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GALE
BROWNING OCEAN RACING NEWSLETTER
July
17, 2001
 News
Flash!
NOT
MUCH TIME!
Gale
returned to France on July 15 to continue re-fitting her boat.
She'll be back about August 15th and will be making several speaking
engagements. We are please to announce that West River Sailing
Club has joined the team! Pete
Emens is heading up our yacht club outreach efforts and will
be coordinating our attempts to involve the State of Maryland
in our historic campaign.
Gale,
homeported in Annapolis, Maryland's capital, is the only American
entered in the race and the first American woman ever. We're hoping
to convince our elected officials that Gale deserves some recognition
for this historic feat. The only other hopeful from North America
is on the waiting list and not likely to be allowed to race.
If
your club or organization would like Gale to make a presentation,
Pete is the one to contact.
The
Mini-Transat has been renamed by the French organizers and the
new name is Transat 6.5 Charente-Maritime/Bahia. Charente-Maritime
is the region in France in which La Rochelle is located; Bahia
is for Bahia da Salvador, the colonial capital of Brazil, where
the race finishes.
She
is now busy making the final preparations for the Transat 6.5
in La Rochelle. From September 15th to the 22nd, there will be
a Racer's Village at the marina where the racers will berth. This
marina has 4,000 slips! We have reserved a booth as they are expecting
over 100,000 people to attend.
Here's
some of the French press about the Transat 6.5:
The
Mini-Transat may change its name, but it is still an arduous
race for all those for whom the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean
aboard a 21' racing sailboat is the culmination of a dream of
a great adventure on the ocean. With less than 3 months until
the start in La Rochelle, the registrations have flooded in
as is proved by the following list of entrants. The race could
almost start tomorrow!
Of
25 starting line slots each for Proto (open) class) and Series
(one design) class, the Proto class is full and 19 Series class
boats are registered. So we have a good idea of the competitors
for the Transat 6.50 who will dash on September 22 of this year
from La Rochelle to Salvador de Bahia via the equator!
In
the Proto class, the one could say there was even a race to
register and the registration list is already complete barring
only some rare withdrawals and the allocation of five invited
places to be decided by the French Mini class and the race organizer.
The numerous candidates on the waiting list hold their breath
to be selected. Remember, the qualification standards are simple:
only those who completed both the prerequisites-- 1000 miles
in racing, solo 1000 miles on a route defined in advance--can
then reach the second stage: that of a valid registration.
With
knowledge of the new rules of qualification, a lot of candidates
did not dawdle but quickly made sure they completed the criteria
for qualification. The stricter qualification standards were
designed to ensure that the skippers had more navigational &
off-shore experience prompted by a concern for safety after
the disasterous start of the 1999 race.
We
don't recall the Mini sailors of the Proto class being so well
prepared in advance. The boats are rigged & tuned to the
max and the talent ofthe competitors is outstanding.
However,
two notable solo racers who would be considered the favorites,
are still on the waiting list: Corentin Douguet racing (Pour
L'ocean Reste Bleu) and, surprisingly, Ronan Guérin,
(L'Artisanat), who was the easy winner of the Sélect
6.50 and the Mini-Pavois. These two, and they are not the only
ones, still wait. Qualified late, they hope for a break that
they'll find a place on the start.
For
the Series class, the list is not yet complete. Among those
who have qualified, several have not paid the registration fee.
Others must still complete either the racing or route portion
of their qualification and time is running out. It is likely
not to be only a matter of days before the list is complete.
In
the Proto class, the competition was stiff throughout the early
races of the season and in the Serics Class, the favorites,
Alain Delord (K'lick), Olivier Desport ( Aquilon), Michel Mirabel
( Disount Marine), FrédéricDuval (Pop'in), are
ready for battle. Qualified and registered, they are ready for
a 4,500 mile dash across the Atlantic Ocean.
The
list of the boats accepted for registration...
Proto
Class
The
25 definite starters with valid registrations: Benoît
Lequin, Pascal Hannequin, Michael Inglis, Antonio Pedro Da Cruz,
Gaël Bigot, Antoine Cornic, Jeanne Grégoire, Yves
Le Blévec, Roberto Varinelli, Karen Leibovici, Xavier
Devillard, François Lucas, Jean Riondel, Simon Curwen,
Paul Peggs, Brian Thomson, Bernard Sourisse, Gale Browning,
Samuel Manuard, Benoît Parnaudeau, André Jantet,
Samantha Davies, Arnaud Boissières, Yannick Bestaven,
Christian Saury.
Wating
List: Corentin Douguet, Damien De Pas, Sander Bakker, David
Raison, Bruno Ginocchio, Franck Eydely, Ian Munslow.
Have
not paid registration fee: François-Jacques Jauffrineau.
Waiting
for qualification to be validated: Julien Branger, Jean-Christophe
Caso, Ronan Guérin.Have not completed qualification:
Ernesto Moresino, Guillaume Caudal, Arsène Ledertheil.
A
French website, www.seasailsurf.com,
follows the Mini races. Although the text is in French, English
side bars are provided. The British Mini class also follows the
races, www.ryasolo.org.uk
and Offshore Challenges, www.offshorechallenges.com,
posts results as well. We located a translation site, translation2.paralink.com,
although the results are sometimes more comical than accurate.
STILL
NEED A SPONSOR TO JOIN THE TEAM!
Gale's
biggest hurdle now is finding a sponsor and/or patrons. We've
gone ahead & ordered the needed mast, sails, rigging and other
items necessary to be competitive and safe. However, the piggy
bank is running out... If anyone has contacts to corporate decisionmakers
or can otherwise help locating a corporate sponsor please let
us know. The sponsor gets to name the boat & design the graphics
with their name on sails & hull. Plus, the sponsor is featured
on all Team US Challenge communications & gear and has rights
to Gale & the boat's images for promotional use. The sponsor
will be featured at our booth at the Race Village, upcoming Annapolis
Boatshows, at our speaking engagements, and on team gear.
