April 2000 • 77th Year • Fleets: 177, Yachts: 8016 Sailing beyond tragedy British boatmen team up for Bacardi Cup after each suffers loss of a crew partner By Susan Cocking Exactly one year ago, British sailor Ian In 1997, Walker and John Merricks, “We had an incredible amount of Walker got on board a Star class boat forwho had teamed to win the 1996 Olympicgoodwill from the class,” Covell said. the first time to team with fellow Britonsilver medal in 470s, were poised to win“We could ask people how they set the rig Mark Covell in Miami’s Bacardi Cup.the Melges 24 European Championshipsup, and they would tell you.” Each had lost his previous sailing partnerin Italy. On their way to a celebration, Although Covell had years of experi- in tragic accidents, and neither ence as a crew in Stars, Walker had knew how the other would per- plenty to get used to as skipper in form. They finished 17thin a the new boat. fleet of 82. “The Star is a technical boat,” Fast forward to today’s Walker said. “It’s a keel boat, and opener of the 2000 Bacardi Cup I’ve sailed dinghies. The sails are on Biscayne Bay. Walker, 30, so big, you’re really overpowered. and Covell, 32, have improved You need a big guy hanging over so markedly (seventh in the Star the side to control the jib and the World Championship in Italy; maneuvers and read the compass. fourth in Sydney, Australia’s Upwind, [Covell] can’t see much Pre-Olympic regatta; first in because he’s lying in the water. last month’s Biscayne Bay Downwind, he takes over. I’ve Trophy) they will represent never sailed a boat so overpow- Great Britain in the 2000 ered and such a complicated rig.” Olympic Games. But over the past year, the team has finished a step or two higher in The Bacardi Cup, with sixBritish Olympic sailors Mark Covell, left, and Ian Walker practice on Biscayne Bay other Olympic-qualified teams,in preparation for the 2000 Bacardi Cup. Photo by Patrick Farrell/Herald Staff each regatta it entered, culminat- six more hopefuls, and a record ing in selection for the Olympics. fleet of more than 100 boats, is consideredtheir car rolled over, killing Merricks. Walker and Covell prefer to look toward a prime tune-up for Sydney. Fourteen months later, Covell’s skip-the future, rather than to dwell on the “This is the first event of us reallyper in the Star, Glyn Charles, was sweptdeaths of their former teammates. moving toward the Games,” Covell said.overboard during the 1998 Sydney-Hobart “It is the reason we came together, and “You could argue this is bigger than therace. Neither of the surviving teammatesit is a motivation,” Walker said. “But real- Worlds. All the best sailors come here.” knew what they would do. ly, it’s up to us to make it a success.” Two-person teams from as far away as “It was like so much unfinished busi- Covell said: “We’re certainly not sail- Croatia, Slovenia and Sweden will com-ness,” Covell said. ing just for Johnny and Glyn. From such pete in one race each day at noon through Walker said: “You have to stand backa tragic feeling of loss, it gives us a Friday aboard 22-foot keelboats on a 10 ½from it and not make decisions for atremendous boost to feel we can help to mile bay course. while. Then I realized I couldn’t do any-finish the business that Glyn had set up. The winning team will drink Bacardithing else.” First and foremost, we are racing for our- rum from the ornate, silver Trofeo Bacardi The two men got together at last year’sselves and our country.” at an awards ceremony Friday at Miami’sBacardi, studying Charles’ meticulous Coral Reef Yacht Club. notes on tuning the Star’s large sails and This article has been reprinted with Walker and Covell have come a verycomplicated rigging, and soliciting tipsthe permission of the Miami Herald. long way-not just in distance traveled-tofrom competitors, like Americans Mark the Bacardi Cup starting line. Reynolds and Tom Olsen. StarlightStsT 1 Regatta Information Starlights Classifieds District 12 2000 Schedule Classified information in the new Starlights magazine will be available for May 20-21 Lake Sunapee Ice Breaker Lake Sunapee, NH $50.00 USD per issue. Classifieds may May 20-21 Audi Ice Breaker National YC, Toronto be submitted the same as they have been, June 3-4 Tomahawk Regatta Lake Hopatcong, NJ via fax, mail or email. Checks should be June 10-11 AYS Open Greenwood Lake, NY made payable to: ISCYRA at the June 17-18 Rock Bottom Regatta Keuka Lake, NY Central Office, 1545 Waukegan