Friday, August 15

The U.S. Team Racing Championship began today with sixteen dinghy racing teams from the United States and one all-star dinghy racing team from the United Kingdom.  The race committee broke the 17 teams into 3 separate fleets each racing every other team once per rotation. 

Friday’s winds were light and spotty necessitating race committee postponements in the morning.  As the day progressed, the sea breeze continued to build from the North and North West at 8-10 knots with the help of a small weather system to the North.

Day 1 Results of the three fleets were as follows:   Fleet 1, the New York Yacht Club Silver Panda was undefeated.  In fleet 2 the Larchmont Yacht Club was also undefeated.   In fleet 3 the Woonsocket Rockets were the top team with three race wins.

After the first rotation, the committee broke the fleet into the next format which consisted of the top 3 teams from each fleet and created a gold and silver fleet.  At this point in the regatta, the dinghy racers are about a quarter of the way through the second rotation.  On Saturday we are scheduled to finish the second rotation which includes 9 teams in the silver fleet and 8 teams in the gold fleet.  Saturday we also anticipate starting a third rotation which will break the teams into gold, silver and bronze fleets.  The third rotation will conclude Saturday evening or Sunday morning where upon the race committee will initiate a knockout format, followed by a semi-final and final to determine the U.S Team Racing Champion.

If you are in the Erie, PA area, try to get down to the Erie Yacht Club to watch the team racing action unfold.  You don’t want to miss the finals, this year’s event will determine the United States representatives to the Team Racing World Championships, to be held in Perth, Australia in January, 2009.

We wish to thank Rolex Watch U.S.A., Nautica, LaserPerformance, Dry Creek Vineyards, Labatt Blue, Builders’ Hardware, Koldrock Water and Annapolis Performance Sailing. Special recognition is due the Erie Yacht Club and the following members for their support: Gary Bolt, Pat Geary and Erie Beer, Mickey McMahon, Conrad and Janet Stahalek.