I just listened to a story on NPR about a group that is starting a campaign to reduce paper use by urging people to change the margins on their Word documents from 1.25 inches to 0.75 inches. It’s a small change but it will reduce paper use by 4.75% which translates into a HUGE savings in resources - trees, water, energy, …
What do you say? Want to do your part?
The world is a book,
and those who do not travel
read only a page.
– Saint Augustine
Dear Friends,
As you know, one of my concerns is for the health of our oceans. I don’t get too involved with politics, but I think this is an issue we can all agree upon – We need to keep our oceans clean and healthy!
Through a link on the Environmental Activism Page on www.patagonia.com, I have just contacted Dr. William T. Hogarth of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). NMFS is revising its procedures for reviewing the environmental impacts of fishing activities and for allowing the public to comment on its proposed fishery management actions. The existing procedures ensure that ocean wildlife and habitats are protected to promote healthy wildlife populations and continued fishing opportunities. Some are calling for theses procedures to be weakened, which would put ocean wildlife and habitats at risk. Weakening theses procedures would also close the public out of management of our publicly-owned oceans.
Please take a moment to learn more about the Marine Fish Conservation Network and thank your representative about this important issue. It takes just 30 seconds, but can truly make a difference. Please support this effort by taking action at the link below.
http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/patagonia.go?assetid=2962
(Link through Environmental Activism through Patagonia)
Once you have sent your letter, you can help even more by asking your friends and family to participate.
Thank you!
Cheers,
Liz
The last day of the USWMRC dawned with some passing light showers and not too much breeze. Anna Tunnicliffe won the right to choose her opponent for the semi-finals and she chose Katy Lovell, so we were paired with Deb Capozzi (the defending champion). We got a penalty on Deb in the first pre-start and won the first match. We got a penalty on Deb in the second pre-start but she was able to sail clear and clear her penalty and win the second race so we were 1-1 after 2. In the third race we were leading slightly and Deb got a penalty at the second windward mark ad we were able to sail clear to the finish and win the semis 2-1 to advance to the finals. In the meanwhile, Katy Lovell had upset Anna Tunnicliffe 2-0 in their semis, so it set up a finals of SFWMRT v. Lovell.
We had the starboard advantage in the first race and used it to win the first match wire to wire. The second race went the other way. So after 2, we were tied 1-1. With the time limit approaching we knew that the third race was the final ace, so it was a winner take all race for the championship. Katy had the best of us at the start, but Suzy found us the better side of the course and we were able to round the first two marks ahead. Did I mention that it was really shifty and difficult??? We then lost the lead on the next beat. But as we approached the windward mark for the last time (behind by 10 lengths). Suzy said “It’s not over ‘til it’s over”. She was right! We rounded behind, but in a nice private puff on the right. Our only hope was to get some leverage and use the breeze and current to our advantage. Two gybes later, we were on lay line to the RC boat and we were right back in it looking like we had a chance.. About a length from the finish, we knew we had won and they put up our flag and we had won the 2007 USWMRC!
A nice win for the SFWMRT to win the USWMRC for the 2nd time.
Cory and Suzy were AWESOME keeping the boat rocking and keeping Liz focused through a difficult day. Great job!
Thanks for all of the notes of encouragement!
Cheers,
Liz, Cory, and Suzy
The San Francisco Women’s Match Racing Team
Okay, today was kind of funny: They started out the morning finishing the last two flights of the round robin. The top five from the round robin (Tunnicliffe, Capozzi, SFWMRT, Lovell, and Beard) moved onto the quarterfinals to be joined by three others to be decided by the “Repecharge” – a round robin amongst the bottom six. The Repecharge came down to the final flight and Liz Hjorth, Charlie Arms and Kathy Lundeen moved on. So the quarter finals were set (Tunnicliffe v. Lundeen, Capozzi v. Arms, SFWMRT v. Hjorth, and Lovell v. Beard). So, we never left the dock to sail until about 3 o’clock while some teams were out from 9:30 until close to seven! Tunnicliffe beat Lundeen 2-0, Capozzi beat Arms 2-1, Lovell beat Beard 2-0 and we beat Hjorth 2-1. The scores don’t say it all, but you’ll have to ask us in person for longer explanations ‘cuz we’re tired!
Tomorrow, we’ll roll into the semi-finals and finals. Anna Tunnicliffe gets to choose her opponent for the semis, so we’ll wait to see against whom we will sail.
