News Beat

Week of October 4-10, 2011

Oracle Racing Returns to the Bay

Two of Oracle Racing's AC45s are out practicing on the Bay every weekday for the rest of the month. Best times to see them out are between 1300 and 1600 hours, and Crissy Field would be as a good place as any to watch from shore. The boats are towed back to Pier 80 when they're done sailing.

U.S. Match Racing Championship

Tiburon's Shawn Bennett, sailing for St. Francis YC with crew including siblings Tom and Melissa Purdy, also of Tiburon, will defend his title at the Prince of Wales Bowl on October 12-16 at the 2011 U.S. Match Racing Championship, hosted by the Balboa Yacht Club in Corona del Mar. The event will be sailed in Governor’s Cup 21 boats. Shawn's toughest competition may be Dave Perry, who is the top ranked U.S. match racing skipper in the country by ISAF. He won in 1982, 2006 and 2008.

The event website is http://championships.ussailing.org/Adult/USMRC.htm. Also see US Sailing's press release at http://media.ussailing.org/Latest_News/2011/2011_USMRC_Preview.htm.