Sonar Fleet 1
Noroton YC
Team Racing:
This past weekend Noroton won the Hinman Masters team race championship. Along with our Grand Masters win two weeks ago, Noroton’s teams have now won 2 of the 3 big team race championships that have become the pinnacle of keel boat team racing in the United States. Twelve teams competed in the Hinman this year.
In atypical Newport weather the event started with two days of light, and at times, calm winds followed by heavy wind and rain on the last day. In this year’s championship, the winner was not determined until the last race of the final series. In total 34 flights were sailed with each flight consisting of 3 races.
After the first round robin of racing - which was used to qualify the teams into Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets - Noroton was tied with Eastern YC. Both clubs had won 10 of 11 qualifying races. However, as Noroton beat Eastern in this first series we held the top spot in the Gold championship fleet. The other teams in the Gold fleet were Larchmont with 8 points and Southern with 7. These top four teams sailed two mini round robin series among themselves. After the first set of championship races there was little movement in positions as both Eastern and Noroton each won 2 races and lost 1. However, Noroton’s loss to Eastern in this series put Eastern on top by virtue of tie breaking rules. So, it all came down to the final mini round robin series among the top four teams to determine the championship.
Adding to the excitement both Southern and Larchmont beat Noroton and Eastern in the first two races of the final round. So, it now came down to the last race between Noroton and Eastern – winner takes all. Noroton had a good start and held a 1-3-4 on the first reach. The gusty winds allowed some movement going downwind but Noroton held its narrow lead at the start of the final leg. Eastern worked hard to push our 3rd and 4th place boats back and succeeded in passing our 4th place boat. But, with Noroton in first and an Eastern boat in last we were able to win the race and series by the narrowest of margins.
Your Noroton Hinman Masters Championship team consisted of Paul Barringer, Britt Hall, Tom Kinney, Jim Linville, Lee and Susan Morrison, Kari Roberts, Kevin Sheehan, Steve and Melissa Shepstone, Don Vasta, and Karl Zeigler.
The Hinman Masters Team Race Championship is held annually by the New York Yacht Club at its Harbour Court facility in Newport RI. In order to accommodate racing among the 12 competing teams we competed in both Sonars and J/22s. In addition to the Gold fleet teams mentioned above, the New York Yacht Club, Annapolis YC, Boston YC, Royal Thames YC, Seawanhaka YC, Texas Corinthian YC, St Francis YC, and a combined team of Storm Trysail/Ida Lewis YC also competed.
Complete results can be found on the NYYC web site. (http://www.nyyc.org/hinmanmastersaug)
Lee Morrison
In atypical Newport weather the event started with two days of light, and at times, calm winds followed by heavy wind and rain on the last day. In this year’s championship, the winner was not determined until the last race of the final series. In total 34 flights were sailed with each flight consisting of 3 races.
After the first round robin of racing - which was used to qualify the teams into Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets - Noroton was tied with Eastern YC. Both clubs had won 10 of 11 qualifying races. However, as Noroton beat Eastern in this first series we held the top spot in the Gold championship fleet. The other teams in the Gold fleet were Larchmont with 8 points and Southern with 7. These top four teams sailed two mini round robin series among themselves. After the first set of championship races there was little movement in positions as both Eastern and Noroton each won 2 races and lost 1. However, Noroton’s loss to Eastern in this series put Eastern on top by virtue of tie breaking rules. So, it all came down to the final mini round robin series among the top four teams to determine the championship.
Adding to the excitement both Southern and Larchmont beat Noroton and Eastern in the first two races of the final round. So, it now came down to the last race between Noroton and Eastern – winner takes all. Noroton had a good start and held a 1-3-4 on the first reach. The gusty winds allowed some movement going downwind but Noroton held its narrow lead at the start of the final leg. Eastern worked hard to push our 3rd and 4th place boats back and succeeded in passing our 4th place boat. But, with Noroton in first and an Eastern boat in last we were able to win the race and series by the narrowest of margins.
Your Noroton Hinman Masters Championship team consisted of Paul Barringer, Britt Hall, Tom Kinney, Jim Linville, Lee and Susan Morrison, Kari Roberts, Kevin Sheehan, Steve and Melissa Shepstone, Don Vasta, and Karl Zeigler.
The Hinman Masters Team Race Championship is held annually by the New York Yacht Club at its Harbour Court facility in Newport RI. In order to accommodate racing among the 12 competing teams we competed in both Sonars and J/22s. In addition to the Gold fleet teams mentioned above, the New York Yacht Club, Annapolis YC, Boston YC, Royal Thames YC, Seawanhaka YC, Texas Corinthian YC, St Francis YC, and a combined team of Storm Trysail/Ida Lewis YC also competed.
Complete results can be found on the NYYC web site. (http://www.nyyc.org/hinmanmastersaug)
Lee Morrison
Fleet Racing:
August 15, 2010
With finishes of 1, 2, 1 they ended well ahead of Lee Morrison who finished second with a 5, 1, 3 and Ed Sweeney, third with a 2, 3, 5.
And of course, many thanks to our PRO/sails rep/tactician Peter Galloway and his RC for getting in three great races.
August 22, 2010:
Second place went to Rick Doerr with finishes of 4, 2 and third was Steve Girling with a 3, 3.
Up Coming Sonar Calendar:
Sunday Sept 5 - Monday Sept 6 - Labor Day Series
Saturday Sept 11 - Sunday Sept 12 - Kirby Cup team race
Friday Sept 24 - Sunday Sept 26 - Sonar North Americans, Marblehead
Sunday Oct 3 - Last day of fleet racing :(
