Alfred anointed king

Bryce Alderton

A month ago, Australia’s Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club wasn’t even

sure if would participate in the 38th annual Governor’s Cup Challenge

off Newport Pier.

Well, after Saturday, the crew of three left little doubt to which

team sailed the best, claiming the international junior match race

title with three straight victories in a best-of-five contest over

top-seeded Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron on a slightly overcast,

calm day on the water where winds didn’t blow much past 6 knots.

Helmsman Murray Gordon, with bowman Thomas Spithill and middle

Craig Souter, racing their first regatta together, received an

invitation to the Governor’s Cup after an English team withdrew due

to a scheduling conflict.

Needless to say they made the most of the trip.

“To cross the finish line was an unbelievable experience,” Gordon,

18, said. “The last time in New Zealand, [Royal New Zealand] got us

and then we beat them in the round robin [at the Governor’s Cup].

After [the round-robin win], we were confident we could beat them in

any race.”

Royal Prince Alfred entered Saturday’s final as the No. 2 seed.

“[Royal Prince Alfred] sailed smoother and faster,” Royal New

Zealand’s helmsman Adam Minoprio said. “The races were close at the

start, then they took off.”

The 12 teams of three sailors, who can be no older than 19,

maneuvered in calmer conditions than earlier in the week, when winds

peaked at 12 knots Wednesday.

“The wind was more patchy [Saturday],” Phil Stemler, 19, Newport

Harbor Yacht Club’s helmsman, said. “On previous days, it was the

same wind over the entire course.”

Stemler, who sails for Yale University, middle Matt Hogan and

bowsman Whitney Loufek defeated King Harbor Yacht Club, 2-0, to claim

fifth place in the regatta and, along with Del Rey Yacht Club from

Marina Del Rey (fourth place), will represent the United States in

November’s international youth match race series in New Zealand for

finishing as the top two American teams in the Governor’s Cup.

“I knew we had the ability to win, but we’ve all been busy this

summer and we hadn’t practiced that much together in the boat,”

Stemler said. “Our weakness was getting the spinnaker up and down,

but today we were in top form. We could have beaten anybody.” Newport

Harbor finished sixth in last year’s regatta.

Balboa Yacht Club’s team of helmsman Casey Schilling, middle

Christian Emsiek and bowsman Wade Buxton defeated the United States

Merchant Marine Academy, 2-0, to claim seventh place on a day when

all six races were sweeps.

“We had more races than we ever had in the Governor’s Cup,”

general chairman Nick Scandone said. “Some teams did as many as 18

races. In the past, there has been as little as 10 to 11 and,

sometimes, it’s been a struggle to get the first round in.

“A lot of races helps find the winner of the regatta. Royal Prince

Alfred was clearly the superior team.”

Royal Prince Alfred’s victory, the first for the club since 1992,

marks the third time in four years a team from either New Zealand or

Australia has claimed the Governor’s Cup.

“They do a lot more match racing in Australia and New Zealand,”

Ben Benjamin, Balboa Yacht Club’s sailing administrator, said.

Gordon said the Governor’s Cup was the sixth match race regatta

he’s competed in this year.