Pimental best old bloke

Report and results from the finals of the Rolex Laser Masters North American Championships

On the third and final day of the Rolex Laser Masters North American Championships, local sailor Andy Pimental (Newport, R.I.) claimed victory over an impressive 132-boat fleet and locked up his Masters Class for ages 45-54 as well. His closest competition on Narragansett Bay, where the event was held and hosted by the New York Yacht Club, came from another local sailor, Scott Ferguson (Jamestown, RI), who topped the younger Apprentice Masters Class (ages 35-44) and finished second overall in fleet. Pimental won the Gay Lynn Memorial Trophy and was awarded an engraved Rolex timepiece.

"I looked at the whole fleet and didn't really think about my particular competition in the Masters Class," said the 45-year-old Pimental, who finished fourth and as top American in Apprentice Class at last year's Masters World event, "but I knew Scott would be a threat, along with Marc Jacobi." Jacobi (Norwalk, Conn.) finished third overall and second behind Ferguson in Apprentice Masters class, while Master sailor Augie Diaz (Miami, Fla.) finished fourth overall.

Pimental regularly sails Snipes and recently won the Snipe Nationals. Asked if local knowledge helped, Pimental said, "Ironically we sailed on a part of the Bay (north of the Newport Bridge) where I often practice but where I don't usually do that well racing."
Though most of the sailors would have preferred stronger wind during the six races held, they were ecstatic that a weekend forecast of relentless rain never came to fruition.

Today's single race, delayed due to light air but successfully sailed in 4-10 knots, emphasized the extreme talent of the fleet's older sailors in Grandmasters (55-64) and Great Grandmasters (65+) Classes, when Great Grand Master Class winner Peter Seidenberg (Portsmouth, R.I.) stretched a lead on the fleet to 100 yards at the finish. "It was inspirational," said Great Grand Master second-place finisher Dick Tillman (Syracuse, Ind.) about Seidenberg's performance. "I had eight points on him going into today, but that kind of lead can be gone in a heartbeat in a fleet like this." Winning Grandmasters Class was Joe VanRossem (Ontario, CAN).

According to Steven Wolff (Fairfield, Conn.), who co-chaired the event with Susan Daly (Newport) and Gary Jobson (Annapolis, Md.), the combined age of the fleet was 6388 years. "The oldest sailor was 77-year-old Bob Saltmarsh of Mattapoissett, Mass," said Wolff, "so I'd say we've covered a little territory." Organizers had anticipated approximately 80 boats but were pleasantly surprised when the fleet count raced past the 100 mark.

Prizes went to the top-three finishers in each class plus the top Apprentice Woman, which was Frances Flam (Philadelphia, Penn.) and top Master Woman, which was Sally Sharp (Enfield, N.H.). All classes sailed together using "standard" rigs, except that Great Grandmasters and Women were allowed to switch between standard rigs and "radial" rigs at anytime during the regatta. The ILCA’s North American Masters handicapping system was used so older competitors could compete evenly with younger ones and an overall winner can be determined.

