Please select your home edition
Edition
Barton Marine Pipe Glands

43rd Con Cup starts Tuesday

by Rich Roberts on 15 May 2007
Mathieu Richard is ranked No. 2 in the world coming into Long Beach for the Congressional Cup Rich Roberts http://www.UnderTheSunPhotos.com
It's a rare spring when the Congressional Cup comes around and most of the world's famous match-racing sailors aren't competing in Long Beach . This week several are sailing in another event in Spain , including the older brother of Long Beach resident Scott Dickson and also a sailor of some notoriety.

The Long Beach Yacht Club's 43rd Congressional Cup, presented by Acura, runs Tuesday through Saturday, but Scott Dickson was up early Monday morning watching Chris Dickson sail U.S. entry BMW Oracle in the first race of the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger semifinals for the America's Cup (regrettably losing to Italy's Luna Rossa in an upset).

'This is a good opportunity and has the added effect of generating interest in the Congressional Cup,' Scott Dickson said. 'People are watching match racing in the America 's Cup at the moment, and Congressional Cup will benefit.'

Dickson represents the host club in his 11th Con Cup, which also has France 's Mathieu Richard---currently ranked second by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF)—and Eugeniy Neugodnikov (No. 6) and Andrew Arbuzov (No. 24), the event's first Russian competitors since Andrei Nikolayev in 1998.

The field is completed by France's Damien Iehl (10), Sweden's Johnie Berntsson (13), New Zealand's Simon Minoprio (17), Sweden's Martin Angsell (22), the U.S.'s Brian Angel of nearby Redondo Beach (35) and Poland's Przemek Tarnacki (51).

Dickson said, 'It's a fleet that the people here may not be familiar with, and to say there's a red-hot favorite is a bold statement. But by the end of the week people will figure out that all of the teams here are very talented.'
The total purse will be $41,000, including $10,000 to the winner.

Spectators will have free seating for the racing on Belmont Pier, site of the start and finish lines. Food and beverages will be available in a new patio setting. Veteran local sailor Steve Steiner , a former Con Cup competitor, will offer expert commentary.

Video highlights produced by t2p.tv will be available nightly on the event website http://www.lbyc.org/concup/

The event will be managed by about 300 LBYC volunteers, including hostess teams for each crew. The competitors, six to a crew, will sail 10 Catalina 37s, rotating boats each day. Each team will race every other team twice. The six that fail to reach Saturday's semifinals will sail a 10-mile fleet race on the final championship day.

Dickson received his first big break in the 1994 Con Cup.

'I had an opportunity to take a break from accounting and come over [from New Zealand ] and sail with a friend of the family, Mike Campbell. I literally stepped off the plane and they said, 'Oh, by the way, we've got you a position as tactician in an upcoming regatta . . . the Congressional Cup.' My eyes went as big as saucers.'

He sailed with Mike Elias on the LBYC entry, and a year later returned to California to join his brother's shoestring America 's Cup campaign for Tag Heuer before settling in Long Beach .

'It was a three-boat campaign and pretty much a family affair,' Dickson said. 'I drove the chase boat, our father Roy drove the tender and we gave Chris whatever was left over.'

Chris Dickson has considerably more sponsorship this time, but the America 's Cup or even a full-on match-racing program has not attracted Scotty. Although he has competed in events all over the world, he has preferred individual contracts as a professional in various events.

'This week, for instance,' he said, 'I had a chance to go race in Capri , but I wouldn't give up an opportunity to do one more Congressional Cup.'

And who is he picking in Valencia ?

'Personal relationships aside,' Scotty said, 'being familiar not just with Chris but the entire team, it would be a brave man that would pick against them.'

Switch One DesignCyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTERSelden 2020 - FOOTER

Related Articles

WASZP Games 2025 Day 2
A fresh 18 knot breeze served up champagne foiling conditions After tough conditions out in the bay on Day 1, Day 2 brought all fleets into the flatter waters of Portland Harbour, where a fresh 18 knot breeze served up champagne foiling conditions.
Posted today at 4:57 am
Admiral's Cup 2025 | Interview Videos
Interviews with Mike Sanderson, Bouwe Bekking, Matt Humphries, and cover off the Channel Race Bow Caddy Media interview Mike Sanderson, Bouwe Bekking, Matt Humphries, and cover off the Channel Race
Posted today at 2:26 am
Admirals Cup: Splits emerge on Day 2
The 30 boat fleet competing in the 2025 Admirals' Cup have begun to sort themselves into some order The 30 boat fleet competing in the 2025 Admirals' Cup have begun to sort themselves into a top group, which has begun a break away from the peleton.
Posted today at 12:03 am
Admiral's Cup Inshore Racing Starts
Full-throttle Inshore Warfare The opening inshore clash of the 2025 Admiral's Cup was a gritty, high-octane showdown packed with drama and razor-sharp tactics.
Posted on 22 Jul
(More than) A Day at the Races
The UK is the place to be right now if you're a sailor The UK is the place to be right now if you're a sailor, and I don't think I've ever known a time when so many great events are happening concurrently.
Posted on 22 Jul
Marine Auctions: July Online Auctions
Bidding to start 24th July and will end 30 July We are now accepting entries for our August Online Auction.
Posted on 22 Jul
Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam Day 5
Pierre Mortefon storms to victory in Slalom X Pierre Mortefon storms to victory in Slalom X, while Matteo Iachino and Maciek Rutkowski complete the podium. Freestyle kicks off on Wednesday.
Posted on 22 Jul
Were the Roos Robbed in Portsmouth?
We discuss the Race 6 Penalty with SailGP's Chief Umpire Craig Mitchell The high speed, short course action of SailGP is thrilling to watch, but inevitably causes tight situations and means the Umpires have to react quickly to decide who is right and who is wrong.
Posted on 22 Jul
Admiral's Cup David Maynard Tuesday Photo Gallery
The first inshore races were sailed in typical Solent conditions Tuesday saw the first inshore races of the 2025 Admiral's Cup, which were sailed in typical Solent conditions, with 15 to 20 knots of South Westerly wind. Two races were held, a short and a long inshore race, using channel markers for rounding.
Posted on 22 Jul
Performance Meets Savings For a Limited Time
Order new North Sails before July 31st to secure Trade In Trade Up preferred pricing Out with the old, in with performance. Order new sails before July 31st to secure Trade In Trade Up preferred pricing.
Posted on 22 Jul