Etchells World Championships at Chicago Yacht Club - Day 1

Chicago boats claimed two of the top three finishes in the first race of the Etchells worlds © Tim Wilkes / www.timwilkes.com

Chicago boats claimed two of the top three finishes in the first race of the Etchells worlds © Tim Wilkes / www.timwilkes.com

Good day for local sailors

Chicago boats claimed two of the top three finishes in today’s first race of the Etchells World Championships, with local favorites Justin Palm, Erik Garr, and Hans Pusch pulling out a first place finish. They were followed by Kurt Winkelmann, Laurence Ledgerwood, and Brad Boston, hailing from New York in 2nd, and the Chicago team of Aaron Housten, Daniel Somers, and John Harford in 3rd.

Competitors arrived to a brisk 15-18 knot NNW wind this morning for the 5 mile upwind sail out to the race course. The wind gradually lightened, clocked right over 85 degrees throughout the day and eventually died shortly after the finish of the first race. With no hope of fresh wind in the forecast, the race committee cancelled the second race of the day and the fleet was towed back to the harbor. Tom Duggan, PRO explains, “We had 4-6 knots, which is enough to start a race, but with such light wind, and the fog starting to fill in from the city, it didn’t look good. With five days more to complete the necessary five additional races to complete the event, we decided it wasn’t worth sitting out there waiting for wind that was not going to fill.”

Today’s race was started on time in an 8-12 knot breeze. A large right shift in the first beat proved to be the race determining factor for many of the boats locked out to the left side after the start. The first three boats to the windward mark all started at the right end of the line and were the first to tack out onto port after the start. Chicago sailor Fred Joosten’s boat was first around the windward mark in a comfortable lead after starting late at the boat, tacking out immediately, and patiently riding port tack to the far right side of the course where he established the decisive leverage on the fleet in the significant right shift.

The fleet established significant lateral spread in the battle downwind, which led to a good deal of place shuffling as the fleet converged again at the leeward mark. The lead shifted to Winkelmann’s team after a well sailed downwind leg playing course left of Joosten’s team as the breeze continued to clock right. Joosten ended the race with a solid 10th place finish.

Race winners Palm, Garr, and Pusch steadily picked off boats with their team’s consistent sharp sailing throughout the race. After scraping into the top 10 at the leeward mark, a solid upwind beat paid off with a 5th place rounding at the windward mark. A superbly played final downwind leg allowed the Chicago crew to clinch the win from Winkelmann’s team as Palm and crew pulled-off a port tack crossing in a right phase shift at the finish.

The anticipated battle between two of the top teams, 2007 World Champion Andy Beadsworth and Dave Dwyer of the U.K. and 2007 Worlds runner-up Jud Smith of Marblehead, Mass. and crew from did not play out in this first race of the event. Beadsworth’s team ground back from deep in the fleet to a 40th place finish while Smith’s boat came in with a less damaging 15th. However, with only one race down of the 9 ideally planned for the event, it is far too early to count either of these two boats out of the running for the podium.

The Etchells World Championship is hosted by Chicago Yacht Club and presented by World Sport Chicago. The event continues throughout the week and for more information log on to www.etchellsworlds2008.com

Results after Day 1: (top ten)