| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 17, 1998 |
Contact: Joe Hoffman Information Director, 505 Worlds 98 508 790 4800 508 790 1322 fax 800 347 8057 Dennis Burroughs,Int. 505 Class 508 778 6100 Hyannis Yacht Club 508 778-6811 Hyannis Yacht Club Fax E-Mail: [email protected] |
HYANNIS, MASS. - Nick Trotman and crew Mike Mills of Massachusetts were careful to stay ahead of the only team that could catch them - Mike Zani/Peter Alarie of Rhode Island - during today's seventh and final race, and won the 1998 International 505 North American Championship/pre-worlds. Zani/Alarie finished 24th, which dropped them to 4th overall, while strong finishes by the Howard Hamlin/Mike Martin team of California and the Mark Upton-Brown/Ian Mitchell of Great Britain teams pulled them up into 3rd and 2nd overall, respectively. Fifth overall went to the Danish team of Jan Saugmann/Morten Ramsbaek.
The seventh and final race was started after a postponement while waiting for the wind to fill in.Winds were from the SW and lighter, with significant shifts and puffs. Some teams that had consistently finished in the top places in earlier races struggled deep in the fleet, searching for opportunities to work their way through into the top places.
Though a prestigious and fiercely competed for title, the North American Championship is overshadowed this year by the Sea-Land 43rd International 505 World Championship which starts on September 19th, at the same venue. With a number of teams having demonstrated they can finish well in these conditions, competition for the World Championship should be intense.
Boat measurement for the World Championship takes place September 18th. Each of the over 100 International 505 dinghies at the event will be weighed to ensure if is not lighter than the minimum weight of 280 lbs. allowed by class rules. Sails and hulls will be measured to ensure conformance with 505 class rules to ensure that no teams have an unfair advantage.