Sailing's version of NASCAR comes to Pier 39

May 22, 10:06 AMSF Sailing ExaminerEdward Killeen

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An 18' Skiff flying through the water    ©Erik Simonson, Marine Media Alliance

Last year, I was out on the Bay practicing for the Pacific Cup when a couple of ridiculously fast skiffs went screaming by us, leaving our 47 foot boat in the dust.  Everyone on the crew looked at each other wondering why we were on this heavy slow boat when we could be on an "ayedeen".  These 18 foot skiffs truly are sailing's answer to NASCAR: they are fast, colorful, and you have to wear a wetsuit.

The American Sailing League (ASL) redefines sailboat racing with its second annual Championship Series at PIER 39 on San Francisco Bay. A series of races will take place on Saturday, May 30, 2009 and Sunday, May 31, 2009 from noon – 5 p.m., with teams competing just off the bay end of PIER 39. These 18-foot skiffs are among the fastest and most exciting in the sport today. They can reach more than three times the speed of average sailing yachts. The races combine all of the athletic skill and daredevil stunts of the X-Games with the breakneck speed and spectacular wipeouts of NASCAR.

“Last year was PIER 39’s first year of hosting the American Sailing League Championship Series,” said Sue Muzzin, PIER 39’s Director of Public Relations & Advertising. “It’s a great waterfront event that appeals to our broad range of visitors. We are looking forward to working with ASL and growing their Championship Series at PIER 39.”

I recommend watching from land or water.  Go out to Pier 39, just past where the sea lions stink up the joint and you will have a spectacular view of the start/finish line.  Go up to Pier 45 (near the Submarine used in the Rob Schneider/Kelsey Grammar movie), and you can see the windward mark clearly, watching the teams set their kites for the wild ride back to Pier 39.  If watching from the water, good luck keeping up unless you have a pretty hefty outboard hanging off the back!

The list of competitors reads like a who's who of American skiff sailing, with such names as Howie Hamlin, Fritz Lanzinger, Matt Noble, Chad Freitas, Patrick Whitmarsh, Rory Giffen, Joey Pasquali, and Andrew McCorquodale. Teams will complete in elimination heats on Saturday and the first half of Sunday, culminating in a high stakes, single race championship round. The winner goes home with a cash prize.

The American Sailing League was founded by Jeff Causey and Thomas Loughborough, of Causey/Loughborough Racing LLC, as a vehicle to bring Grand prix 18 Foot Skiff racing to the United States, and offer a platform for a new generation of young American sailors to showcase their talent.  Causey/Loughborough Racing and The American Sailing League have leapt to the vanguard of this revolution, working with San Francisco’s own Skiff Sailing Foundation to facilitate the growth of skiff sailing across the United States. 

For more information visit www.americansailingleague.com

Images are available for viewing at www.marinemediaalliance.com/gallery