695 Marc A. Pickel Carston Witt Brm dsq 8 48 37 35 14 142 33 7665 Josef Pieper Lennert Kemp SM 32 39 43 35 29 10 145 34 7680 Anton Tamburini Renzo Ricci PDV 25 28 45 25 45 24 147 35 7547 Jack Rickard Sam Eadie WH 55 47 19 15 42 25 148 36 7694 Dieter Gast Patrick Bodden BH 45 49 26 dnd 3 15 161 37 7872 Jack Slattery Doug Brophy BH 23 4 35 dnd dnf 36 170 38 7592 Joe Londrigan Chris Nielsen SDB 8 ocs 24 28 39 dnd 171 39 7848 Sune Carlsson Benny Nilsson RS 56 27 49 32 23 43 174 40 7782 Joe Zambella Kurt Larson BH 41 23 47 46 65 18 175 41 7604 Rolf Beck Jurgen Eirmann IJs 33 22 42 29 50 dnf 176 42 7471 Joe Bainton Chris Rogers NB 27 18 54 59 55 23 177 43 7286 Pat Londrigan John Shanahan LS 31 35 50 24 54 45 185 44 7319 Jeannot Walder Hans Korevaar ZU 44 40 27 55 28 dsq 194 45 7507 Tony Hermann Todd Raynor WLM 50 31 37 23 53 dnc 194 46 7723 Heinz Maurer Hans-Jurg Saner TB 24 33 ret 43 27 dsq 199 47 7585 Jock Kohlhas Dave Winkler BisB 39 52 51 22 38 dnf 202 48 7555 Barton Beek Joel Kew NH ret 42 22 39 64 38 205 49 7880 Markus Reger Thorsten Helmert B 30 ocs 17 56 31 dsq 206 50 7683 Rick Dhein Dave Marshall LG 57 43 39 dnf 44 27 210 51 7486 James Freeman Keith Gardner Ith dnf 48 40 18 33 dsq 211 52 7883 Peter U. Wyss Urs Joss ZU 37 34 38 49 34 dnd 215 53 7179 Tom Londrigan JrJohn Wisnosky LS dsq 38 23 58 36 dsq 227 54 7756 Dieter SchououmlnMichael Schön B 14 46 dnf 48 47 dsq 227 55 7457 Gerhard Meyer Ronald Seifert SP 40 dsq 53 41 60 33 227 56 7866 Dierk Thomsen Jakob Just KF 52 dnf 34 50 62 30 228 57 7248 David Chittick Michael Whitford Mid 49 dnc 63 57 56 8 233 58 7375 Stefan Lehnert Peter Menning Brm 48 ocs 29 51 37 dsq 237 59 7434 Bill Parks Ken Kazezski SLM 53 45 55 63 61 29 243 60 7205 Steve Braverman Ron Rezac BH 51 54 64 47 46 47 245 61 5634 Ian Bruce Daniel Kurbiel ISOL 42 58 52 64 66 31 247 62 7512 Robert Teilge Adam Korejsza DR 54 56 ret 62 59 21 252 63 7666 Thomas Ramoser Michael Dietzel Sta 62 dsq 58 60 57 16 253 64 7893 Renato Irrera Adriano Figone Pal 47 dnf 60 dsq 51 46 276 65 7731 John Chiarella Terry Fletcher Sun 58 57 61 54 67 48 278 66 7899 Bruno Prada Guilhermo De Almeida San 60 dnd 59 45 52 dsq 288 67 7729 David Ivey Brad Nichol Sun 61 53 ret 61 49 dsq 296 68 7807 Mario Caprile Frederico Medilago Lar ret 55 62 dsq 68 40 297 69 6926 G. Calegari Frederico Calegari BA dnc dnc dsq 52 58 44 298 70 7688 William Watson Roger Sharp CLIS 46 dnf 56 65 63 dsq 302 71 7371 Kenneth R. SmithChris Arleo HB dsq dnc dsq dnc dnc dnc 360
Regatta Report
Hagen Wins 1997 World Championship
by Harry Walker
The 1997 World Championship was sailed off of Marblehead, Massachusetts and out of the Eastern Yacht Club. The championship was decided in the jury room. The winning skipper, for his second gold star, was Alex Hagen of the Gluecksburger Fleet crewed by Olympic and former World Champion crew Marcelo Ferreira of Brazil. Alex sailed a solid series with one win and only one finish out of the top 10 in six races.
