(06-02-2005) - When the two teams first met in Newport, RI in September of 2003 the series winner wasn't decided until the last leg of the 7th and final race. For the 25th running of the International Catamaran Challenge Trophy (ICCT) hosted in Rimini, Italy and coordinated by the BLURimini organization and the Vela Viva Sailing Club, the competition was no less exciting and even featured an 8th race to determine the winner. John Lovell & Charlie Ogletree (defender) representing the Southern Yacht Club, New Orleans, LA, USA defeated Daniele Saragoni and Teo Di Battista (challenger) from Club Circolo Vela Cesenatico, Cesenatico, Italy 4-3 in the series that ran May 26 to May 31, 2005.
The 6th race of the Trophy Match began at about 3:00 PM with the wind speed about 12-14 knots. Lovell/Ogletree had the yellow/starboard entry based on the previous alternating starts. They won the start and proved to have at least equal boatspeed in the wind range. The Defenders protected their lead and their margin was about 25 seconds at the windward mark but this lead was narrowed by two or three seconds at the first leeward rounding. Lovell and Ogletree maintained their lead throughout the race and evened the series at 3-3. There was a protest by the Challenger alleging prejudice by a photography boat that was disallowed and so the competitors turned toward the 7th and final race.
Flag foxtrot (the attention signal) was hoisted and the next sequence began. ITA had the favored entry and had early control of their USA opponent, following on starboard tack, but ITA tacked back to port to gain the right side of the starting box. USA immediately followed back to port to gain a controlling position and after both boats turned back onto starboard to approach the starting line USA held the leeward position and forced ITA to lose time and speed by gybing away behind the Committee boat. USA won the start, covered each maneuver by ITA to protect their lead and finished first to notch their fourth win and take the Trophy.
Ashore, a protest was filed and the decision was made to re-sail the sixth race. The competitors re-dressed and set off for the sailing area.
For the sixth race re-sail Lovell/Ogletree were aggressive in their pre-start maneuvering and forced two penalties on Saragoni/Di Battista. Lovell/Ogletree won the start and worked out to a 35 second lead that they maintained throughout the early part of the race. Saragoni/Di Battista cleared one of their penalties right after the start and saved the second penalty clearing for later. Lovell/Ogletree maintained a reasonably comfortable lead but got into trouble when their spinnaker fouled on a mainsail batten on the final hoist of the last downwind leg. They lost valuable seconds before it could be cleared and would have won by about 17 seconds except for the fact that Saragoni/Di Battista were required to clear their penalty at the finish. This increased the margin substantially. Lovell/Ogletree successfully defended their ICCT title in an extremely close and hard fought contest.
Despite the tensions created by the 6th race re-sail, there were high spirits at the awards ceremony, good sportsmanship all around, squirting of the bubbly, and dunking the winners, and others, in the marina. There was the serious side as well, including the Trophy awards and many thanks to the organizers, staff, volunteers, umpires, Race Committee personnel, and competitors, and finally the presentation of the prize money to the finalists.
The International Catamaran Challenge Trophy historically known as the “Little America’s Cup” was created in 1961 by the Sea Cliff Yacht Club, Sea Cliff, NY, to promote friendly international match racing catamaran competition.
Visit icct.seacliffyc.org for more information.
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