UK wins yacht race
Christine Carrillo
Officials in speedboats followed each racer. Judges in the
committee boat waited to finalize disputed foul calls. Crowds of
boats surrounded the racing waters of Newport Harbor allowing
onlookers to witness the two competing sailboats battle during the
four-minute prestart and following them through the quarter of a mile
marker-to-marker race.
The 36th annual Governor’s Cup U.S. Junior Match Racing
Championship ended Sunday when the United Kingdom’s Royal Yachting
Assn. from Seaford, East Sussex won the title for 2002, stealing a
possible three-peat from the Auckland, New Zealand team -- Royal New
Zealand Yacht Squadron.
With international teams fulfilling the first four ranks, Mission
Bay Yacht Club of San Diego, Calif., became the winning team from the
United States finishing the race in fifth place.
And although the Royal Yachting Assn. held onto an undefeated
record throughout the race, Jack Butefish, the race information and
sponsorship director, said that the potential for other teams to win
the cup remained until the very end.
“It’s very satisfying when you have five potential winners,” he
said. “And the interest and support has been extraordinary.”
However, winning isn’t everything.
Three-time Governor’s Cup participant and one-time alternate,
Katie Hughes, team member on the Balboa Yacht Club team, was
frustrated with her team’s 10th ranking out of 12 teams but grateful
to have had the experience to compete and looking forward to possibly
competing again.
“It helps you become a better sailor,” she said. “You get to see
the different techniques of the teams.”
While 17-year-old Hughes enjoys observing the international styles
of the her competitors and can appreciate the challenges they face in
adapting to a new environment, she admitted that being the home-team
has it’s challenges as well.
“We definitely have advantages because it’s our wind and our
boats,” Hughes said. “But there’s a lot of pressure because everyone
wants us to win.”
And with teams from New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom,
the US teams had many different types of sailing they had to beat.
“It’s a really good experience because they have a really
different style,” said 15-year-old George Granelli, a team member on
the Golden Gate Yacht Club of San Francisco. “It’s cool just to say
you competed with them.”
Teammate and Golden Gate Yacht Club helmsman, J. V. Gilmour
agreed.
“I did learn a lot,” said 15-year-old Gilmour. “It’s kind of neat
because it’s a prestigious regatta and a lot of international teams
compete.”
Overall, the event turned into quite a success.
* CHRISTINE CARRILLO is the news assistant. She may be reached at
(949) 574-4298 or by e-mail at christine.carrillo@latimes.com.
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