(San Diego, CA)- The 2019 Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta San Diego was sailed from March 15th to 17th for the nearly 130 teams that were sailing for the weekend. As has been the case in past years, the J/Teams and their dozens of sailors predominated in the event that saw classic sunny San Diego conditions. Pamela Rose’s J/70 team on ROSEBUD from Chicago/ San Diego emerged as the top team in a talent-laden class and was selected as the San Diego NOOD Challenger for the Helly Hansen NOOD Caribbean Championship! Here is what happened over the three-day weekend.
Day 1- Picture Perfect Sailing
There was plenty to play for on the first day. Friday’s action was focused on the regatta’s San Diego Bay course with four races conducted by the Coronado and San Diego Yacht Club race committees.
In the J/70 fleet, typically laden with professional sailors, skipper Chris Raab’s team on SUGOI of amateur sailors from Long Beach, California, emerged as the top boat, winning two races to lead the 15-boat fleet by 2 points over Pamela Rose’s ROSEBUD.
Raab’s team includes close friends Rob Lindley, Kelley Jane Paradise and Erik Lidecus. With winds shifting throughout the day, Raab and his teammates had to focus on their competitors and their positioning on the racecourse.
“It was a pound the paint kind of day,” Raab said. “We had to sail through some lulls to get to the next puff. If we over-tacked the boat, it was a problem and the sides would tend to get us. We had to be patient, that’s for sure.”
Whenever an amateur team outshines professionals, it’s a sign of the fleet’s depth. As a winner of 43 national championships, Raab’s career has been nothing short of prolific, but he still leans on the professionals in the fleet for advice.
“[Pro sailor] Willem Van Waay was super helpful this morning,” Raab said. “He scrubbed the bottom of my boat and told me my rig was too loose, so we developed a new base setting and that speed difference was super helpful.”
Day 2- More Picture Perfect Conditions
Racing continued on the second day, with the addition of one-design keelboat fleets on the ocean course, there was plenty of action in the waters off San Diego. While competitors inside San Diego Bay continued their series from Friday, the San Diego Yacht Club race committee set its first race course 2 miles south of Point Loma, where classic Southern California sailing conditions provided an action-packed day of racing for six different classes.
Day 3- Regatta Photo Finish
The third and final day showcased plenty of tight racing across all one-design fleets. The regatta’s Ocean Course was set south of Point Loma and the two Bay Courses were set on South San Diego Bay. With light and shifty winds, racers had to stay focused throughout the challenging final day.
Going into the final race of the J/105s, a 2-point margin between the top-three boats produced a winner-take-all showdown. After two races, Chuck Driscoll and his team on JUICED emerged victorious.
“This win is important to us,” said Driscoll, of San Diego. “My partner, Tom Hurlburt, and I have been sailing this regatta for twelve years, and we’ve come second many times. This was the first time we’ve been able to put it together for a win.
"The Driscoll family has a long history with the San Diego Yacht Club. My grandfather was commodore here in 1939. My father won the Star Worlds in 1944 and was the skipper of Intrepid in the America’s Cup trials. My father also won the Lipton Cup, along with my brother and I. Our family has been involved in boating my whole life. We’ve been very fortunate.”
Rounding out the podium in the J/105s were Stewart Cannon’s J-OK with 16 pts in second position and Steve Howell’s BLINK in third place with 18 pts.
In the J/120s, John Laun’s CAPER took class honors with a near whitewash. They won five of six races to take class with just 7 pts total. Second was Chuck Nicholls’ CC RIDER with 15 pts and then Ernie Pennell’s MAD MEN secured third with 16 pts.
Pamela Rose’s J/70 team on ROSEBUD emerged as the top team in a talent-laden class and was selected as the San Diego NOOD Challenger for the Helly Hansen NOOD Caribbean Championship.
Each stop of the 2019 Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta series produces a challenger for the Caribbean NOOD Championship with Sunsail in the British Virgin Islands in late October. This year’s San Diego challenger is crew of Pamela Rose’s J/70 ROSEBUD. Sailing with Rose was Willem van Waay, who accepted the trophy on her behalf.
“I’ve had this regatta snatched away from me more times than I can remember,” said Van Waay, of Coronado, California. “Pam did a great job steering. The conditions were challenging each day, and consistency was key. We’re excited to head to the British Virgin Islands later this year and we should be competitive.”
Rounding out the top five in the J/70 class were Jeff Janov’s MINOR THREAT with 35 pts, easily posting the best record in the last six races with four 1sts in their tally. Third was Raab’s SUGOI, winning Corinthians as well. Fourth was Mexico’s Fabian Gomez-Ibarra’s VAGAZO and fifth was Steve Wyman’s NUNUHUNU.
The balance of the Corinthian Division podium included Tony Collins’ FLY and David Hochart’s TANGAROA.
In the NORTH SAILS RALLY, Tom Fisher’s J/105 VIGGEN took third place amongst a widely varying fleet of day sailors from across San Diego Harbor. Sailing photo credits- Paul Todd/ Outside Images.com. For more Helly Hansen San Diego NOOD Sailing Regatta information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
|
