We have an exciting schedule this year, jam-packed with Star sailing. With the North American Champion, hosted by CYC in August, expect a lot more boats coming out for all regattas.

Results:

District 5

All 15 teams were back out on the Santa Monica Bay today for the final three races of the District 5 Championship.

The conditions for race 4 (first of today) were 9 knots from the southwest, sunshine and smooth seas. Danny and I had a good start down at the left end of the line. We managed to get to the first mark first. Down the run we got in a bad lane and Ben Mitchell with Hollywood Hal crewing got past us.  We caught them just before the top mark but did not quite get around them. Results of race 4 was Mitchell, Cayard, Dave Watt, Doyle and Szabo so the battle for the championship was getting tight.

Race 5 saw Szabo and Doyle take first and second while Steve Gould and Greg Seek sail a great race, leading at the first Mark and finishing third. Danny and I were 4th with Jim Buckingham in 5th.

Going into the final race, Szabo and Doyle were one point apart but it was a who beat who. Mitchell and Cayard were tied for third.  Szabo and Doyle got out front early and Szabo held the lead. Danny and I were in the top 4 at the first mark while Mitchell was in 12th.

Up the second windward leg, a block in our main sheet system broke and I had to go to the aft deck and implement a bit of seamanship. That cost us a few places including Mitchell who was going fast in the 12 knots of wind.

On the final run, while winning the race and Championship, Szabo’s boat rolled hard on a wave and he lost his crew overboard. Doyle sailed by and went on to win the race and the Championship. Mitchell and Haenel finished 3rd while Danny and I finished 6th.

Overall District 5 Championship::

1. Doyle, 2) Szabo, 3) Mitchell, 4) Cayard, 5) Buckingham.

I am headed to Boston to join my team on Phoenix, a TP52, for the New York Yacht Club Race Week.

Paul

Marina Del Rey

15 teams showed up to contest the 5th District Championship which is being held concurrently with the King of Spain regatta, an annual So Cal classic.

Three races were schedule for today and we had  7-10 knots of wind from the southwest with a gentle swell. The fog line moved over and receded from the race course several times during the day. This produced 20 degree oscillations which gave opportunity to all.

Eric Doyle led the way with scores of 1, 2, 2. In the second race Eric had the race well in hand after the first lap. Danny Cayard rounded the gates in 6th after the first run and headed left. The wind went his way and he rounded the second windward mark on Doyle’s heels. There was a good tussle down the final run with George Szabo getting into the mix. At the finish, it was the youngest skipper In the fleet taking the gun. His father was his happy crew!

In race three, George Szabo got left from the start and held the lead wire to wire. Ben Mitchell with Hollywood Hal had a good day with a 2, 6, 3 and are in third place behind Doyle and Szabo. Young Mr. Cayard is in 4th with Eugenio Cingolani and Hoss in 5th.

Three more races are scheduled for Sunday. The forecast is more of the same.

Paul

Results

The Newport Harbor Yacht Club hosted the 2016 Baxter Bowl Regatta Father’s Day Weekend. Six races were sailed over two days in beautiful but tricky sailing conditions.

Day one was dominated by the team of Eric Doyle and Payson Infelise who started strong with three bullets in the 10-14 knot westerly with heavy chop and swells. Once ashore the fleet enjoyed sliders and a keg provided by NHYC and decided Eric and Payson must sail with a bailer tied to their rudder for the second day.

Day two brought expectations of more wind and seas, but shortly after the start the wind shut off leaving crews battling up current in shifty wind and pounding waves. The race committee shortened the race and re-set the course as they saw new breeze coming. The fifth and sixth races were sailed in a building 14-18 knot westerly with big swells providing for great surfing off the wind.

Andy Macdonald and Brad Nichol won day two with a 1, 1, 4, but Eric Doyle and Payson Infelise prevailed after shaking off a 10th place in the first race to win the final race and the regatta. Macdonald/Nichol finished one point back in second with locals Jim Buckingham and Craig Moss in third. In fourth place was the father/stepson team of Ben Mitchell/Julian Busch and fifth was the son/father team of Danny and Paul Cayard.

Thank you to the NHYC race committee who ran a great event getting six races completed with multiple line adjustments and course changes. On shore refreshments were appreciated by the sailors.

Results:

http://www.nhyc.org/files/16_Baxter_Bowl_Results.htm

We are starting the D5 Star season with the 54th edition of the Rollins Bowl Regatta on May 21/22 at the San Diego Yacht Club. We have 5 teams that already signed up and it seems that we will have 16 or more boats on the line. We encourage you to sign up before the deadline at http://sdyc.org/calendar/events/4473/ .

Also save the date for the annual Rollins Bowl party at the home of Ruth Rollins on Saturday. Hors d’oeuvres and drinks beginning at 6:00 PM Buffet Dinner at 7:00 PM. RSVP to Ruth Rollins (619) 222-9344[email protected]

If you need help towing your boat to SDYC, Rick Peters is available to take your boat.

In case you wonder who won last year, who is the guy to beat, check last year results http://www.starclass.org/search2.cgi?Action=view&Event_id=3362

Some other D5 websites to check.

https://www.facebook.com/d5starclass/

http://d5starclass.org/

See you all in SDYC

For the die-hard Star fans and sailors, we know the history of the Bacardi Cup. Why is the Bacardi Cup such a “Big Deal”? The Bacardi Cup and the Star World Championship are the two most important regattas on the Star Class Race Calendar and draw sailors from around the world. Very few class can claim such caliber and numbers of sailors.

Saturday marked the conclusion the 89th Annual Bacardi Cup in Miami, FL. 68 Teams finished the 6 day event. For a full regatta report written by Paul Cayard who incidentally finished 4th overall with crewman Brian Fatih, visit the Star Class website. Visit Paul’s sailing website to see other regatta reports as well.

Here are the podium winners:

German team of Robert Stanjek and Frithjof Kleen crowned as the winners of the Bacardi Cup with Italian team Diego Negri and Sergio Lambertenghi  finishing 2nd, finally, USA team Augie Diaz with Brazilian crewman Bruno Prada finishing 3rd overall.

Top 20 competitors at the 89th Annual Bacardi Cup: