Tornado North Americans are running this week in Miami...aka SUPERBOWL Central.

Johnny and Charlie grab the early lead!!!

Watch the fight between Thinshcmidt and Weirda and Jason and Giles ... They are fighting for third on the US Team.

Mike Dobbs has teamed up with Mike Siau... one of the top junior sailors in the US

Intl T class press Mike Grandfield has teamed up with Colin Merrick... who's brother Bob posts here quite regularly.

Day 1 results
Results go here.

Not Sorry for the complete US spin on the results! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Any media coverage or photos from the NA's?

No...
We are dependent on Mike Grandfield having enough energy to post the results at the end of the day. The class doesn't have a lot of resources. I think PU is still the PRO and they are covering his costs and thats about it.

No racing Tuesday due to lack of wind. SIs have been changed to try to get in three races on Wed and Thu.

I called to get a ride on a mark boat for pictures and to cover the event, but never got a reply back.
If I needed a ride, where and when should be there? I am free on Thursday.
Rick

What part of the Bay are they in,Is it in the North end now?

I went out on the committee boat on Tuesday. There was not enough wind to get off a single race. The winds hovered just below the required 6 knots from 11 AM until they canceled about 1:30 PM. We started a couple of sequences but they had to be abandoned each time. The winds were dying and going right. I just got an email and evidently they did get off two races today. I will be going out again tomorrow. The race course is abeam Dinner Key Marina in the middle of the bay. Rick, call Linda Evans to arrange to go out on a chase boat. Call me if you need her cell.

John McKnight

Whoopsie! Any more information about this?

Glad to see Mike still hanging in there, in front of the chineese team (which must have one seriously steep learning curve in front of them)

This incident occurred just upwind of the gate - Bundy on stbd after rounding the gate and heading to the left side; the French were still coming downwind and couldn't see him until they jibed right in front of him. Head on collision.

Actual hole in the boat was not that big, but it had a "flap" of hull skin about 12" square. In between the bridle attachment and the tip of the bow.

Thanks Matt. No injuries I hope..
Both teams are very good and professionals (or are the french non-pros?), demonstrating that this can happen with anybody. Perhaps we should look harder at having windows in our spis?

What does "pro" or "non-pro" have to do with it? And what do you mean by "pro"?

Mary,

Obviously it means that their poop don't stink! Duh!
<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

And how exactly do you know that, Tad? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Mary,

I believe this infers that the sailors are paid by their sponsors or are industry professionals. They may have no other job other than racing Tornados. That is typical for the best Olympic class sailors in Europe and that makes it even tougher for US sailors. As an example, Roman Hagara is an officer in the Austrian military and his job is racing Tornados representing Austria which obviously he does very well.

It should also be obvious that if you are a "pro" by this definition, you are probably a better sailor than most of us weekend warrior grunts and Rolf's point was that collisions of this nature can even happen at this level of the sport. It does not matter how good a sailor you are, if you don't see the othe boat, you don't see the other boat.

In my experience racing in the Tornado class against these guys (and I would guess in yours and Ricks experience with them), the top echelon of the class is very friendly, approachable, and humble and contrary to Maugan's assertion, their poop has the same charecteristics as everyone elses!

Bob Hodges

Scientific Clinical Research.

Mine clears out the house.

I can't imagine how bad it must have been a couple years ago before sailing made you rich and famous.

Well those Tornado boys will have their hands full today! That should make up for the lack of wind yesterday, I nearly got blown off my dock a minute ago! OR, do they have an upper limit for the racing? It's gusting well above 20-25 here now. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

I was just thinking that at that level of sailing, whether they are getting paid or not, they oughta at least be watching where they are going. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Assertion? I like the words being put into my mouth based on a comment that was obviously a joke.

Mary, what is the wind doing down there today? Thanks.