News Around the World
Unconcealed jubilation. If a picture says a thousand words this one’s in the millions. Paul Foerster and Kevin Burnham have just won their gold medal in the 470s in Athens in 2004 after nearly two hours’ close-covering their medal rivals Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield tack for tack. Burnham, typically, makes sure the moment will be shared with everyone. This happiest, most grateful and infectiously enthusiastic great sailor had won 470 silver in 1992 with Morgan Reeser and by the time of the pair’s success in Greece he was 47 years of age. Bill Buchan was 49 when he won gold for the USA in the Stars in 1984; while the Star requires great strength as well as enormous skill, the agility needed to win in a 470 in Athens’ puffy conditions was not something too many 47-year-olds could deliver
Youth Championships and prepare those interested in graduating to the 470. ‘But the Club420 has been terrible for Junior sailing to train future
Olympians,’ he said. ‘Sure, there are big fleets but the boats have no finesse and do not teach gear-shifting.’ This is where Kevin was at his best – bringing his invaluable knowledge to new minds. Kevin’s impact was close to home too: my son Trevor had him
as an i420 coach for two winters, and savoured every minute: ‘He was intense, direct and really supportive. He really helped me up my game and make the shift to the 470 that much easier.’ Kevin Burnham will be sorely missed.
Tough month Dave Irish, Great Lakes legend and pioneer of the pro-am classification system, also passed this month, at 83. From his home base in Harbor Springs, where water turns to ice for almost half the year in northern Michigan, Dave Irish exerted significant influence on keelboat and offshore sailing at home, in the Great Lakes and indeed around the world as a sailor, industry leader and influential political figure in the sport. In 1961 he started Irish Boat Shop, an iconic boatyard and
chandlery that provides not only expert service to the local and greater Lake Michigan community, but sales of many new raceboats as well, many of which he raced himself. This business has successfully expanded to three other locations in the region with nearly 100 employees and is today ably run by his daughter. A founding member of the Little Traverse Bay YC in Harbor Springs,
Dave also helped organise and promote this bucolic setting as host to the perennially popular Ugotta Regatta, where teams from through- out the Lakes region come to race each year after the Chicago and Bayview Mackinac races. His own successful results in these offshore classics earned him enduring respect throughout the
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region, as did his active promotion and support of junior sailing. Yet Dave’s service to the sport and influence was not confined to the Lakes: I met him racing with Lowell North on Sleeper in the mid-1980s in the Kenwood and Admiral’s Cups, and we were mates ever since. This hands-on experience led him to develop both the perspective and organisational skills that would later reward him with a brilliant political career in numerous national and international organisations. For example, Dave was brought onto the ORC Council in the early
1990s, where he became vice-chairman until 2001 when ORC merged for a short time into the structure of ISAF. He was also US Sailing president from 1995 to 1997. He continued his involvement with ISAF, first in the Keel Boat
and Offshore One Design committees, then representing the USA on Council, followed by being vice-chairman of the executive committee from 2004 until 2012. Dave’s practicality and Midwest sensibility were a valuable asset when thorny issues arose. Perhaps the most memorable contribution Dave made to the
sport was in the mid-1990s when he was instrumental in the development of the hugely successful Mumm 30 as well as its one-design class rules. As a dealer, he worked closely with Geoff Stagg at Farr International and builder Barry Carroll to maximise both the concept and marketing potential of this cool new boat intended purely for pro-am teams. ‘Starting with US Sailing and eventually with ISAF (World Sailing),
Dave developed and instituted the Professional Sailor categories,’ said Barry. ‘To this day that may be a can of worms for some, but it has been the cornerstone of some of the most successful one- design classes of the past 25 years. ‘Dave saw an issue and in his calm, intelligent, friendly manner
changed the face of international keelboat sailing.’ Dobbs Davis
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NIGEL MARPLE/ALAMY
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