FAST COMPANY WINS GENE WELLS RACE #7 AND WINS THE SERIES

The final race of the Gene Wells Memorial Series was held on Thursday 10/14/21. The 6.03 mile course D-B-A had an inside lap to the Kalapaki buoy followed by 2 outside laps to the Ninini Lighthouse buoy. The wind was 10-14 knots out of the Northeast. In fact, the wind was so far North that all the boats except Speedy started on port tack. Fast Company had the best start at the race committee end of the line with Double Espresso close beside them. Ozone was too early and ended up starting halfway down the line. Weatherly was looking good and reached the breakwater where they tacked onto starboard, causing Ozone to tack just below them. Fast Company now tacked in front of both of them as they all headed to the Kalapaki buoy. But it was Double Espresso with the 11-17 year old Kauai Sailing Association kids who had tacked on a lower layline and they now reached the 3 boat length circle first on the inside so that Fast Company had to give them room. Fast Company therefore had to go wider than they wanted around the buoy. The young kids were leading the race at this point! Ozone was now able to make a tight rounding in third place which gave them clear air and they gained.

The spinnakers went up and Weatherly also gained a lot. But with their clear air Ozone was able to get directly in front of Fast Company and they took the lead. Weatherly and Fast Company were now in a close battle for second place. But when Ozone gybed their spinnaker to make a tight rounding at the G-7 buoy their spinnaker touched the top of the buoy so that they had to do a penalty turn. Ozone took down their spinnaker and put up their jib to do their turn right away. (In retrospect Ozone skipper Chris Jordan thinks he should have finished the short leg under spinnaker and then do the penalty turn upwind while under jib as it would have saved them time. As it was it cost them at least 43 seconds).

Weatherly was now in the lead with Fast Company close behind followed by Ozone, Double Espresso, Speedy and Papa Au. After rounding the Ninini Lighthouse buoy again with their spinnakers up it was Fast Company who was able to get an inside overlap on Weatherly inside the harbor so that Fast Company now took the lead as they rounded the G-7 buoy.

At the final rounding of the Ninini Lighthouse buoy it was Fast Company, Weatherly, Ozone, and then coming up later in a tight battle was Double Espresso, Papa Au, and Speedy. Things stayed pretty much the same and at the finish line it was Fast Company taking line honors, first place in the PHRF class and first place overall for the series. Weatherly had Evan steering and he did a fantastic job finishing in a very close second place over Ozone who was 5 seconds behind in third. In the Club Class it was Speedy taking first place on handicap time, Papa Au in second and Double Espresso in third. (The young kids on Double Espresso actually finished ahead of Speedy and Papa Au but took third due to their handicap).

The overall 7 race series results had Fast Company in first with 10 points. Papa Au was in second tied with Ozone at 13 points but Papa Au had more 1st place finishes which is the tie breaker.

The final race of the season (as it gets too dark to race after work) is the Halloween Race on Thursday 10/28/21 with a 5 pm start. Come on out and wear a costume!

The public is invited to watch the races from the Nawiliwili mole parking area.

-Chris

Click the link for access to complete results and the RaceQs replay on the racing page.