Racers,
Race Committee Challenged On Day 2 Of O.C.R.
LONG
BEACH, Calif.---Challenging wind conditions tested
both the racers and the race committee during
the second day of racing of the Olympic Classes
Regatta at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club Saturday.
Four
races were completed on the Olympic-style course
set off the Seal Beach Pier in the waters of San
Pedro Bay. Winds were lighter than on the heavy-air
first day that decimated the Finn class and pressed
the remaining three classes competing, but a first-race
wind shift jumbled the standings.
Racing
started in light conditions as the overnight offshore
breeze shifted to a weak southerly. While the
race committee expected the wind to veer into
the normal southwesterly wind direction, the shift
occurred early in the first race and caught a
number of sailors unaware on the unfavored side
of the course. The race committee adjusted the
marks as quickly as the rules allowed, but the
results of the first race caught a number of the
leaders in the 35-boat Laser class, the largest
in the regatta, out of the top end of finishers.
Hawaiian
sailor Andrew Lewis continued his domination of
the Lasers, finishing first in every race but
the first race of Saturday. With seven races completed,
all the sailors are able to discard their worst
score before adding up their totals, and Lewis
had a third-place finish in that race. Canadians
John Romanko and Karl Campbell both started and
ended the day in second and third places, respectively,
as the saving grace of the discard rule allowed
them to throw out mid-fleet finishes in the first
race of the day.
Canadian
women continue one-two-three in the Europe class
of seven boats. Jennifer Spalding extended her
lead over second-place Tanja Smutny as Brooke
Campbell moved into the medal ranks on the strength
of two second-place finishes.
Geoffrey
Beck of Canada solidified his lead in the 12-boat
Laser Radial class, finishing the day a full 10
points ahead of American Jake Sorosky and Kevin
Grierson of British Columbia. The latter two sailors
ended the day tied on points with Sorosky ahead
in the standings on based on the tie-breaker formula
in the rules.
Only
two Finns were on hand for racing after the tough
day the class suffered on the first day of racing.
The less windy conditions allowed Jeff Case and
Robert Carlen to complete all races today.
Racing
will conclude Sunday with three races planned.
The regatta will end with an Olympic-style medal
ceremony on Sunday.
Results
after seven races: EUROPE (7 boats): Jennifer
Spaulding, CAN, 6 points; Tanja Smutny, CAN, 13;
Brooke Campbell, CAN, 19. FINN (5): Jeff Case,
USA, 9; Robert Carlen, USA, 13; Glenn Selvin,
USA, 25 (Note: only six races completed in Finn
class). LASER (35): Andrew Lewis, USA, 6; John
Romanko, CAN, 17; Karl Campbell, CAN, 30. LASER
RADIAL (12): Geoffrey Beck, CAN, 7; Jake Sorosky,
USA, 17; Kevin Grierson, CAN, 17.
Photos
are posted on the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club website,
www.abyc.org.
Alamitos
Bay Yacht Club
562-434-9955
abyc@abyc.org
www.abyc.org
