SBYRC YACHT CHAT
P.O. Box 10967 Marina del Rey CA 90295 310 822-0776
News for March/April 1997
1997 CHAMPAGNE SERIES
January 12th January 19th
February 9th
With seconds to go before the start of the final race of South Bay Yacht Racing Club's 1997 Champagne Series, the PHRF A fleet was reaching down the line toward the port end where the Race Committee was on station. "You might want to put out your fenders" said Howard Chesley, skipper of the Melges 24 Schwingtime, as he tacked onto a starboard approach just to weather of the committee boat and to leeward of the fast approaching 52 foot sloop Arana. But Schwingtime could not build enough speed to enforce her luffing rights and as the gun sounded, Arana headed to weather, Schwingtime jibed to avoid the race committee boat by inches, and the fleet was off without incident.
Sunny skies, an 8 knot breeze and flat seas signaled near ideal conditions for the last day of racing in this Series,
which was sailed over three Sundays on the Olympic Circle off the Marina del Rey breakwater. Thirty nine competitors qualified as Series entrants for the regatta competing in three PHRF and three one design classes, while single day race entrants increased the number of participating boats to 50, continuing to make this one of the most highly attended buoy races in Marina del Rey.
SBYRC Rear Commodore Greg Lewis on Windfall won the Champagne PHRF A overall trophy, beating Arana by 1/4 point. In PHRF B, SBYRC's Shawn Ivie won first overall on his J-30 Friction Loss.
Martin 242's were the top three finishers in PHRF C with CYC's Jeff Janov on Blarney winning both the class overall and the Champagne Perpetual Trophy.
In the one design classes, Dick Brady (SBYRC) and Bill Pistey (CYC) on Poquito took two bullets, also winning the Kleve Perpetual Trophy. For the overall J-24 class trophy, CYC's Marc Skipwith on Lago edged out last year's Champagne Perpetual Trophy winner. The Schock 35 class was won by VntYC's Geoff Groom on Pipeline.
In addition to the series overall trophies, bottles of champagne were awarded as class trophies for each race at the end of each race day. Those who were unable to attend each day's festivities could find race results and series standings at SBYRC's virtual clubhouse: http://www.beachnet.com/~sbyrc, where race results and upcoming Club activities are kept current by Vice Commodore Kim Moore.
Whether enduring the sometimes wet winter weather or maintaining the concentration necessary to eke out a win by seconds, this first buoy series of the 1997 Marina del Rey racing season set challenges for all comers. Those who accepted these challenges were rewarded with close racing on the water and great post-race camaraderie. Those who didn't, well, there's always next year.