Nationals News

Please be sure to plan to attend this year's Nationals banquet on Saturday night with your whole crew.  As with last year, this promises to be a lot of fun

Wooden Spoon presentationCrew MVP awardsPhoto presentation by Claudia WainerHiPoint National Championship Trophy presentationMuch drinking

Also don't forget to plan to attend the owners meeting on Sunday morning!

Nationals Odds

The oddsmakers after consultation with Jimmy for divine providence and inspiration offer the following analysis of who's hot and who's not all in the spirit of fun.  What does it take to win the National Championship regatta?  Clearly boatspeed and tactics are needed.  Who's on a hot streak coming into the regatta?  Throw in a little luck too.  Some boats though make their own luck.

Clearly, the top four boats are Wings, Mischief, Outlier and Troublemaker.  The fact is that the differences between all the boats in the fleet are smaller than they have ever been in the fourteen year history of the class.  Will we see a new National Champion in 1999?

Favorites:

Wings (3-2):  Strong finish to '99 season with back-to-back wins in Long Beach regattas.  But Marina del Rey is a weakness.  After skipping Jimmy Morris in other years, Wings was befuddled by the wind at Cal Race Week earning a 7th place finish.  Would have won Nationals last year if not for collision with White Fang while on port and protesting themselves out of the regatta.

Mischief (3-2):  Superb all season, Mischief won multiple events and the HiPoint National Championship.  Multiple former Nationals to go with the season crown and a boat prepared and used by Dave Ullman for Lipton Cup has just a little extra edge.

Outlier (3-1):  Solid consistent season, but no finishes above fourth in HiPoints was a disappointment by Outlier's standards.  Nonetheless, this regatta is sailed at home - and no one has been even close to Outlier in the local fleet this year.  Couple that with three past National Championships and Outlier is peaking at the right time to take home the trophy.

Troublemaker (4-1):  Second overall in their first season, like Outlier, this boat has been hot here in the Marina del Rey local waters.  Has an all or nothing approach to tactics that can win regattas - or leave them completely out of the trophies.  Loves the corners (remember two bullets on last day of last year's Nationals).  Has the speed but not the confidence to win going up the middle of the course like the other three boats in this elite group of favorites.

Former Champs:

Water Moccasin (5-1):  Always peaks at the end of the season and '99 is no different.  Judi manages to ratchet the talent on board up a few notches for the big one and I'm sure this year will be no different.

Wild Thing (5-1):  Are they coming?  Defending champions, they are rarely seen.  Fast boat, hot young crew, always a threat.

Contenders:

Shillalegh (5-1):  When they show up with the A-team crew, they're a tough boat to beat.  Second place finish in their only HiPoint appearance during '99 (Ahmanson) showed what they can do.

Whistler (5-1):  Worst season for Claudia in years, but a late season return to form including a near win here in Marina del Rey at the California Race Week and podium finishes in Long Beach show that Whistler is a boat to be reckoned with.  Remember, although Claudia has yet to win a Nationals, she came within one point in 1990 when she was OCS in race one (albeit first to finish) and went on to win seven of the next eight races with only one second place thrown in.

Piranha (6-1):  Most consistent boat this season - Only boat that can claim top 5 finishes in every HiPoint and PCC's in '99.  Consistency is good in the long haul, but to win the regatta Piranha has to avoid the curse of the class president and the tendency to drop 10 points in three minutes every regatta.  Missing regular trimmer and tactician for Nationals and not doing well on local circuit of late.

Ricochet (7-1):  Hammered hard in their only appearances on the circuit this year, but a crew full of local talent that can pull it all together despite lack of time working together in the boat.  Almost won last year before going home the bridesmaid instead of the bride.  Depending on who's on board, the odds on this boat may see a last minute revision at post time.

Potentials:

Absolute (8-1):  Has MdR down pat and can go plenty fast.  If Ray and Skip don't kill each other, the boat could end up in the trophies.

Hotspur (9-1):  This boat was worked over by Vince Brun and gang who sailed it to easy victory at Lipton Cup.  If Mike and the mere mortal sailors on the regular team can show that kind of speed here at Nationals, they can go all the way.

Chayah (9-1):  Sure to pull some last minute talent on board, this is a boat which has been sizzling under the surface just waiting to explode for three seasons now.

White Fang (10-1):  Don pulled out all the stops to refit the boat and the crew put the boat on the podium in San Diego, but not much time in the boat in local waters of late negates the home field advantage.

Last Tango (10-1):  Bought a suit of new sails last year, then decided to go racing on Arana in '99 instead.  Plenty of local talent and comfort in home MdR waters.  Jimmy's gonna send them a few extra puffs from above.

Others:

Power Play (20-1): Best bet on the odds board for show horse.  Plenty fast in local fleet races of late, really, only lack of circuit experience holds them back. 

Whiplash (20-1):  Sound program just waiting to bounce up the ranks.  Only a fraction off the pace set by the top boats, Whiplash is often seen playing at the top for a while in each race.

Ripple (25-1):  Tactically focuses all its efforts on one boat instead of playing the fleet and getting around the course as fast as possible.  Speed is there.

Minnesota Fast (25-1): Local boat, local sailors - it could be done.

Slippery When Wet (30-1):  Been doing better of late including some top 3 first weather mark roundings.  My personal favorite to do well - Robert and gang are the most congenial sailors on the course and at the bar - with or without gas powered blender!

O' Betty (35-1):  Depends on who shows on the crew.  Many connections with good sailors in Long Beach mean that they can be a threat.

Raz Ma Taz (40-1):  John and crew are sporting a couple of new sails post-Lipton Cup that could propel them towards the front.

Stratagem (No Odds):  No surprise to Mark to be placed here on the odds board.  First season in the boat is a learning experience.  Nonetheless, more smiles on this crew at the end of the day than on most of the other boats in the fleet!