Results

Pos	Div	Class	Name	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Tot
1	1	Master	Andrew Pimental	1	1	3	4	5	(37)	24
2	1	Apprentice	Scott Ferguson	(9)	4	2	7	1	7	36
3	2	Apprentice	Marc Jacobi	7	2	1	14	2	(16)	41
4	2	Master	Augie Diaz	4	11	10	11	(30)	4	50
5	3	Apprentice	David Moffet	3	18	7	1	12	(34)	56
6	4	Apprentice	Steven Kirkpatrick	10	(42)	12	3	6	14	60
7	5	Apprentice	Scott Milnes	(58)	15	4	17	20	2	73
8	1	Grand Master	Joe VanRossem	6	14	(44)	12	32	6	75
9	3	Master	Chris Raab	(34)	29	18	2	14	3	76
10	6	Apprentice	P.J. Schaffer	15	(65)	14	8	16	18	86
11	4	Master	Had Brick	11	20	6	18	22	(64)	87
12	7	Apprentice	Perry Grossman	14	7	(26)	23	15	20	94
13	8	Apprentice	Rudolph Ratsep	(74)	25	8	9	8	39	104
14	5	Master	Moose McClintock	13	(56)	15	10	11	45	104
15	1	Great Grand Master	Peter Seidenberg	18	(49)	20	49	21	1	109
16	2	Grand Master	David Frazier	5	17	(56)	15	34	36	112
17	6	Master	James Jacob	27	31	37	6	4	(57)	115
18	9	Apprentice	Rick Dominique	72	12	5	16	3	(133\BFD)	123
19	7	Master	Chas Williamson	21	24	27	(133\BFD)	13	28	123
20	10	Apprentice	Ryan Minth	2	22	30	26	(133\BFD)	31	126
21	3	Grand Master	Alden Shattuck	36	6	46	32	7	(133\BFD)	132
22	11	Apprentice	Bill Brangiforte	(67)	27	39	27	17	11	136
23	8	Master	David Lapier	16	38	17	37	26	(83)	144
24	12	Apprentice	Andrew Tuthill	24	19	60	5	25	(133\BFD)	148
25	9	Master	Daniel Neri	12	55	21	42	(133\BFD)	8	148
26	13	Apprentice	Richard Cameron	39	30	19	39	(53)	10	152
27	14	Apprentice	David Barrus	54\CNF	29\CNF	(85\CNF)	19	23	13	153
28	10	Master	Eric Robbins	(55)	36	16	31	40	21	154
29	15	Apprentice	Dave Breder	8	13	58	24	42	(66)	160
30	16	Apprentice	Dixon Smith	(57)	26	28	33	28	40	170
31	4	Grand Master	John Wright	40	54	(62)	30	27	15	171
32	11	Master	Peter Milnes	26	(64)	57	35	24	25	177
33	12	Master	Tim Landt	31	(61)	9	21	50	58	179
34	17	Apprentice	Bob Tan	17	32	(53)	48	38	30	180
35	2	Great Grand Master	Dick Tillman	25	21	25	31	33	(76)	135
36	5	Grand Master	Bill Symes	33	5	51	(133\BFD)	19	70\CNF	183
37	13	Master	Kevin Doyle	29	47	31	57	9	(67)	183
38	18	Apprentice	David Schoene	(133\OCS)	23	24	59	10	53	184
39	19	Apprentice	Ian Rex	19	(133\BFD)	52	25	54	32	197
40	20	Apprentice	Larry Colantuono	41	59	13	38	36	(72)	202
41	21	Apprentice	Hank Thorburn	23	(79)	33	34	43	59\CNF	207
42	6	Grand Master	Amnon Gitelson	37	58	(61)	28	31	51	210
43	7	Grand Master	Derek Stow	43	62	42	(88)	51	9	212
44	14	Master	Robert Hodson	54	10	49	46	(71)	49	218
45	22	Apprentice	Craig Beardsley	20	8	23	(133\DNF)	133\BFD	22	221
46	15	Master	Chris Field	35	40	29	22	(133\DNF)	90	226
47	16	Master	Chris Legg	70	48	(133\RAF)	20	60	26	234
48	23	Apprentice	Blake Marriner	65	37	40	40	48	(73)	245
49	17	Master	Ken Brown	98	(133\BFD)	35	43	47	23	256
50	18	Master	Mark Bear	56	9	11	(133\BFD)	133\BFD	38	257
51	19	Master	Mark Grinder	53	33	(76)	75	69	27	267
52	20	Master	Robert Dousset	68	16	73	55	(133\BFD)	48	270
53	8	Grand Master	John Bentley	86	28	38	44	(133\BFD)	74	275
54	24	Apprentice	Ted Morgan	44	43	63	69	44	(133\DNC)	278
55	3	Great Grand Master	Henry DeWolf	30	39	(75)	65	72	75	281
56	9	Grand Master	David Hartman	59	46	64	70	(133\BFD)	42	286
57	21	Master	John Briggs	71	57	101	(133\BFD)	45	5	289
58	25	Apprentice	John Ryan	42	44	87	45	59	(97)	292
59	26	Apprentice	David Reich	38	52	80	66	(133\DNF)	43	294
60	22	Master	John Beal	46	88	(92)	50	37	65	296
61	10	Grand Master	Donald Woodworth	78	50	41	73	52	(96)	299
62	11	Grand Master	Frank Walsh	(117)	70	43	60	58	63	299
63	12	Grand Master	Newton Wattis	(79)	35	54	74	73	60	301
64	23	Master	Jim Knab	48	45	88	90	(133\BFD)	24	305
65	24	Master	Eric Kamisher	50	66	78	(89)	55	54	313
66	25	Master	Gary Orkney	32	100	32	72	(133\BFD)	68	314
67	26	Master	John McNally	49	69	67	54	66	(92)	315
68	13	Grand Master	John Quay	(104)	85	98	83	29	29	329
69	27	Apprentice	Benjamin du Pont	73	68	89	29	56	(133\DNC)	330
70	14	Grand Master	Jack Pearce	52	51	(93)	80	67	77	332
71	27	Master	Kenneth Jones	(87)	60	70	84	77	35	336