In contrast, Eric Doyle from San Diego with Brian Terhaar up front were brilliant going into the final race with 3 firsts and a second in the first 5 races. However, Doyle’s disqualification in the sixth race could not be dropped and it knocked him back to eleventh.
Mark Reynolds and Magnus Liljedahl were second and Bermudan Peter Bromby sailing with Michael Marcel took third. John MacCausland with Phil Trinter finished the series ahead of Australian Olympians Beashel and Giles.
The practice race was canceled due to light winds and big shifts. Racing started on Monday after both the Opening Ceremonies and a tumultuous Annual Meeting. It was a relief to get on the water. The first race was blown off by veteran P.R.O. Charley Cook of the host club as the breeze would not settle down. After a 60° shift the guns were fired and the fleet went home.
Tuesday was a gray, cold, misty day with 10-12 miles of wind and lumpy 3-foot seas. After two general recalls the first race of the double header was started under the "Black Flag" rule. Three boats were over early. MacCausland, who eventually won the race, describes the events. "At the first mark Peter Bromby and Mike Marcel rounded the weather mark first and we rounded second. As we neared the jibe mark we were able to establish an inside overlap, which entitled us to room at the mark. From this position we were able to open up a substantial lead.
The second beat we protected the right side of the course positioning ourselves between Peter and the next mark. At the final weather mark we had maintained our lead over Peter and on the run to the finish there was no change in our position. The final positions for race number one were MacCausland / Trinter, Bromby / Marcel and Hagen / Ferreira.
The second race, held under the same conditions, saw the boats who went right get buried by a shift to the north. Eventual race winner Eric Doyle recalls "John and big Phil made a good comeback near the end of the reach as some big puffs filled from behind and the wind backed to the left a little bit. They were able to sail higher than us for the first part of the beat in the left-hand shift, but when the wind later went back to the right, we had extended our lead. The last run was lots of fun in the building breeze with big rollers to ride. It was still just a two boat race and John and Phil again gained slightly on the run. Both Of us rounded the left mark at the gate and proceeded to the right side again. Good boat speed on our part and a loose cover gave us the gun at the finish. Brian and I were extremely excited as this was the first time we had ever won a race at a Star World Championship!"
Race three on Wednesday was the '0' course. One boat was over early but returned for a clean start. The crush was towards the pin end with most of the fleet going right again. At the first mark Larry Whipple / Barry Van Leuween was leading followed by Bill Allen and Baron Farre in third. The left side and the left middle had been best. Leader John MacCausland rounded 62nd. As the breeze picked up a new leader was Farre with Whipple and Allen close behind. At the finish though it was again Doyle, having come from the 20's, who nipped Allen and 3rd place Reynolds— Farre had slipped to 7th and Whipple to 10th. Things were tightening up among about 8 boats. Peter Vessella of Boston Harbor had a 5th in race three sailing fast. The Mid-week party and prize giving were ably handled by Regatta Chairman Tim Hunt.
The fourth race was again in light to medium air and lumpy seas from the north. It started with a postponement with 2 minutes to go; a general recall; and then a Black Flag rule start. Bromby, Hagen, Beashel and Rickard started at the pin. Again left and left middle paid and at the first mark again it was Doyle in 1st. Frank Gordon, former Class President, was aboard Arthur Ivy's luxurious yacht and had comments about the downwind gate— not all of them complimentary. At the end of the second run it was Bromby, Doyle, Howie Shiebler and John King. Hagen was in 5th place sailing his usual good race. On the last leg the wind lightened and Doyle took Shiebler with Beashel next followed by MacCausland and the ever-present Hagen.
