[ICSA] MCSA Sloop Championship

by Judy Griswold on 24 Sep 2007 Regatta Highlights:

Saturday: The wind 9-12 Kts under a sunny sky with the temperature climbing to 80 degrees. The PRO Ed Theisen ordered up four lap mid-leg start windward-leeward courses as the wind was almost directly across the Detroit River. Later in the day the courses were reduced to three laps so that a total of 8 races could be completed. The racing was very tight in the Detroit Yacht Club's Flying Scots and at the end of the 6th race the top five teams were only separated by two points. At the end of the day two protests and one redress were heard, Miami had a safe lead with four teams duking it out for second place.

Sunday: There was no wind at 9:30 so a postponement ashore was signaled. The wind came in from the north shortly after 10 and the first race was started around 11. Since the wind was coming down the river longer legs were used and the mid-leg start windward-leeward course was reduced to 2 laps for the first two races. In order to complete the rotation the last two races were reduced to only one lap causing some exiting mark roundings.

Miami held on to a safe lead while four other teams traded places. However, Miami took a 8 and a 9 in the last two races, trying to give its lead away. The Red Hawks managed to hold on for the win by two points. Notre Dame issued a protest against Northwestern in race 11 when it noticed that one of its crew was not wearing a pinnie. The Jury of George Griswold, Ed Theisen, and Robert DeClerc ruled that under the Procedural Rules that the teams did not have to wear pinnies for a Conference Championship, and dismissed the Protest allowing the on the water results to stand.

Congratulations to Miami and Northwestern for qualifying for the ICSA Sloop Championship in Texas.