| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 13, 1998 | Contact: Joe Hoffman Information Director, 505 Worlds 508 790 4800 508 790 1322 fax 800 347 8057 |
HYANNIS, MASS. - Americans Nick Trotman and Mike Mills from New England won top honors in a 56 boat fleet today at the opening day practice race of the Sea-Land 43rd International 505 pre-World Championship. Trotman-Mills prevailed with superior boat speed and tactics in a puffy, oscillating 8-15 knot northerly. The opening race of the Sea-Land 1998 International 505 North American/pre-world Championship is scheduled to begin Monday at 12 p.m. Two races are scheduled. The pre-worlds ends with an awards ceremony on Thursday, September 17, 1998. The forecast for Monday is 12-15 knots from the south.
"The Race Committee was impressed with the speed and performance of the 505s", said Joe Hoffman, Information Director for the event.
Events kicked off today with a noontime skipper's meeting which included opening remarks from Hyannis Yacht Club Commodore Tim Lovett. Flag officers, event organizers, and the 505 class President addressed the sailors. 1959 and 1960 International 505 World Champion, Marcel Buffet, was also singled out to the crowd. Buffet has raced in almost every 505 World Championship since the class was formed, and is back for the 43rd event, at seventy plus years of age. After the skipper's meeting racers rigged and launched their boats, parading out of the harbor under spinnakers on a spectacular fall day.