Worrell 1000 Leg 2 Finish
Jensen Beach, Florida, 6:20 PM

By Zack Leonard

Lambert and Livingston Streak to Victory

Brian Lambert and Jamie Livingston handed an early lead to Team Baywind, but the Floridian duo recovered to win leg 2 handily. Conditions were extremely bumpy and strategy was very tricky in today's contest. Lambert and Livingston started in the favored, upwind starting slot on the beach, but Team Baywind, sailed by Glenn Ross and Richard Pleasants were the first to realize that it was possible to fetch the coastline on starboard tack. They tacked first to starboard, passed behind the lead pack and shot down the beach, while the majority of the fleet was pointing out to sea, perpendicular to the rhumb line. The early forecast called for Northeast winds at 20 knots, but the breeze at the start was East/Northeast at about 15 knots. Figuring the race would be a beat, most of the teams headed off shore looking for smoother rolling waves only to realize that they could tack and parallel the beach going straight for the finish. Lambert and Livingston rectified their error and began a long slow grind back into the lead. Team Baywind looked sharp 1/3 of the way into the race, but they cracked off to reach faster and got too close to shore. A shore effect caused the wind to move ahead as they closed on the beach and they were forced to take a hitch on port tack back out away from the shore. Lambert and Livingston roared across their bows and never looked back.

Many of the competitors complained about the lumpy, confused seas and had difficulty tuning the boat to the conditions. A herky-jerky pitching motion with constant stabbing into waves was a common complaint. First Time Worrell 1000 racer Nigel Pitt had trouble acclimating to the rough conditions and the new boat, but as he learned to fly the hull higher he felt his speed improved. As the fleet rounded the point and was able to crack off to a tight reach, it was possible to tune the boat for a more stable ride. Lambert and Livingston showed their experience as they clearly mastered the sailing conditions and extended to a 10 minute win on the leg. After falling as low as 8th in the early going Steve Lohmayer and Kenny Pierce, of Team Tybee Island, got it going late in the race and moved into second. Lohmayer attributed their early speed problems to excessive mast rake and too much rudder sweep. The combination caused a lot of helm and made the boat hard to steer. As they came off the wind onto a reach, the problem diminished and they were able to sail forward through the fleet. Reigh North and Scott Macdonald of British Columbia moved from a horrible starting position to a third place finish. The Hobie veterans will start in the 3rd slot tomorrow. Team Guidant, sailed by Rod Waterhouse and David Wallace substituting for Sandra Tartaglino hit the beach in fourth and Team Baywind rounded out the top 5.

After the frightening finish of leg 1 the fleet was spared at today's finish. The wind dropped to 10 knots while the majority of the fleet finished. The surf moderate to 4 feet and the landing was dead downwind. The breaking waves and foaming whitewater pushed the boats onto the beach causing minor rudder problems but no one spun out of control. When landing on a beach in surf the turbulent whitewater of a breaking wave can grab the rudders and turn the boat abruptly, upsetting the balance of the sail-plan and causing the boat to round up or gybe uncontrollably. The mellower surf off Jensen Beach allowed the sailors to run onto the beach sitting on the tramp, not necessitating a trapeze to keep the boat driving forward. Team PI did capsize only 1/4 mile from the finish, but they righted the boat smartly and only gave up 5 minutes in the process.

Team Dallas out on Leg 2, Pyacht Women and Team Australia still unaccounted for.

Early on in the Worrell 1000 the support crews, sailors and race officials are just beginning to feel each other out. Veterans don't get too excited about the adrenaline rush of the racing or the natural beauty that they sail through during the days. They conserve energy. The veterans size up the newcomers. Some are made of the stuff that Worrell survivors must be made of. Some whine about bruises and blisters. Some just don't make the finish. Team Dallas withdrew from the Race today. Their boat was on the beach in West Palm. Sailors John Webster and Steven Foxall reported into race director Mike Worrell through their support crew, indicating their intention to withdraw and informing race officials that one of the crewmembers had suffered 3 broken ribs. Randy Williamson of Team Cat Fever is being taken to the hospital with a split lip as soon as he can finish fixing his boat and making it ready for tomorrow. Cat fever capsized in the surf near the finish and had to right the boat, sail back out through the surf, then down the beach and back in through the finish line. The ordeal cost them a lot of time. Pyacht Women and Team Australia are still on the race course at 7:15 PM. The helicopter is heading up to establish visual contact with them before dark.