J/109 ELECTRA’FIES Class(Marina del Rey, California)- California YC expected to have a good turn-out for its one-design and PHRF handicap classes and they were not disappointed by the high-rate of participation across the board. In addition to the J/70, J/80 and J/109 classes, there was good competition in the PHRF fleets.
The J/70 class in SoCal continue to see teams “flip-flop” positions from regatta to regatta as each team makes improvements either in their crew or their ability to technically sail their boats better. This time, it was local hotshot sailor from California YC, Jeff Janov, skippering MINOR THREAT that took the class with a 5-2-1-2-2 record for 12 pts. Giving them a serious go until their final race “brain fade” was Craig Tallman’s JAYA team from Kings Harbor YC, accumulating a 2-1-2-3-6 for 14 pts to hang on to second place. Third was Karl Pomeroy’s ZERO TO 60 crew from Newport Harbor YC with a 3-7-5-1-4 tally for 20 pts. Rounding out the top five was Justin Kromelow’s LOOSE LUCY from St Francis YC in San Francisco, the top non-SoCal boat and fifth was Steve Wyman’s NUNUHUNU from Dana Point YC.
With most of SoCal’s top J/109s in attendance, no one expected a complete “schooling” on how to get a J/109 properly around the race track. However, that is exactly what happened as Tom Brott’s Santa Barbara YC crew sailed ELECTRA to a shocking 3-1-1-1-2 tally for a mere 8 pts. The next trio of boats were in for a fight for their lives to grab a podium finish. The role players in that story were Alice Leahey’s GRACE O’MALLEY, Bryce Benjamin’s PERSISTENCE and John Shulze’s LINSTAR. After a slow start, Benjamin’s PERSISTENCE lived up to her name and closed with a convincing 2-1 tally to take the 18 pts tie-breaker over Shulze’s LINSTAR. After winning the first race and holding 2nd after the first day, O’Malley’s crew couldn’t hold it together on the last day, posting a 5-7 to drop into 4th. Fifth was Nelson’s SPRAY from host California YC.
In the SoCal J/80 orbit, defending champion Curt Johnson skippering AVET from the hometown Cal YC managed a “three-peat” with all bullets. In second was David Angers’ MISS DEMEANOR and third was Peter Boland & Erik Pavelka’s ACQUE VELOCE.
Making a go of it in the PHRF handicap world offshore was be Glenn Griley’s J/111 STAMPEDE from King’s Harbor YC. It was a rough weekend for this top crew, having placed well in a number of events in the previous months but having to hold onto a fourth for this regatta. For more Cal Race Week sailing information
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