NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.---New boats are nice, but four Santa Cruz 70s harkened back to their glory days Sunday by sweeping the top four spots overall on corrected handicap time in the second biennial First Team Real Estate Invitational Regatta for the Hoag Cup.

Not to say there weren't any records set. Jim Madden, a competitor and chairman of the big boat inshore event, announced at the awards ceremony that organizers of the Balboa and Newport Harbor Yacht Clubs had topped their goal of raising $400,000 for the Hoag Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute, believed to be the largest amount ever raised by a charitable sailing event.

Ed McDowell's 21-year-old Grand Illusion, with Patrick O'Brien taking over as skipper and helmsman in the owner's absence, led the way on the water, followed by Tim and Tom Hogan's Westerly, Doug Ayres' modified Skylark and Brack Duker's Holua.

The 15-boat fleet represented a variety of some of the West Coast's best racers over the last few decades, from Ragtime, now owned by Chris Welsh, in the 70s to Doug Baker's Magnitude 80 in the 21st century. But handicap ratings and good sailing trumped new technology this time as the 70s--- a.k.a. the iconic "sleds" that dominated downwind racing in the 80s and 90s--- sounded a triple blast from the past.

After the 70s came Morning Light, Roy E. Disney's team of young chargers and subjects of a documentary film in progress but who seem more bent on becoming world- class racers than movie stars.

Roger Sturgeon's new STP 65, Rosebud, won Class A in its maiden regatta, while Grand Illusion also topped Class B and Oscar Krinsky's 1D48, Chayah, came from behind to edge Andy and Camille Rasdal's DK 46, Valkyrie, in Class C.

Appropriately, it's been McDowell who has been leading the sleds' resurrection of the class on the West Coast, even if he was on a cruise ship in Italy and wasn't here to see his boat sail into Sunday with a commanding points lead and one race to go.

O'Brien, who has been sailing on Grand Illusion for 17 years, said, "It's been a very good weekend for us. Today we decided just to sail safely and conservatively, but it was still a tough day."

The wind was a light 8 to 9 knots with boats often overlapped in the mark roundings, but the 70s and smaller boats at least didn't have to worry about Magnitude 80 and the new ocean racing thoroughbreds: Madden's Stark Raving Mad III and Roger Sturgeon's Rosebud of Roger Sturgeon. They were quickly long gone in all five races over three days.

"They're spectacular," O'Brien said, "but we're happy with the 70s. We're trying to get this class going again. Ed is not going to get a new boat."

Sturgeon was as happy with the performance of his new boat, despite losing its hydraulic power assists on Day 2, as he was about the charitable success of the event.

"This is such a good formula it ought to be marketed," he said. "I don't know of anything this big in sailing. We were so tickled to be invited back and that it came together for us against all odds. All credit goes to the crew. Whatever you throw at them they'll find a solution."

Krinsky, who had Chris Redmond at the helm and Paul Bishop calling tactics on Chayah, said with a nod to dock neighbor Morning Light, "My guys are great--  -my kids. It was fun."

Tim Hogan, whose Westerly (formerly Mongoose) came on strong the last two days, said, "A lot of it was local knowledge, and it paid off"---for Westerly in particular by making a couple of strong pin-end starts and hitting the left corner hard. "We were out there to have fun with a lot of old friends."

Magnitude 80, owing everybody more time than it takes to read this, looked great in winning the first four races, but stumbled into a come- from-ahead setback in Sunday's finale. When principal race officer Mike Wathen shortened the course for the second of three laps, Mag 80 sailed far past the new windward mark before realizing its error. Stark Raving Mad III and Rosebud sailed past to finish 1-2.

Finally, Disney was more than pleased with Morning Light's performance in the crew's first series racing test marked by quiet and crisp boat handling and tactics.

"They're doing a terrific job," Disney said, adding this nugget of wisdom: "A quiet boat is a fast boat."

