CMRC Summer Invitational Double-Header – Snow shines at second event

by Chicago Match Race Center on 27 Jul 2015 CMRC Summer Invitational Double-Header – Nevin Snow, Jake LaDow, Sam Hallowell and Alex Poast today defeated local team Shadow Racing skippered by Steve Lowery in the Finals to win both the second Grade 3 and the overall race. By winning the combined events, Snow thus earned an invitation to the Chicago Match Cup Grand Slam in August. His team demonstrated their proficiency in the TOM 28's used at CMRC, and looked forward to this Grace 2 event as an opportunity to train for the Youth Match Racing Worlds in Poland this September.

The Round Robin was sailed in light, variable winds that came from every possible direction throughout the day. The Race Committee and mark set volunteers worked tirelessly to re-set the course and adjust for the shifting and dying breeze. At the end of the Round Robin, Charlie Lalumiere and David Storrs were tied on 6-1 scores for the first and second place, and Snow and Lowery were also tied on 5-2 for third and fourth.

Lalumiere, who was sailing with Nate Greason, Jon Hammond, Bridget Groble and Austin Colpaert, won the head-to-head tie-breaker and the right to choose their opponents for the first-to-three point Semi-Finals. Lalumiere selected Lowery hoping to beat him again as he had in the Petite-Finals of the A Event the day before. Lowery was sailing with his regular crew of Rory Lewis, Jon Noller and Maurin Lovera. Going into the fourth match of the series, Lowery was leading 2-1 over Lalumiere, and the young team made every mistake possible in the pre-start. Lalumiere was given two penalties and was called over the starting line early.

With light air and short courses, that kind of start was 'game over' for Lalumiere, and in the other Semi-Finals match Snow swept David Storrs 3-0.

David Storrs, sailing with Rod Dawson, Matt Clark and Brian Janney, faced Lalumiere in the first-to-one point Petite-Finals. The breeze died and the choppy sea state became very difficult to maneuver. Storrs lead off the line, but Lalumiere slowly reeled him in. By the leeward mark, Lalumiere was right on Storrs' heels. There were four lead changes on the final run to the finish, two of which occurred merely 50 feet from the finish line. Lalumiere gybed and rolled Storrs, but then Storrs was able to head down around the favored finish line pin to cross the line first. As Storrs drifted across the finish line, he grazed the pin and earned a penalty. Lalumiere was awarded the race and earned third place overall.

Lowery and Snow also had exciting light air racing in the Finals series. Lowery led the entire way around the race until the second half of the last leg. Snow brought some pressure down the racecourse, caught up to Lowery and engaged him in a gybing duel. Snow rolled Lowery only a few boat lengths from the finish and took the first win.

Snow then won the second and final race in the pre-start when he pushed Lowery to the starting line early and forced him to start prematurely. When Lowery tried to re-start the race, he failed to clear himself properly and had to sail below the starting line again. Snow extended and maintained a 10-boat length lead around the race course to take the victory 2-0.

Final Results:
Summer Invitational - A
Don Wilson - Keith Swinton, Sam Rogers and Maggie Shea
Nevin Snow - Jake LaDow, Sam Hallowell, Colin Richards
Charlie Lalumiere - Nate Greason, Jon Hammond, Austin Colpaert, Bridget Groble
Steve Lowery - Mike Schroff, Jon Noller, Maurin Lovera
Smith - Andy Camarda, Eddie Mui, Theresa Trejo
David Storrs - Rod Dawson, Matt Clark, Brian Janney
David Niemann - Mark Johnson, Ian Walter, Mory Matias
Landon Gardner - Alex Byczko, Matt Smith, Brandon Townsend

Summer Invitational - B
1. Nevin Snow - Jake LaDow, Sam Hallowell, Alex Poast
2. Steve Lowery- Rory Lewis, Jon Noller, Maurin Lovera
3. Charlie Lalumiere - Nate Greason, Jon Hammond, Austin Colpaert, Bridget Groble
4. David Storrs - Rod Dawson, Matt Clark, Brian Janney
5. Evan Jahn - Mike Whitford, Andrew Page, Geoff Pedrick, Meg Six
6. David Niemann - Mark Johnson, Ian Walter, Mory Matias
7. Landon Gardner - Alex Byczko, Matt Smith, Brandon Townsend
8. Josh Kim - Jacob Bruce, Erik Hesbol, Karen Kinsey

Double-Header Combined Scores
1. Nevin Snow -180 points
2. Steve Lowery - 135 points
3. Charlie Lalumiere - 130 points
4. Don Wilson - 100 points
5. David Storrs - 85 points
6. David Niemann - 65 points
7. Landon Gardner - 55 points
8. Val Smith - 40 points
9. Evan Jahn - 40 points
10. Josh Kim - 25 points

Chicago Match Race Center Regatta 2015 Schedule
May 30-31: Grade 3 - Spring Invitational
June 19-21: Grade 2 - Chicago Match Cup Grand Slam Qualifier
June 23-26: North-U Youth Clinic co-hosted with Chicago YC, coached by Dave Perry
July 23-24: Grade 3 - Summer Invitational A
July 25-26: Grade 3 - Summer Invitational B
August 21-23: Grade 2- Chicago Match Cup Grand Slam
September 26-27: Grade 3 - Autumn Invitational