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1 March 2001, 10:47 am

Pro-Am Racing Prelude To Main Event

Pro-Am Racing At SORC

Accura SORC

A local boat and imported talent proved to be an unbeatable combination in the 1st Acura Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC) Pro-Am race series.

With John Burnham, Editor of Sailing World magazine, as special guest crewmember, West Palm Beach skipper Buddy Cribb and his crew aboard Victory won a two-race series against six other boats in the 1D35 Class.

Preceding the Acura SORC, the Pro-Am event was both an opportunity for sponsors and their guests to sail with top-flight racers, and a chance for boats in the 1D35 class to practice starts and mark roundings. Thirteen of the 15 boats slated to race in the class this week took advantage of the informal session. Seven boats carried special guests.

Joss, sailed by Owen Kratz, from Houston, TX, finished second, with local
Miami television producer Jim Clark filling the guest slot.

The brief, but intense race series consisted of two short double windward-leeward courses, each with a practice start and an actual start. Conditions were ideal, with bright sunshine and a 12-14-knot southeasterly sea breeze.

News Editor from the event organisers

World Sailing TV

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.