RPAYC Youth Development Team finish 6th at the 2017 Governors Cup, USA
Saturday July 29th, 20-17: RPAYCOur Youth Development Team of Clare Costanzo, Jess Angus, Emma May and Hannah Lanz supported by coach Tom Spithill have just finished the Governors Cup Youth Match Racing Championship at Balboa Yacht Club in Newport Beach California in a creditable 6th place. The Governor’s Cup is the oldest international youth match racing regatta in the world, with the 51st edition held from July 17 – 22, 2017. Twelve teams from around the world competed in the Governor’s Cup 22 sloops, which are provided to the competitors by the event's host, Balboa Yacht Club. Follow their results here: http://www.govcupracing.com/results/
The team now have a week of training, rest and recuperation ahead of the Youth Match Racing World Championships which start 1st August also at the Balboa Yacht Club.
An exciting Day 3 for Gov Cup Team
July 21st, 2017Day 3 of the Governors Cup from Newport Beach California.
Hosted by the Balboa Yacht Club.
The RPAYC girls managed to again have an improved day out on the water with, with 4 wins and two losses. Both loses were against the number 1 & 2 ranked teams.
The feature Match of the day was against fellow Australian and world (open) number 6, Harry Price (CYCA).
Costanzo copped an early penalty in the prestart for failing to enter correctly, but made up for it with a superb start, forcing price to have to have to do two slow tacks off the line, and take a 3 boat length lead. The girls lead around all marks and elected to take their penalty turn right on the finish line. This match was going to come down to the wire! The girls attempted to undertake their penalty turn, and it looked like they had won it with the RC awarding them the win. Unfortunately the umpires believed that the spinnaker was not dropped below the goose-neck (a requirement when taking a penalty turn), and the win was reversed, and given to Price. The girls were adamant that the spinnaker was below the gooseneck, and were a bit frustrated with not being awarded the win.
The team took the positives from the race as they had almost been the first boat to beat the then unbeaten team.
One of the positives taken from the race was their boat speed both upwind and down wind. Their great boat speed served them well in the next two races, winning their starts and winning by comfortable margins.
Tonight the team is competing in the Beer can races for a bit of fun onboard the Andrew 49 "it's ok!"
Unfortunately it looks like the top 4 is now set as we get to the end of the second round robin. We are currently sitting in 6th place.
The plan is to continue the success the girls have had today, and finish the second round robin strongly and carry this momentum into the Youth Match Racing Worlds next week.
Tom Spithill
Club Coach
Some fun photos from the BYC Beer Can races - Photos courtesy Stacie Brandt
Team Killian wins 51st Governor's Cup
July 25th, 2017Governor's Cup International Youth Match Racing Championship
Marina del Rey, California
Christophe Killian won the 51st Governor's Cup International Youth Match Racing Championship with a 3-1 victory over New Zealand's Leonard Takahashi before a record number of spectator boats watching the action.
Christophe Killian and his crew Harrison Vandervort, won five of their last seven races in the semi-finals and finals, with a 3-0 win over Christopher Weis of Del Rey Yacht Club, Marina del Rey, California.
Killian would be the first to admit that it wasn't easy. While he won the first race against Takahashi with relative ease, the eighteen-year-old New Zealander came right back to tie the series with a win in race two.
This morning Takahashi arrived at the club with a big smile and said, "I was so excited last night I couldn't go to sleep." Clearly sleep wasn't an issue, and Takahashi also pointed out, "I love to be the underdog."
Australia's Harry Price, winner of the double round robin portion of the event - where every team sails against every other team twice - chose his opponent from among the semi-finalists as is the practice in modern match racing events. Many observers predicted that he would choose the youngest sailor in the group, Takahashi, and he did so.
But, like many such choices, sometimes they go terribly wrong; in this case, Price may regret that decision as Takahashi beat Price 3-1 in their semi-final.
Price, as the sixth ranked sailor in the World Sailing Open Match Racing rankings, was a favorite coming into the event but a few uncharacteristic mistakes resulted in his loss to the young Kiwi to set up what turned out to be an exciting Killian-Takahashi final.
Price and Weis sailed the petit final to determine third place.
Price's difficulties continued in a 3-1 loss to Weis.
Governor's Cup 2017
WINNER -Christophe Killian (USA) Balboa Yacht Club
Crew: Harrison Vandervort & Jack Martin
SECOND: Leonard Takahashi (JPN) Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
Crew: Ibuki Kolzuni & Josh Wijohn
THIRD: Christopher Weis (USA) Del Rey Yacht Club
Crew: Roberto Stevens & Dylan Finestone
FOURTH: Harry Price (AUS) Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
Crew: Angus Williams & Cameron Seagreen
SPORTSMANSHIP: Matt Whitfield (UK) Wessex Sailing Club
By Daniel Smith - World Sailing