By Nancy Mellon
The team from the San Diego Yacht Club took the 45th Annual Governor’s Cup in the final races held yesterday.
For the first year since 2007, the finals were between two US teams: SDYC and Newport Harbor Yacht Club. In 2007, NHYC and King Harbor Yacht Club competed for the top spot, with Michael Menninger of NHYC winning. That history did not repeat for the NHYC sailors, but more recent history did, as they finished second for the second year in a row.
The victorious team from San Diego Yacht Club included skipper Nevin Snow, the youngest racer in the regatta, racing with crew Jake LaDow and Jake Reynolds. The final four teams also included Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, San Diego Yacht Club and Newport Harbor Yacht Club.
The final results:
- San Diego Yacht Club
- Newport Harbor Yacht Club
- Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
- Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club
- Scuttlebutt Sailing Club
- St. Thomas Yacht Club
- Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
- Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Balboa Yacht Club
- Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club
- Royal Yachting Association
- King Harbor Yacht Club
The Semi-Finals for the top four teams began on Saturday. The first-place team was able to choose its first opponent from the other three teams. San Diego Yacht Club chose to race against Royal Port Nicholson, so the second-place team from Newport Harbor Yacht Club competed against Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.
In the first race, NHYC was over at the start, and so had to return to cross the line again, falling behind enough that RNZYS was the victor. However, NHYC came back to win both races on Sunday and take the best-two-out-of-three series to move on to the finals.
The last race day was another beautiful day, and included the best wind of the week with white caps showing for the first time as the wind held steady at about ten to twelve knots. The spectator fleet was very large with representatives from San Diego and King Harbor as well as the local yacht clubs.
In the final race, SDYC,’s Snow was able to cause NHYC skipper Chris Segerblom problems at the start, and SDYC pulled ahead and could not be caught. Both Snow and Segetblom raced in 2010 and will be eligible to return in 2012.
In the other final, RNZYS with David Hazard at the helm, prevailed over Tim Coltman of RPNYC in the battle of the two New Zealand teams.
Only four teams were able to beat the strong SDYC team during the Round Robins. They were the host team of Balboa Yacht Club, led by Ryan Davidson, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia with Ashleen Rooklyn at the helm, the second place team from NHYC and the fourth place team of Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron.
Information about the Gov Cup is available at www.balboayachtclub.com.
