Victory for Martin and Nelson

Welcome 18 knots for the finale of the SAP World Championship

Sunday August 30th 2009, Author: Rich Roberts, Location: United Kingdom
Mother Nature gave Mike Martin the 18 knots of wind he asked for and he and crew Jeff Nelson took care of the rest of their business Saturday to win the 2009 SAP 505 World Championship with an artistic runaway performance.

And they earned it. Their climactic 46 second victory mirrored their earlier mastery of the cold, strong winds that San Francisco promised but surprisingly substituted with its apparent two days of summer near the end of the week, momentarily taking them off their game.

Earlier, they used one of their discards when they broke their mast in the mud of the shallow Berkeley Circle in the East Bay while running a close second to Mike Holt and crew Carl Smit, had to swallow a 12th place when the breeze turned light and tricky and then needed to recharge their winning form to beat off the bid of Mike Holt and Carl Smit convincingly over the last two days.

From Day 1 it evolved into a two-boat battle for the title. Holt/Smit were second to Martin/Nelson's firsts in four of the first five races---the exception being the formers' win when the latter flipped in a puff and lost their mast. Australia's Chris Nicholson/Casey Smith hung in for three days, while Germany's Jens Findel/Johannes Tellen and the USA's Dalton Bergen/Fritz Lanzinger and Nick Adamson/Steve Bourdow had their moments near the end, but none could threaten the top two.

After regaining the regatta lead from Holt/Smit in moderate breeze a day earlier, Martin said he'd like to see the wind return to, say, 18 knots for the showdown. He wasn't being greedy; that velocity and more had been standard earlier.

"There was a bit of nervousness at the start," Martin said afterward, "but in the end…"

In the end, after the breeze had built from 12 knots to past 20 in the 3 1/2-lap, hour-and-a-half race, Martin and Nelson were at home in their element again, invincible in their sixth first place in the nine-race series, this time with Adamson/Bourdow second, Nicholson/Smith third and Holt/Smit fourth.

Martin, 44, and Nelson, 34, are from Newport Beach, which may contradict their superiority in heavy weather, but they have been sailing together for 10 years all over the world in all kinds of conditions.

That's also as old as the spare aluminum mast they used for the last seven races with no apparent loss of performance.

Also marking the return of tough sailing were several capsizes and one sinking. Michael and Mark Lazzaro's difficult week---they finished only three races---ended when their number 5281, the oldest boat in the fleet, sank in 10 feet near the leeward gate. They were rescued from the 62-degree water and the boat also was recovered.

Back at the Crissy Field boat yard after the six-mile upwind sail from the race course, Martin and Nelson were greeted with enthusiastic laughs, smiles and hugs by their sailing buddy, Howie Hamlin of Long Beach, and Paul Cayard, his substitute crew for the week. They wound up seventh overall.

Martin was Hamlin's crew when they won the 505 Worlds 10 years ago, and Hamlin noted, "Nobody has ever won the 505 Worlds as a crew and then as a skipper. It's well-deserved. He's worked for it a long time. He loves breeze. He always has."

Cayard said that at 50 "it was a lot of fun" handling spinnakers and hanging out on a trapeze in his boyhood waters, returning to his roots from a long career of sailing America's Cups, Whitbread/Volvo round-the-world races and other big boat ventures.

"I woke up this morning and realized I wouldn't be waking up again to go sailing in a 505," Cayard said, wistfully. "Small boat sailing is what I gave up doing to do what I do 99 per cent of the time now."

Holt/Smit dogged Martin/Nelson into the Gate "rabbit" starting sequence that developed into an odd sort of match race until Martin broke free while running the line on port tack against the starboard tack fleet waiting to cross behind the Gate boat following the rabbit, who was Findel/Tellen.

"We were able to get away just enough to tack to starboard," Martin said, "and when we tacked we were perfectly lined up with a good clear lane, and we were off."

Smit said, "We knew it was going to be tough today. We needed them to make a mistake. They didn't make any mistakes."

Hamlin said, "Holtie did what he could do. He had two days' chances to drive [Martin] down."

Holt said, "We gave it a shot but he was faster. We tried to go for him at the start . . . did everything in our power."

SAP is the naming sponsor and APL is the presenting sponsor. Marine Media Alliance, Drystone Berridge Vineyard Estates, Lindsay Art Glass, North Sails, Ronstan and 505 American Section are supporting sponsors.

Paul Ca yard reports:

Wow! That was a blast! I know I will wake up tomorrow sad. No need to slip into the trapeze harness. Bummer.

