TEAM SPOT AWARDS CEREMONY AT 505 WORLDS IN DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA

Wednesday, November 22, 2000

After several days postponement, the long awaited 2000 TEAM SPOT awards ceremony commenced following race 2 & 3 of the 2000 505 World Championships. Racing had been delayed until this due to extreme winds. TEAM SPOT made the following awards:

TEAM SPOT "Swim Team"

A half hull model of a 505 mounted upside down on a on a cheesey pressed wood plaque, suitably engraved. For this year, Australian sailors Ian Burford and Dave Christie were awarded the swim team trophy and TEAM SPOT t-shirts (highly prized by those who have them) for having to abandon their boat (8740) during the first pre worlds race. The boat ended up wrecked on the coast 50 Km away, and was found stripped of all parts by the natives. Actually there were two 505s which met this fate, but Ian got the nod because he had lost another 505 on the Australian highways just 4 months prior to this event in a rear ending collision. A portion of 8740 currently resides in the Point Yacht Club beach site bar where it is being signed by all.

TEAM SPOT Inductees

Bob Crisp and Pip Pearson - were inducted as honorary members of TEAM SPOT in separate ceremonies. Bob Crisp was thanked for all his hard work in coordinating all the foreign 505s' transportation to Durban for this years' Worlds. Bob was awarded several cans of McLube and a TEAM SPOT t-shirt.

Pip Pearson was also thanked for all his hard work supporting the 505 class in Australia and the world as International President. TEAM SPOT and Pip have a bit of a history which began after one race at the 1998 505 worlds in which his boat, steered by Malcolm Higgins, finished behind TEAM SPOT. During that evening's post race social gathering, Pip encountered TEAM SPOT helm Barney Harris in the bar - he looked up and dead-panned "you mongrel." After some discussion, all agreed to wager beers on the following races. after a few losses to TEAM SPOT, Pip and Malcolm offered to go double or nothing, which has continued to this day. After 10 or so consecutive losses spanning several classes and events on three continents, we conservatively estimate that Pip is into TEAM SPOT for several thousand beers. Pip was awarded a TEAM SPOT t-shirt and pointed in the direction of the bar.

The final set of TEAM SPOT annual awards are for the teams which finished just ahead and just behind TEAM SPOT for the last race prior the TEAM SPOT event. For this year, Howard Hamlin and crew Peter Alarie, who finished 4th in race three, were awarded t-shirts which were printed with the slogan "I CRUSHED TEAM SPOT AT THE 2000 505 WORLDS." The award was particularly significant for Alarie since it is the second year in a row he has been so honored. The misty eyed Alarie was ecstatic and was overheard exclaiming that he would wear this shirt night and day forever.

The final award was to Ian Barker and crew Daniel Cripps who finished 6th in race #3. Barker, who had recently won the Olympic silver medal in the 49er class, and crew were presented, in abstentia, with t-shirts printed with the slogan "I SUCKED TEAM SPOT'S EXHAUST AT THE 2000 505 WORLDS." We wish him well.

TEAM SPOT is an international dinghy racing organization based in Washington DC, USA. Members of TEAM SPOT include Barney Harris, Jesse Falsone and Becky Harris (mascot).