(Hampton, VA)- In addition to having fun participating in the “Blackbeard Pirate Festival” and the “Hampton Block Party” hosted by the City of Hampton, a fleet of eighty-nine boats were also sailing the Southern Bay Race Week this past weekend. The hosts, Hampton YC did a magnificent job to get in seven races for most fleets over the three days.
The J/70s had a highly competitive weekend of racing with the top three places not determined until the last race. Winning by just one point was Dave Wilbar’s VORTEX RACING, one of the top local boats. Their scoreline of 3-1-1-4-2-1-3 totaled 15 pts. Latane Montague’s FULL MONTY took second with a 1-2-3-2-3-3-2 tally for 16 pts. Third was Ron Thompson’s NONAME with a 2-3-2-1-4-2-4 record for 18 pts! Close racing indeed! Finishing out the top five were Clark Dennison on CAT’S PAJAMAS in 4th and Noel Clinard’s LOONATICTU in fifth.
In J/24 world, Francis Ford’s ROCKET J took top honors with just straight bullets? Goodness gracious, only 7 pts counted in seven races! A remarkable feat in any fleet. Bridesmaid to that booty-kicking performance was Mike Veraldi’s QUICKY. And, third was Alan Bomar’s ROUNDABOUT.
The regatta also hosted a fairly large PHRF handicap racing fleet this year. Taking second in PHRF A1 was Craig Wright’s J/109 AFTERTHOUGHT. Just behind them were Vernon Eberwine’s classic J/36 SEA STAR in 4th and Sam Mitchener’s J/109 DOUBLE EAGLE in 6th.
In PHRF A2, Phil Briggs’s J/36 FEATHER secured the silver on the podium while Don DeLoach’s J/105 SPECIAL K took 6th.
The big winner in PHRF B1 was Ben Weeks’s J/29 RUMBLE. Speaking of which, they absolutely rumbled (perhaps more appropriately, “steam-rolled”) their fleet, taking five straight bullets in the last five races to win by a country mile- 13 pts over their next competitor!
Also having a dominating performance over their hapless competitors was the J/30 COOL CHANGE, sailed by Rusty Burshell. They only had six firsts to win PHRF B2 class, but won by just an 8 pts margin.
For more Southern Bay Race Week sailing information
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