NAWILIWILI — OZone held a two-point lead over Kato entering the final race of the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Louie Abrams Memorial Series Thursday. Two points below Kato, Fast Company sat at third place creating a scenario for a tight final
NAWILIWILI — OZone held a two-point lead over Kato entering the final race of the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Louie Abrams Memorial Series Thursday.
Two points below Kato, Fast Company sat at third place creating a scenario for a tight final race in the six-race series.
The weather cooperated to set the scene for a highly competitive final race with winds coming in at 15 knots out of the east.
But the squall line that saw white caps blowing in at the harbor entrance passed and the winds died.
“As the squall passed, the winds died off to just a light breeze leaving the 12 boats bobbing in a confused sea and backwash from the breakwaters,” said Kevin Arndt, NYC rear commodore. “The boats struggled in the light breeze. A half hour passed and none of the boats had yet to make the first rounding mark at the Ninini Lighthouse buoy. Two boats started their engines, dropping out of the race and powered back to the dock.”
The NYC Race Committee shortened the race to enable the fleet to finish before nightfall. The winds picked up and Kato, claiming the lead in the clean start, maintained its lead over Fast Company and OZone coming into the harbor.
At that point, OZone needed to overtake Fast Company, or finish in a tie with Kato for first place.
Attention shifted to the battle for second place as Kato maintained its lead, crossing on an elapsed sail of 1 hour, 6 minutes and 43 seconds, correcting to 1:06:49 PHRF for top honors in the final race.
Seconds separated Fast Company and OZone, and on the top end, OZone took the inside track to finish at 1:09.29 elapsed and correcting to 1:09:29 PHRF — 16 seconds ahead of Fast Company (1:09:39 elapsed, 1:09:45 PHRF).
The final results saw the trophy leave with OZone who finished the series at nine points — just a point ahead of Kato. Fasto Company settled in third place at 13 points.
Weatherly claimed the Club class on a corrected time of 1:04:24 followed by Speedy coming in on a corrected time of 1:08:01 with Papa a‘u claiming third place on a corrected time of 1:08:55. Final standings in the Club class saw the trophy board Weatherly who finished at 14.5 points followed by Papa a‘u nailing second place in the series on nine points.
Third place in the Club class belonged to Kaos with 28.5 points, but according to Arndt, non NYC members cannot compete for a trophy which meant Speedy claimed the honor with 31 points.
On Thursday, the NYC Race Committee hosts the first race of the Junior Invitational Series with the first flags flying at 5 p.m.
