E.E. Manning Regatta – NHYC kids hold it together in restless weather

An upwind straggler sails through the downwind CFJ Shadden Series fleet under dark skies - SCYA's E.E. Manning Regatta – Shadden Series Rich Roberts http://www.UnderTheSunPhotos.com

Joseph Hou (c.) and crew Skylar Jacobsen admire their Shadden Series trophy with namesake John Shadden - SCYA's E.E. Manning Regatta – Shadden Series © Rich Roberts http://www.UnderTheSunPhotos.com

The competition headlined the Southern California Yachting Association's two-day annual E.E. Manning Regatta hosted by the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club in restless weekend weather through under a remarkable variety of clouds covering Southern California.

With a seven-point lead going into the last of four events, they sailed their 13-foot CFJ dinghy to a cautious sixth place among 29 boats to hold off their Newport Harbor Yacht Club teammates Patrick Shannon and Grace Vandervort by a single point in the overall scoring of the series, 55-56.

The Shadden series (click for final scoring) is for teenagers under 19 not yet in college and was also a move-up regatta under the advancement guidelines of the International Naples Sabot Association.

The Shadden sailors sailed CFJs on an outside ocean course only partially inside the breakwater of Long Beach Harbor, what with a prevailing brisk southeast breeze coming from the open ocean.

Lasers joined the CFJs outside, while Naples Sabots and Lido 14s raced inside on the bay.

Shannon and Vandervort won three of the seven two-lap windward-leeward races, including the last one, while Hou and Jacobsen won only one. But their sixth in the final race was just enough to collect the prize.

The leeward mark boat signals one of many mark changes - SCYA's E.E. Manning Regatta – Shadden Series © Rich Roberts http://www.UnderTheSunPhotos.com

'I went in thinking I was gonna be cautious,' Hou said, 'but still trying to win . . . sail smart and get good starts.'

They gave credit to their NHYC coach, Nate Dunham, who could claim a close 1-2 finish to the series.

Rodion Mazin, of ABYC and the U.S. Coast Guard, won all seven Laser races.

Laser winner Rodion Mazin, who all 7 races, leads Steven Smith - SCYA's E.E. Manning Regatta – Shadden Series © Rich Roberts http://www.UnderTheSunPhotos.com

The Shadden Series is named for John Shadden, one of Long Beach's premier sailors whose youth career peaked with an Olympic bronze medal performance at South Korea in 1988, with Charlie McKee as crew.

The Manning, first contested in 1935, is raced annually at ABYC. E.E. Manning, a member of the Los Angeles YC, was devoted to youth sailing and was an active sponsor and promoter of dinghy racing.

The driving purpose of the regatta is to promote youth sailing as part of the Southern California Youth Yacht Racing Association (SCYYRA) program. The namesake Manning Trophy is awarded to the winner of the class with the most competitors.

Jessica and crew Gavin McJones lead to the leeward mark - SCYA's E.E. Manning Regatta – Shadden Series © Rich Roberts http://www.UnderTheSunPhotos.com

Hou and Jacobsen (1345) pop up their spinnaker - SCYA's E.E. Manning Regatta – Shadden Series © Rich Roberts http://www.UnderTheSunPhotos.com

Class winners

Outside classes (7 races; 1 throwout)

CFJ (29)---Patrick Shannon/Grace Vandervort, Newport Harbor YC, 2-1-2-1-(5)-3-1, 10 points.

LASER FULL (8)---Rodion Mazin, Alamitos Bay YC/U.S. Coast Guard, (1)-1-1-1-1-1-1, 6.

Inside classes (9 races; 1 throwout)

NAPLES SABOT (8)---Erik Hou, Newport Harbor YC, 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-(3), 14.

NAPLES SABOT C (7)---Justin Coburn, Bahia Corinthian YC, 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-(3), 8.

LIDO 14 (3)---Stu Robertson/Ryan Elsharhawy, Mission Bay YC, 1-2-2-1-1-1-1-1-(3), 1


Series Standing - 20 races scored
Regatta results