Congratulations to Chick Pyle’s Beneteau 36.7 Kea, the overall winner of the 2023 Yachting Cup! The team finished first in their class by winning every race - a total of six bullets. The teams impressive scores in a competitive class earned them their championship title at SDYC’s signature spring regatta.
Kea's success didn't come without a battle from the rest of the class. While technically Pyle and his crew won after race five, they stayed in the regatta for the picket fence - a goal that was almost interrupted by Eric Hanson's Given-Ho. "Given-Ho is stronger than us and faster than us. We had to out-wit them. And then fate struck," explained Pyle. Hanson's kite twisted on the last hoist, giving Kea the chance to drive below them and finish first.
Pair a little bit of experience with a well-adjusted crew and you'll be bound for success at this year's Yachting Cup. After the first day of racing, it's clear that most of these teams made way to their course intent on defending their title - and the ones that didn't came ready to play.
Current First in Class Standings:
J/105 - Juiced - Chuck Driscoll
Beneteau 36.7 - Kea - Chick Pyle
Classics - Sally - CF Koehler
Navigator - American Girl - Lisa & Craig Leweck
ORRSub - Adjudicator - Paul Dorsey
The Etchells West Coast Spring Series (WCSS) concluded its second regatta in the Series: the Pacific Coast Championship. Team Lifted took the win again this weekend, April 29-30, keeping their spot at the top of the overall Series scoresheet. Lifted, skippered by Jim Cunningham with crew Steve Hunt, Erik Shampain, and Olympia Barelli, finished three of the five races with a bullet - a success attributed to time spent on the water practicing. Team Lifted won the regatta after four races.
Calling all seafaring women from the SDYC who want to sail in tropical paradise!
Do you need to know how to sail? No!
Do you need to know how to relax and have fun? Yes!
If you love adventure, hanging out with like minded women, want to make new female friends and island hop, swim in warm turquoise waters, and escape the cold, then sign up for the 2024 SDYC Women's Cruise in the British Virgin Islands, March 7-15, 2024.
After 16+ hours of travel across the equator, Randy Lake and I arrived in Algarrobo, Chile to compete in the Snipe Western Hemisphere and Asians. With only a few days in the boat, I was nervous but itching to get sailing. Unfortunately, the wind did not share the same urgency, as we had to wait a day and a half to get on the water. After a short day of practice, we were ready to start the 5-day event.
The first stage of the four-event Etchells West Coast Spring Series (WCSS), sponsored by P&E Marine and North Sails was the Midwinters West, held out of San Diego Yacht Club March 31 through April 2. Sixteen boats competed over three days. Jim Cunningham on Lifted and his team of Steve Hunt, Serena Village, and Erik Shampain won the open division.
Second place went Bruce Nelson on Rhino with Mickey Ryan on Ahui Hui in third. Steve Wright took down the Corinthian title on Reposado joined by Joe Markee and Joe Erskine with Michael Terry on Blue Fin in second and Summer Greene on Mostly Harmless finishing third.