Maxi Soh scores double wins in CMRC Summer Doubleheader
by Chicago Match Race Center on 28 Jul 2014
Team Red Dot in action in yesterday's light air - Chicago Match Race Center's Summer Invitational doubleheader 2014 Hamish Hardy
Chicago Match Race Center's Summer Invitational doubleheader 2014 - Chicago, IL - Maximillian Soh and his Team Red Dot crew of Justin Wong, Russell Kan, and Andrew Chan from Singapore have just won back to back Grade Three events at the Chicago Match Race Center's Summer Invitational doubleheader. CMRC member Steven Lowery from Highland Park, IL was the runner up in the 12-team event this weekend and also finished second in the overall double-header.
After a fitful first day of racing in a weak southwest breeze, CMRC founder Don Wilson prevailed with a perfect four-zero record, tying him with Soh. The dying breeze eventually caved in completely, yielding only six and a half flights with two matches abandoned on the first day of the event. Lowery finished the day with a three-one record, as did Magnus Sandberg from Canada.
A new day today brought wind and skies that looked more promising, starting out sunny with a perfect 8-10 knot breeze from the west-northwest. By Noon the wind had picked up to a consistent 20 knots with gusts pushing to over 30, forcing race managers to impose a no-spinnaker restriction for the day's remaining flights.
The ideal conditions in the morning produced tight racing, with lots of luffs on the downwind legs as leaders tried to defend their positions, trailing teams brought fresh breeze down the track. As conditions became more tumultuous, the more experienced teams prevailed, with Soh, Lowery and Wilson rising to the top ranks in the standings, with the lowest-ranked underdog, Clinton Hayes from San Francisco, managing to stay ahead of the rest of the pack on an impressive eight-three record.
Despite today's strong breeze, the long postponement yesterday prevented more racing beyond the Round Robin today, so no knockout stage could be sailed and the standings form the Round Robin became the final results.
Soh's achievement earned him invitations to both the Chicago Grand Slam, first event on the four-event ISAF Grade 2 US Grand Slam series, and the last event of this series, the Oakcliff International Grade 2 event in Oyster Bay, New York.
Final results, CMRC Summer Invitational A:
1. Maximillian Soh
2. Steven Lowery
3. Don Wilson
4. David Storrs
5. Clinton Hayes
6. Will Holz
7. David Niemann
8. Magnus Sandberg
9. Ned Turney
10. Jonathan Hammond
Final results, CMRC Summer Invitational B:
1. Maximillian Soh
2. Steven Lowery
3. Don Wilson
4. Clinton Hayes
5. Magnus Sandberg
6. Alex Curtiss
7. David Niemann
8. Peter Holz
9. Ned Turney
10. David Storrs
11. Jonathan Hammond
12. Will Cyr
Overall Combined Results for Double-header A and B:
1. Maxi Soh
2. Steve Lowery
3. Don Wilson
4. Clinton Hayes
5. David Storrs
6. Magnus Sandberg
7. David Niemann
8. Ned Turney
9. Alex Curtiss
10. Will Holz
11. Peter Holz
12. Jonathan Hammond
13. Will Event website
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