A full fleet of 18ft Skiffs slides off the start line in front of the City of San Francisco in 2011

11th annual

18ft

International Regatta

San Francisco, Calif. Aug. 27-Sept. 1, 2012

Aug. 1, 2012

Kiwis power up for 18ft Skiff Regatta at S.F.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.

Make way for a month of high-speed on San Francisco Bay ... and that's not just the AC45 racing in the America's Cup World Series.

The table has long been set by the 18ft

Skiff International Regatta hosted by the New Zealand's Yamaha team of (l-r) St. Francis Yacht Club, which will return for David McDiarmid, Overington and Andrew Archibald has a new its 11th annual week of racing on the photo by Greg Fenwick edge. They'll start on Monday, Aug. 27, the week after the AC45s race the first event of the final round of their worldwide competition before turning the game over to the awe-inspiring AC72s.

All will be sailing the venue picturesquely framed by the 75-year-old Golden Gate Bridge on the west, Alcatraz Island on the north and The City on the south.

That there is still room for the 18-footers with modest crews of three in the buildup to next year's big show speaks for their level of appeal, which will be enhanced this year by a mass incursion of seven competitors from a small but major nation America's Howard Hamlin (l.) has of America's Cup accomplishment: New won 6 of the 10 championships Zealand.

The Kiwis will challenge the Australians, whose numbers are normally intimidating, not to mention Howie Hamlin from Long Beach who has won six of the 10 titles. The American will be back to defend the title he won again last year. His crew will be Matt Noble and Matt McKinlay, the latter replacing Paul Allen.

Do they hope to steal some thunder from the Aussies, who created the 18ft Skiffs class?

Of course.

"Yes," says Graham Catley, president of the Auckland Sailing Club, the home of skiff sailing in New Zealand. "The Kiwi are on their way with a relatively big contingent determined to be competitive and successful. This is the biggest effort from the fleet since the 70s and 80s, and we expect to do well."

Catley and two of the other New Zealanders competed last year. Catley placed sixth among 15 boats, Alex Vallings fourth and Dave McDiarmid 10th. They'll be joined this year by skippers Kez Cameron, Murray England, Chris Burgess and Riley Dean, all with sponsors.

"We have three new boats---C-Tech, 18ft Skiffs at play on the Bay Maersk Line and Yamaha---and a fully Hi-res photo gallery refurbished boat with new rigs, Events Clothing," Catley said. "The other three boats are older boats; however the crews have been putting in a significant amount The winners, year by year of effort with training continuing through winter after the end of our summer 2002 Howie Hamlin, USA season." 2003 Rob Greenhalgh, UK 2004 John Winning, Australia

2005 Howie Hamlin, USA The fleet will be filled out by several boats 2006 Howie Hamlin, USA from the local Skiff Sailing Foundation. The 2007 Howie Hamlin, USA 18s will launch from the Crissy Field beach 2008 Seve Jarvin, Australia west of the St. Francis YC. 2009 Howie Hamlin, USA 2010 Michael Coxon, Australia There will be 10 races Monday through 2011 Howie Hamlin, USA Saturday, with Thursday held in reserve and the traditional 7 1/2-mile Ronstan Bridge to Bridge Race late Friday afternoon, joined by windsurfers and boarders---and who knows, maybe the AC45s will jump into the fun.

Notice of race (including daily schedule)

2011 results

2011 high-resolution photo gallery

St. Francis Yacht Club

RACE MANAGER Robbie Dean 818.481.4841 [email protected]

MEDIA CONTACT Rich Roberts 310.766.6547 [email protected]