| Gaines and Tomko to Sail in 2001 Worrell 1000 (Dec 22, 2000) Jamie Gaines of Houston and John Tomko of San Antonio, Texas, are teaming up to sail the 2001 Worrell 1000. The Worrell 1000 is a 1,000 mile off-shore beach catamaran race from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Virginia Beach, Virginia. This will be the first Worrell for both men. The Worrell was born out of a barroom bet in 1974. On October 1, Mike Worrell jumped onto a Hobie 16 beach catamaran and shoved off from the beach in front of the bar he owned with his brother in Virginia Beach, VA. They made it to Ft. Lauderdale, FL before the boat broke up. Two years later, the race as we know it now was inaugurated as five Hobies pushed off from Fort Lauderdale. The winner was the only boat to finish. The Worrell has undergone some evolution over the years; it's sometimes known as the World 1000, and throughout the '80's, boat choice was up to the individuals racing.Today, the race has returned to its one-design roots, but the Hobie 16 is Worrell history. The favored boat is now the Inter 20, a high-tech foam-cored carbon fiber creation. With two crew, the catamaran can easily exceed 25 mph carrying its asymmetrical spinnaker. Last year's race was the second-fastest ever, under quite mild conditions. Record-breaking results are always a possibility when the Inter 20 is on the water, and with 27 of the world's elite crews pushing them to the limits, it's only a matter of time! Tomko and Gaines are currently concentrating on securing sponsorship for the race, which begins May 7. The team is a major supporter of Houston Yacht Club's Ragnot (children's learn-to-sail) program, contributing a large amount of time and a portion of cash donations. These are therefore tax-deductible. The Worrell is the third-most-publicized sailing event in this country after only the America's Cup and the Whitbread/Volvo race. Various levels of sponsorship will receive display area on the boat ranging from bumper-sticker sized hull decals up to banner lettering covering most of the mainsail and/or spinnaker. They will also be featured on this web site. Gaines is committed to providing racing fans everywhere with up-to-the-minute updates on the race, using wireless technology to post information from the beach and even from the water. If you are interested in helping out with sponsorship, joining us at the race or want more information, do not hesitate to contact Jamie (phone 281-421-7245) or John (210-379-4967). |
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| ARCHIVE Seventh! (May 6, 2001) The Spitfire is in seventh position after completing the first leg of the trip! We drew 20th starting place of 21 and moved up that far. Great work guys! We're Off! (May 6, 2001) The boats are off! All the boats headed straight out, tacking within a few minutes. They're about ten minutes out so far; with PI Sailing in last place. PYACHT tacked at about two minutes and are beating slowly to weather. TYBEE was the second one to tack and seems to handling well. All are heading up the beach and things are looking ok. Spitfire has tacked, and has caught the last four stragglers easily, looks like they're going to catch more soon! With that info, we're hauling ass to Fort Lauderdale, so stay tuned! D-Day! (May 6, 2001) All the pieces are in place; one boat is assembled and the other is waiting to be loaded back onto the Sailtransit trailer. Excitement is building; in truth, everybody is a little nervous - a lot more so than they care to admit. People laugh a little too hard at things that aren't really funny. It's getting time to head down to the beach; skipper's meeting is in 45 minutes or so. Also, I'd like to recognize John Oliveira, our third sailor. He's a sailmaker from San Antonio; I'll put more up as soon as I get it. Keep tuned! This is it! (May 4, 2001) My next update will be from the beach. Jamie and John are in Miami now with the boats; Tiffany will join them today, and I fly out tomorrow. We'd like to warmly welcome our newest sponsors, Dr. Michelle Lamb (optometrist, Deer Park, TX), Doug Flowers (San Antonio, TX), and Windsurfing Sports (Clear Lake, TX). New Sponsors (April 28, 2001) We would like to welcome new sponsors West Marine, DeLorme StreetAtlas (with