Norwalk Scores and Standings: Sept. 2

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Babe Ruth Organizers Named Norwalk Sports Persons of the Year

The Fairfield County Sports Commission today announced its 2011 Sports Persons of the Year in each of the 15 communities the Commission serves.

The local sports honorees will be recognized at the annual Sports Night awards dinner, Monday, Oct. 17 at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich at 6 p.m.

In each of the 15 communities, a committee headed by a local town representative of the Commission, selected a Sports Person of the Year. Each winner was deemed to have had the most positive impact in their sports community from Aug. 2010-Aug. 2011.

The winners from Norwalk are Jim and Joe Parlanti, who organized the 13-year-old New England Babe Ruth Regional that was played in Norwalk in August.

The Fairfield County Sports Commission is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that is the one-stop resource for the area sports community with a mission of promoting fitness and personal development through sports. The commission, with the exception of the executive director, is an all-volunteer group that gives financial support and its resources back to its communities, primarily focused on the 110,000 school age youngsters it can reach with its fitness awareness education programs.

For more information on tickets and sponsorship opportunities for Sports Night, visit www.fairfieldcountysports.com or call 203-251-8481

2. U.S Men's Eight Fails To Qualify For Olympics

The U.S. men’s eight crew, which includes Norwalk's Dan Walsh, finished second in the B final Thursday in the World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovakia and failed to qualify the boat for the 2012 Olympic Games next summer in London.

The U.S. crew missed the A final in its semifinal Wednesday and had one more chance to place the eight among the seven top boats in the regatta and claim the last Olympic qualifying spot.

They fell immediately off the pace at the start and had to row from fifth place into second without ever really challenging Ukraine for the win. Ukraine rowed a 5:36.72 to the U.S time of 5:38.93.

For the U.S., the inability to qualify the eight means a trip to the Olympic Qualification Regatta, scheduled for May 20-23, 2012 in Lucerne, Switzerland.

2.Stamford Vineyard Yacht Race Gets Under Way Friday

The 77th annual Stamford Yacht Club Vineyard race gets under way on Friday.

More than 90 boats from Fairfield and Westchester Counties will participate in the 238-mile race, which takes sailors to Buzzards Bay in Cape Cod and back to the Stamford Yacht Club.

After Irene hit, there was some concern that the race might have to be cancelled. However, the SYC received minimal damage, allowing the race to begin on time.

First contested in 1932, the Vineyard Race takes place annually on Labor Day weekend.

The fastest time to complete the course was set by Blue Yankee in 2007. Skippered by Bob and Farley Towse of Stamford, it covered the course in 20 hours, 20 minutes and 15 seconds.