Saturday, June 25, 2016

Another Fun-Filled AYC Race Week!

J/70s sailing Annapolis (Annapolis, MD)- The Annapolis YC’s annual race weekend continues to be a popular event at the beginning of the Chesapeake Bay summer sailing season.  This year’s event was incredibly well-attended across the board in both offshore PHRF handicap divisions as well as in the one-design fleets for J/22s, J/70s, J/80s, J/30s and J/105s.

The J/22s were won by Jeff Todd’s HOT TODDY with straight bullets, followed by Jason Ipe’s EKAS with straight seconds and Gunnar Gode’s USA 977 with straight thirds.  So, only one guess as to what the records were for fourth and fifth place?!  Ya’got the theme here?  Sure enough, Scott Gelo’s VENTUS took straight fourths and Jason Goscha’s CALIENTE BILLETE took straight fifths.  Wonder what the odds were at Ladbroke’s in the UK on that outcome??

In the J/70s, things were a bit more mixed up in the leaderboard, with Todd Hiller’s LEADING EDGE emerging victorious over Peter Firey’s PHOENIX in second and Gregg Zurmuhlen’s SPORT in third.  The balance of the top five saw the trio of Todd Olds/ Tom Iseler/ Preben Ostberg take fourth in TSUNAMI and Will Keyworth’s PAPA WHEELIE finish in fifth place.

J/80s sailing AnnapolisThe J/80s had a nice turnout, but they also saw a clean sweep of the races by David Andril’s VAYU.  However, the competition for the balance of the top five was simply ferocious and the finish order in the last race determined the outcome for the standings!  Yet, another unusual wrinkle in this regatta!  Second was Rick Harrison’s SOME RESPECT with 11 pts, third Alex Kraus’ COOL J with 12 pts, fourth Jim Praley’s GROMIT with 13 pts.  Then, fifth place determined by a three-way tie-breaker with Derick Lynch’s OUTLAWS, Bert Carp’s USA 11, and Tom Walsh/ John Potvin’s WINDRIDER all sitting on 16 pts each!  The OUTLAWS got the nod on that one.

It was the mighty RAG DOLL skippered by Rob & Beth Lundahl that took home the gold in the J/30 class.   Bob Rutsch’s BEPOP took second, followed by Ron Anderson’s INSATIABLE in third.

With a round dozen boats, the J/105 had the largest class in the event and it produced several surprises in the leaderboard.  Winning was the Lewis/Salvesen team on MIRAGE with straight bullets, much to everyone’s amazement!  Second was another upstart, John White’s ONE LESS BAD PERSON.  Third was a familiar local team, Andrew Kennedy’s BAT IV.  Slotting into fourth was Mark Elert’s WIND RIVER, another top five newcomer.  Then, fifth was assumed by class veterans, Carl & Scott Gitchell’s TENACIOUS.

In the PHRF handicap offshore racing world, there were several good performances by J/crews.  Winning PHRF A1 Class was Stephen McManus’ J/120 SAYKADOO.  In PHRF A2 Class, Bill Walczak’s J/88 HORNET took a fifth place. In PHRF Shorthanded Spinnaker, J sailors swept the class, with David Powell’s J/100 LA FORTUNA winning, followed by Ramzi Bannura’s J/80 STACKED DECK in second and Dan Leonard’s J/100 FLASHPOINT in third!  The PHRF Cruising Spinnaker Class saw the modified J/30 HURON skippered by Karl von Schwarz take fourth.   For more Annapolis YC Regatta sailing information