http://www.kattack.com/News/2007USOffshoreChampionship/tabid/173/Default.aspx

The first race was run non-spinnaker in the interest of sail preservation. Every team used a #3 jib and most tucked in their first mainsail reef as well. Bill Zartler lead at the first mark but suffered difficulties and relinquished the lead to Chuck Nichols and crew who dialed into the shifts and worked the left for current relief and finished first.

For race 2, the velocity dropped to the high teens with gusts in the low 20s and the race committee dropped all sail restrictions. Tampa’s Robert Hobbs went all in by changing their genoa and looked smart for the first minute or so while the remainder of the fleet stuck with their 3s. For the first minute, it looked very smart but then the old breeze filled and Hobbs’s team ended up way overpowered and lost the maneuverability to tack on the significant wind direction oscillations. Miidshipman 1/C Chris Hamilton’s Navy crew marched to the front and built what appeared to be an insurmountable lead rounding the weather and leeward marks well ahead. At the second weather mark, however, Hamilton misjudged the layline and strong ebb and was forced to tack twice at the mark and hit the mark as well. Nichols’s team capitalized on the mistake and surged into the lead while Navy spun. John Hoag’s team from Seattle, 1 point ahead of Hamilton going into this race appeared in the picture and set their chute simultaneously with Navy. A spirited battle erupted down the final run with both crews recognizing the stakes for second overall were on the line.

At the end, Nichols won the race securing the regatta while Hamilton held off Hoag by half a length to tie on points but earn second on the tiebreaker while Hoag graciously settled for third.

A huge thanks to PRO Wayne Bretsch, Chief Judge Ken Morrison and the numerous volunteers who helped make the regatta a resounding success!