Fast Company wins last race- denying Kato perfect Gene Wells Memorial Series

The all clear sounded and 8 boats took off on various starboard tacks, with OZone and Papa A’u taking port tack starts. Within a minute and a half of the start 4 boats were on port tack and 2 on starboard. Though 4th across the starting line, Bonjolea II established a lead on that initial port tack, which she never relinquished and rounded the Ninini Pt Buoy solidly in first, followed by Fast Company in 2nd and Kato, OZone and Weatherly fighting it out for 3rd. Kato established a solid 3rd soon after the windward mark and OZone drifted back to 5th with Weatherly in a solid 4th.

Fast Company and Kato engaged in a battle for 2nd place with Fast Company rounding the G11 buoy slightly ahead of Kato, Weatherly and OZone following several boat lengths behind. With Bonjolea II ahead of the fray, Kato eked out a 2nd place lead slightly ahead of Fast Company at the start of the second leg. By the turn at the Kalapaki Buoy, rounded 1st by Bonjolea II, Fast Company had regained 2nd place ahead of Kato in 3rd, and Weatherly in 4th position. At the final turn at the leeward mark, G11, Kato challenged Fast Company once more for 2nd, pulled ahead, fell behind, made a couple tacks, but Fast Company held on to the slimmest of leads. Bonjolea II crossed the line first, 1 min and 46 seconds ahead of Fast Company crossing in 2nd , who was 1 second ahead of Kato, in 3rd. Weatherly crossed in 4th, OZone in 5th , Lelele in 6th , Speedy in 7th and Papa A’u in 8th.

After corrections:
Fast Company – 1st PHRF
Kato – 2nd PHRF
Bonjolea II and Weatherly tied for 3rd
PHRF
Lelele – 1st CLUB
Speedy – 2nd CLUB
OZone – 3rd CLUB

For the overall Gene Wells Memorial Series, Kato wins the PHRF class (7 points) with Fast Company in 2nd (12 points), OZone in 3rd (19 points) with a close finish by Weatherly a half a point behind in 4th (19.5 points). Weatherly wins the CLUB class (11 points), with Speedy in 2nd (19 points), and Bonjolea II in 3rd (30 points).

Dinner at the Nawiliwili Yacht Club House was Lasagna with Green Salad and a Tiramisu dessert hosted by Jakki and the crew of Fast Company.

The next Race, the Halloween Costume Race will be held Thursday Oct 25 at 5pm. The public is invited to come out to the jetty on Nawiliwili Bay and observe the race.

-Doug Tiffany, Interim Vice Commodore

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