We had a great last day...up at the front all day, finished 6th but just 6 seconds from 4th.

SF turned it back on for the final day so everyone will be left with the right memories...big breeze and rippin fun.

Mike Martin and Jeff Nelson walked away with the race and the event. Mike Holt and Carl Schmidt gave it there all and made it a good race finishing fourth today and second overall. My friend and crew mate from the 2002 Volvo Ocean Race, Chris Nicholson and his crew Casey Smith were third. My hat is off to these guys and really all the competitors. The 505 is a challenging boat, but it is extra challenging in San Francisco.

I am so happy Howie asked me to do this. I feel like I am 20 again. Being a pro sailor drives you away from these really cool boats that we used to sail as kids. These are the boats that taught us how to sail, how to have the sensitivity to make any boat go fast. Now I will look for other opportunities to sail in the 505, maybe the Worlds at Hamilton Island in 2011 with my son Danny at the helm. That is the beauty of this, more open doors.

That's it for now. Rolex Big Boat Series September 10th will be next.

Results:
 
Pos Skipper Crew Nat R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 Tot
1 Mike Martin Jeff Nelson USA 1 [99/DNF] 1 1 1 [12] 2 1 1 8
2 Mike Holt Carl Smit USA 2 1 2 2 2 3 [4] [9] 4 16
3 Chris Nicholson Casey Smith AUS 4 3 3 3 3 7 [8] [8] 3 26
4 Jens Findel Johannes Tellen GER [72] 5 6 5 [12] 2 3 10 5 36
5 Dalton Bergan Fritz Lanzinger USA 8 8 4 10 [15] 1 5 2 [16] 38
6 Nick Adamson Steve Bourdow USA 9 2 13 4 4 4 [17] [14] 2 38
7 Howie Hamlin Ian Mitchell/Paul Cayard USA 5 6 [99/RAF] 7 [14] 5 10 5 6 44
8 Tyler Moore Geoff Ewenson USA 11 13 11 [15] [16] 8 6 4 10 63
9 Ryan Cox Stuart Park USA 12 11 12 6 8 6 [15] [22] 8 63
10 Ian Pinnell Carl Gibbon GBR 7 14 8 13 [20] 10 11 3 [99/DNF] 66
11 Kevin Taugher Ben Benjamin USA 14 4 10 18 [99/DNF] 14 [24] 13 7 80
12 Bruce Mahoney Paul Allen USA 24 7 7 8 19 17 [38] [48] 11 93
13 James Hunt Neil Fulcher GBR 10 21 [26] 9 9 [32] 7 23 14 93
14 Ethan Bixby Simon Gorman USA 15 18 9 21 7 [27] [26] 11 18 99
15 Bruce Edwards David Shelton USA [49] [99/DNF] 5 12 6 9 28 28 19 107
16 Sandy Higgins Paul Marsh AUS 3 12 17 24 24 [33] [25] 21 12 113
17 Malcom Higgins Nick Johnston AUS [99/DNS] [99/DNS] 23 25 13 22 1 15 17 116
18 Jan Saugmann Lasse Andreasen DEN 18 9 25 [42] [99/DNF] 25 9 18 13 117
19 David Chatham Jon Bell USA 17 10 21 [30] [35] 13 20 20 28 129
20 Michael Babbage James McAllister AUS 20 16 [37] 20 [48] 19 22 16 23 136
21 Stefan Böhm Andreas Achterberg GER 31 [99/DNF] 24 19 5 [36] 31 19 9 138
22 Peter Chappell Ian Davidson AUS 6 24 [99/DNF] 17 10 37 51 7 [99/DNF] 152
23 Jeff Miller Mike Smith USA [38] 15 22 16 25 [57] 33 32 15 158
24 Terry Scutcher Christian Diebitsch GBR 13 [99/DNF] 18 33 18 [40] 39 25 21 167
25 Nicolai Voelckner Lars Dehne GER 19 17 20 41 26 28 [60] [99/DNS] 34 185
26 Christian Kellner Martin Schoeler GER [52] [99/DNF] 31 35 17 26 36 6 36 187
