NAWILIWILI — A win is not a win until the corrections are made.
Sharon Gibson, at the helm of “Malihini,” effectively staved off challenges by “Speedy” and “OZone,” only to lose the opening race by a mere 26 seconds, Thursday.
Gibson, normally the Nawiliwili Yacht Club scorekeeper, took the wheel in the NYC Wahine Series, Race No. 1 when ladies piloted the yachts during the race.
“Our last turn at No. 11 got a little messed up,” Gibson said in an e-mail. “We didn’t get the jib sheeted in fast enough and I didn’t get the boat pointed high enough fast enough.”
She said she wasn’t sure she could have made up the 26 seconds, but could’ve made it closer if they had not made the mistakes.
“Malihini,” the 35-foot catamaran, finished the 3.4-mile race course on a 42:34 elapsed sail, less than a minute ahead of second overall finisher “OZone,” an Olson 30, who tripped the clock at 43:07.
When the PHRF corrections were applied, “OZone” finished tops with a 43:11 followed by “Malihini” at 43:38.
Throughout the race, “Speedy,” another of the Olson 30s,” waged a battle with “Malihini” for the lead which see-sawed throughout the race.
According to Gibson, “Speedy” would have finished in third place, but she was protested for a right-of-way foul and “Retired After Finish” following a post-race discussion at the NYC Clubhouse.
“Speedy’ was ‘Malihini’s’ toughest competition for the whole race and then, at that last mark, everything changed and I’m still not sure why we were racing ‘OZone’ to the finish line,” Gibson said.
“Lelele,” a Wells 30, was a solid No. 3 in the race with an elapsed sail of 44:49 (44:41 PHRF) followed by “Papa‘au,” an Express 27, (48:08 elapsed, 46:05 PHRF) and “Fast Company,” another Olson 30, (46:06 elapsed, 46:10 PHRF).
“Bonjolea,” an X-342, rounded out the field on a 49:37 elapsed (47:43 PHRF).
With that kind of racing in the wind, the NYC Wahine Series, Race No. 2 continues this Thursday with the first flags flying at 5 p.m.
The public is invited to view the competition at no charge.
As Gibson said, “The view of the race is much better from the jetty.”
