Hard fight for U.S. Singlehanded Championship titles

by Jake Fish on 25 Jul 2015 Friday featured another day of fantastic Laser sailing on Little Egg Harbor Bay for the competitors at the Laser U.S. National Championships and U.S. Singlehanded Championships.

For the third time in four years, Clay Johnson (Point Pleasant, N.J.) won the men’s Laser Full Rig division of the U.S. Singlehanded Championship for the George O’Day Trophy. He won this championship in 2013 and 2012, and the 2011 Laser North Americans as well.

Johnson out-raced the 33 sailors in contention for this title. He was also runner-up to Canada’s Robert Davis for the Laser U.S. National Championship. Johnson won three races this week and finished outside the top six just once.

Laser Full Rig – Top Five

1. Clay Johnson, TRYC/LEHYC, 1-[19]-2-1-4-5-[6]-2-2-3-6-1- ; 27
2. Frederick Vranizan, Royal Vancouver YC/Seattle YC/CYC Seattle, 9-4-3-[11]-2-7-4-4-4-7-4-[12]- ; 48
3. Malcolm Lamphere, LGYC/YCYC/CYC, 5-5-4-5-11-4-[13]-[16]-13-6-3-2- ; 58
4. Marek Zaleski, Noroton YC, 8-[24]-12-[45]-3-16-1-17-7-4-11-10- ; 89
5. Andrew Puopolo, Marsh Creek Sailing Club, 6-2-18-10-13-3-5-[21]-[35]-10-20-6- ; 93

Christine Neville (Middletown, R.I.) made a return to her winning ways by capturing the women’s Laser Radial division of the U.S. Singlehanded Championship for the Helen Wills Hanley Trophy. Neville also won this championship in 2011. She bested the 17 sailors eligible for this title. Scott Rasmussen won the overall Laser Radial U.S. National Championship. Neville placed fifth overall. She collected four top six finishes this week. The Laser Radials conducted five qualification round races, followed by six championship series races for the gold and silver fleets.
Laser Radial – Top Five

1. Christine Neville, Sail Newport/StFYC, 3-11-4-14-68/OCS-46-12-15-4-11-6- ; 80T
2. Lindsey Baab, St. Francis YC/San Francisco YC, 16-6-10-12-12-50-7-21-38-5-25- ; 136
3. Talia Toland, Royal Vancouver YC/Seattle YC, 13-11-19-17-16-25-17-24-24-16-39- ; 163
4. Sophia Reineke, Lauderdale YC, 14-14-27-22-26-61-4-20-28-9-35- ; 172T
5. Hanne Weaver, RVYC/SYC/CYC, 9-13-24-10-32-9-25-34-15-33-52- ; 172T

Racing was stifled on Tuesday as the sailors waited for the seabreaze to build during a lengthy onshore postponement. Storms in the area forced an abandonment later in the afternoon. Only one race was completed for the Full Rig fleet. Sailing conditions were much better on Wednesday and Thursday. Five races were completed in all fleets on Wednesday and three on Thursday.

This week’s U.S. Singlehanded Championships was held in conjunction with the Laser Class U.S. National Championship.

For more information about the U.S. Singlehanded Championship, please visit the event http://www.ussailing.org/racing/championships/adult/singlehandedchamps/!.