Western Districts Regatta Recap

On Thursday July 7th sailors from around JSA of LIS came to Sea Cliff Yacht Club for the Western Districts qualifier. With poor weather predicted for the day, the race committee planned for only three races in each class.

All boats were rigged and ready for a 10:50 harbor start where it was a quick tow out of the mooring field into the Long Island Sound. With the breeze near zero the regatta went into a holding pattern with competitors tying up to coach boats for lunch and water. After about a 20 minute delay, a southerly began to fill. With that, the race committee split into their respective courses, with the 420’s and laser standards to the North while the Radials and Pixels sailed to the South. With port triangles set both fleets got their first race off quickly, with one general recall in the 420 fleet.

Once the 420s had begun their first race, the race committee realized that the jibe mark was not caught on the bottom and was drifting towards the jetty. A safety boat was on hand to observe the movement of the mark and it eventually caught just as the first boats were rounding the windward mark. The race committee decided that the reach was still doable for the boats and the race continued.

After race one on both courses, the breeze picked up to a steady 12 knots with 420 crews beginning to trapeze. The laser and pixel fleets finished their races first and headed in at around 2:30. The 420 fleet was finished soon after, as they were heading in, clouds from Connecticut began descending on the racecourse. It was perfect timing because just as the last boats were getting to shore, it began to pour rain. This drove competitors to pack up even quicker and wait inside for the award ceremony.

 

Scott McKinney and Clare Cassidy-Gardner out of Orient Yacht Club took first place in the 420 fleet followed by Nathaniel Winters & Daniel Reich from Shelter Island Yacht Club. In third, also from Orient Yacht Club was Gideon Burnes Heath & Angus Ogilvie.

Madelyn Ploch from American Yacht Club had a decisive victory in the lasers, followed by Seawanhaka’s John Eastman. Third place went to Lindsay Powers from AYC.

In the Pixel fleet Jaume Pujadas & Joesp Pujadas from Larchmont Yacht Club had three bullets and took first place. Amelia Jessop & Clara Kruijtzer from American Yacht Club took second. And from HHYC, Natalie Manley & Harlan Power took third. Finally the Laser Standards, In first from Larchmont was David Ingraham, second from Sea Cliff Yacht Club was Miles Ripka and third was Peter Fontanella from Larchmont Yacht Club.

Thank you to Sea Cliff for hosting the event and planning so well for the weather!