Third of four races in Horse and Pony Series complete

The wind conditions offered up a challenge to the racers that participated in the third race of the NYC Horse and Pony Series. The trades winds had a northerly component which makes the winds fluky and gusty as it blows across the race course at Nawiliwili Harbor. The six competitors knew that local knowledge, good sail handling and a little luck was required to win this race. After the start a few of the boats got the wind just right and were able to make it out of the harbor and make the lay line in one tack. It was Fast Company, OZone, Speedy and Papa a’u running in stride as they went out to the Ninini Lighthouse turnaround buoy. Once rounding the mark the boats set their spinnakers for the downwind leg to Green Eleven buoy playing the wind shifts and surfing the choppy waves in to the harbor.

It was Papa a’u that finished the horse race first with an elapsed time of 42 minutes, 32 seconds corrected to 40 minutes, 43 seconds PHRF. OZone finished next (40:48 elapsed time, 39:53 PHRF) then Fast Company (40:56 elapsed time, 41:00 PHRF), Weatherly (43:43 elapsed time, 43:47 PHRF), Speedy (44:42 elapsed time, 44:46 PHRF), and Bonjolea II (42:39 elapsed time, 45:27 PHRF).
Club Class had Speedy corrected to first place, Weatherly at second, and Bonjolea II at third.

The Pony race was next where individual crews from each boat climbed into a Topper sailboat for a one design race where points combine with the horse race to place the boat in the series. The boats started at the launch ramp jetty and made tacks to the windward buoy. Just like a real horse race where there’s a lot of speculation as to who is in the lead as they reach backstretch, the rest of the boat crews could be heard speculating on who was going to be first to round the far buoy.

It was Jim Saylor (Fast Company) that crossed the finish line with a huge lead, followed by Ed Tschupp ( Papa a’u), Steve Mitchell (OZone), Mike Armstrong (Bonjolea II), Sean Hoban (Speedy), and Astrid Andersson (Weatherly).

The public is invited to view the final race of the series on Thursday when the Race Committee flies the first flags at 5 p.m. from the jetty wall area of the Nawiliwili Harbor.

Kevin Arndt

Click here for more photos by Charlotte Ross