2025 Western District Regatta Sets Sail at Sea Cliff Yacht Club
RS Fevas starting their first race passing finish vessel Goldeneye, a custom wooden 1937 Rhodes yawl.
Sea Cliff Yacht Club hosted this year’s annual Western District Regatta in Hempstead Harbor on Wednesday, July 9th. The 62-boat fleet drew 94 junior sailors from 12 yacht clubs competing in Club-420s, ILCA 7s, ILCA 6s, ILCA 4s and RS Fevas.
The nearly-cloudless day had zero-to-light air until mid-afternoon. The 2PM harbor start was postponed ashore for 30 minutes as the race committee waited for breeze (any breeze). A very-light northerly sent the sailors out as the RC set two trapezoidal courses for the southerly that was forecast to arrive at 3PM. The anticipated southerly remained elusive until 4:15PM, when a 10-12 knot sea breeze filled the harbor and allowed racing to get underway.
With the SIs calling for the last start by 5:30 PM, the RC scrambled to run as many races as possible in the compressed racing window. It was not unusual for three-minute starting sequences to happen two minutes apart, with a single general recall providing the only break in the action. Despite the compressed schedule, the sailors successfully completed 10 races total on the two courses with two races for each of the five classes before the deadline.
The Club 420 class featured 11 boats with Henry Kuriloff & Hadley Hall from Larchmont Yacht Club taking top honors. Molly Siewert & Georgia Carrier from Shelter Island Yacht Club secured second place, while Jackson Conlan & Luke Roman, also from Larchmont, rounded out the podium in third.
The ILCA 7 class had 2 entries, with Daniel Menz from Huguenot Yacht Club claiming victory over John Noonan from Larchmont Yacht Club.
The ILCA 6 class featured 20 boats and provided fierce competition with an “I” flag displayed at both starts. Baxter Carobene from Huguenot Yacht Club emerged victorious, followed by Brayden Bratti from Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club in second and Mason Colgan from Huguenot Yacht Club in third.
The ILCA 4 class showcased 8 boats, with Eddie Bierer from Huguenot Yacht Club taking first place. Ellie Millar from Larchmont Yacht Club sailed to second, while Gabriel Banon from Huguenot Yacht Club claimed third.
The RS Feva class was particularly strong with 21 boats competing. Spencer Lapp & Harry Rave from Head of the Bay Club sailed to victory, with home club sailors Grayson Emmert & Ryan Pujdak from Sea Cliff Yacht Club taking second. John McCloskey & Walter Shipley from Larchmont Yacht Club secured third place.
Congratulations to all sailors who adapted to the challenging conditions and made the most of the limited racing window.
*Regatta report contributed by Principal Race Officer Tim O’Rourke (with help from Claude.ai)
*Photo by PRO Tim O’Rourke (taken with his new Meta AI Wayfarer sunglasses)