72	28	Master	Robert Barron	77	90	50	95	(97)	17	339
73	4	Great Grand Master	Douglas Mercer	61	84	65	52	(133\BFD)	80	342
74	28	Apprentice	Chris Murray	22	81	55	41	(133\DNF)	133\BFD	347
75	29	Master	Peter Reich	51	83	85	56	62	(86)	347
76	30	Master	Mark Nowakowski	99	63	34	63	86	(107)	355
77	29	Apprentice	Andrew Roosevelt	(94)	78	82	51	35	94	355
78	30	Apprentice	Douglass Walker	76	77	(115)	101	41	47	357
79	31	Master	Peter Johns	(93)	67	69	47	75	89	357
80	5	Great Grand Master	Bob Saltmarsh	83	(89)	72	77	64	61	357
81	15	Grand Master	George Sechrist	45	114	(133\DNS)	79	65	50	358
82	32	Master	Alain Vincey	(97)	76	71	96	46	59	358
83	1/33	Master Women	Sally Sharp	(115)	87	84	76	94	12	363
84	34	Master	Matthew Largess	90\CNF	73	45	71	81	(111)	370
85	31	Apprentice	Eleuthere du Pont	82	53	77	68	76	(133\DNC)	371
86	32	Apprentice	Edward Johnson	63	74	99	(103)	80	46	377
87	33	Apprentice	Tim McKegney	(133\DNC)	133\DNC	133\DNC	13	39	56	389
88	34	Apprentice	Robert La Banca	(133\DNC)	133\DNC	133\DNC	36	18	67\CNF	402
89	35	Apprentice	James Gardner	81	86	(113)	58	95	70	405
90	6	Great Grand Master	Bob Spillman	85	72	102	92	57	(133\BFD)	408
91	36	Master	John Hourihan	(120)	109	22	94	87	87	409
92	35	Master	Neil Cocker	(102)	101	47	82	78	71	389
93	16	Grand Master	Halsey Bullen	84	(94)	74	85	82	81	411
94	36	Apprentice	Jack McVicker	75	75	81	87	(90)	79	412
95	37	Master	Kerry Doherty	96	82	111	98	(133\DNF)	19	416
96	37	Apprentice	Al Girard	47	41	48	(133\DNF)	133\DNF	133\DNC	417
97	38	Master	Richard Blatterman	(114)	112	36	99	63	103	423
98	17	Grand Master	Rich Parolski	(103)	92	90	67	91	85	430
99	39	Master	Don Hahl	92	71	83	86	88	(104)	430
100	40	Master	Douglas Bargar	127\CNF	93	(133\DNS)	64	61	78	433
101	7	Great Grand Master	Bill Barlow	90	113	86	53	(133\BFD)	100	442
102	41	Master	Stephen Fuccillo	66	(107)	96	102	70	101	445
103	42	Master	Mike Moody	88	99	79	105	68	(133\DNF)	449
104	38	Apprentice	Jack Zinn	111	97	68	81	79	(133\DNC)	451
105	39	Apprentice	Matt Schartner	60	34	(133\DNC)	133\DNC	133\DNC	84	459
106	40	Apprentice	Stephen Ward	100	105	105	82	(133\DNF)	55	462
107	43	Master	Matthew Buechner	89	(133\BFD)	100	111	93	62	465
108	44	Master	John Shanholt	91	98	66	78	(133\BFD)	133\DNC	476
109	45	Master	Dino Garbero	80	(111)	97	107	98	93	485
110	18	Grand Master	Lee Hodsdon	(118)	95	95	106	99	91	491
111	41	Apprentice	Mark Penny	(133\DNS)	133\DNS	133\DNS	62	49	102	494
112	46	Master	Ken Jennings	(133\OCS)	80	104	100	133\DNF	69	496
113	47	Master	Stephen Kosacz	62	108	103	113	(133\DNF)	108	504
114	1/19	Grand Master Women	Joan Hurban	(133\DNC)	133\DNC	133\DNC	116	74	52	513
115	42	Apprentice	Mike Mahoney	(133\CNF)	103	94	110	85	112	519
116	20	Grand Master	Edward Rickard	69	96	(133\DNC)	93	133\DNF	133\DNC	529
117	2/21	Grand Master Women	Judith Hanlon	109	(119)	109	115	100	95	533
118	43	Apprentice	Gary Schneidman	107	(116)	107	114	89	106	538
119	22	Grand Master	John Northrup	(119)	115	106	112	92	109	539
120	23	Grand Master	Douglas Van Houten	112	(118)	112	104	96	110	539
121	44	Apprentice	Chris Weiler	(133\DNF)	104	114	91	84	133\DNC	541
122	48	Master	Neal Snebold	121	110	110	108	83	(133\DNS)	542
123	45	Apprentice	Luke Thornewill	116	102	108	97	(133\DNF)	105	543
124	46	Apprentice	Michael Duran	106	91	117	109	(133\*1)	113	551
125	1/47	Apprentice Women	Frances Flam	113	120	(133\DNS)	117	102	99	566
126	24	Grand Master	Cory Friedman	123	122	(133\DNC)	118	101	98	567
127	25	Grand Master	Mark Milnes	95	(133\DNC)	133\DNS	133\DNC	133\DNC	88	587
128	26	Grand Master	Chuck Rudinsky	(133\DNF)	133\DNC	133\DNC	61	133\BFD	133\DNC	598
129	8	Great Grand Master	David Whiting	110	121	116	(133\DNF)	133\DNF	133\DNC	613
130	49	Master	Matthew Marion	(133\DNC)	133\DNC	133\DNC	133\RAF	133\RAF	82	624
131	50	Master	Jay Keough	122	117	(133\DNC)	133\DNC	133\DNC	133\DNC	648
132	1/48	Apprentice Women	Fulvia Quilici	131\CNF	132\CNF	117\CNF	(133\DNC)	133\DNC	133\DNS	661