Detroit (Mich.) June 3, 2001 – The heavy downpours and gray skies that
rolled over Lake St. Clair during the Sailing World Detroit NOOD (National
Offshore One-Design) Regatta did little to shatter the enthusiasm of some
1,200 sailors competing in this first major sailing regatta of the season.
Competitors’ spirits ran counter to the gloomy weather–and for good
reason: this NOOD regatta will stand out in sailors’ memories as a career
highlight for its large competitive fleet and an usual run of three
consecutive days of stiff, teen-strength breeze.
The Detroit NOOD–presented by Farmers Insurance Group, June 1-3, at host
Bayview Yacht Club–drew a field of 234 boats from the United States and
Canada. Racers competed in 23 classes, in breeze that ranged 11 to 20 knots
throughout the series.
One sailor who had good reason to celebrate was William “Billy Bob” Cox
(Grosse Pointe, Mich.), winner of the first J/105 class to compete at the
Detroit NOOD. Cox’s crew on Creative LTC entered the final day of racing
in a three-way tie for third, with the class leader a full 10 points ahead.
Odds for a first-place trophy by day’s end were slim in this 18-boat class,
but Cox and his crew stayed in phase throughout the day: they passed six
boats upwind in the final race to take the class win. Points calculations
were so close that Cox and his crew did not know they had cinched the class
title when they reached the docks. In second place, only one point behind
Cox, was Mike Elliott (Linden, Mich.) and his crew on Bernoulli.
For some racers at the NOOD, three successive days of heavy-air racing were
a rugged early-season test. But for Heidi Backus Riddle (Vermilion, Ohio)
and her crew on Tartan Ten Nuts, this breeze was well within their comfort
zone. “We race as a family on Lake Erie and are used to the heavier air, so
we felt pretty comfortable in this regatta,” said Backus Riddle, who
counted her husband and her three sisters in her crew. This crew’s ability
in the breeze earned them the Tartan Ten class win and the Farmers Family
Award, a fleet trophy presented by Farmers Insurance Group to the
top-scoring family crew.
The Nuts crew was not the only family crew in the winners circle: Sarah
Deeds (Berkeley, Calif.) continued a family tradition at the helm of
Express 27 Lorax. Deeds skippered her family’s Express handily, for both a
class win and the Express 27 2001 Great Lakes Champion title. Deeds–with
her brother Paul among her crew–took the helm of Lorax this year from her
brother, who has captured this class win at the NOOD since 1998.
The Hobie 33 class also used the NOOD to settle the score for a class
championship. After a six-race series, Clif Vaughan and Tom Andrews
(Whitehouse, OH) and their crew on HOLY TOLEDO! became the 2001 Hobie 33
National Champions.
On the opening day of racing on Friday, June 1, Bill Wildner (Harrison Twp,
Mich.) and his crew on J/35 Mr. Bill’s Wild Ride was crowned the Lewmar
Boat of the Day; this award is given by support sponsor Lewmar to the boat
with the strongest (low-point) record on the opening day of the regatta.
Wildner continued his winning streak throughout the weekend to capture the
Level 35 class with a perfect string of six first-place finishes.
The Detroit NOOD is the fourth stop on a nine-event national racing circuit
organized by Sailing World magazine (Newport, R.I.) and presented by
Farmers Insurance Group. Support sponsors include: Hall Spars & Rigging,
High Sierra Sport Company, Lewmar, North Sails, Samuel Adams, and Sunsail.
The Detroit NOOD was hosted by Bayview Yacht Club.
The NOOD regattas next move to Chicago; the Chicago NOOD will be hosted
June 15-17 by the Chicago Yacht Club. Sailors who want more information
about upcoming NOOD regattas should visit the Sailing World website
(www.sailingworld.com) or contact the magazine at 401-845-5100 or
nood@sailingworld.com.