Earthlink), and Blackburn Marine. The boats are heading to Florida behind the RV on Monday. Jamie will pick up the SailTransit by Loadmaster aluminum trailer in Tampa, and put the race boat together midweek or so. He will be joined by John on Thursday, and the rest of the team as the weekend closes in. Counting the Days! (April 22, 2001) The 19th sailing of the Worrell 1000 starts in less than two weeks now. The boats are loaded on the new Sailtransit by Loadmaster trailer, the RV is fueled up, and the sailors are honed to a fine edge. Jamie will haul the gear out to Miami as soon as he gets back from the Alter Cup, and the rest of the team will fly out the weekend of the race. John smoked the Hobie 20 fleet (again) in a wind-shortened (too much this time) Hill Country Regatta this weekend; he was ably assisted by crew Tiffany. I was mid-pack in Portsmouth; Texas Worrell hopefuls Piche and Billings won their class. We would like to thank our trailer sponsor, Loadmaster Trailers, 2118 Fulham Court, Houston, TX, 77083 (713-781-2841), as well as new cash sponsors Teresa Hull, Mike and Stephanie Virag, Robert Cummings (Cummings Marine, Dallas), and Karen and Norris Palmer. Party report (April 19, 2001) Work kept me from attending the party at the Cadillac Restaurant in San Antonio Easter weekend. However, reports from the scene say that about 250 people showed up, and a good time was had by all. Thanks to everyone that chipped in! Spitfire Performs at Deep South (April 9, 2001) Spitfire Racing competed at Glenn Richard's Deep South regatta at Lake Charles, Louisiana this weekend and enjoyed good results. In shifty wind conditions that saw holes with 3-knot zephyrs and "puffs" that approached 20, the Inter 20's romped all over the course. Jamie, sailing with his wife Tiffany, took second behind a beautifully sailed Nacra 6.O in Portsmouth A and trophied for winning the I-20 class. John Tomko, whose non-Worrell crew suffered a possible broken rib on Saturday, picked up alternate crew on Sunday and managed to hold off the late-charging Team Texas for third in fleet and second in class. Meanwhile, I was getting the kinks worked out of my 5.5u and took third in the 8-boat Portsmouth B fleet behind a Hobie Wave (the guy hauled it 400 miles from Pensacola) and a nicely restored (maintained?) Shark. The party is still on for next Saturday. Look for details and directions below. Party Details (April 1, 2001) The official Spitfire Racing Worrell Team party will be held at the Cadillac Bar and Restaurant on Saturday, April 14th, from 7:30-10. It is located at 212 S. Flores St. (map) in San Antonio. The team will be present, and one of the boats will be on display. Dinner, beer, and music will be furnished following a $10 donation to the team. Call Terry at 830-964-3132 for more information. Smyth Withdraws from 2001 Worrell (March 28, 2001) In a move that has stunned the catamaran-racing world, 6-time Worrell winner Randy Smyth announced today that he will not be participating in the 2001 event. He cited the amount of time he has been away from his family participating in The Race and the fact that his wife Paula is expecting their second child in April. "Randy will be missed. (He) was by any measure the team to beat," said Mike Worrell, also mentioning that he had accepted Smyth's registration as the first official entry into the 2002 race. Click here for all the details. Spitfire Dominates at Somerville (Somerville, Texas, Monday, March 27, 2001) Spitfire Racing showed up in force for Fleet 407's season-opening Ides of March regatta at Lake Somerville this weekend. John Tomko brought his Hobie 20 and dominated the 20-boat fleet. His crew, Spitfire road manager Tiffany Gaines, had so much fun her first time on the boat that she signed on to do the whole 5-race Miracle 20 Texas Circuit this season. Meanwhile, Jamie Gaines took advantage of the weekend to introduce his Alter Cup partner, Area F qualifier and Hobie 16 specialist Roy Shaw, to the Inter 20 that will be used in the Cup next month in Pensacola. They cleaned up the small 3-boat I-20 fleet, even though it was Shaw's first time on the Inter. I showed my Nacra 5.5 uni to a strong Portsmouth fleet, most of whom got a good look at the bows (if they were quick!). Dennis Palin took honors