Pool play favorable to Papa‘au

NAWILIWILI — The post-race pool tournament came into play to break a tie, Thursday night.

Papa‘au and Fast Company finished in a tie for second following the application of the PHRF correction, and a 15-second bonus resulting from the pool tournament pushed Papa‘au into second place on a final 42:56 time over Fast Company that could only come up with a 25-second bonus on the pool table. She finished third at a 43:06 final at the Nawiliwil Yacht Club Minnesota Fats Series, Race No. 4, Thursday.

OZone, the scrappy Olson 30, took the low road off the Kona start and being closer to the turn, eked out a lead from fifth place to take the lead in hazy conditions resulting from 0-10 knot variable winds that had the yachts literally floating atop calm seas on what was described as “a nice dinner sail.”

That lead held for the race with OZone crossing on a 41:32 elapsed, 41:36 PHRF and a 41:41 final, gaining five seconds from the pool tournament.

Fast Company finished second overall (42:37 elapsed) followed by Malihini (44:29 elapsed) and Papa‘au (44:35 elapsed).

But the PHRF correction pulled Papa‘au, an Express 27, to a tie for second with Fast Company on a 42:41 PHRF sail. Malihini, with the PHRF correction, settled in fourth at 45:36 and finished fourth with a 45:56 final.

Malihini, opting to take the low road with OZone at the start, finished the race tops in the Club class with a 42:31 adjusted time and 42:51 Club final.

Speedy, the third Olson 30 in the race, finished fifth overall, but with the corrections applied, ended in seventh place (54:47 elapsed, 54:52 PHRF, 55:07 final) below Coyote (56:26 elapsed, 52:52 PHRF and final) and Bonjolea (55:07 elapsed, 53:00 PHRF and final).

The NYC Minnesota Fats Series continues Thursday and the public is invited to view the competition from the final race series of this year.

First flags fly at 5 p.m.