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.