2018 Kona North American Championship at Pensacola Yacht Club - Day 1
by Talbot Wilson 20 Oct 2018 18:41 PDT
October 19-21, 2018
After three races Alexander Temko (L) of Clearwater, FL) leads the fleet with 4 points. Noah Lyons (r) of Clearwater, FL is second with 5 points and Thomas Pace (c #3181) of Pensacola, FL stood third at 10 points - 2018 Kona North American Championship © Talbot Wilson
With Day One completed, only a single point separates the top two sailors in the 2018 Kona North Americans. After three races Alexander Temko from Palm Harbor, Florida has a score of 1-1-2 for four points. Noah Lyons of Clearwater, Florida scored 2-2-1 for five points. Local Pensacola sailor and event chairman Tom Pace has 10 points with races of 4-3-3 and stands third in the 34 boat fleet.
The 2018 KONA North American's is the first national windsurfing event held on Pensacola Bay since 1989. The day started slowly with south southwesterly breeze of about six to nine knots but it build to about 18 during the third race. Tom Pace, a former professional windsurfer, relished the conditions, but he said, "I'm out there racing against teenagers, but hanging in there. The last reach to the finish I was flying, It was amazing."
Noah Lyons is the defending North American champion and he is some 30+ years younger than Pace.
After the third race today, all the sailors had to return to Pensacola Yacht Club's beach for a mandatory one-hour shore break. The regular class rules require a break after two races but that was extended to an extra race by the PYC organizers with class approval.
While the racers enjoyed their rest break on the yacht club terrace the weather deteriorated and getting another race off after the squall line would pass wasn't feasible. Sunday is another day.
With the winds building in the third race today, 13 sailors actually retired from racing. The boats sailed a double windward leeward course with a dogleg to a finish line set off the bow of the Race Committee signal vessel. In the 18-knot wind the windsurfers were flying from wave top to wave top in the steep little chop setting up against a moderate outgoing tide.
Results after Day 1: (top ten, 3 races)
- ALEXANDER TEMKO (Clearwater, FL) 4pts
- NOAH LYONS (Clearwater, FL) 5pts
- THOMAS PACE (Pensacola, FL) 10pts
- LUKE BALDAUF (St Petersburg, FL) 17pts
- MAVERICK PUTNAM (Clearwater, FL) 20pts
- BILLY MASON (Panama City, FL) 20pts
- KAREN MARRIOTT (St Petersburg, FL) 20pts
- CODY STEWARD (Orlando, FL) 29pts
- BARBARA BELT (Seattle, WA) 30pts
- STEVE GOTTLIEB (Daytona Beach, FL) 33pts
Racing continues Sunday with a 10:00 first warning on Pensacola Bay. A Cold front is expected to pass through Pensacola Saturday night and bring really fresh northeast winds of 18-24 knots and cooler temps. Racers will enjoy hospitality tonight with free Kona Beer from the Lewis Bear Company and dinner catered by Moe's Southwest Grill. Then it's early to bed to rest weary bones and muscles for big winds tomorrow.
Prizes will be presented for 1st-6th Overall, 1st-3rd Women, 1st-3rd Under 18, 1st-3rd Under 15 and 1st-3rd for Grand Masters 65+. The prize giving will follow racing on Sunday at the PYC Watson Sailing Center.