NAWILIWILI — OZone held off a home stretch challenge by Fast Company to win the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Shakedown Series, Race No. 5, Thursday. Sailing in 15-20 knot winds out of the East Northeast, Fast Company took the low road
NAWILIWILI — OZone held off a home stretch challenge by Fast Company to win the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Shakedown Series, Race No. 5, Thursday.
Sailing in 15-20 knot winds out of the East Northeast, Fast Company took the low road to the finish while OZone opted for a tack taking her past the jetty wall filled with spectators.
That put Fast Company in a line ahead of OZone, but at the end, OZone pulled ahead to finish just a minute ahead of Fast Company.
OZone slipped across the finish line on a 51:23 elapsed sail and corrected out to 51:28 PHRF for the overall win. Fast Company challenged with her 52:15 elapsed sail and corrected to 52:20 PHRF.
Last week’s rivalry had Fast Company winning at the line after OZone held a good lead through most of the race.
The win pulls OZone into the standings lead by just one point with one more race in the series remaining.
Papa‘au filled in third place on a 57:37 elapsed sail and corrected out to 55:09 PHRF, those three boats maintaining the order from the onset.
Bonjolea (1:03:00 elapsed, 1:00:35 PHRF) topped the Club class after correcting to 52:38 Club.
Windspan, coming into the race about 10 minutes behind the fleet, picked up the tail end on a 1:06:22 elapsed, but corrected out to edge out Malihini (1:03:27 elapsed) with a 1:04:41 PHRF to Malihini’s 1:05:03 PHRF.
Windspan also took second in the Club class with a 57:08 Club correction to Malihini’s 1:02:01 Club for third place.
With ample light in the sky, the group adjourned to the NYC Clubhouse at the Nawiliwili Yacht Club where Marty Ellis decorated the facility for St. Patrick’s Day and Dick Olsen, filling in for Sharon Gibson at last week’s race, cooked up a corned beef and cabbage dinner for the post-race festivities. John Gillan provided the entertainment for the night.
The public is invited to view the final race of the Shakedown Series where rivals Fast Company and OZone will vie for the top spot, not just in the race, but in the standings, as well.
First flag flies at 5 p.m.
Visit www.nawiliwiliyachtclub.org for more information.
