Andy Beadsworth wins Etchells Piana Cup 2006

by Lynn Fitzpatrick on 12 Dec 2006 The real story of the opening day of the Etchells Piana Cup was Briton's Andy Beadsworth, Oscar Strugstad and Simon Fry in brand new boat and borrowed sails.

A few weeks ago Beadswortth and Fry were half way around the world. They had sailed into fourth place at the 2006 Audi Etchells Worlds off Fremantle and look likely to be major players at the 2007 Worlds in Cowes, UK, with the longtime British Champion and dual World Champion Stuart Childerly suggesting he has retired from the class.

Etchells sailors had woken up to some rattling windows early in the morning. A northerly breeze came into town blowing outdoor Christmas decorations off homes and palm fronds off trees.

A new location and the logistics are complex. Beadsworth's new North Sails were held up on customs, so the crew scrambled to borrow sails.

Their finishes for the day – 1, 1, 3. . While the tired, borrowed sails fitted bill for the day, the crew was eager to break in the new ones.

By the time the second race got underway over half a dozen boats were back at the dock working on repairing broken booms, jib downhauls, bilge pumps, outhauls, and a few shrimped spinnakers.

Although the wind direction remained fairly steady at 60-70 degrees throughout the day, the breeze piped up to well over 20 knots during the second race leaving the water a sea foam green. The fleet was whittled down to just over 40 boats by the start of the third and final race of the day.

Jeff Siegal and crew won the pin end start and lead around the first weather mark of the last race. Chuck Coyer, Chris Lanza, Augie Diaz, and Henry Frazer followed.

Protecting the left, Jeff Siegal extended his lead during the next two legs so that one point the crossed the fleet by over 100 yards half way up the second beat. The fleet reeled boat 1296 in so that at one point during the final leg, Hank Lammens with Dirk Kneulman and Dwayne Smithers snuck ahead. It was Hank’s turn to protect the left, but as the leaders approached the finish line, the right paid off for one of the few times during the day and Jeff took the bullet.

Sunday's winds of 12-15 knots seemed like zephyrs compared to Saturday's blustery breezes. The general comment was that Sunday's conditions were a lot easier. Lighter breeze and new sails did not make a difference in Team Dawn Raid's performance.

Beadsworth, Strugstad, Fry new sails had actually arrived at Biscayne Bay Yacht Club at 10:45 am, 15 minutes before the start of the first race. No use on Day One but great for the second day.

On Day 2, they demonstrated how important it was to sail consistently in every condition that Biscayne Bay could dish out to them. Once again they got the bullet. With hardly a crinkle in their new sails, they returned to the dock and sat the last race out.

The won the regatta with 6 points, followed by the 2006 World Champion skipper Jud Smith, sailing three up with crew Henry Frazer and Mike Craig with 17 points.

Only a few weeks ago Smith and his crew of Dirk Kneulman and New Zealanders Andrew Wills and Thomas Saunders had won the Worlds.

Jeffrey Siegal, Jeff Madrigali, Willem van Waay and Lauren Gillolly were third with 18 points.

Phil Garland, Moose McClintock, Paul Murphy were fourth with 23 points.Chuck Coyer, Bill Hardesty and Mark Jefferies had a consistent second day with two sevenths and finished the regatta in fifth with 25 points.