World Championships Report

The World Championships in Spain was a big event!
The conditions were difficult for a new match-up to say the least. Steep waves and heavy winds in the qualifying series made it challenging for Team Fagen/Goss, but they were rising to the challenge. After the first day of racing Team Fagen/Goss showed the potential to qualify for the Gold fleet. Unfortunately, on the second day of racing they suffered a broken mast when another boat suddenly capsized to windward and snagged Team Fagen/Goss spinnaker resulting in the broken mast. The jury made an unprecedented decision and decided not to penalize either boat by disqualification. Instead they penalized Team Fagen/Goss by not awarding them redress for the races they missed as a result of the other boat's actions. This was a major set-back, but the team went out the next day and sailed well enough to make silver fleet.
When the finals series started, the conditions changed and the new match-up had to learn a new style. The wind had shifted 180degrees and lightend up a little, but the waves became large swells with short chop mixed in between. The new team struggled with getting off the starting line in the new conditions and spent a large amount of time sailing through the fleet. In the end they finished 54th out of the 89 boat fleet. Next they will be training in Florida to prepare for the US Olympic Trials for the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece.

US Nationals

Results are posted at http://www.gorgesailing.org/49er_NA_splash.htm but here is a summary.
11 races completed in winds of 15-23kts 15Boats Attending.

1. Andy Mack/Adam Lowry
2. Morgan Larson/ Adam Koch
3. Pat Witmarsh/ Paul Allen
4. David Fagen/ Ned Goss
5. Doogie Couveraux/Modavan

Results from Waves regatta
Pos Sail No Helm Crew Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 Pts 49er Fleet - Sailed: 9 Discards: 1
1 626 Andrew McCorquodale Hunter Lowden RVanYC / WVYC 1 OCS 1 1 3 2 3 2 1 14.0
2 625 David Fagen Ned Goss Bayview DNC 1 3 3 1 3 1 1 3 16.0
4 713 Michael France Simon Fawkes JSCA DNC 2 OCS 5 5 5 6 3 5 41.0 5 024 Matt Williamson Kevin Black JSCA DNC 3 OCS 4 6 6 5 4 6 44.0
5 024 Matt Williamson Kevin Black JSCA DNC 3 OCS 4 6 6 5 4 6 44.0
6 505 Harry Coleman Jeremy Hill JSCA DNC 4 4 6 8 7 7 5 7 48.0
7 711 Andrew Walther Mark Lutz JSCA DNC OCS OCS 7 4 4 4 OCS 2 51.0
8 11 Scott Ellerbech Mike Mathewson JSCA DNC OCS 5 DNC 9 8 8 7 8 65.0
9 073 Chris Wickham Luke Wickham South Sound Sailing DNC DNC DNC 8 7 9 9 6 DNC 69.0