| LONG BEACH, CA.-(4-9-2002) A 38-boat fleet rode a roller coaster of swells
through the first race of the 2002 Etchells North American Championship
Wednesday, led by Dennis Conner in defense of the title he won at Holland,
Mich. last year.
The unsummerlike scene also featured a lingering coastal fog that formed a
daunting backdrop around the 1.75-nautical mile windward-leeward course set
in the San Pedro Channel between Santa Catalina Island and the mainland. It
might also rain Thursday or Friday.
Conner, with Peter Burton and Al Pleskus as crew, sailed from third place
to first on the last leg of the nine-mile race to edge longtime Etchells
rival Jud Smith of Marblehead, Mass. and the Mark Thornburrow/Tim Parsons
entry from Hong King after a two-hour battle.
The latter led at every mark before their disappointing defeat.
`They went to the wrong [side of the leeward] gate,` Conner said. `The
[south] gate was farther upwind. As soon as we went around we were ahead of
them. We went around and tacked and they were inside of us.`
From Parsons' view, `It was a great race until the last mark,` he said.
`There was a 20-degree shift just as we got to the gate. The wind shifted
left and it was too late for us to do anything about it. If the wind had
shifted a hundred yards earlier we would have gone to the other [side].`
That's where Smith and Conner went, in that order. Then a gear problem cost
Smith the lead.
`Whoever went around there should theoretically win the race,` Smith
said---and he might have if the gear that holds his mast forward downwind
hadn't become entangled in the starboard jib sheet.
`So when we tacked we couldn't trim our jib in,` Smith said. `Dennis got
through us and that was it. That's the way it goes.`
The wind was about 14 knots southwest at starting time, when there was one
general recall, but after the first two legs the breeze started to fade to
about 8 knots at the end. That left the sea condition out of proportion to
the wind strength as the short, steep chop undulated through the crests and
troughs of the 10-foot swells.
The swells, unusual even for the unprotected ocean course which the race
committee selected Wednesday, were the product of Hurricane Hernan churning
some 900 miles south off Cabo San Lucas and were expected to continue
through the week. Competition continues through Saturday with two races
daily.
Smith said, `It wasn't that windy, but the swells were huge. On starboard
tack, at the bottom of the swell you're in a light spot and at the top
you're in a puff.`
Parsons said, `We're visitors, so we can't tell the difference. It was a
little bit like home . . . the conditions we see in Hong Kong.`
Smith is confident he'll have a good week.
`We feel like we have a boat speed edge, upwind and downwind,` he said. `So
we'll see what we can do with it.`
Photos are posted on the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club Web site following each
day of racing. High-resolution photos for print reproduction will be
available at the end of the event upon request.
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