Reprinted from the Fall 1997 Tank Talk
by Allan Johnson
(probably biased misleading reporting, but Mike Martin gave me this assignment)
The 1997 505 World Championship was held at Gilleleje Sejlklub, August 10-21, 1997 in Gilleleje Denmark. Gilleleje is a quiet fishing village about an hour north of Copenhagen on the Kattegat sea. Nature, bikes and pedestrians rule this part of the world, with only one stop light in town. An unhurried life with nice people who welcome visitors to their special locale. The weather was absolutely stunning! We were warned to bring drysuits, etc. My helm never even wore a wetsuit on the water, I never wore a sweatshirt off the water. Unfortunately this made for a light air regatta but most of the competitors were stunned by the 85 degree days and 70 degree water.
I guess I should get to the racing part of the story, but I learned that a World's is much more than a regatta. We were in Denmark for two weeks and it was rad! A few other details worth mentioning: all of the competitors stayed in the Gilleleje Holiday Center, a sprawling resort in the trees with gorgeous views of the ocean. There were soccer fields (The Brits beat the Aussies and Germans; The Aussies beat the Germans) tennis courts, swimming pools (The Aussies beat the Brits at Water Polo) and cool six person houses complete with all the amenities. The center was about 3 kilometers from the Sailing club, which at first was a drag, but then everyone discovered rental bikes. And the ride to town and the club was on the ridge overlooking the sea! Most of this was in the information packet, but they could not describe how cool it would be. Mike Mills kept saying
"This is just like college. We live in dorms, we all have bikes, we sail all day, and party at night."
I must thank the regatta Sponsor, Tuborg Beer! Free beer and lunch after everyday of racing. And last but not least: In the summer in Denmark, people don't wear clothes! Can I be politically correct about this? No, I don't think so....There were topless chicks everywhere! On shore postponements were cheered by the Americans and we would go for long walks down the beach enjoying the sight seeing.
On one particular day, two beautiful young girls were sunbathing topless virtually in the boat park. Unbelievable! This free mentality struck the competitors as well. Need to change into your sailing gear? No problem, drop trousers and change right there, next to your boat. Denmark was Rad!
There was a pre-worlds on August 10,11,12. Two races a day in light air, no races over ten knots, many in a fluky 5 knot southerly. Tyler Moore/Scott Ikle almost won this regatta but placed second to the very fast Danish team of Hans Jorgen Riber/Adam Malling. Howard Hamlin/Mike Martin were third and enjoyed a nice meal in town for their efforts. The USA team was looking strong with Ali Meller/Allan Johnson in eighth, Macy Nelson/Mike Mills in 14th and Terry Neff/Bill Smith in 22nd. But no one really knew what the World's would be like, since this was a light air flukefest and the cool guys like Team Sweden (Krister Bergstrom 4 time World Champ sailing with Thomas Moss and Ebbe Rosen sailing with Olle Wenrup) blew off several races.
Measurement of the eighty boats followed with two days of stress, sail cutting, boatwork, or sightseeing (Unbelievable) in Sweden depending on your program. I won't bore you with the details, ask the Aussies about Sweden.
Race 4 is abandoned with no wind in the forecast. The competitors cheer after three light air races. Under an amendment to the 505 class rules, most sailors think this will now be a 6 race series instead of seven. Lots of people go to Sweden, Copenhagen or the beach.
On the second to last day of the regatta there are grumblings in the boat park that the RC will attempt two races that day in the effort to get a 7 race series. This is interpreted by the class officers as a breach of the 505 class rules and they attempt to reason with the RC to hold only one race.
The RC believes that Race 4 (or whatever number it is now, eventually race 6) was not abandoned but postponed and it is their right to run it. Sailors leave the boat park not knowing how many races will be sailed that day.
In second is Upton-Brown/Mitchell and third is Bergstrom/Moss. Rosen/Wenrup and Hamlin/Martin finish 9th and 10th respectively putting Upton-Brown/Mitchell in the lead for the title. Meller/Johnson protest the RC for running the race despite finishing 8th. Their argument is that it was sailed not in accordance with the class rules. Nelson/Mills have a protest requesting redress, as they were fouled at the start. Hamlin/Martin have a protest against a German team. Ian Barker is heard to say "Are all of the Americans protesting because of too much wind??" All protests are dismissed. The sailors have been on the water for more than eight hours. Race seven will start at 10:00 am the next morning.
Prize presentation was held at Kronburg Castle, the inspiration for Shakespeare's Hamlet, and the house of Danish nobility. The 5o5ers had the whole castle to themselves and prizes were handed out in this great huge hall by none other than the great Paul Elvstrom.