Optimist US National Championships at Pensacola - Day 2
by Talbot Wilson 25 Jul 2015 15:31 BST
23-26 July 2015
Once more lightning has cut a day short in the 2015 USODA National Championship. This was a short day to begin with because the Sailing Instructions had been amended to change the Schedule of Races setting the first warning for the beginning of Qualifying Round Four at 1200hrs.
The total fleet of 278 sailors were divided into new groups for the day. The sailors are divided into different groups each day of the Qualifying Rounds. At the end of the day, when the fifth set of qualifying flights are raced, the sailors are re-divided into Medal groups, Gold for the top 33% of the competitors and silver for the rest.
Thursday, the fourth set of races was completed in good order. Then in the fifth set boats were on the course when a thunderstorm moved toward the bay from the northwest. Some coaches and parents saw visible lightning and pulled their sailors from the course.
By Opti Championship rules, when lightning is visible the race is abandoned. Therefore, races in the fifth set for the Pink and Purple groups do not count. They will be re-sailed on Saturday.
The top three after combined preliminary results with four flights for each group saw Luke Arnone of Mantoloking Yacht Club CERT in first at 2-2-1-1 and 6 points. Tayte Stefaniuk of Bermuda's Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club LOOT dropped to second with scores of 1-1-2-3 and 7 points. Third is Brice Tone of Sarasota Yacht Club with 2-5-3-2 and 12points.
Big changes will come in the standings when the sailors get in their fifth race and can drop their worst score. Some of the top sailors in the championship were black flagged Thursday for being over the starting line within a minute of the start will be able to throw out 94 points.
Complete updated preliminary results, subject to protests and penalty adjustments are on www.usoda.org and www.usoda2015nationals.com.