Chicago Match Race Center’s September A regatta - Hardesty undefeated

by CMRC Media on 18 Sep 2009 Former Match Race and Etchells class World Champion Bill Hardesty and his team went undefeated in Day One of the Chicago Match Race Center’s September A regatta. This ISAF Grade 3 event is the first of a double-header in Grade 3 match racing this weekend and features a field of 8 teams from across the US.

Hardesty, who hails from San Diego, bested the rest in challenging conditions off the Belmont Harbor seawall, with only a light and shifty breeze available to power through a steep choppy seas leftover from the prior day’s northeasterly breeze. Race managers led by PRO Bill Canfield nonetheless managed to complete the seven-flight Round Robin and the first-to-two point Quarter Final stages in a day of tough competition.

'It was tricky in the waves and light wind especially in the pre-starts,' said Hardesty. 'We were lucky to have lots of experience in these boats and able to come from behind with boatspeed.'

Also qualifying for the Semi-Finals on 2-0 scores from the Quarter-Finals were Don Wilson, Alan Field, and Chris Nesbitt. Hans Pusch, Chris Wurtz, Kristen Lane, and Mark Johnson will test their skills in a Consolation Round on the Final Day to determine 5th through 8th places.

Even though the day was not successful for her team, Tiburon, California-based Lane still enjoyed having the opportunity to compete in a mixed-gender Open event.

'The Match Race Center here is great, and the competition is fantastic. The conditions today were tough, and we learned a new phrase – ‘Park City’ – for when the boat stops and nothing happens. But we came from behind in many matches – when you think you’re on the ropes, you just have to be patient, because if you wait the tides tend to turn.'
Local-based Chris Wurtz also did not get through after the Quarter-Finals, but was not entirely displeased with the day.
'I’m a first-time driver and I am not used to sailing against this level of competition even as a crew. But we got the downspeed boat maneuvers down really well and I am enjoying it, having the time of my life!'

When asked about who he would pick tomorrow Hardesty, who is the Director of the Chicago Match Race Center and usually sails with Wilson, responded 'We talked about it and Alan [Johnson] is sailing really well; we can't pick the boss (Wilson) so we are going with Nesbitt.' This choice means Johnson will meet Wilson in the Semi-Finals, to which Johnson responded 'That will be tough, since Don is an investor in my company!'

Semi-Final and Consolation Round match race action resumes tomorrow at 9 AM CDT.

Round Robin results:
Bill Hardesty, San Diego, CA 7-0
Alan Field, Los Angeles, CA 6-1
Don Wilson, Chicago, IL 5-2
Chris Nesbitt, Corona del Mar, CA 4-3
Alan Johnson, Appleton, WI 2-5
Kristen Lane, Tiburon, CA 4-5
Chris Wurtz, Chicago, IL 2-5
Hans Pusch, Chicago, IL 0-7

CMRC’s website at www.chicagomatchrace.org