Please select your home edition
Edition
Armstrong 728x90 - HA Foil Range - TOP

U.S. Match Racing Championship Qualifier - Chris Nesbitt in action

by Rick Roberts on 16 Aug 2017
2017 U.S. Match Racing Championship Qualifier - Chris Nesbitt Rick Roberts
Chris Nesbitt of San Diego Yacht Club and his team won the World Sailing Grade 3 2017 U.S. Match Racing Championship Qualifier Sunday, thus earning a qualification spot to the big dance at the 2017 U.S. Match Racing Championship, Oct. 13-15, at Oakcliff Sailing on the Long Island Sound in New York State.

The regatta, promoted and supported by US Sailing and hosted by the Long Beach Yacht Club, was sailed on the Long Beach Sailing Foundation’s fleet of Catalina 37 One-Design race boats. The same boats used for the World Match Racing Tour’s, World Sailing Grade 1 Congressional Cup.

“I haven’t raced on these boats in years,” Nesbitt said, “and I only had a couple of my old teammates for this weekend.

“As a group, we needed to learn the boat and each other’s names. We ended up having to re-load the team with two people just two weeks before this regatta. Yesterday was a challenge, but it was easier today. Most of the team hadn’t raced together before Saturday.”

The weather cooperated with south to southwest breezes building from 5-6 knots in the morning to 10-12 by late afternoon giving LBYC’s Principal Race Officer Charlie Legeman minimal delays in getting the races started on-time.

The close-fought weekend between Nesbitt and Jeffrey Petersen of Balboa Yacht Club came down to the first match in the last flight of the regatta with Nesbitt beating Petersen.



At that point, Nesbitt was tied for points with Petersen, both having 10 wins and 2 losses. But Nesbitt and his team of Travis Wilson, Pat Powell, Michael Nicoletti, Robert Garrett and Max Mayol beat Petersen both Saturday and Sunday in the double round-robin format, breaking the tie and giving Nesbitt the win.

Finishing third was Newport Harbor Yacht Club’s, Justin Law with nine wins and three losses. Law is quite skilled on Catalina 37s, having won LBYC’s Butler Cup Grade 4 Match Race in November of last year.

Nesbitt shared his thoughts on the weekend’s racing.

“This was all about teamwork,” Nesbitt said. “When you write this story, make sure the crew gets the credit for the races we won, and that I get the credit for the races we lost. You can’t be competitive on these boats without a great crew.

“We want to thank the Long Beach Yacht Club, the race organizers and the race committee in making this a well-run and fun regatta. It was a very enjoyable weekend.”

Final Results:

1. Chris Nesbitt, San Diego YC, 10 wins, 2 losses
2. Jeffrey Petersen, Balboa YC, 10, 2 (on tiebreaker)
3. Justin Law, Newport Harbor YC, 9, 3
4. Brian Bissell, NHYC, 5, 7
5. Dave Hood, Long Beach YC, 4, 8
6. Michael Levy, Santa Cruz YC, 3, 9
7. Sydney Gathrid, Del Rey YC, 1, 11

Full results available at; www.lbyc.org.

PredictWind - GO! exec 728x90 BOTTOMSelden 2020 - FOOTERHenri-Lloyd Dynamic Range

Related Articles

Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup Day 2
Philip Köster triumphs again in Pozo Izquierdo The 37th edition of the Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup delivered a thrilling second day this Sunday, once again marked by strong winds and the talent of the world's best windsurfers.
Posted on 6 Jul
A perfect start to the 5th annual AEGEAN 600
Cloudless blue skies, crystal clear waters and perfect 12-15 knots of northerly wind At the very southern end of the Greek mainland at Cape Sounion in Attica, today's start to the 5th edition of the AEGEAN 600 was perfect: cloudless blue skies, crystal clear waters and perfect 12-15 knots of northerly wind.
Posted on 6 Jul
29er Europeans at Lake Garda day 4
One race, one storm, and one big lay day vibe With qualification wrapped and the fleet now split into six groups—Gold, Silver, Bronze, Emerald, Purple, and White—Day 4 of the 29er Europeans kicked off with early optimism and an earlier-than-usual launch in pursuit of the morning breeze.
Posted on 6 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds a Aarhus day 1
Full foiling conditions launch the World Championship with four high-intensity races for both fleets The iQFOiL World Championship kicked off today in Aarhus with dynamic and demanding conditions that truly tested the world's top foiling windsurfers. The wind was anything but steady, shifting in both direction and intensity throughout the day.
Posted on 6 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais overall
American Magic Quantum Racing win Rolex TP52 Worlds after breezy week in Cascais. Doug DeVos' American Magic Quantum Racing crew were crowned 2025 Rolex TP52 World Champions today in Cascais, Portugal.
Posted on 6 Jul
Red Bull Sailing Academy Opens
A new hub for current and future superstars to reach the top of their sport Marina Monfalcone, North Italy, made waves yesterday, as sports superstars gathered to open the Red Bull Sailing Academy, marking the beginning of a new era in the sport.
Posted on 6 Jul
Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup Day 1
Philip Köster edges out Marcilio Browne in one of the closest finals ever Philip Köster edges out Marcilio Browne in one of the closest finals ever as Pozo delivers 50 knot winds and waves.
Posted on 6 Jul
America's Cup: French give the Brits the "Hurry-up
Frustration builds between Cup factions over lack of progress with Protocol. Last weekend's missive from the French America's Cup challenge team is further evidence over the building frustration with progress towards the 2027 America's Cup in Naples.
Posted on 6 Jul
The oldest video footage of Moth sailing
A look back into our video archive, to when the name of this class first settled down We delve into our video archive to find the oldest possible videos that show Moth racing. Are these International Moths, British Moths... or was the name still Olive, Inverloch 11ft, National Moth or Brent One-Design?!
Posted on 6 Jul
GKSS Match Cup & Nordea Women's Trophy overall
It is the first time the Match Cup Sweden title has been won by a Danish Skipper Denmark's Jeppe Borch/ Team Borch Match Race, and France's Pauline Courtois/ Match in Pink by Normandy crowned the new champions of Marstrand in a day of fierce weather for the final of 2025 GKSS Match Cup Sweden and Nordea Women's Trophy in Marstrand.
Posted on 6 Jul