US Youth Match Racing Championship for the Rose Cup - Day 1
by Long Beach Yacht Club 18 Jun 17:36 BST
June 17-19, 2022
US Youth Match Racing Championship for the Rose Cup - Day 1 © Bronny Daniels / Joysailing
Justin Callahan of Biscayne Bay YC tops the leaderboard after the first race day of the US Youth Match Racing Championship for the Rose Cup.
Comprised of crew members Mitchell Callahan, Madeleine Hughes and Liam O'Keefe, Team Callahan has six wins under the belt and remains the only undefeated team in the regatta.
"Our boat-handling got better and better as the day went on," said Callahan. "Steady improve-ment allowed us to keep our record strong, but that was some of the most intense racing I've ever done."
Friday brought classic Long Beach conditions, with full sun and light winds clocking in at 6-8 knots. Racing was under way by 11:30 am and after four flights, Teams Pinckney and Callahan were tied with four wins apiece. Teams Earl and Marlo were in close pursuit with three wins each.
"Today was really fun," said skipper Marbella Marlo of Newport Harbor YC. "Our teamwork improved throughout the day, and we were able to hang in the challenging conditions. We're looking forward to tomorrow."
Mid-afternoon breeze turned on in typical fashion during the fifth flight, building to 15-18 knots. The increase in pressure prompted the Race Committee to hoist code flag Z, indicating spinnakers would not be used for the last two flights of the day. Heavy air boathandling became the name of the game as competitors battled for control of over their boat as well as their opponent.
"Conditions were excellent today for match racing," said National Umpire John Christman from the San Francisco Bay area. "We saw a wind range from moderate to heavy, which tested the crew work of the competitors. The limiting factor was having enough weight on the rail to keep the boat flat."
Racing ended for the day upon finishing the sixth of seven flights in the Round Robin stage, leaving one more flight for Saturday before moving into the quarterfinals. Team Callahan leads the field with six points, followed by Teams Earl, Marlo, Pinckney and Stapleton all tied at four points going into the second day of racing. Team Flores has two points, and Teams Barclay and Lech will battle it out tomorrow for their first point.
After two days of practice clinics led by coaches Dave Perry, Mike Pinckney, and Ryan Davidson, the sailors have become more familiar with the boats and more confident in their maneuvers. Regatta Chairman David Stotler was pleased after the first day of racing.
"Long Beach Yacht Club has held many match racing events over the years, but this is our first time hosting the Rose Cup," said Stotler. "We are impressed with the caliber of sailing that we are seeing from these youth sailors."
The Rose Cup started as an invitational youth match racing event in 2010. It was founded by members of Balboa Yacht Club in Newport Beach, California, and the Newport-Balboa Sailing & Seamanship Association ("NBSSA"). Its mission is to assist in the promotion of youth match racing in the United States and improve the quality of US competitors in national and international competition. Thanks primarily to the efforts of US Sailing Match Racing Committee Vice-Chair and five-time US Match Racing Champion, Dave Perry, US Sailing made the event one of its three match racing championships, and it officially became the U.S. Youth Match Racing Championship in 2015.
More information and results at lbyc.org.