NAWILIWILI — After leading in two of the three laps, OZone relinquished the lead, giving the new bride Emily Martin and the crew aboard Kato the victory in the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Wahine Series, Race No. 2.
OZone got a great start in the nine-boat fleet getting the call from its foredeck Thor Temme in the moderate 8- to 12-knot winds blowing out of the northeast. The Olson 30 rounded the Ninini Point Lighthouse buoy in first and held its lead through the second of three laps.
“On the downwind leg at the Kalapaki buoy, Bonjolea II with Bonnie Tiffany at the wheel, was able to pass OZone,” said Chris Jordan, OZone’s owner. “Battled with Bonjolea II slowed OZone down and Fast Company with Lydia Lintermans on the stick, and Kato were gaining.
“Between the G-7 and G-11 buoys, Fast Company was able to pass Ozone by getting above and inside at the mark,” Jordan said. “This took the air out of OZone’s spinnaker. Kato had fallen a little further back.”
The battle continued into the final lap.
“For the leg to the Kalapaki buoy, Kato tacked earlier than the other boats, and it appeared like they wouldn’t make it,” Jordan said. “But by some miracle, they rounded the buoy in front of Fast Company and OZone. Kato and Fast Company now sailed higher while OZone was trying to catch up by sailing lower a shorter distance, even by the lee, to go straight to the G-11 buoy near the Coast Guard station. But the tactic didn’t pay off, and Kato got inside Fast Company at the final mark which gave them rights, and they gained on the upwind leg.”
Kato sounded the finish horn on an elapsed time of 1 hour, 13 minutes, and 17 seconds and corrected to 1:14:05 PHRF for top honors just 12 seconds ahead of Fast Company (1:13:50 elapsed) who finished at 1:14:17 PHRF. OZone tripped the horn at 1:14:32 elapsed and corrected to 1:15:00 PHRF for the third slot — all three leaders finishing within a minute’s span.
Astrid Andersson piloted the all-teen Weatherly to top honors in the Club Class after crossing on a 1:14:57 elapsed and correcting to 1:08:25 Club. Karen Cole piloted Iwa, an Oceanis 41, to second place on a 1:11:16 Club correction, and Victoria Aiu aboard Papa A‘u claimed the third spot on a 1:P11:45 Club correction.
The third race of the NYC Wahine Series takes place Thursday when the first flags fly at 5 p.m. from the Nawiliwili mole parking area.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
