Thanks, Eric - the link off the Alter Cup home page was broken.

2004 Alter Cup Results / Boat Normally Sailed / How they got there:
(source)
1) Mike Montague - Hobie 16 - Petition
2) Annie Nelson - Hobie 16 - Petition
3) Dan Kulkoski - Hobie 16 - Hobie Wave Champion (rotating slot, A-Class rep not attending)
4) Bill Jeffers - Hobie 16 - Petition
5) Rich McVeigh - Hobie 16 - Area C 1st place
6) Hobie P. Alter - Hobie 16 - Petition
7) Tom / Sue Korzeniewski - Hobie 16 - Petition
8) Jamie Diamond - Hobie 16 / Mystere 4.3 - Petition (no Olympic rep)
9) Greg Thomas - Tiger / Hobie 16 - Petition
10) Bill Kast - Hobie 16 / Hobie 17 - Petition
11) Ken Marshack - Hobie 18 / A-Cat - Area H 1st place
12) Kirk Newkirk - N20 / Hobie 20 - Hobie 20 Nationals
13) Bob Merrick - Hobie 16 - Petition
14) Jim Sajdak - Hobie 14 - Area G 1st place
15) Paul Hess - Hobie 16 - Hobie 16 NA Champion
16) Dan Delave - Hobie 16 / Tiger - Petition
17) Bret Sullivan - Hobie 16 - Youth Representative
18) Kevin Rejda - NACRA 6.0 - 3rd place N6.0 NA Nationals
19) Mike Ferrara - N-20 - Area A/B 4th place
20) Chris Sawyer - N-17 - N-17 Nationals

These statistics don't lie - half the spots were awarded by petition. Of the ten qualifying regattas, five Areas did not send any representatives and only three sent their actual winner.

Draw what conclusions you want, but I think that a lot of "spinnaker snobs" punted when they found out what boat the 2004 Alter Cup was going to be sailed in. They should all be ashamed of themselves.

I think the same sentiment was running this year - Brent's comment and Kevin's attitude speak volumes.