Image of regatta leaders after day three, Gilman Hackel and Ashtyn Tierney (Sail number 9258). Photo by: Rodrigo Fernandez
The standings shook up a bit today with what was the fourth place boat at the end of racing yesterday, blasting to the top of the scoreboard. Chase Decker (Newport Beach, CA) and Violet Martin (Miami,Fl) finished the day with a (2-2-5) and overall score of 38. Gilman Hackel (Gulf Breeze, FL) and Ashtyn Tierney (Costa Mesa, CA) who were in the lead after the first two days after some stellar sailing, dropped to second place with an overall score of 41. Seven points behind Hackel/Tierney, were sailors Peter Herlihy (South Dartmouth, MA) and Finn Sperry (New Bedford, MA) (14-1[33]).
The Gold and Silver fleets would sail under the U flag all day to minimize general recalls. Despite a heavy penalty of 66 points (fleet number of entrants plus one), sailors were still aggressive at the start and many suffered costly points.
For Race 9, the breeze picked up to an average of 10 knots from the same bearing. The course was extended slightly for the sailors racing very tightly.
Race 10 was a bit tricky as the race committee posted a general recall, brought all the boats back, and reset the entire course. Six Gold Fleet sailors and seven Silver Fleet sailors took U flag penalties one the race got underway. The Silver Fleet finished the day after Race 10 and headed back to Sail Newport.
For today’s final race, number eleven in the series, the Gold Fleet got started in a ten to sixteen-knot breeze. After one general recall, the boats were restarted and finished the trapezoid course.
Sail Newport and the C420 Class Association are carefully watching tomorrow’s weather. The National Weather Service forecasts high gusts, which could minimize racing in Narragansett Bay.