First Team Real Estate is the title sponsor. Other sponsors include Accretive, Bank of America, Countrywide, Warmington Homes, Wells Fargo Bank, Mellon Bank and MKA Capital. West Marine is also a supporter.

Final standings   (5 races; by corrected handicap time)

Overall

  

Westerly was second overall




Chayah won Class C




Brand new Rosebud won Class A




Morning Light was 5th overa

1. Grand Illusion (Santa Cruz 70), Patrick O'Brien/Ed McDowell, Redondo Beach, Calif., 1-1-3-2-4, 11 points.

2. Westerly (Santa Cruz 70), Tim and Tom Hogan, Newport Beach, 6-6- 4-1-2, 19.

3. Skylark (Santa Cruz 70), Doug Ayres, Newport Beach, 4-5-6-3-1, 19.

4. Holua (SC 70), Brack Duker, Marina del Rey, Calif., 2-4-2-7-5, 20.

5. Morning Light (Transpac 52), Jeremy Wilmot, Waikiki, H.I., 7-3-8-4-6, 28.

6. Chayah (1D48), Oscar Krinsky/Chris Redman, Long Beach, 12-9-1-6- 3, 31.

7. Rosebud (STP 65), Roger Sturgeon, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., 5-2-10-9- 10, 36.

8. Pendragon IV (Davidson 52), John MacLaurin, Encino, Calif., 8-7-5-11- 7, 38.

9. Valkyrie (DK 46), Andy and Camille Rasdal, San Diego, 9-10-7-5-8, 39.

10. Peligroso (Kernan 68), Mike Campbell/Dale Williams, Long Beach, 3-8-11- 10-9, 41.

11. Ragtime (Spencer 65), Chris Welsh, Newport Beach, 11-13-12-8-14, 58.

12. Trader (Transpac 52), Fred Detwiler, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., 14-12-9-14- 11, 60.

13. It's OK (Andrews 50), Tres Gordos Sailing LLC, Balboa, Calif., 10-15- 13-15-     12, 65.

14. Stark Raving Mad III (Reichel/Pugh 66), Newport Beach, 13-14-14-12- 13, 66.

15. Magnitude 80 (Andrews 80), Doug Baker, Long Beach, 15-11-15-13- 15, 69.


Class A

1. Rosebud; 2. Peligroso; 3. Stark Raving Mad III; 4, Magnitude 80.


Class B

1. Grand Illusion; 2. Westerly; 3. Holua; 4. Skylark; 5. Morning Light; 6. Pendragon IV; 7. Trader; 8. It's OK.


Class C

1. Chayah; 2. Valkyrie; 3. Ragtime.


Click for…

      Results with elapsed/corrected times

             Photo gallery

                    Longpre photos

                                  Video highlights



About Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian (www.hoaghospital.org) is a 511-bed, not-for- profit, acute care hospital located in Newport Beach, Calif. Fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and designated as a Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), Hoag offers a comprehensive mix of health care services, including Centers of Excellence in cancer, heart and vascular, neurosciences, orthopedics and women’s health services. A recent study released by HealthGrades placed Hoag among the top 5% of hospitals in the nation and a recipient of the 2007 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence. National Research Corporation has endorsed Hoag as Orange County’s most preferred hospital for the past 10 consecutive years. And for an unprecedented 11 years, residents of Orange County have chosen Hoag as the county’s best hospital in a local newspaper survey.

About First Team Real Estate
As the number one independent in California, First Team Real Estate is one of the largest privately held real estate companies in the country. According to the last National Real Estate and Relocation Magazine Power Broker Report, First Team is the #11 independent real estate company in the nation for overall sales. Founded in 1976 with five agents in one office, First Team is now home to over 2,000 sales associates and over 300 employees in 38 offices across the region.


General Media Contact
    Amy McKibbin, Hoag Hospital
    949/244-3234
    Amy.McKibbin@hoaghospital.org


Sailing Media Contact
    Rich Roberts, Press Officer
    310/835-2526
    cell 310/766-6547
    richsail@earthlink.net