US Youth Match Racing Championship for the Rose Cup - Day 2
by Long Beach Yacht Club 20 Jun 2022 01:08 AEST
June 17-19, 2022
US Youth Match Racing Championship for the Rose Cup - Day 2 © Bronnny Daniels / Joysailing
Teams Callahan (Biscayne Bay YC) and Pinckney (Newport Harbor YC) each put up three straight wins in their semifinal matches on Saturday to secure their berths in the finals of the US Youth Match Racing Champion-ship for the Rose Cup on Sunday.
Teams Earl (New York YC) and Flores (Newport Harbor YC) will battle for the bronze in the petite final, and the event format is such that all competitors continue racing in best of three matches to decide their overall positions on the leaderboard. Teams Sta-pleton (Balboa YC) and Marlo (Newport Harbor YC) will fight for fifth and sixth, while Teams Lech (Long Beach YC) and Barclay (Houston YC) will duke it out in the "battle of the basement."
Day Two began with light to moderate breeze out of the south for the last race of the round robin. Team Callahan sailed flawlessly to extend their undefeated record and finish Stage 1 with 7 points. After a short break to adjust the course to the clocking breeze, the quarterfinals got under way in 8-12 knots from the southwest. In the first knock-out match, Team Barclay came out swinging and Callahan narrowly escaped their first loss of the regatta, but they stayed collected and won in three flights. "The team feels great," said Callahan. "Our communication is going well, and we always stayed calm. Great day today and we're looking forward to tomorrow."
In the second match, Teams Lech and Earl each took a win in their first two races. In the end, Team Earl was able to secure their spot in the semis after four matches. "We took what we learned from Dave Perry's practice and used it in situations all day," said Earl. "Our team stayed on the same page, and we felt great in the bigger breeze. RC has done an awesome job so far and we're looking forward to tomorrow." Principal Race Officer Mark Townsend also expressed his enthusiasm. "A kraken of a day!" said Townsend. "Lots of young people having fun and smiling. We're seeing great match racing all around."
Teams Stapleton and Flores traded win for win and gave the spectators quite a show. With their series tied at two wins apiece, a fifth flight meant sudden death. Ultimately, Team Flores was able to squeak ahead in the fifth match and write their name into the semifinals. "Word of the day was... epic!" said Flores. "We couldn't have asked for a better day, and our competition was at their best. The breeze got sporty, but it brought out the best racing yet."
Moving into the semifinals, the breeze continued building to 14-18 knots with a persisting shift to the west. Whitecaps on two-foot wind swell made for spectacular conditions for the competitors. With big mains and big kites, LBYC's fleet of newly refurbished Club Solings performed well in the elevated sea state. "Close matches all around today," said Chief Umpire Randy Smith. "The level of competition has greatly increased from yesterday, and the first black flag of the regatta brought some extra excitement."
Teams Pinckney and Earl didn't hold anything back in their semifinal pre-starts. Then after a close weather mark rounding, Pinckney used his leeward rights to hold Earl out halfway to downtown Long Beach in their dramatic third race. The big breeze boathandling experience of Team Pinckney prevailed and they were able to notch three victories in a row, securing their trip to the finals. "We feel great after today," said Pinckney. "This is a game of momentum, and we feel very strong with our direction after today."
The other semifinal match between Teams Callahan and Flores also made for excellent spectating. Each race was a battle to the very end, but Team Callahan showcased their speed and quick decision-making to lock up their berth in the finals. "I'm so impressed with the improvement throughout this event," said US Sailing Coach Dave Perry. "LBYC is putting on a phenomenal regatta, and don't forget to tune into the live stream tomorrow."
On Sunday, Teams Callahan and Pinckney will face off in the best-of-five finals while Teams Flores and Earl match up in the best-of-three petite finals. Live webcast begins at 11:30 am Pacific on the US Sailing YouTube and Facebook channels, available at the link below:
More information and results at lbyc.org.