Beneteau First 36.7 NAC Championship - Hotly contested races on day 3

by Rachelle Treiber on 8 Sep 2013 At the Chicago Yacht Club’s Belmont Station, the Beneteau First 36.7 NAC Championship continued with tight mark roundings and finishes. Highly competitive and very close, racers saw southwest winds of 10 to 14 knots in the first race but shifting to around five knots by race 3.

Patriot, Beneteau First 36.7 hull number one, from Bayview Yacht Club and the North Star Sail Club, had a big day with a 1-3-1 finish, moving up to sixth place overall. Ken Sharpe, skipper of Patriot, said, 'Today was a good day, we controlled our own destiny and executed our game plan.

We had good starts, improved team effort and we kept the boat going fast.' Sharpe, a colonel in the Air Force Reserve (hence the name Patriot), continued, 'We’ve enjoyed great hospitality here in Chicago along with the good racing. This week we’ve seen everything from big waves to flat water. We are looking forward to a strong finish tomorrow.'

A local boat, Tried and True, owned by Robert Foley, had a successful day on the water, finishing up in fourth place overall. 'We’ve been to a number of NACs, and this is the most competitive fleet we’ve ever experienced in this 36.7 class nationally,' Foley said. 'One important aspect that I appreciate is the camaraderie between all of the teams. The host club is providing terrific racing and a collegial environment. It’s a pleasure for our team to be involved with such a great, competitive class.'

Today’s races were hotly-contested, ending with only five points separating second and fourth place. Tomorrow’s final two races will decide the podium positions.

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			Bow		Sail Number	Yacht Name	Yacht Design	Owner/Skipper	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5	Race 6	Race 7	Race 8	Race 9	T O	Total
North American Championship Racing
	One Design Division
		Beneteau First 36.7
		1.	3		USA 25524	Grizzly	Beneteau First 36.7	Charles Bayer	2	8/SCP	1	1	1	3	5	1	8	[8]	22.0
		2.	10		USA 235	Tequila Mockingbird	Beneteau First 36.7	Chris Duhon	3	5	7	6	5	1	2	2	4	[7]	28.0
		3.	14		USA 262	Maggie Mae	Beneteau First 36.7	Peter/Dan Wright	1	1	2	5	4	4	10	12	10	[12]	37.0
		4.	5		USA 52500	Tried & True	Beneteau First 36.7	Robert K. Foley	5	8	3	4	9	2	6	5	6	[9]	39.0
		5.	1		USA 51678	Patriot	Beneteau First 36.7	Ken Sharpe	10	6	11	9	3	10	1	3	1	[11]	43.0
		6.	12		USA 82	Split Decision	Beneteau First 36.7	Mark D. Norris	4	4	4	16/SCP	2	5	11	9	5	[16]	44.0
		7.	13		USA 26219	FOG	Beneteau First 36.7	Charlie Wurtzebach/Mike Bird	6	12	5	2	6	8	9	7	2	[12]	45.0
		8.	15		USA 60310	Soulshine	Beneteau First 36.7	Jarrett Altmin	7	7	9	8	10	7	3	6	7	[10]	54.0
		9.	9		USA 52754	Shamrock	Beneteau First 36.7	Jeff Mark Davis	9	9	8	3	11	11	4	17/SCP	3	[17]	58.0
		10.	11		USA 55367	Karma	Beneteau First 36.7	Lou Sandoval/Martin Sandoval/Jack Buoscio/Karma Sailing Group	8	3	6	11	7	9	7	10	12	[12]	61.0
		11.	7		USA 60367	As You Wish	Beneteau First 36.7	John Heaton	11	14	10	7	8	6	8	8	13	[14]	71.0
		12.	16		USA 61367	Gail Force	Beneteau First 36.7	Robert Duker	16	10	12	12	12	15	12	4	11	[16]	88.0
		13.	8		USA 52772	Carrera	Beneteau First 36.7	Rod Spearin	14	13	14	13	13	13	15	14	9	[15]	103.0
		14.	6		USA 101	Erizo de Mar	Beneteau First 36.7	Antoni Czupryna	15	15	16	15	14	12	14	11	15	[16]	111.0
		15.	4		USA 52293	Sorcerer	Beneteau First 36.7	Don Draper	12	11	15	16	16	16	13	15	14	[16]	112.0
		16.	2		USA 51787	Raptor	Beneteau First 36.7	Jim Anderson	13	16	13	14	15	14	16	16	17/DNC	[17]	117.0