Guest reporter Ernest Freeland is competing in Newport this week at the Etchells World Championships. Stay tuned to our site for a daily update on the race and how our Annapolis boats are doing!
Well it is almost here. The planning, logistics and boat prep is complete and tomorrow is day one of the 2014 Etchells World Championships hosted by the New York Yacht Club. I over heard one competitor in the weigh in line say "the work is all done now it is just time to do the sailing part." Very true in many ways. Lots of work has been done to get to the starting line. Here we are!
I am sailing with Ed Holt and his daughter Sarah Russell, other Annapolis boats are Jose Fuentes, (Geoff Ewenson and Greg Hryniewicz),Chris Brady (Catherine Guiader, James McKenna and Melissa Deveney), Jeff Borland (Reid McLaughlin and Brian Robinson) and Alan Kelly (Johnathan Forsberg and Robbie Brown).
The 95 boat Fleet is very deep in talent. At the skippers meeting they said that there were 50 competitors whom are America's Cup sailors, five Rolex Sailors of the year. Thirty Olympians with medal representation in almost every Olympic Class sailed, not to forget the many College All American sailors and the thirteen Etchells World Champions participating in the Regatta.
The hope is to complete nine races between Tuesday and Saturday. The Annapolis Group all gathered to watch the US World Cup Match at a "fine water hole located atop a hill" on Sunday. We have also been working together as tuning partners this week and debriefing as a group at the end of the day. Hopefully it all pays off at the least we will have some great stories to share at an Annapolis dinner party Jeff Borland is hosting Saturday night.