-reporting by Peter d’Anjou
FLEET TROPHIES
Farmers Family Award: Heidi Backus Riddle, Tartan Ten Class, Vermilion, OH
Lewmar Boat of the Day: Bill Wildner, Level 35 Class, Harrison Twp, MI
RESULTS BY CLASS/Top-3 (6 races)
[Skipper, Hometown, State, Boat Name (Boat Type), Total Points]
C&C; 35 (8 boats)
1) Brian Geraghty, Grosse Pointe Shores, MI, SIOCHAIL, 14 points
2) Frank G. Tenkel, Grosse Pointe Shores, MI, BRAVO, 21
3) Stephen Jay / Clark Carruthers, Point Edwards, Ont, CAN, Mystery, 23
Cal 25 (22 boats)
1) Andy & Tyson Connolly, Port Huron, MI, BLEW BY YOU, 25
2) Dale T. Marshall, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI, CLYTIE, 29
3) Bill Martin, Ann Arbor, MI, No Name Yet, 38
Crescent (9 boats)
1) David Hume, Detroit, MI, Utopia, 9
2) Diane Janeski, Allen Park, MI, ZOOMER, 20
3) Michael R. Brennan, Detroit, MI, Scimitar, 28
Etchells (9 boats)
1) Marvin Beckmann, Houston, TX, THB, 15
2) Mark McCrindle, Harper Woods, MI, Zamboni, 19
3) Greg Kameika, Chicago, IL, WILDCAT, 23
Express 27 (10 boats) 2001 Great Lakes Championships
1) Sarah Deeds, Berkeley, CA, Lorax, 14
2) Harold Kolter, Harper Woods, MI, DAS BOOT, 15
3) Terry Stuck, Grosse Pointe, MI, BLUE MAX, 19
Grand Prix A (9 boats)
1) John and Fritz Odenbach, Webster, NY, Rampage (Concordia 47), 15
2) Gene Angelidis, Rochester, NY, Nobody’s Business (Nelson/Marek 43), 21
3) Herbert Misch, Bloomfield Hills, MI, TIKI II (Corel 45), 21
Grand Prix B (8 boats)
1) H. Burton Jones, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI, BURDEN IV (Express 37), 8
2) Mark Symonds, Rochester Hills, MI, Pterodactyl (Evelyn 42), 20
3) Michael Goran, Bloomfield Hills, MI, VANGUARD (Mumm 36), 21
Hobie 33 (7 boats) 2001 National Championships
1) Clif Vaughan & Tom Andrews, Whitehouse, OH, HOLY TOLEDO!, 12
2) Stuart Kevelighan, W. Bloomfield, MI, STEALTH, 14
3) David Sommerville, Fonthill, Ont., CAN, TENACITE, 17
J 105 (18 boats)
1) William Cox, Grosse Pointe, MI, Creative LTC, 28
2) Michael Elliott, Linden, MI, Bernoulli, 29
3) Con Ruffing, Grosse Pointe, MI, C-Jem, 32
J 120 (9 boats)
1) Gerry Hines, Cambridge, Ont., CAN, Irresistible Too, 14
2) Robert Kirkman, Northville, MI, HOT TICKET, 18
3) Marvin H. Ihnen, Troy, MI, IHNSANITY, 23
J 24 (9 boats)
1) Josh Kerst, Ann Arbor, MI, INSTANT KARMA, 7
2) Jim Van De Velde, Macomb, MI, MIND GAMES, 20
3) Bernad Soya, Deerfield, IL, Motorhome, 21
Level 114 (7 boats)
1) Tom Kleinhardt, Farmington Hills, MI, FORTE (Catalina 38), 10
2) Christopher P. Van Tol, Grosse Point Park, MI, Eliminator (C&C; 35 MkII),11
3) Donald Cochran, Troy, MI, XS (Beneteau 38), 16
Level 141 (7 boats)
1) Nat Towle, Bingham Farms, MI, FREEDOM (C&C; 34), 11
2) John Gallagher, Beverly Hills, MI, Marmalade (Chaser 33), 11
3) Ken Blyth, Belle River, Ont., CAN, On a Tack (Kirby 30), 17
Level 35 (14 boats)
1) Bill Wildner, Harrison Twp, MI, Mr. Bill’s Wild Ride (J/35), 6
2) Ed Bayer, Warren, MI, Falcon (J/35), 15
3) Robert Pethick, Orchard Lake, MI, BRETWALDA (J/35), 19
Melges 24 (9 boats)
1) Bob Clark, Traverse City, MI, FLASH, 10
2) John Laundra, Frankenmuth, MI, Li’l Iodine, 23
3) Brian Cramer, London, Ont., CAN, REMARC, 29
Mumm 30 (7 boats)
1) David Irish, Harbor Springs, MI, SURPRISE, 13
2) Eric Wynsma, East Grand Rapids, MI, Asylum, 15
3) Michael Scott, Saginaw, MI, Thirty Mumm thing, 21
NA 40 (8 boats)
1) Bill Alcott / Peter Griffin, Grosse Pointe Park, MI, KEMOSABE, 10
2) Ben Stormes, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI, Footprints, 13
3) John S. Barbour, Detroit, MI, VELERO VI, 13
S2 7.9 (8 boats)
1) Gary Shoemaker/Bill Jenkins, Detroit, MI, Crime Scene,7
2) Frank Lyons, Canton, MI, GAUNTLET, 14
3) David Grover, Farmington Hills, MI, PRIME TIME, 24
Level 126 (9 boats)
1) Andrew Unger, St. Clair Shores, MI, AHAU (Santana 35), 6
2) Gordon Morlan, Grosse Pointe Park, MI, AVATAR (Santana 35), 17.5
3) John Greiner, Toledo, OH, Red Cloud (Santana 35), 19
Shark (7 boats)
1) Tom Rindlisbacher, Tecumseh, Ont., CAN, Dentuso, 16
2) John Brunt, Mississauga, Ont., CAN, Gangrene, 18
3) Andrew Barlow, Windsor, Ont., CAN, Marmoset, 19
Tartan Ten (20 boats)
1) Heidi Backus Riddle, Vermilion, OH, Nuts, 13
2) Bill Buckles, Lorain, OH, Liquor Box, 15
3) David Disbrow, Vermilion, OH, GOTCHA, 24
Ultimate 20 (11 boats)
1) Adam Hollerbach, n/a, Plastics, 9
2) Brad Valka, Harper Woods, MI, X-Potential, 17
3) Tim Prophit, Grosse Pointe Park, MI, Fast Tango, 26
Warhorse (9 boats)
1) John Thomas, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI, PENDRAGON (Contessa 43), 10
2) Ray & Winnie Adams, W. Bloomfield, MI, EPIC (Beneteau 42s7), 12
3) Dane Christy, Bloomfield Hills, MI, HELLION (C&C; 43), 23
