Dozens of top local junior sailors headed up to Cal Yacht Club in Marina del Rey for the Junior Olympic Festival, with a number coming home with impressive hardware to show for their efforts this last weekend.
Incoming NHHS sophomore Wills Johnson was the top boat in the 37-boat Laser Radial class, while Sean Segerblom and Kappy Fuller sailed to a commanding 9-point win in the 32-boat CFJ fleet.
Light, fluky conditions were the norm for the first two days of racing. Johnson was able to take advantage to build up a big enough lead, and he was then able to hang on for his overall win when the wind finally filled in Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
In the CFJ class, fellow NHHS sailors Segerblom and Fuller were the only competitors in their fleet to score all Top 5 finishes in the 11-race series (and even their drop race was a Top 10 finish). They finished with an impressive 2.4 scoring average.
Other local sailors included CdM sailors Jack Thompson (4th in CFJs) and Jimmy Madigan (8th in 420s); Mater Dei sailor Charlie Welsh was 5th overall in Laser Full-rigs.
Long Beach to Balboa Laser Race – July 14, BYC (Lasers)
Balboa Yacht Club Laser sailors inaugurated a new downwind long distance event this year, racing Lasers 18 miles down from Long Beach to Balboa. Race reports from Alan Andrews and Gator Cook:
Course was start near east end of Alamitos/Long Beach breakwater, leave oil islands Emmy and Eva to port, go through gate just off the HB pier, go through gate just off the Newport Pier. Original course was on down to Balboa Pier but was shortened at Newport Pier gate to be sure all competitors could meet time limit. One boat didn’t read the course and sailed down inside the oil islands, deciding to keep sailing but DNF rather than sail another mile out to go around the oil islands.
Wind was S to SW and tending to the left as we sailed to the oil islands. About 80-85% of the leg was on starboard tack with the rest on port. Oscillating 15-20 degree shifts combined with a general shift left made a good tactical game to the oil islands. TWS 5 to 8 and a few puffs to 10 on middle legs. Medium reach to HB pier and then tight reach to NB pier. A lot of guys had really sore right arms from all the mainsheet trim on starboard tack! Otherwise, no big incidents.
It was a good event and great to get parts of the two fleets together for a joint race. BYC and ABYC each provided a chase boat that became ends of the “gates” and followed the fleet. Just like any top flight distance race, each competitor was handed a cold beer upon finishing in “tropical” Newport. Chili, trophies and more beverages on the BYC deck after the boats were put away.
Top five finishers:
1 ABYC – Vann Wilson 3:16:04
2 BYC – Alan Andrews 3:20:00
3 BYC – Brett Hemphill 3:22:07
4 BYC – Gator Cook 3:27:08
5 BYC – Steve Kent 3:31:27
Upcoming Sailing Events:
July 17-22 – Governor’s Cup – BYC (Invitational, Gov Cup 21)
July 21-22 – Crew of Two Around Catalina – SSYC (Offshore)
July 22 – Flight of the Lasers – NOSA, NHYC (Lasers)
July 26-29 – CFJ Nationals – BYC (CFJ’s)
