Daily Reports

 
 

U.S.  Men's and Women's Sailing Championship 2005
Tuesday, September 13

It was a light air start to the 2005 U.S. Men's and Women's Championships, hosted this year by American Yacht Club.  The racing was postponed until noon when the two fleets sailed out onto Long Island Sound to begin racing for these prestigious championships.  The wind and weather were more like mid-August than mid-September.

 

With winds barely more than 5 knots, the race committee was able to get off two races and abandoned the third.  In the Men's Championship, Kenneth Wolfe, Jake Scott and Jameson Rabbitt are tied with returning champions, Zak Fanberg and his crew, Sara Fanberg and Marcus Eagan with a first and a second each.  Marblehead, MA team Charles Quigley, Peggy MacMaster and Nicola Anderson are in fourth with 8 points.

In the U.S. Women's Sailing Championship,  the racing saw two horizon jobs - one from Kirsten Cummings in the first race and one from Joni Palmer in the second.   In each instance, the winning boat took the lead from the first mark and never looked back.  Cummings and her Southern Californian crew of Diana Carter and Stacey Szabo were able to pull a second in the second race which puts them in the lead.  Close behind are Area A's team led by Natalie Coleman-Fuller with Meredith Dart and Emily Taylor who with a second and a fourth and Area D's team, Theresa Brooks, Caroline Grove Byrd and Jessica Koenig with two thirds.  Both teams trail Palmer and her team of Carrie Carpenter and Meredith Dodd by only one point and are only three points behind Cumming.

Wednesday, September 14
With sunny skies and steadier wind conditions, the Race Committee was able to get off five more races today at the 2005 U.S. Men's Championship.  Competition remains very tight between defending Champion, Zak Fanberg representing Area D and Area F's Ken Wolfe.  Neither team had consistent finishes and the racing was up and down all day, but Kenneth Wolfe, Jake Scott and Jameson Rabbitt's three thirds and a first were enough to keep them in the lead.  Josh Goldman, Marc Jacobi and Jay Lurie had perhaps the best day of all; with three second place finishes, they are now in third place and with only four points separating them from the lead, well within striking distance of winning the 2005 U.S. Men's Sailing Championship.

 

What a difference a day makes.  In the Women's Championship, Joni Palmer from Annapolis, Md and her crew, Carrie Carpenter and Meredith Dodd were in control of the racing all the way. With three firsts, a second and a third, the team now holds a seven point lead.

 

Cummings and her Southern Californian crew of Diana Carter and Stacey Szabo held onto second place position with 20 points.  Area D's team, Theresa Brooks, Caroline Grove Byrd and Jessica Koenig had a better day than Natalie Coleman Fuller and her team and are now in third place with 24 points.

 

Thursday, September 15

After a morning postponement for no wind, the fleet finally went out only to be sent back in with an impending thunderstorm, which in itself never materialized.  Finally comparatively late in the day, the fleet was able to go racing, but in less than ideal conditions with light breezes and a strong current running down Long Island Sound.

 

With winds only reaching up to 5 knots, the teams of Kenneth Wolfe from Rush Creek Yacht Club and Zak Fanberg from Bay Waveland Yacht Club continued  their dual for first place.  Wolfe who had held first place from Day One had consistent finishes today with two thirds, but Fanberg with a first and second has now squeaked into first.  Fanberg's team's position is hardly secure as only one point separates the two leaders and Wolfe could easily regain the advantage.  

 

Josh Goldman's team continue their consistent results and with a second and first in today's racing, appear to be in position to take home at least third place with a ten point lead over their next competitor, Talbott Ingram.

 

With the forecast for more rain and light air, tomorrow's final day of racing will be crucial to both teams, with only one of them talking home the Mallory Cup. 

 

Joni Palmer from Annapolis, Md and her crew, Carrie Carpenter and Meredith Dodd were in control of the racing all the way in the Women's Championship. With three firsts, two second, a third, and two fourths,  the team now holds a  commanding lead and look to regain the championship which the same team won in 2003, defeating Kirsten Cummings by only two points.

 

In a three way tie for second, Cummings and her Southern Californian crew of Diana Carter and Stacey Szabo are now fighting for second place after a disappointing sixth place finish today.   Area B's team, Anne Mooney, Elisabeth Mooney & Nina Denigris had a good two races today and are now tied with Cummings and Area D's team, Theresa Brooks, Caroline Grove Byrd and Jessica Koenig.  Each team has 27 points.

 

With the forecast for more rain and light air, tomorrow's final day of racing will be crucial to determine who wins the Mrs. Willis Wood Trophy for second place and who will win the Alexander Gest trophy for third, with one of the teams going home empty handed.