| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 19, 1998 | Contact: Joe Hoffman Information Director, 505 Worlds 98 508 790 4800 508 790 1322 fax 800 347 8057 Dennis Burroughs,Int. 505 Class 508 778 6100 Hyannis Yacht Club 508 778-6811 Hyannis Yacht Club Fax E-Mail: int505worlds98@hotmail.com |
HYANNIS, MASS. - Defending 505 World Champions Mark Upton-Brown/Ian Mitchell easily breezed to victory today in the opening race of the 1998 Sea-Land 505 World Championship. Brown-Mitchell, who are from Great Britain, prevailed in a 107 boat fleet on a breezy, sunny 15-18 knot day on Nantucket Sound. Ian Barker and crew Daniel Cripps, also from Great Britain, were second, and Australians Leslie Nathonson/Ian Gregg were 3rd. Americans Mike Zani and Peter Alarie posted a fourth while 1998 North American champions Nick Trotman and Mike Mills were fifth.
"They sailed a good race," said Alarie, who attributed the Upton-Brown/Mitchell victory to superior skill and minimizing mistakes. "They were the only ones who were actually on the layline on the first beat."
Conditions were ideal today on the nine leg - 15 mile - race course. Conditions were sufficient for the 505s to plane upwind at high speed, despite the short steep waves. The reaches (the 505 Worlds course is a triangle, windward, leeward, triangle, giving four reaches) were thrilling, with dramatic changes in position, as better speed, tactics and technique rewarded top teams
One hundred seven 505s are registered in the Sea-Land 43rd International 505 Class World Championship, making this the largest 505 World Championship in the history of the 505 class.
Further information is available on the Sea-Land 43rd International 505 World Championship web site, at URL: http://standard31.infoboard.net/ft/505worlds.html