A BAAD day on the water for Oracle Team USA’s Newton & McInnes

Oracle Team USA sailors Sam Newton and Brian MacInnes took some time off from their high performance multihull duties this weekend, when they accepted a challenge from the Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors (http://www.baads.org) to join them for the Awareness Day Regatta the clubs fleet of disabled sailing dinghies. Despite being well on the back foot when it came to the intricacies of sailing the BAAD boats, Newton and MacInnes put on a great performance during the three race series – and judging by the ear to ear grins they sported all day, the pair looked to be having a thoroughly good time out on the water. With flukey winds topping out in the high teens during the day, the Newton and McInnes and the BAAD club members duked it out over three races set around triangle/sausage courses set in the shadow of the san Francisco Giants Baseball Stadium. After racing the competitors retired to the nearby South Beach Yacht Club for well earned drinks and food and the day was rounded off nicely by a lively Q&A session with McInnes who answered questions from club members about the America’s Cup, Oracle Team USA’s chances of winning and just exactly what it felt like to be onboard during the Oracle 72 during ‘that’ capsize.

Fernanda Castelo, BAADS event coordinator, who was out on the water racing during the day summed up the day:

“BAADS Sailors and Oracle Team USA have demonstrated at best that everyone can experience this great sport of sailing. AWARENESS REGATTA, was launched to experience a day on the bay with ORACLE TEAM USA.”

“As we all witnessed from this regatta, sailors were put to the test racing with winds up to 18-20 knots. There were some problems out on the water, and that gave BAADS sailors an education for future competitive regattas. This is not one-time event, the aim is for our racing team in preparation as host and competitors for the International Access Class Association – North American Championship, September 3-6, 2013.

BAADS members and volunteers, and South Beach Yacht Club volunteers were the real crew of AWARENESS REGATTA, everyone contributed their best to make it all happen. As for me, my reward was seeing the joy of enjoyment of everyone who came out to spend a day on the bay.”

Here is our exclusive video of the best of the day’s action:

Images credit: KT Newman/Sail Racing Magazine
Video credit: Justin Chisholm/Sail Racing Magazine