27 Tim Boeger Markus Schoener GER [46] 20 16 43 [64] 29 27 30 27 192
28 Carter Jackson Peter Holden AUS 36 30 [99/DNF] 22 38 20 19 27 [99/DNS] 192
29 Augie Diaz Tommy Fink USA 25 31 35 [36] [41] 23 35 24 20 193
30 Ted Conrads Brian Haines USA 22 33 32 [47] 29 24 14 40 [99/DNS] 194
31 Macy Nelson Parry Barclay USA [41] 29 [36] 28 36 15 21 31 35 195
32 Jen Morgan Glass Ben Glass USA 47 [99/DNF] 15 11 22 31 46 [99/DNF] 24 196
33 Matt Noble Bill Erklends USA [61] 25 29 27 34 21 29 35 [44] 200
34 Claas Lehmann Leon Oehme GER [42] 27 40 23 32 [43] 12 29 38 201
35 Keith Davids Jesse Falsone USA [48] 38 [99/DNF] 37 33 11 43 12 30 204
36 Nick Davis Michael Duffield AUS 35 23 [41] [45] 40 30 16 33 40 217
37 Hasso Plattner Peter Alarie GER 28 [99/DNF] 19 46 21 [63] 50 36 22 222
38 Paul Mitchell Dale Mitchell AUS 26 28 28 29 [99/DNF] 48 48 [57] 26 233
39 Nick Deussen Jonno Bannister AUS 30 19 [45] 34 [99/DNF] 44 34 43 33 237
40 Michael Quirk Simon Reffold AUS [99/DNS] [99/DNS] 14 14 11 42 18 41 99/DNS 239
41 Ted Ferrarone Doug McKeige USA 53 [99/DNF] [99/DNF] 48 31 46 13 17 31 239
42 Steve Kleha Matthias Kennerknecht USA 16 22 [58] [53] 28 47 37 53 37 240
43 Frieder Achterberg Arne Lanatowitz GER 29 [99/DNF] 39 40 39 [62] 30 45 25 247
44 Ramsay Key Andrew Buttner USA 34 [99/DNS] [51] 26 49 35 41 37 29 251
45 Martin Hodgson Adrian Miles GBR 40 40 34 [44] 30 38 [44] 44 32 258
46 Norman Rydge Jordan Spencer AUS 39 26 [99/DNF] 38 23 39 58 38 [99/DNS] 261
47 Douglas Hagan Robert Woelful USA 51 32 [99/DNS] 39 44 18 [55] 42 42 268
48 Neil Long Mick Odonnel AUS [99/DNS] [99/DNS] 27 32 27 55 42 47 50 280
49 Robert Tennant Rich Mundell USA 33 51 42 [75] 46 16 45 60 [99/DNS] 293
50 John Turney Ned Turney USA 27 35 44 50 42 [52] 47 [55] 48 293
51 Derek Campbell Jon Henderson USA 23 [99/DNS] 43 31 47 56 49 [99/DNS] 55 304
52 Pierre Jeangirard Paul Von Grey USA 57 49 54 49 [99/DNF] [60] 32 34 39 314
53 John Loe Craig Thompson USA 45 34 47 [52] 37 50 52 49 [57] 314
54 Philip Cragg Reto Corfu CAN [99/DNS] 46 33 51 58 34 [99/DNS] 61 46 329
55 Earle Alexander Ian Gregg AUS 21 [99/DNF] 66 [99/DNF] 99/DNF 68 23 26 47 350
56 Richard Gallimore Tom Woods AUS [80] 43 30 54 50 77 65 46 [99/DNF] 365
57 Evert Meyer Peter Funke USA/RSA 56 [99/DNF] 53 56 43 [66] 53 56 53 370
58 Aaron Ross Rob Waterman USA 54 39 38 [99/DNF] [99/DNF] 72 57 59 52 371
59 Martin Kittsteiner Oliver Stieglitz GER 62 41 52 58 55 51 [71] [65] 62 381
60 Jeffrey Robinson Bryce Penfold AUS 43 37 50 [99/DNF] 56 67 [77] 74 59 386
61 Matt Hansen Anthony Dean AUS 64 47 56 67 [99/DNF] 45 59 58 [99/DNS] 396
62 John Gray David Rasmussen USA 55 45 61 55 59 [78] [75] 63 63 401
63 Marcos Vivian Luke Payne AUS 59 [99/DNF] [99/DNF] 62 51 59 63 54 54 402
64 Hubert Guy Xavier Detappe USA 68 48 46 61 63 [76] 69 51 [71] 406
65 Thad Lieb Pat Diola USA 60 [99/DNF] 48 63 57 53 [73] 68 64 413
66 Bill Jenkins Dan Merino USA [77] [99/DNF] 55 59 45 73 61 72 49 414
