Weaver, Lamphere Take Home U.S. Singlehanded Championship Honors from Houston

by
Photo by Jim Orchid

 

LA PORTE, Texas (July 3, 2018) – Following three days of exciting racing on Galveston Bay, Malcolm Lamphere (Lake Forest, Ill.) became the 2018 U.S. Singlehanded Men’s Champion and Hanne Weaver (Gig Harbor, Wash.) was named the 2018 U.S. Singlehanded Women’s Champion. This year’s U.S. Singlehanded Championship was run in conjunction with the Laser Class National Championships and hosted by the Houston Yacht Club. The fleets were comprised of experienced and proven singlehanded sailors and an influx of new talented young men and women.

There was no racing on Tuesday, the fourth and final day of the regatta, due to insufficient wind and an incoming afternoon storm.

Lamphere edged out the 2017 Champion Marek Zaleski (Norwalk, Conn.) by four points over nine races in the Laser event. Leo Boucher (West River, Md.) placed third overall. Lamphere, Zaleski and Boucher also finished first, second and third, respectively in the 35-boat Laser Class Nationals competition. Lamphere took the lead Saturday, the first day of racing, with three consecutive wins in races 1-3. Despite consistent top results from Zaleski, Lamphere was dominant from start to finish. He won seven of nine races.

U.S. Singlehanded Men’s Championship: Final Results – Top 5
1. Malcolm Lamphere, Lake Geneva YC/Chicago YC, 1-1-1-[7]-1-1-5-1-1- ; 12
2. Marek Zaleski, Noroton YC, 3-2-2-[9]-2-2-1-2-2- ; 16
3. Leo Boucher, Severn Sailing, [6]-3-3-3-3-4-2-3-5- ; 26
4. Joseph Hou, NHYC/ABYC, 2-4-8-2-7-[9]-5/NCO*-6-7- ; 41
5. Paul Didham, Mission Bay YC/West Coast Sailing, 8-[36/OCS]-4-10-4-3-8-4-8- ; 49

For the second straight year, Weaver proved to be the top eligible Laser Radial sailor in the U.S. Singlehanded Women’s Championship competition. She won by a single point over Lillian Myers (Sarasota, Fla.). Kelly Cole (Charleston, S.C.) took home third place honors over nine races. Weaver and Myers changed leads multiple times throughout the Championship. Ten of the 80 sailors in the Laser Radial event were eligible for this title. Weaver placed seventh overall in the Laser Radial Class Nationals.

U.S. Singlehanded Women’s Championship: Final Results – Top 5
1. Hanne Weaver, SYC/RVYC, 10-9-7-5-4-2-1-17-10- ; 48T
2. Lillian Myers, GCYSA, 4-10-9-2-5-4-13-16-2- ; 49T
3. Kelly Cole, OCBC, 3-14-12-13-8-10-14-29-22- ; 96T
4. Elizabeth Shanahan, Stamford YC/LYC, 17-8-16-19-11-9-32-37-24- ; 136T
5. Annika Fedde, Ventura YC, 15-21-13-11-11-11-37-35-36- ; 153

As part of the Laser Class Nationals, Braun Guthrie (St. Petersburg, Fla.) won the Laser 4.7 event.

Sailors eligible for the U.S. Singlehanded Sailing Championships in the men’s Laser Full Rig and women’s Laser Radial events must have been U.S. citizens and at least turn 17 in the calendar year of 2018. These eligible sailors raced in their respective fleets as part of the Laser Nationals competition.

Prizes were awarded to competitors meeting the eligibility rules for the U.S. Singlehanded Championship:

  • George D. O’Day Trophy to the overall highest placing eligible male in the Laser Full Rig for the U.S. Singlehanded Men’s Championship.
  • Helen Willis Hanley Trophy to the overall highest placing eligible female in the Laser Radial for the U.S. Singlehanded Women’s Championship.
  • US Sailing medals were awarded to the top three positions in each fleet.

For complete results and standings and more information about the 2018 U.S. Singlehanded Sailing Championships, please visit the event website.

Photo Album

2018 U.S. Singledhanded Championships and Laser Nationals

Twitter Highlights

 

The 2018 U.S. Singlehanded Sailing Championships is sponsored by Gill North America and Hobie Polarized.

US Sailing Contact for U.S. Singlehanded Championships: Jake Fish, Communications Manager, jakefish@ussailing.org

About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the National Governing Body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and advancement for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Bristol, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.

About Gill North America
Gill NA, with headquarters near Atlanta, GA is the exclusive importer and distributor of Gill-brand foul weather gear in North America including Caribbean, US and Canada. Gill is a worldwide apparel and accessories brand serving the marine industry with over three decades of experience. Gill specializes in high tech, breathable waterproof clothing. The company develops and markets a variety of performance-oriented, award-winning apparel and accessories for virtually every type of boating activity with product lines that include foul weather gear; interactive layering systems; footwear; gloves; bags; junior gear; scholastic gear and team wear. Gill products are available through hundreds of independent dealers and select West Marine Stores. For further information, please contact: Gary Barker at 941 505 2111 or gary.barker@gillna.com.

About Hobie Polarized
Hobie Polarized is a leading designer, developer, marketer and distributor of polarized eyewear. The brand’s innovative lens technology allows total glare reduction, 100% UV protection, enhances contrast and provides optimum visual acuity. The company’s products are sold worldwide and are used by watermen at all skill and lifestyle levels. The Hobie Polarized headquarters is located in Plainview, New York. For further information, please visit the company’s website at www.hobiepolarized.com.