New Kids on the Block

Doug Crawford getting ready for his first race. Marg Crawford is the second boat from the right.

Doug Crawford, a participant in the Junior Sailing Class last June, came out to join in the racing last night. He sailed the Dolan Optimist. Mom Marg Crawford also joined in the fun, jumping in one of the Club Sunfish.

This was Doug's first real racing experience and it was pretty exciting to be on the water with all the other boats. With two or more Optimists, they will have their own start. Wednesday evening however, Doug was the only Opti - and he started with the Sunfish. While the Sunfish sailed an Olympic course, Doug sailed a triangle - trying to beat as many Sunfish as possible. In the first race he beat all but one Sunfish and in the second race, he finished before all the Sunfish.

Moody and Fishbeck Show Light Air Skills

Joel Shapiro, on port, gets ready to duck Olav Messerschmidt

Mike Moody won three of the four Laser races in Wednesday action on Lake Lansing and had a second in the other race. Joel Shapiro showed his stuff with two second place finishes and a bullet. Olav Messerschmidt captured two thirds and a second. The other top three finishes were tallied by Bob Miller who is lately showing the result of improvements in boat handling and speed.

Seven Lasers joined in the action with light and variable wind conditions dominating the evening - although they held throughout four races. While the wind could have been a little higher, it was hard to argue for a more beautiful evening - and the sunset as boats were put away capped an enjoyable time on the water.

Sunfish sailors position for the start

For the Sunfish fleet it was John Fishbeck leading the way with three first and a third. Gil Chesbro brought home the other first place finish.

Neil Harrison had his game face on, finishing second once and third twice. Jim and Maribeth Fletcher wrapped up the other top three finishes. Jim was second in two races while Maribth had a second and a third. Seven Sunfish were on the water.

Detailed results and standings are available through links on the Racing page of the LSC web site at www.lansingsailing.org.

Olympics Eight Days Away - TV and Blog Coverage Detailed

The US Olympic Sailing Team.

The 18 members of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team - winners, respectively, of the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 11 sailing events - are now "Olympians" after completing the U.S. Olympic Committee's (Colorado Springs, CO) Team Processing held this past Saturday at the American College of Greece. While most of the sailors have been in Athens for several weeks, and in some cases several months, they have spent the last few days together living in the Athlete's Village and moving boats and equipment into the Aghios Kosmas Sailing Centre to begin the final leg of their Olympic journey.

The sailing venue - located in Glyfadha, an upscale suburb to the south of Athens - officially opened for the Games on August 1. For the next week, the sailors will make the final adjustments to their equipment and go through the measurement process before the first official practice races begin on August 12. Laser sailors, competing in the only event that utilizes equipment provided by the organizers, participated in their draw for boats yesterday.

Television coverage of the sailing events will be hosted by Gary Jobson (Annapolis, MD), with race reports scheduled to air every scheduled race day on the Bravo cable channel beginning August 14, and continuing through August 26. The planned coverage will rotate classes every day and will feature one or two races each day, often with on board cameras. The "non-featured" classes will have some, but not complete, daily coverage. The half-hour of programming will air between midnight and 1:00 a.m. in the Eastern and Pacific time zones. Viewers in the Central and Mountain time zones will follow the Eastern time zone (i.e. 11:00 p.m. Central; 10:00 p.m. Mountain). On August 28, CNBC will show two hours of Olympic sailing coverage from 3:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Eastern and Pacific. Additionally, Jonathan Harley, US Sailing's Olympic Director, will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the sailors' experience through his Olympic Diary.

• August 8 (Sunday): Olav Messerschmidt and Dave MacKenzie.
• August 15 (Sunday): John Quensen, Volunteer Needed.

• August 6, LLPOA Euchre on the Lake
• August 8, Lightning Fleet Racing
• August 10, Lightning Practice
• August 11, Wednesday Racing
• August 13, LLPOA TGIF on the Lake
• August 15, Lightning Fleet Racing
• August 17, Lightning Practice
• August 18, Wednesday Racing

• 25 Years of Sailing. ESPN2 is repeating its earlier showing. Produced and hosted by Gary Jobson, this show celebrates 25 years of history in the sport of sailing and ESPN's coverage of it. 5:00 AM to 6:00 AM on August 7.
• Olympics. Bravo will be carrying daily highlights of sailing during the Olympics from 12:00 AM to 1:00 AM starting August 14.
• Swedish Match Tour. Previous events shown continuously on the web at narrowstep.tv.
• Wednesdays: Annapolis Yacht Club Wednesday Night Series. On the web at www.t2p.tv each evening after racing.