I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! December was a tremendous fun-filled month with too many events to list in this short space. If you weren't at the NYE party, well, you missed it! Thanks Troy and Rebecca Hartman for chairing an epic event. We're off to a great start! Now it's back to business.
SDYC sailors are being recognized everywhere. First, Bill Hardesty and George Szabo were presented on the short-list as nominees for Rolex Yachtsman of the Year. With two cards in the hand, I am confident that SDYC will again be dealt a Rolex honor this year... fingers crossed guys! After that list was released, fallout on a National scale occurred since another SDYC member, Matt Cassidy was not on the list as he is also very well-deserving after participating on Champion teams all over the world last year. This month Europe-based Seahorse Magazine nominated Matt along with SDYC member Fred Howe's son Steve as the two finalists for their Sailor of the Month designation, an International honor, so all is not lost. On top of all of this, SDYC Jr. Program graduate Graham Biehl returned this week from Australia, where he secured his place on the 2012 Olympic Team in the 470 class… for the second time! Good on ya Graham!
Celebrating another huge SDYC accomplishment, February 4th will mark the 25th Anniversary of SDYC's first America's Cup victory in Perth, Australia. To celebrate this occasion, ESPN and Gary Jobson are producing a film chronicling this achievement and SDYC will host the premiere that evening with a special event at the Club. Dennis and members of the winning crew will be on hand to relive their accomplishment and you are all invited. Information and reservations are available on the website now.
In two weeks, we will be holding our inaugural Club Championship regatta. This event will be held on Saturday & Sunday in La Playa Cove with 3-person teams sailing our J/22's off E-Dock. A few spots are still available if you would like to field a team. Just sign up online. If you are not sailing, come down to the end of E-Dock and take in some of the non-stop action with short-course races starting constantly. Rumor has it there will be libations available out there as well.
Lastly, I want to thank Lee Hope for a near-capacity inaugural Yachtsman's luncheon this week. We have reduced the price of these events and are making some other changes to increase participation in this long-standing SDYC tradition. Please come and see what Lee's up to. Next week's program is nationally-renown photographer Tim Mantoani. Aside from composing the fantastic Board, Commodore and Flagship photos in our lobby, Tim has shot the last two covers for EA's Madden Football video game. Tim just released a book about a huge project of his featuring world-renowned photographers and their iconic pieces. The following week we will move to an after-work program on January 18th, featuring the Polynesian catamarans currently moored across the basin from the Club. We hope that with this later meeting time, we can get you working-stiffs down who cannot take off lunch on the other dates. It's all about participation and we want to see you there!
Pray for wind and have a great weekend!
Kyle Clark
SDYC Commodore