GYA Knost Regatta, PCYC - Aug 10-11

PASS CHRISTIAN - The SYC Knost Team posted finishes of 1-1-2 on the first day of racing to lead the all-women's event at the turn by one point over Buccaneer Yacht Club (2-2-1).  Pass Christian Yacht Club was third, by another five points (3-4-3).

SYC's second place came in an overlapped finish, just getting nipped at the line.  This would prove to be an omen of things to come.
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Final Results | First Day Results | Video of Race 5 finish

Sunday shaped-up to be a battle between Southern and Buccaneer.  The opportunistic Pass Christian team took advantage of the distraction and lead the whole of Race 4, only to get nipped by Bay-Waveland at the finish.  Meanwhile, Southern, with Julie Wilson DiColo at the helm, had a clear start, but fell behind early on a huge left shift which developed just moments after SYC had "escaped" to the earlier-favored right side of the course.  (We've all been there!) 

DiColo mounted a remarkable comeback, clawing back from as low as second-to-last, into fourth place and just behind Buccaneer in what would preserve Southern's lead for the regatta.  One last gybe within 100 yards of the finish put Southern nose-to-nose with the fifth-place boat.  Southern got the first puff and nosed-out, but the leeward boat got the last puff and coasted ahead of Southern by less than a foot at the finish line!  Southern (9 pts) was then a point behind Buccaneer (8 pts) and the defending champion, Pass Christian, was now within striking distance (12 pts).

The final race again saw Southern and Buccaneer mixing it up as Pass Christian jumped out to the lead.  Southern team captain Jeanne Herman was at the helm and established a comfortable lead over Buccaneer with a boat between as a cushion.  With only one leg to go, Pass Christian was in the lead, Southern was third and Buccaneer was fifth.  But what a leg it was to be!

Yacht racing always has a way of reminding us that it ain't over, 'til it's over!  At the final mark rounding of the regatta, the painful reminder came as Southern's hull grazed the mark and they had to turn a quick "360" to exonorate themselves.  The fourth-place boat slipped by and, suddenly, there was Buccaneer! 

At this point, Pass Christian became a serious threat to win the regatta.  Another first, with Southern & Buccaneer falling back, would give Pass Christian the victory.  However, an ill-advised early gybe by the then-third-place boat put Southern and Buccaneer back into a battle for third and fourth.

The regatta had now come down to Southern and Buccaneer on the final leg of the final race.  After the weather-mark incident, the race was effectively reset with the two boats nose-to-nose, in a winner-take-all duel.  Each crew desperately tried to find the puffs in the mild breeze.  Clouds dotted the racecourse, making the "dark water" harder to find.  Southern tried the east looking for a zephyr and split from Buccaneer.  200 yards from the finish they came back together, still overlapped, but needing to gybe to the line.  Southern gybed first, but Buccaneer got the inside line to leeward. 

The final 50 yards were interminable as the spectators afloat and on the yacht club porch held their breaths.  The boats appeared to cross the line, but no word came.  The VHF crackled to life as the Principal Race Officer asked the pin boat to call the finish.  Still no word.   Finally, the call came ... "Forty-three!"  The Buccaneer Yacht Club crowd erupted in cheers at hearing their boat's sail number.  Not even a breath later, "Twenty-nine!" was called, confirming Southern's third straight overlapped finish.  Buccaneer had sealed a remarkable come-from-behind win with 11 points (2-2-1-3-3). Click on the photo at left to see a video of the finish.

The Southern team (1-1-2-5-4, 13pts) finished second, tied with Pass Christian (3-4-3-2-1, 13 pts), in a fantastic regatta.  Southern skipper Clerc Cooper won both of her races on Saturday, while Julie Wilson DiColo and Jeanne Herman sailed extremely well in some unenviably high-pressure situations.  The crew members included Kate Buras, Miia Newman, Pam Brierre, Caroline Wade, Ruth Thieneman and Christie Carney.  After coming so close, I'm sure next year's event is already circled on their calendars!