LYC Sailors Kick off Winter Campaigns
Florida; Bahamas
January 10, 2010
A number of LYC sailors have been spending time down south, sharpening their skills and racing against some of the best in the world. The active winter circuit began in December and continues through March for many teams.
Jason Carroll and Clay Bischoff plane into the finish at 49er
Worlds in the Bahamas
Jason Carroll’s Melges 32 Argo competed in the Melges 32 Gold Cup in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in early December. Sailed over three days, the Gold Cup was the first major winter assembly of the domestic Melges 32 class, with 23 top teams in attendance. The racing was very tight, with Argo finishing just out of the money in sixth overall. LYC members John and Molly Baxter, Chad Corning and Dan Litchfield also competed aboard Argo, which will race next at Key West Race Week January 18-22, along with two LYC J/80s: Kerry Klingler’s Lifted and the Zupon family’s Juggernaut. Results
Senet Bischoff and Dave Smalley began their annual assaults on the Etchells Jaguar Cup, a series of four events sailed on Biscayne Bay, by contesting the Piana Cup (named after former long-time LYC member Louis Piana) on December 5th and 6th. Smalley, sailing with his son Greg and Brian McCloskey, both Winter Sailing Members, guided his Tithonus to a creditable 16th place finish in shifty conditions in the deeply talented 45-boat fleet. Bischoff’s team on KGB (Senet was crewing) finished 34th. Results.
Bischoff and Smalley returned to Miami January 9-10 for wintery conditions in the Sid Doren Memorial Regatta, marked by 20-30 knot winds and air temperatures close to freezing. Many of the 57 teams missed races, with Smalley’s team missing much of Day 1 (41st) and Bischoff’s team (Senet was steering this time) missing Day 2 due to a breakdown (23rd). Former LYC member Tony Rey completed all five races for a superb sixth place finish, following an even-better fifth place in the Piana Cup. Results. The next regatta in the series will be the Florida State Championship February 27-28.
Amanda Taselaar enjoying the Bahamas breezes at the 29er Worlds.
Photo by Fried Elliot.
LYC sailors also tried their hands at two skiff world championships in the Bahamas January 4-9, with Jason Carroll teaming with former Summer Sailing Member Clay Bischoff at the 49er Worlds and Amanda Taselaar skippering for Jeremy Wilmot at the 29er Worlds. Both LYC sailors were new to their respective classes, with Carroll finishing 61st in the Olympic discipline and Taselaar steadily improving each race to finish 17th out of 35.