Thursday started in fog, mist, lighter air and lumpy seas. After two general recalls and the Black Flag— only Cuyler Morris was over. The wind was 90°. At the first mark the leader out of the fog was Doyle followed by Dieter Gast of Boston Harbor. Third was Baron Farre (the big Argentine is often up front through 2 to 3 legs) with Mitchell and Hagen following. Off into the fog. Light air down wind with big swells. At the gate Doyle 1st goes to the right Hagen, 2nd goes to the left and had Doyle at the first crossing. Ben Mitchell / Bill Stump had moved into 3rd and Farre had slumped to 9th. Bromby and MacCausland were buried deep. Mark Reynolds was up to 5th. Then the fog really closed in. Alex Hagen stated "The 5th race I would call 'The Fog thriller'. We rounded the first mark in 6th position.
Downwind without seeing the mark, we were the first boat to jibe to the left. This put us in 2nd position and also closer to the left gate-mark. Eric took the right mark and was all of a sudden behind us. On the second run the fog became the worst. Marcelo and I were so afraid of passing the bottom gate behind because the maximum visibility was less than 120m. Everybody jibed a few times, had the crew standing on the foredeck and was focused on just finding the mark and not on boat speed. After a long run in light winds with all nerves tight like guitar strings, we rounded still in first. After that— the upwind leg into the finish was a piece of cake." Alex held his lead with Doyle 2nd and surprising Dieter Gast 3rd. Mitchell and Beashel finished out the top 5. Going into Friday's race Doyle held a seemingly unbeatable lead. Only Bromby and Hagen would take him and only if they won and Eric was 14th or worse.
The sixth race looked like little to no air, glassy sea and a completely different breeze direction— also the current was strong. After innumerable Postponements and general recalls and several Black Flags, the race got away at about 3 PM. At the start the right end looked best and all the boats who went left were lifted— which did them in. Cuyler Morris recalls, "Mike and I knew we wanted to stay right based on our experience from the 1st District Championships." As the fleet reached the weather mark this writer has never seen a fleet as spread out on the first leg.
"Starting on starboard we were pinned from tacking onto port for about one minute, once on port and footing under a boat we continued near starboard layline and tacked inside and behind Reynolds and Peter Wyss" stated Morris. Dr. Peter Wyss was 1st at the mark but he had been over early. Second was Mark Reynolds and Cuyler Morris 3rd. Again steady Hagen was 4th followed by Doyle and Beashel. Bromby was nowhere to be seen. Three of the first seven boats were flying protest flags. "On the run we stayed to the left of our competition and passed Reynolds" said Morris.
Ninety percent of the boats picked the left gate and went right. Morris recalls, "On the last beat we again went right but tacked to starboard sooner as Hagen was trying the middle and we wanted to stay in touch with the competition. Half way up the beat Wyss had fallen far back and Hagen was in a distant second with Reynolds in third. We rounded the last weather mark first and extended our lead on second and third place boats respectively by staying to their left on the run." At the top mark Morris had taken over with Hagen 2nd and then Reynolds. The finish was Morris, Hagen, Reynolds, Doyle, Wyss, Beashel, Brun and Wefer.
However the finish after protests turned out to be Morris, Hagen, Reynolds, Brun and Wefer. At the protest hearing the jury gave Eric Doyle a DND— and that pushed the seemingly unbeatable winner to 11th. Alex Hagen became the winner. He sailed a solid series— as he always does— with only one win and ended up with 7 points under Mark Reynolds.
The final banquet was a gala but slightly tinged by a day of important protests. The World Championship goes to Hagen / Ferreira, a deserving team; and Alex, World Champion in '81 at this same Marblehead, a worthy winner.
