WAHINE ALISON FORNARI SCORES FOR OZONE!

The first of the 5 Wahine Series sailboat races was held on 9/3/20 with 9 boats racing. The rules state that each boat must have a woman steer. The 3 lap A-C-D course with 2 outside laps to the lighthouse buoy and one inside lap to the Kalapaki buoy covered 6.11 miles. The light winds 6-10 knots were more out of the East compared to what we have been seeing lately.

The Olson 30 Weatherly had an all teenage crew as owner Carl Andersson showed his trust in them by jumping ship. Carl was one of two crew on Double Espresso where Dr. Elizabeth Biuk-Aghai was on the helm. Weatherly had a great start once again with Astrid Andersson steering. Fast Company also had a nice pin end start with Lydia Lintermans on the helm. Papa Au tried a port tack start near the race committee that didn’t seem to pay off (did Tim Perry lead helms person Victoria Aiu astray???). Ozone had a late start by about 14 seconds much to the chagrin of tactician and owner Chris Jordan who was trying to position his wahine driver Alison Fornari for a good start. Crewman Thor Temme could easily be heard groaning.

Papa Au on port tack met up with Bonjolea II on starboard tack shortly after the start and they both tacked away from one another. Bonjolea II with Bonnie Tiffany on the helm was now heading towards the breakwater as they have done in the last few races and this has appeared to pay off for them. Papa Au however got headed as they got deeper into Kalapaki Bay causing them to sail lower than everyone else and putting them behind. Kato had new wahine bride Emily steering. She recently married Aaron
Martin who crews on Kato but he was out due to an injury. Kato was one of the first boats to tack out towards the lighthouse followed soon after by Speedy who had wahine nurse Kristiina Chapman on the helm.

Ozone was getting close to the rocks at the Kukui lighthouse and the crew was getting nervous. But Ozone was pinned down by Bonjolea and couldn’t tack. As they got very close to the rocks they called for room at an obstruction and Bonnie Tiffany on Bonjolea II kindly tacked so that Ozone could also tack and not go up on the rocks. But by being so close to shore, Ozone got a very nice lift and was now sailing higher than Fast Company ahead of them and so they were gaining. Kato and Fast Company saw this and tacked back to the beach to get the same lift. But they had to go behind Ozone who now tacked to cover them and stay in the same air. When they reached the Ninini lighthouse buoy turn it was Ozone slightly in the lead with Weatherly, Kato , Fast Company and Bonjolea II closely following.

On the downwind leg to the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard station there was a nice battle going on between Kato and the slightly behind Fast Company as Bonjolea II was coming on strong. On the second lap out to the lighthouse buoy Ozone appeared to extend their lead while the battle between Kato, Fast Company and Bonjolea II continued. Near the Ninini lighthouse buoy Bonjolea II tacked onto starboard and rather than ducking them Kato also tacked. But while Bonjolea II made it around the buoy okay, Kato was a little low and they had to tack twice more to make it, slowing them down. And Fast Company was now breathing down Kato’s neck. But the positions held for the rest of the race and at the finish line it was Ozone with wahine Alison Fornari steering who took first place and line honors in the PHRF Class. (This was Ozone’s first win in a long time and the mutinous crew suggested that Alison steer all the time rather than owner Chris Jordan…) Kato took second place with Emily making her husband Aaron Martin proud. Fast Company was in third with Lydia steering. In the Club Class it was the all teenage crew on Weatherly taking first place and
showing “Uncle Carl “ that his faith in them was well warranted. Bonjolea II took second place with Bonnie Tiffany and Papa Au took third with Victoria Aiu.

Double Espresso deserves a special mention as this Olson 30 was raced with only 2 people and they even set and gybed the spinnaker! Kudos to Carl and Eli. We are always happy to see the beautiful 41 foot Iwa out racing. They seem to have a lot of fun with Karen Cole steering (and barking orders at her husband Woodie???). And we all greatly appreciate crew Pam Zirker’s photos and CD copies she gives to the other boats.

It should be noted that all of the boats followed the 5 person per boat rule which actually makes it harder to race, particularly for the bigger boats.

The second race of the 5 race Wahine Series will be held on Thursday 9/10/20 with a 5 pm start. If all 5 races are sailed then there will be a throwout of a boat’s worst race in calculating the series winner. The public is invited to watch the races from the Nawiliwili mole parking area.

-Chris

Click here for complete results and the RaceQs replay on the racing page.