By Louise T. Haney

Nine Interclub teams sailed at MBYC on Sunday, Feb. 22. Air temperature: 40 degrees, water: 38 degrees and wind: westerly at 4-5 knots.

There were several visitors. Top teams were: 1st Pedro/Mimi Lorson; 2nd, from Northport, Bill/Kristin Kelly; 3rd: tie between (1), from Sayville, Paul Jon Patin/Anne Cotrell and (2) Peter Lorson/Brad Geoghan, Area B Semi-finalist from Sayville. There had been no Frostbiting on Feb. 8 and 15.

On Feb. 13, your reporter again this year attended a major event at the New York Yacht Club, the presentation of the Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year (1997) Awards. At her luncheon table were Jan Harley of Media Pro Int'l, Tom Limsky of SAIL and Gary Jobson and Tim Dolman, both of ESPN. This year's honorees are Chris Larson of Annapolis MD and JJ Isler of La Jolla CA. Among the guests was Jory Hinman, originally of Port Washington. There follow almost verbatim statements from the press release.

Larson (31) was cited for his '97 performances skippering one-design boats in a wide variety of events. His racing record included steering a Mumm 36 to victory at both the '97 Yachting Race Week at Key West and the S.O.R.C., finishing second at the Mumm 36 World Championships; and taking fourth at the Corel 45 World Championships after winning the class's Atlantic Coast Championships. He also worked in victories at the J24 Midwinters and the J/22 East Coast Championships.

In offshore sailing, Larson completed his first Transpac (LA to Honolulu) race, co-helming the Andrews 70 turbo sled Cheval to second and breaking the 20-year record set by Merlin. At Cowes, England, Larson turned in his crowning achievement for helming Mumm '36 Jameson, one of three US Admiral Cup's Team boats, to fifth in class. The finish contributed to the US team's first overall victory in 21 years at the prestigious event.

Isler (34), won the award for the third time having earned distinction in 1986 and 1991 as skipper of small to mid-size boats. Her resume prior to '97 replete with a 1992 Olympic 470 (doublehanded dinghy) bronze medal, documents her decade-long transformation into a big-boat sailor whose talents as tactician and helmsperson came to light internationally in 1995 when she joined America 3, the first ever women's America's Cup effort.

Early in '97, Isler skippered the One-Design 48 (1D48) Windquest to a class victory at Yachting Race Week in Key West, taking overall fleet honors among more than 200 boats. When Isler backed up her experience by skippering the Farr 40 High Five to victory at the San Diego Yachting Cup and a third at both the Long Beach and Cadillac/North Sails Race Weeks, she found herself on the big boat owners' "hot list" of helmspeople. Isler went on to steer the DF40 Red Hornet to third in class at the Chicago-Mackinac Race and an ID48 to third in class at the Verve Cup and second at the St. Francis Yacht Club Big Boat Series. She rounded her sailing season with the C Scow Blue Chip Regatta and the Stars and Stripes Regatta where she finished second and third respectively.

Nine Interclub teams sailed at MBYC on Sunday, Feb. 22. Air temperature: 40 degrees, water: 38 degrees and wind: westerly at 4-5 knots.

There were several visitors. Top teams were: 1st Pedro/Mimi Lorson; 2nd, from Northport, Bill/Kristin Kelly; 3rd: tie between (1), from Sayville, Paul Jon Patin/Anne Cotrell and (2) Peter Lorson/Brad Geoghan, Area B semi-finalist from Sayville. There had been no Frostbiting on Feb.8 and 15.