Rushing the beat the arrival of Hurricane Jeanne, the U.S. Match Racing Championship concluded Saturday, September 25.   The four top point leaders from the 8 eight boat round robin went on to sail in the semi finals in Tampa. Hurricane Jean provided just the right amount of breeze ( 14 to 18 knots )
to allow the sailors almost perfect match racing conditions of good wind with a relatively flat seas. The challenge for the RC was to try and complete racing before the real Jeanne decided to show up.

Karl Ziegler's Seawanhaka YC team met Andy Lovell's Southern YC
crew in match one and Bill Hardesty from San Diego YC sailed off against Andy Lovell's Southern YC team.  Ziegler and Hardesty won two straight races and moved onto the finals while Hollerbach and Lovell sorted out third place.

In the finals,  Karl Ziegler with Dean Brenner and Mike Welch with some with some great teamwork both in strategy and sail handling had three straight wins against Bill Hardesty and crew of Jeff Nelson and Brian Bessel.  Nathan Hollerbach's team won two straight against Andy Lovell for the third spot.

Final Standings

1. Karl Ziegler Seawanhaka Yacht Club
2. Bill Hardesty San Diego Yacht Club
3. Nathan Hollerbach Bayview Yacht Club
4. Andy Lovell Southern Yacht Club

Due to the arrival of Hurricane Jeanne, photos will not be available until Monday.  Watch this space.