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.

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.

Thank you to the Challenge Committee and Competition Fund Committee for supporting our team at the Women’s Winter Invitational Feb 4-5, 2023. In an unfortunate turn of events, Kris Zillmann was unable to race, so we had to find a replacement crew. Luckily new member, Christina Lewis, joined the crew as skipper, with Julie Mitchell on main and tactics, and Erika Barth on jib and bow.

The team from New York Yacht Club (NYYC) is heading out of the sun and back to the chilly Northeast with a well-deserved title in the books: 2023 Women’s Winter Invitational Champions! Skipper Marly Isler and crew Hope Wilson, Sarah Williams, and Marlena Fauer were first-time competitors in the Women’s Winter Invitational. Teams from 24 yacht clubs competed over two days in 66 races to award the winner of the San Diego Yacht Club’s fifth annual Women’s Winter Invitational Regatta (WWIR), February 4 and 5, 2023. 

Isler attributes her win to the team working together. “Each race posed unique challenges - but my crew tirelessly kept our boat rumbling,” she said. “Hope is likely icing her biceps today from her detail-oriented jib trimming. Marlena was an animal calling tactics downwind. She made sure we didn't lose sight of the breeze oscillations even when packs of boats got too close for comfort. And Sarah was constantly adjusting our heel and controls.”

The International Competition Returns February 17-18, 2024

San Diego Yacht Club’s Women’s Winter Invitational Regatta received the US Sailing 2022 One Design Regatta Award. The US Sailing One Design committee said, “We are impressed with the fun and inclusive nature of the event bringing women from around the country together for a fun weekend of competitive sailing and camaraderie.”