67 Angus Brackett Colin Orsini USA 32 [99/DNF] [99/DNS] 99/DNS 99/DNS 54 54 39 43 420
68 Douglas De Couto Gareth Williams BER 67 [99/DNF] 59 77 [99/DNF] 41 79 52 45 420
69 Lennart Tasche Frederik Tasche GER 44 [99/DNS] [99/DNF] 60 53 99/DNS 66 62 41 425
70 Ian Burford David Christie AUS 66 42 57 66 [99/DNF] 61 67 [75] 67 426
71 Kevin Cameron Matt Bowden AUS 37 36 [99/DNF] 64 [99/DNF] 58 40 99/DNS 99/DNS 433
72 Andrew Watters Tripp Burd USA 63 44 [99/DNF] 69 52 [79] 74 76 68 446
73 Philippe Kahn Peter Spaulding USA 70 50 67 [83] 65 71 62 [78] 61 446
74 Katherine Long Stephen Long USA 71 [99/DNF] 62 71 61 64 [78] 66 60 455
75 Brett Sharpe Anthony Gaunt AUS 65 [99/DNF] [99/DNF] 68 54 49 56 71 99/DNS 462
76 Olav Schluter Mike Renda USA 78 [99/DNS] [99/DNF] 65 62 65 70 67 56 463
77 Sarah Withall Marcus Cooper AUS 69 [99/DNF] [99/DNS] 57 60 70 72 69 66 463
78 John Wyles Gareth Fletcher USA 58 [99/DNS] [99/DNS] 72 66 69 64 73 65 467
79 Mike Coe Russell Miller USA 73 [99/DNS] 60 70 [99/DNF] 99/RAF 68 64 58 492
80 Mark Christensen Arthur Kinsolving USA 50 [99/DNF] 49 [99/DNS] 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 50 51 497
81 Jan Sell Wiebke Gewinn GER 74 [99/DNS] 65 76 [99/DNF] 80 80 70 99/DNF 544
82 Charles Fulmer Steve Gay USA 84 52 [99/DNS] 73 [99/DNF] 85 76 99/DNS 99/DNF 568
83 Antoine Laussu Alexandre Laussu USA 92/MAN(1) [99/DNF] 68 [99/DNF] 99/DNS 83 85 83 73 583
84 John McLean Jack McLean AUS 82 [99/DNF] 64 81 [99/DNF] 82 81 99/DNS 99/DNF 588
85 Matthias Tellen Moritz Luether GER 76 [99/DNF] [99/DNF] 80 99/DNF 84 83 77 99/DNF 598
86 Ryan Staszko Thomas Hurwitch USA 88 [99/DNS] [99/DNS] 74 99/DNF 75 86 84 99/DNS 605
87 Charlie Dore Joe Requa USA 83 [99/DNF] [99/DNF] 84 67 88 87 99/DNF 99/DNS 607
88 Kirk Twardowski Steve Anderes USA 75 [99/DNS] 63 79 [99/DNF] 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 613
89 Tom Kassberg Guy Rittger USA [99/DNS] [99/DNS] 99/DNF 78 99/DNF 99/DNS 99/DNS 79 70 623
90 John Billings Bill McKinney USA [99/DNS] [99/DNS] 99/DNS 99/DNF 99/DNS 74 99/DNS 99/DNS 72 641
91 Peter Scott Jonny Moseley USA 85 [99/DNF] [99/DNS] 99/DNF 99/DNF 81 99/DNS 80 99/DNS 642
92 Jesse Corlett Ryan Nelson USA [99/DNS] [99/DNS] 99/DNS 99/DNF 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 81 69 645
93 Jennifer Lawson Soren Jensen USA 81 [99/DNS] [99/DNF] 99/DNS 99/DNS 87 82 99/DNS 99/DNF 646
94 Michael Lazzaro Mark Lazzaro USA [99/DNS] [99/DNS] 99/DNF 82 99/DNF 86 84 99/DNS 99/DNF 648
95 Christian Dechamplain Alistair Boyle CAN 89 [99/DNF] [99/DNS] 85 99/DNF 99/DNS 99/DNS 82 99/DNF 652
96 Gilles Carvallo Jean-Yves FRA 79 [99/DNF] [99/DNF] 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 673
97 Patrick McGale Jonathan Ross GBR 86 [99/DNF] [99/DNS] 99/DNF 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 680
98 Louis Wrede Magnus Ryde SWE [99/DNS] [99/DNS] 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 99/DNS 693
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