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Sep 2, 2008, 2:24 PM
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IOD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA 2008
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San Francisco IOD Fleet
862 Sir Francis Drake Blvd #123
San Anselmo, CA 94960
www.sfiod.org
PRESS RELEASE
Danielle Ames Lawson
Regatta Co-Chair
t.415.302.0285
treasurer@sfiod.org
For Immediate Release: Photos Available upon Request
SFIOD FLEET HOSTS the IOD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA
September 28th – October 3rd 2008 * San Francisco Yacht Club, Belvedere, CA
In September, the 50-member San Francisco International One Design (IOD) Fleet will welcome 12 world-class teams from 5 countries for 5 Days of unsurpassed competition.
The 60 visiting sailors will race our traditional yachts on one of the most exciting sailing venues and best race courses in the world – San Francisco Bay.
A 33' racing sloop, the IOD was designed in 1936. Its narrow form, graceful lines and traditional overhangs were modeled after the racing 6-meter yacht, Saga. The tall, powerful sail plan is perfectly balanced by a full displacement keel, making the boat a delight to race in the Bay and elsewhere around the globe.
The founders of the IOD Class were inspired by the premise that racing should test the skills of the helmsperson and their crew rather than their ability to enhance or modify the equipment. As a result, the IOD Class rules dictate rigorous specifications for the construction and maintenance of the one design boats.
Commitment to these principles seeded fleets in Norway, Sweden, The UK, Bermuda and the US and attracted an impressive array of sailors whose names also appear in America’s Cup and ocean racing history including Cornelius Shields, Bus Mosbacher, Arthur Knapp, George Hinman, Bill Cox, Arthur Davis, Bob Bavier and Bill Luders. The world class credits 10 active fleets in Oslo, Goteborg, Cornwall, Nova Scotia, Nantucket, Fishers Island, Long Island Sound, North East Harbor, Marblehead and San Francisco.
In each of the fleets, the racing season culminates in a contest for an invitation to the World Championships. The annual event rotates to each of the 10 venues in the World and was last hosted in San Francisco in 1999. Each year the host fleet welcomes the visiting competitors and provides their boats for use in the competition.
Our SFIOD fleet is honored to host 1 team from each fleet and the defending World Champion as our guests at the oldest club on the Pacific Coast – The San Francisco Yacht Club in Belvedere Cove.
Current World Champion, Charlie Van Voorhis from Fishers Island, NY is a favorite among the visiting competitors. Charlie has won the event twice in the past five years including last year’s event in Nantucket which lead from the first day and won by a sizable margin. Nine-time World Champion, William S. Widnall from Marblehead, MA and six-time World Champion Eugene “Penny” Simmons from Bermuda will also be in attendance. Widnall who won the Worlds in San Francisco in 1977 and Simmons who won it here in 1985, are two of the only three outsiders to win a World Championships in San Francisco since 1959.
The local team of Tad Lacey and Evan Dailey won the event the last time it was held in San Francisco in 1999 and this year the San Francisco fleet will be represented by Tiburon Fire Chief, Richard Pearce. Richard and his brother Mark are Tiburon natives and have been racing IODs on the Bay all their lives. They are sure to be a formidable team in contention for the top spot in this year’s event.
Founded in 1952, the SFIOD Fleet boasts a growing membership and 16 yachts many of which were among the original boats made in Norway in 1937 and 1938. Restoration and preservation of these classic boats is our priority so our fleet has partnered with Spaulding Wooden Boat Center in Sausalito to repair and restore these magnificent traditional yachts.
A tax deductible donation can be made to the SFIOD Fleet to help this restoration and facilitate presentation of the World Championships. Checks can be made out to 'Spaulding Wooden Boat Center' with a note on the Memo Line
'SFIOD FLEET' and mailed to SFIOD Fleet, 862 Sir Francis Drive #123, San Anselmo, CA 94960.
We look forward to a spectacular week of Racing and Social Events.
For Additional Information Contact:
Danielle Ames Lawson
Regatta Co-Chair
S.F. IOD FLEET
862 Sir Frances Drake Blvd #123
San Anslemo CA 94960
t. 415.302.0285
treasurer@sfiod.org
www.sfiod.org
Ann P Meredith SFIOD Fleet Public Relations
t.415.623.9048 / annpmeredith1@gmail.com
Spaulding Wooden Boat Center
415.332.3721 / www.spauldingcenter.org
San Francisco Yacht Club
98 Beach Road, Belvedere CA 94920 USA
415.435.4202 / www.sfyc.org
Sailors available for Interviews:
Henry Hernandez – SFIOD Fleet Chairman
510. 306.8846 / info@sfiod.org
Danielle Ames – SFIOD Fleet Treasurer/World's Co-Chair
415.302.0285 / treasurer@sfiod.org
Rich Pearce – SFIOD Fleet Champion & World's Co-Chair
415.435.0332 / rspent@aol.com
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