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Letter to the editor

Many sailors enjoy banner year in '07

By DAVE ELLIS, Sailing
Published December 26, 2007

Sailing on Tampa Bay has long been a favorite pastime.

The Gandy family, early St. Petersburg developers, had a schooner that had all the rigging and parts but was only about 12 feet long. The family had other boats, but this one was for fun.

Today, sailing fun vessels includes cruising the bay and visiting the islands, the waterfront eating establishments and the marinas. Sometimes it means just "messing around in boats," with no destination at all. It has been said that in a powerboat the skipper has a destination. In a sailboat he is already where he wants to be.

When two similar sailboats are on the water, often a race breaks out. Many organized sailboat races are staged on the bay. This area is the winter capital for racing in North America, bringing thousands of visitors each year.

Local sailors have the advantage of this excellent competition and year-round opportunity to sail. Success in the sport follows.

Several of the outstanding 2007 sailors of the area:

Ed Baird was the winning helmsman for the America's Cup. Those who have known Baird for years, perhaps since he was a child at the St. Petersburg Junior Yacht Club, later known as St. Petersburg Sailing Center, might not be aware of the accolades that this win brings to him in the rest of the sailing world. He was named sailor of the year by the ISAF.

And it is refreshing that Baird won the Bermuda Wedgwood Heritage Cup that is bestowed upon the sailor that "embodies the spirit of the sport."

The St. Petersburg City Council feted Baird at a packed meeting, giving him the key to the city, an "Ed Baird Blvd." street sign and other gifts, along with roses for wife Lisa.

Jeff Linton won the Lightning Class world title in Europe. And he won the Midwinters staged by St. Petersburg Yacht Club. For variety he stepped into a self-built 11-foot Moth and won the Midwinters in Gulfport and the nationals in North Carolina.

Ethan Bixby won the 505 North Americans 20 years after last winning the worlds in this most competitive of sailing boats. And he won the 505 Midwinters held at Fort De Soto Park. He and wife Trudy sailed their Windmill to the national title in Virginia and the Midwinters at Davis Island Yacht Club.

Lin Robson won the nationals in San Diego, North Americans in New York and Midwinters in St. Petersburg of the Flying Dutchman class. And he was the top American finisher at the worlds in Europe.

Zach Railey has had a banner year in the Olympic Finn class, culminating in winning the U.S. trials. He is racing in Australia for training.

Ben Barger won the Olympic Trials in the Windsurfer and was elected the class' representative to the world sailing body.

Fred Strammer, using his dad as crew, won the Flying Scott Midwinters and won the Lightning Junior Championship with Justin Doan and Michelle Thomas.

Brad Funk tied for the win in the Laser Olympic trials but lost the tiebreaker. Paige Railey was second in the Laser Radial trials. Robbie Daniel was second in the Tornado Trials. Mark Mendelblatt led the Star Trials but faded to third. He sailed on the New Zealand America's Cup boat.

Cam Hall won just about everything there is to win in the Laser 4.7 class and is racing in South Africa at the worlds.

Emily Billing has been named to the U.S. Sailing Elite Junior Sailor program, giving her extra coaching and travel in the Laser Radial.

In the smallest boats, the Optimist Dinghy, Kathryn Booker, sailing for Team FOR in Clearwater, was the only area sailor to qualify for foreign regattas this year.

Dave Mendelblatt won the Sunfish Midwinters, districts, and states and placed second in the worlds.

Many more sailors will be recognized in the next column.

[Last modified December 25, 2007, 21:20:39]