57th Governor's Cup Overall: Cole Tapper goes 3-2 in the finals over Jeffrey Petersen
by Susan Kenney 27 Jul 2024 22:14 PDT
July 22-27, 2024
Cole Tapper (AUS), Jack Frewin and Hamish Vass representing the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia came back from a 2-0 deficit against defending two-time GovCup winner Jeffrey Petersen (USA) and crew Daniel Pegg and Enzo Menditto of Balboa Yacht Club to win the best-of-five finals 3-2 in the 57th Governor's Cup Youth Match Racing Championship.
Petersen and Tapper were pre-regatta favorites having finished first and second in 2023. In the round-robins stage they finished tied on 20 wins and 2 losses, advancing to the semi-finals. Petersen dispatched Josh Hyde (NZL) and crew, Tom Pilkington, Zach Fong, Cody Coughlan 3-0, and likewise Tapper swept Justin Callahan (USA) and crew Trevor Davis, Michaela O'Brien and Spencer Kreigstein 3-0.
Hyde and Callahan then squared off in the petit-final (consolation for 3rd and 4th). This was arguably the best series of the regatta with Hyde and Callahan trading blows in the first two matches, with multiple last-minute lead changes. In the end Callahan prevailed in Race 3, taking the petit-final 2-1.
The first two races of the finals were an epic battle of wits and boat handling between Tapper and Petersen, with multiple lead changes. Petersen won both.
Now 2-0 in a best-of-three finals, Petersen was one win away from a record-breaking third GovCup title. Tapper, however, came back strong showing superb light wind boat speed, and an ability to sniff out the shifts in the light, patchy 5-7 knot south-westerly breeze. Tapper tied the series at 2-2 and had momentum on his side.
In the fifth and final match, Tapper extended an early lead by forcing Petersen left and gaining the favored right side of the course. Indeed, the wind shifted to the right and Tapper went on to win with a proverbial horizon job, taking his first Governor's Cup title.
Both Tapper and Petersen have now aged out of the GovCup which is limited to those under 23.
John Bertrand (AUS), winner of the 1983 America's Cup sailing AUSTRALIA II for the Royal Perth Yacht Club, said in a text, "[Cole Tapper] is a hot talent. Huge upside. First Governor's Cup, highly prized youth match racing. Now he's headed [to Barcelona] for the Youth America's Cup."
The "GovCup" is the oldest and most prestigious youth match racing championship in the world and was sponsored again this year by Terry Causey / Call of The Sea, Dr. Rob Bray / DISC Sports and Spine Center, and the Croul Family.