Northpinellas: Young athletes follow footsteps

Jolly later went on to represent the United States at the Seoul Olympics in 1988, which was the first year there was a women's division in the sailing venue. She came home with the gold medal in the 470 class.

Now, 13 years later, Jolly returned to St. Petersburg from her California home base to encourage young girls to get involved in the sport. She brought the gold medal and Olympic stories to share with the athletes.

The second annual Allison Jolly Regatta, hosted by the Salty Sisters of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, attracted 30 novice and experienced Optimist Class racers 8-15 for a day of competition, friendships and hobnobbing with an Olympic champion.

With the breeze in the mid-teens and the bay covered with whitecaps, the race committee elected to have the beginners -- Green Fleeters in Optimist Class terminology -- sail in the more protected waters behind the breakwater east of the center.

The veteran White, Blue and Red Fleet competitors raced across wind-driven choppy waters southeast of the St. Petersburg Pier.

After five events, there were clear winners. Shannon Heausler of Tampa was the overall champion, and St. Petersburg's Reguli Granger topped the Green Fleet. Each of the racers posted four wins and a second-place finish in their respective fleets. "It was a lot of fun, lots of wind, and I like to hike out on the boat," said Granger, 10, a fifth-grader in a home-schooling program. "I enjoy sailing, and I like being outdoors doing active sports." Granger also plays tennis and is a violinist in the Pinellas Youth Symphony.

With her win, Granger will be promoted to the White Fleet for her next competition and will be among the volunteers who put on the Bruce Watters Regatta, Saturday-Sunday, for beginners.

Like many of the youngsters, Granger and Heausler come from sailing families.

"I started when I was 8 and have been sailing for over five years," Heausler said.

The 14-year-old attends Wilson Middle School and will be over the Optimist Class age limit next season. But Heausler has no plans to quit the sport.

"I'll probably sail 420s when I age out," she said. "I like to race. I'm a competitive person, and it's a lot of fun for me." It's enjoyable for her family, too.

"Her dad and I both grew up sailing as kids," said Heausler's mom, Gail. Heausler won this event in its inaugural year in 2000. "Last year and this year were so much fun," she said, "and the Salty Sisters do a great job running it."

Other winners included Lauren Growney, St. Petersburg, Blue Fleet; and Emily Billing, Clearwater, White Fleet. Finishing second was Ariel Zirulnick of the Coconut Grove Sailing Club in Miami. Clearwater's Mallory Willett was the runner-up in the 12-boat Green Fleet.

DISABLED SAILORS: The Access Dinghy North American Championship and International Regatta will bring together disabled and able-bodied sailors Oct. 20-22 for small boat racing on Clearwater Harbor. Organized by Sailability Florida and hosted at the Clearwater Community Sailing Center on Sand Key, the first-time event is expected to attract about 30 new and veteran sailors. For information, call (727) 327-0137. The International Foundation of Disabled Sailing (IFDS) Disabled World Championships are scheduled for Oct. 26-31. The host is St. Petersburg Yacht Club.

More than 150 sailors from 25 countries are expected to compete in three-person Sonar keelboats and 2.4 single-handed sloops. For information, call Serge Jorgensen, (941) 809-1111. REGATTA UPDATES: In recent years, it was the Carlisle Classic or the Island Cup, but the Windjammers of Clearwater annual fall regatta has changed names and formats. A two-day event for dinghies and beach cats is scheduled for Saturday-Sunday, racing under the title of the Clearwater Bay Oktoberfest.

Anticipated classes include Sunfish, Flying Scot, Day Sailers, Open Portsmouth and catamarans. Saturday's competition will begin at noon. Sunday's agenda will start at 11 a.m. with a post-race party and dinner at the Clearwater Community Sailing Center.

For entry information, call Bob Bilthouse, (813) 920-4399. FLYING ACROSS SEAS: The 125-foot maxi catamaran PlayStation, skippered by balloonist aviator and sailor Steve Fossett, has set one speed record and is chasing another as it crosses the Atlantic Ocean from New York to England.

The monstrous racer, 60 feet wide with a 148-foot mast, departed New York Harbor on Oct. 5 with a crew of 10 in search of a record for a Transatlantic crossing under sail.

During a 24-hour period from Oct. 6-7, the boat covered 678.17 nautical miles for an average speed of more than 28 knots. The passage, steeped in nautical history, covers 2,925 miles.

The original mark, 12 days and 4 hours, was set in 1905 by the 187-foot schooner Atlantic. The current record was established in 1990 in a different type of vessel -- the 75-foot catamaran Jet Services V, which made the crossing in just more than 6 days and 13 hours.

If the favorable weather patterns hold and PlayStation doesn't suffer any breakdowns, the record for a west to east Atlantic crossing could be less than five days.

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