Sunday, August 20, 2006

Today was the final day of racing for the U.S. Singlehanded Championships at Milwaukee Yacht Club.  The morning began with steady breezes but the winds dropped as the day went on and three races were sailed.  At the start of the racing, Mitch Hall (Seminole, Fla), the Interscholastic Representative and Michael Karas from Kirkland, Wash were locked in a battle for first, with Karas in the lead by two points.  Nipping at their heels were Benjamin Richardson (Gloucester, Mass) with 27 points and Chris Branning (Sarasota, Fla)  the Intercollegiate Representative with 28.

Mike Karas noted that the conditions were the hardest on this, the final day of racing with choppy seas.  This was Hall's and Branning's kind of conditions.   Branning had a great morning with two seconds and he and Mitch were in close contention at the start of the last race.  Still nothing was assured as any of the top four sailors could secure the championship.  Branning knew that if he won the last race, he could win the regatta and it looked like he had it in the bag,  but  he lost his lead in the final beat.  Ruefully, he said, "I stuck my head in the compass but not out of the boat.  Mitch is just so fast, you can't get near him."

Hall, who will be starting his freshman year at the University of South Florida has been practicing with his team for the last month and credited that training to his victory.  He will be awarded US SAILING's George D. O'Day Trophy.

Ben Richardson (Gloucester, Mass)  won the Peter Barrett Sportsmanship Trophy.  The Judges felt he exhibited best those ideals of sportsmanship which should be supported and encouraged.  There was no single significant event which singled out Ben as the Judge's choice, but his general approach to the event and his interactions with other competitors and regatta officials.

View Previous Reports by Day 1,2,3

  Final Results after 9 Races