If you can’t wait for the next report, here are some links:
Event web site:
http://www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/women/uswmrc/
Weather:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?site=DTX&map.x=234&map.y=183
And, we’ll be posting these reports and hopefully some photos on: www.lizbaylis.com
Thanks for all of the notes of encouragement!
Cheers,
Liz, Cory, and Suzy
The San Francisco Women’s Match Racing Team
It was a better day for the SFWMRT today: Fewer unforced errors and a few more wins!
What a difference a day makes: A storm system passed through the area last night and today and the race committee recorded some puffs in the high twenties which was well above the wind limits for the borrowed boats so no spinnakers were allowed for the day’s racing and there were two times we were sent to shore to wait out the passing storm cells. The race committee did a fantastic job getting through another 8 flights today in the difficult conditions.
We sailed six matches today, winning five and losing one, to finish our round robin with 7 wins and 3 losses. Our only loss today was to Anna Tunnicliffe who ended the round robin undefeated. It was a spirited match where Anna received a penalty in the pre-start, but was just a bit faster around the course and was able to clear her penalty and finish ahead. Most of the teams still have a few races to finish their round robin, so it’s a little hard to figure out who is where, but the results so far are below:
Preliminary Results after Day 2
(from the US Sailing web site)
Win Loss
We’re not quite sure what the rest of the format is, but there will be more racing, so stay tuned!
If you can’t wait for the next report, here are some links:
http://www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/women/uswmrc/
Weather:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?site=DTX&map.x=234&map.y=183
And, we’ll be posting these reports and hopefully some photos on: www.lizbaylis.com
Thanks for all of the notes of encouragement!
Cheers,
Liz, Cory, and Suzy
The San Francisco Women’s Match Racing Team
We arrived in Detroit yesterday to find a lack of breeze and no lack of humidity or heat. The scheduled practice time got pushed back as long as they could hoping for wind until a light breeze came in after 3:30 and each team had an hour and a half for practice. So we got a chance to experience the light air in the river and getting used to a new boat.
Today dawned with a little more breeze than yesterday. We went out just before 10 and it took until 3:30 to sail our first four matches with a number of postponements and abandonments as the wind shifted or disappeared throughout the day. They call Lake St. Clair “Lake St. Stupid” because the winds on the lake can make you do stupid things… well we kept the myth alive! We had a couple of unforced errors in two of the pre-starts and that combined with the light air and the big current in the river was enough for us not to have enough room to come all the way back in the two matches we lost. So, we ended our day having sailed 4 matches and winning two and losing two. As the schedule worked out, some teams sailed more matches and some sailed fewer, so it’s hard to see where we stand, but we do know that there is a lot more sailing to go!
If you can’t wait for the next report, here are some links:
Event web site:
http://www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/women/uswmrc/
or http://tinyurl.com/ywl3d8
Weather:
http://forecast.weather.gov/
or http://tinyurl.com/2p849u
More reports soon!
Cheers, Liz, Cory, and Suzy
The San Francisco Women’s Match Racing Team
The San Francisco Women’s Match Racing Team is on its way to Detroit, Michigan to compete in the 2007 U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship to be sailed in Ultimate 20s at Bayview Yacht Club. The team for this event will be Liz Baylis, Suzy Leech, and a new addition to the team – Cory Sertl (1995 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year and the winning skipper of the 2004 USWMRC). The top three skippers from last year’s Championship are returning including defending champion, Debbie Capozzi and runner-up, Katy Pilley-Lovell and the third place SFWMRT. To see a full list of all of the competitors: http://tinyurl.com/23gpxx
The plan is to arrive around noon on Wednesday the 5th (aka today), weigh-in and practice in the afternoon, then attend the opening briefing and Opening Ceremonies in the evening. Racing begins on Thursday and runs through Sunday. We’re looking forward to a fun and competitive event.
If you can’t wait for the next report, here are some links:
Event web site:
http://www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/women/uswmrc/
or http://tinyurl.com/ywl3d8
Weather:
http://forecast.weather.gov/
or http://tinyurl.com/2p849u
And, we’ll be posting these reports and hopefully some photos on: www.lizbaylis.com
More reports soon!
Cheers,
Liz, Cory, and Suzy
The San Francisco Women’s Match Racing Team