FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jan Harley, Media Pro Int'l, +1 401-849-0220
John Dawson, Sea Cliff Yacht Club, +1 516-220-3122
2004 INTERNATIONAL CATAMARAN CHALLENGE TROPHY:
LOVELL AND OGLETREE SUCCESSFULLY DEFEND TITLE
NEW ORLEANS, LA. (October 23, 2004) In an exciting final day of
competition, the USAs 2004 Olympic Silver Medal team of John Lovell (New
Orleans) and Charlie Ogletree (Houston, Texas) have successfully defended
their claim to the International Catamaran Challenge Trophy (ICCT) by
defeating Enrique Figueroa and Jorge Hernandez of Puerto Rico. After going
ahead on a score of 3-1 yesterday, the American pair needed to win only one
match today to hold on to their title in the first-to-four point series
sailed in F18HTs on Lake Pontchartrain and hosted by Southern Yacht Club.
But the win did not come easily. In the first do-or-die match for the
Challengers, Lovell and Ogletree replicated the mastery theyve displayed
all week in match racing, controlling the Puerto Ricans in the pre-start and
leading around the first mark by several lengths. And while the 9-12 knot
southerly breeze was the most promising all week for match racing, there
were not only opportunities to speed away in the puffs but also pitfalls to
die in the lulls over the 2.5-mile course. Soon after their rounding, Lovell
and Ogletree gybed away to protect their lead only to fall into a hole while
Figueroa and Hernandez sped away to a spectacular three-minute lead, the
largest of any match of the week.
Thanks for the mulligan, quipped Figueroa to a disappointed but smiling
Lovell between matches. We lucked into that one. Even with a
long-standing rivalry between these two going back to their Olympic
Tornado competition -- the sailors have maintained their good nature and
camaraderie both on and off the water.
The sixth and deciding match was the last opportunity for the Challengers to
even up the score, and they showed more aggression than in any match of the
week. Pushing the Americans hard just seconds prior to the start, Figueroa
and Hernandez thought the Defenders had not kept clear and signaled for a
penalty. Umpires Dobbs Davis (Annapolis, Md.) and Dwight Le Blanc (New
Orleans) disagreed, and green-flagged the incident which threatened to put
Lovell and Ogletree over at the start. As in several prior matches, the
Defenders effectively controlled the Challengers all the way to the port
tack layline, this time guarding their lead more carefully to sail to
victory by 27 seconds.
That was really hard, said a relieved Lovell while sailing back to the
harbor. There were plenty of holes and puffs we felt could close the gap.
Were just glad its over.
According to ICCT Trustee John Dawson of Sea Cliff Yacht Club (Long Island,
N.Y.), it will again be up to Southern Yacht Club to organize the next
Challenge and Defense of the event also known as the Little Americas Cup.
We hope to see this event held again on an annual basis, said Dawson, and
provide more eligible competitors the opportunity to sail for this
prestigious trophy. The announcement of the dates, venue, and catamaran
class to be used in the next event will be made in January 2005.
For 2004 results, as well as the history of the Little Americas Cup,
please visit
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Event photos by Bob Maher are available at: www.syc.photosite.com