race report
| home contact us movies galleries stories store |
 This El Toro narrowly recovered from a wave-induced demi-capsize, which threw the GoPro overboard. ©2014 norcalsailing.com |
|
Big Dinghy Regatta
April 14, 2014 It was one of those bipolar weekends weather-wise for this year's Big Dinghy Regatta hosted by Richmond Yacht Club: too windy on Saturday and barely windy enough on Sunday. Traditionally held the month after the Big Daddy Regatta for leadmines, these dinghy races follow the same format with windward/leewards on two courses Saturday and a pursuit race on Sunday. At the club docks on Saturday the air had a definite spring feel to it, with chilly fog and a breeze already building by 10:00.
Both race areas, one inside the breakwater in Potrero Reach and the other outside by Southampton Shoals, saw plenty of wind with the outside course seeing 20 knots at times with the windiest being at the jibe mark. "Everyone was in the water at the same time at one point," commented one of the racers on that course. PRO Kim Desenberg said that perseverance was rewarded. "Four races were scheduled and we went in after three. Sailing in all three were the Musto skiffs and they finished 1 and 2." The second place skiff had one DNF.
On the Potrero Reach course the breeze topped out at 15 knots steady and 'only' hit 18 in the gusts. At this wind range some of the size-challenged boats such as the El Toros were stampeding along in semi-survival mode. "Sailing an El Toro is like planing a beach ball," says David Bacci. "John Liebenberg flipped two times and that's the only reason I passed him." Fellow toreo Chris Straub described the day more succinctly. "I came in early. I know my threshold."
The Snipes and Banshees were the hardiest. All sailed most of the races, and the top three Bytes were the only three that finished all four of their races. Claire Arbour, Gail Yando and Kelsey Tostenson deserve the ironwomen award. One Byte was out at the very beginning having capsized on a jibe. In the Potrero Reach Open Class, the biggest boats were the Day Sailers, and they finished in the top two spots.
Sunday dawned foggy and still, and everyone was expecting more wind for the pursuit race scheduled at 11:30. But the fog soon lifted to reveal brilliant sunshine and a different sort of day.
The Big Dinghy has two pursuit courses: one for the tiny boats, with starts and finishes from the club's race platform in the Potrero Channel, and around the breakwater and Brooks Island to the east. Another longer course for the fast planing and foiling boats has the same start/finish but heads around Red Rock, Southampton Light and Brooks island. An outside 'chicken course' is available for those who don't care to break things in the shallows around Brooks island. The day started light, and although the wind finally filled in it was less than expected. Mikey Radziejowski on an International Canoe was on the long course. "It was terrible, and really light. But I got a couple of minutes of glory." Del Olsen on another Canoe summed up his long course win: "We started the race over twice – once at Red Rock and once at Southampton. Everyone bunched up at Red Rock, and some stayed close to the island. I went widest." Del caught fresh breeze coming in through Raccoon Strait. "It was a long day, about two and a half hours," said Del. The record for the long course is a little over an hour.
The short course had its own holes and current to contend with, especially getting around the breakwater. Once the wind filled in it was a romp around the island in no more than 10 knots of breeze, plus some ebb chop fetched up all the way from the windier Berkeley Circle. Each competitor had his or her own goal. 2012 El Toro National champion Fred Paxton said, "My goal today was to be first to Brooks Island. I was second. Michele Logan on the Byte was first." "My goal today was to win the race," said Byte Babe Michele Logan. "And it was light enough that I pulled it off!" She also won last year.
Future El Toro contendiente David Bacci's said, "My goal today was to catch Fred (Paxton), then it was just to get away from the flies." David sailed close to the breakwater where he picked up the flies.
The weekend held a little of everything for the little boats dealing with the many moods of Mother Nature. For complete results, see www.richmondyc.org. Our photo gallery and slideshow is online now too.
|