in the 12-boat fleet with his beautiful 18 square. The sailors plan to attend a demo of the Hobie Fox by sponsor Houston Sailboat Center this coming weekend at Texas City, then hook up with Steve and Ian of Team Texas for some offshore tuning in the Gulf of Mexico. The raffle was held; thanks to everybody that bought a ticket, and the winner, Bobby Grubbs of Spring Branch, TX, is pictured here. Spitfire Places at Mid-Winters (Pensacola, FL, Sunday, March 18, 2001) Jamie Gaines and John Tomko piloted their Inter 20 to a second-place finish, by only two points, in a strong field of ten teams at Performance Mid-Winters in Pensacola this weekend. They were also second among the six Worrell hopeful teams competing in the distance-oriented Steeplechase class. Gaines and Tomko never finished below third in a hard-fought battle that eventually saw Nigel Pitt and Alex Shafer take home the hardware. Click here for all the details. Raffle Rescheduled (March 14) Due to a conflict with a major regatta in Florida, Spitfire Racing will now hold its raffle drawing on March 24 at Lake Somerville in conjunction with the Ides of March regatta. Jamie and John will be racing the at Performance Catamarans Midwinters in Pensacola the weekend of the 16th. There will be a distance race especially for Inter 20's on Friday, and conventional buoy racing on Saturday and Sunday, so they get both open-water and boathandling practice in the same weekend. As an added bonus, they will have a chance to check out the competition as half a dozen or more of this year's record field of 29 Worrell teams are expected to show up. Christi Collins and Sign Quick have joined the team as our newest sponsor. They are installing all the sponsors' logos on the sails, and doing a great job. Welcome aboard! Gaines and Tomko to Sail in 2001 Worrell 1000 (Dec 22, 2000) Jamie Gaines of Houston and John Tomko of San Antonio, Texas, are teaming up to sail the 2001 Worrell 1000. The Worrell 1000 is a 1,000 mile off-shore beach catamaran race from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Virginia Beach, Virginia. This will be the first Worrell for both men. The Worrell was born out of a barroom bet in 1974. On October 1, Mike Worrell jumped onto a Hobie 16 beach catamaran and shoved off from the beach in front of the bar he owned with his brother in Virginia Beach, VA. They made it to Ft. Lauderdale, FL before the boat broke up. Two years later, the race as we know it now was inaugurated as five Hobies pushed off from Fort Lauderdale. The winner was the only boat to finish. The Worrell has undergone some evolution over the years; it's sometimes known as the World 1000, and throughout the '80's, boat choice was up to the individuals racing.Today, the race has returned to its one-design roots, but the Hobie 16 is Worrell history. The favored boat is now the Inter 20, a high-tech foam-cored carbon fiber creation. With two crew, the catamaran can easily exceed 25 mph carrying its asymmetrical spinnaker. Last year's race was the second-fastest ever, under quite mild conditions. Record-breaking results are always a possibility when the Inter 20 is on the water, and with 27 of the world's elite crews pushing them to the limits, it's only a matter of time! Tomko and Gaines are currently concentrating on securing sponsorship for the race, which begins May 7. The team is a major supporter of Houston Yacht Club's Ragnot (children's learn-to-sail) program, contributing a large amount of time and a portion of cash donations. These are therefore tax-deductible. The Worrell is the third-most-publicized sailing event in this country after only the America's Cup and the Whitbread/Volvo race. Various levels of sponsorship will receive display area on the boat ranging from bumper-sticker sized hull decals up to banner lettering covering most of the mainsail and/or spinnaker. They will also be featured on this web site. Gaines is committed to providing racing fans everywhere with up-to-the-minute updates on the race, using wireless technology to post information from the beach and even from the water. If you are interested in helping out with sponsorship, joining us at the race or want more information, do not hesitate to contact Jamie (phone 281-421-7245) or John (210-379-4967). |