Or
if you know of any individuals who might be interested in becoming
a patron for the only American woman to take on the challenge
of doing a single-handed transatlantic crossing please contact
them. Patronage is tax deductible through the EYC Foundation.
Anyone
interested in a high exposure, multi-national advertising and
publicity opportunity, contact Kathy or Gale immediately. We have
a very nice informational package in full color that is available
and have developed a variety of partnership opportunities at varying
levels of financial commitment. Let us know if you would like
one to make a presentation to any potential sponsors/patrons.
RACING
SCHEDULE
While
back in Annapolis earlier this month Gale crewed in the Women's
Big Boat Regatta organized by West River Sailing Club. Here's
shot of the action. The next race is the Demi Cle on July 22,
100 miles from Locmiquelic in southern Brittany to Port Bourgenay
where the next race, the Trans-Gascogne,starts later in the month.
The Demi Cle is sponsored by a large marine chandlery of the same
name with stores in Locmiquelic and Trinite sur Mer--Fawcetts
of France!
LONG
TERM GOALS
The
2001 Mini-Transat is the first stage of Gale's five-year solo
racing program that will culminate in the 2006 Around Alone Race,
the well known single-handed around the world race.
After
the finish of the Mini-Transat, Team U.S. Challenge will start
an Open 50 racing program in 2002. Gale will compete in international
short-handed races such as the Route de Rhum, Transat Jaques Fabre,
and Europe 1 Man Star.
In
2004, we will commission an Open 60 for a venue of short-handed
& Grand Prix events to complete Gale's training for the 2006
Around Alone.
TRAVEL
PACKAGES
Gale's
niece, Tara, and her employer, Global Travel, present the following
suggested travel packages for our Team and Gale's supporters:
La
Rochelle September 2001
Packages
from $1800.00 per person double occupancy. Packages include airfare
from Baltimore to Paris round trip, 10 days compact rental car,
3 nights hotel in Paris, 3 nights hotel in Bordeaux, and 3 nights
in La Rochelle.
Madrid/Lanzerote
October 2001
Packages
from $1700.00 per person double occupancy. Packages include airfare
from Baltimore to Madrid and then on to Lanzerote round trip,
3 nights hotel in Madrid, 4 day compact car rental in Madrid,
and 4 nights hotel in Lanzerote.
Rio/Salvador
da Bahia November 2001
Packages
from $2500.00 per person double occupancy. Packages include airfare
from Baltimore to Rio round trip, Brazil air pass, 3 nights hotel
in Rio, 3 nights hotel in Salvador and 2 nights in the Amazon.
[Ed. note: I visited Brazil in 1997 for the Penguin Internationals
in Rio. Fabulous! Great beaches, food, music, shops! Salvador
was the colonial capital of Brazil, like Annapolis--very historic--with
restoration of old buildings, neat yacht harbor, beaches &
shops. Adding the side trip to the Amazon...this package sounds
like a winner!]
All
these packages can also be customized for individual preferences.
Also, the La Rochelle In-the-Water Boat Show is the week before
the start of the Mini-Transat for those interested. Don't forget
to obtain your visas well in advance.
Contact
Tara at Global Travel, 208 387 1000 ext. 2101, 208 338 6042 fax
for specifics.
Please
support the following firms who have donated services and/or products
to Gale's campaign:
-
Hartoft
Marine Survey Ltd.
-
A&B
Trucking
-
Accent
Graphics
-
Atlantic
Spars & Rigging
-
Bags
by Mimi
-
Consolidated
Yacht Company
-
Crusader
Yacht Sales
-
Dirty
Dog Eyewear
-
Fawcett
Boat Supplies
-
Guy
Cotten
-
Harken
-
Jersey
& Associates
-
Jobson
Sailing
-
Kathryn
Leonard, Artist
-
Maritime
Applied Physics Corp
-
Merrill
Stevens Sailing Center
-
Muller
Marine
-
New
England Ropes
-
NKE
Electronics
-
Petrini
Shipyard
-
Quantum
Atlantic
-
Spinsheet
Magazine
-
Stellar
Presentations, Inc
-
Stevens
Battery Warehouse
-
Systematic
Solutions
-
Tylaska
We
also want to thank Nancy Noyes for her work on our press releases
and other media communications, Elvia Thompson for her website
design and maintenance work, and Jeff Borland for website hosting.
DONATIONS
Tax
deductible donations can be made to Gale's campaign. Make checks
payable to the EYC Foundation, (a 501(c)(3) organization), Attn:
Women's Sailing, and mail/deliver to Eastport Yacht Club, 317
First St., Annapolis, MD 21403.
Check
out the EYC Foundation web page for news about their projects
and their mission statement.
YACHT
CLUBS
Eastport
Yacht Club, Annapolis, Maryland, is the lead yacht club supporting
Gale's historic campaign. West River Sailing Club, located in
Galesville on the South River has also joined the team. WRSC,
founded in the 30s, has active racing programs for dinghies and
big boats as well as a popular junior sailing program and a cruising
schedule.
We
invite other clubs to join the team.
VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED
Gale's
team, Team U.S. Challenge, still needs some helping hands. We
need help to run the team gear sales program and to coordinate
our mailing program. In addition, we will need consultants, outfitters,
and support staff for the Open 50 and 60 campaigns. If you can
contribute your time & skills, please contact Kathy Weber,
410 263-5983.
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