Road, June 24-25 Scythes Trophy RCYC, Toronto Glenview, IL, 60025-2185 USA. July Centrals Regatta TBA International money order or bank check July 22-23 Canadian National ChampionshipNational YC, Toronto drawn on any U. S. bank, VISA and July 29-30 Sunapee Open Lake Sunapee, NH Mastercard accepted for payment in U.S. Aug 4-5-6 12th District Championship Lake George, NY dollar amount. Aug 12-13 NY State Championship Seneca YC, NY The deadlines are as follows: Sept 9-10 Lake George Open Lake George, NY July 1-August issue Sept 16-17 F.L.A.S.I.R Seneca YC, NY October 1-November issue Sept 23-24 Chili Regatta Seneca YC, NY There is an international regatta scheduled in Gdynia, Poland, Aug. 11 WELCOME IN FRANCE to 16, 2000. All Olympic classes including the STAR. It's a great place To Great Spring Regatta to sail, on the Baltic and about 6 hrs. east of Keil. The organizers have Semaine Olympique Française a website with entry and information De Voile d'HYERES www.sail.gdynia.pl April 20-28, 2000 Tel +33.1.44.05.81.12 I.S.C.Y.R.A. 2000 Championship Fixture List Fax +33.1.47.04.90.12 World Championship Rocky River, OH 44116 USA Email: [email protected] 10-21 May 2000Annapolis, Maryland, Phone: +1 440 333 1155 USA (Races 1-6 May 14-19) Fax: +1 440 333 3136 Annapolis Yacht Club Entry Deadline: 26 July 2000 2 Compromise Street Trophée des Ducs de Annapolis, MD 21401 European Championship Phone: +1 410 263 9279 1-9 September 2000Balatonfoldvar, NEMOURS Fax: +1 410 269-8905 Hungary April 29-May 1, 2000 Email: [email protected] (Races 1-6 Sept. 3-9) Website: www.annapolisyc.com Spartacus Sailing Club SRV ANNECY Entry Deadline: 14 April 2000 Balatonfoldvar H-8623 Molo, Hungary Tel: +33.4.50.45.48.39 Phone: +36 84 340 116 Fax: +36 84 340 704 Junior European Championship Email: [email protected] 11-13 August 2000 Berlin, GermanyWebsite: www.spartacus.hu National Open Championship VSaW Yacht Club Entry Deadline: 13 August 2000 Contact: Frank Butzmann June 9-12, 2000 Phone: +49 30 805 20 06 Additional Information Fax: +49 30 805 11 56 CN NICE Spa Regatta 24-28 May North American Championship KNWV, Medemblik, Netherlands Tel: +33.4.93.89.39.78 15-19 August 2000Rocky River, Ohio, USA Kiel Week 18-25 June Fax: +33.4.93.85.45.53 (Races 1-6 August 16-19) Kieler Yacht Club, Kiel, Germany The Cleveland Yachting Club 200 Yacht Club Drive StarlightH sT 2 Images from Bacardi Cup 2000 by Steve Schwadron LAKE GARDA 27THCOPPA INTERNAZIONALE ISAF RANKING April 30th, May 1st, 2000 Last Tune up for the Worlds!!!!!! Ph. ++39 0464 506240 Fax.++39 0464 506076 StarlightH sT 3 Central Office Report www.starclass.org World Championship deadline: 16.4, so please send any additional dues Lesson in April 14, 2000 prior to 28 April 2000 to be included in your fleet vote totals. The resolutions to REMINDER-- deadline for Worldbe voted on were printed in the February “Refresh” Championship is 14 April 2000. Even ifStarlights and are available online. you do not have all your information (boat, crew) send an entry form to the A reminder that last year STRC 29.1 Class members: During the Central Office and the regatta organizerwas changed to allow 2 entries to the Bacardi Cup and Star Class Spring with the skipper name and as much infor-World Championship if the fleet had a Championship of the Western mation as possible. Late entries are nottotal of 16 or more active boats. These Hemisphere, it came to my atten- accepted. must be 16 different boats. Boats held in tion that some members were not partnership are only counted once and able to view updated information Thank you to all fleet secretaries whocannot be counted in more than one fleet- on the website, even though it was sent their fleet dues to the Central Office.one boat, one vote. Fleet secretaries, if updated each day. One “problem” As of 15 March 2000, we are still missingyour fleet is sending 2 entries to the which is easily solved is for you to dues from 44 fleets. These fleet chartersWorld Championships using revised hit your “refresh” button when you have been suspended as of 1 March 2000.STRC 29.1, please send the Central visit the site. To reactivate your fleet, send your fleetOffice a list of the 16 boats in your fleet If you go to the site from your dues as soon as possible. These fleetsand their respective owners. Owners bookmarks or “favorites”, the page will not receive the LOG in the first mail-must be paid active members of the Star is saved in your computer (that is ing.