Richardson Trophy Regatta at Buffalo Yacht Club

In the Match Racing Championship of the Great Lakes September 13-15, 2013, hosted by Buffalo Yacht Club (Lake Erie) and the Lake Yacht Racing Association, a new winner emerged.

The first day of racing was unusually cool, windy and rainy. If that was not enough that gusty winds of 15-20 mph were oscillating at ninety degrees from a northern direction. However, all seven competitors were eager to show their skills and prove themselves as robust challengers to the historic Richardson Trophy. With equality in the beginning, there soon started to show strength in the performance of James Barnash as he consistently scored points with every race being a victory over his competitors. He ended the day with a perfect record of six wins. Both Steve Lowery and Mark Johnson followed closely with four wins each.

Saturday morning proved sunny with adequate winds for the finishing of round robin one. Barnash continued his winning ways again with Lowery and Johnson hanging tough. As the day wore on, the winds faded demanding a temporary abandonment. With the winds picking up again in the afternoon, things got back on track. The day ended with the conclusion of round robin two. This set up Sunday for the semi-finals. Barnash as leader would pick Holz leaving Johnson and Lowery to compete in the first round of the semi-finals.

Sunday morning's weather broke with mostly clear skies and a wind from the southwest at 12-15 mph. Barnash and Lowery initiated their battle as did Johnson and Holz. Holz secures a third place by beating Johnson. Barnash and Lowery continued to battle it out with a 1-1 count after two. In the third race Lowery, with a good lead, rounds the wrong windward mark and loses. Score 2-1 after three. The next race saw Lowery take a pre-start penalty which he went on to scrub on the first windward leg. He continued on to hold a good lead to and past the first windward mark. Barnash overtook Lowery when he had a bad chute launch and Barnash maintained this margin of victory for the rest of the race.

So after 101 years encompassing 74 events, the 2013 Richardson trophy was awarded to James Barnash of Rochester Yacht Club representing Lake Yacht Racing Association.

Congratulations and good will from all fellow Great Lakes sailors as well as competitive sailors from around the world.

Results

1. James Barnash, Lake Yacht Racing Association
2. Steve Lowery, Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation
3. Will Holz, Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation
4. Mark Johnson, Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation
5. Matt Graham, Detroit Regional Yacht-Racing Association
6. Spenser Colpaert, Detroit Regional Yacht-Racing Association
7. Nick Kroeger, Lake Yacht Racing Association