Super Stars Shine on Day One of Star North American Championship
Champion Star sailor Eric Doyle took an early but slim lead today over the 34-boat fleet competing in Day One of the Star North American Championship regatta, which runs through Sunday at California Yacht Club.
Two races were held on Santa Monica Bay, where a fresh south-westerly breeze offered a cool breather from steamy conditions ashore.
Race One got off cleanly, with Doyle and crew Payson Infelise controlling the fleet from pole to pole, and Paul Cayard/Arthur Lopez in close pursuit. Rick Merriman/Rick Peters finished third in that race.
Race Two got off to a rocky start, with two General Recalls. The third start was a charm, with the I flag flying, and only one competitor OCS. With a westerly shift, the fleet split evenly. Benny Mitchell and Patrick Powell took the lead, trading places briefly with Doyle and Cayard at the second windward rounding. “We were playing the shifts, and angles and Eric passed us. He opened up the lead, then he and Paul jibed away,” said Mitchell. But able to extend on the right side of the shift, Mitchell crossed the finish line first. Doyle and crew, close astern, were the first to shout out congratulations.
Cayard took third. “Marina del Rey has always been a great place to sail Stars,” he said, crediting moderate winds but adding, “it was a little sloppy out there.”
Finishing the day with a 2-3 record, he acknowledged, “It was challenging, but we had a good day. Eric Doyle had a slightly better day; but we’ve got six more races to go.”
With several past North American and World champions in the line-up, and three more days of sailing, the 2018 title remains up for grabs.
Cayard, who won the North Americans in 1994 and 2003 and the Worlds in 1988, has been racing Stars since 1977. “I love the Star,” he declared. “It’s the boat of my life.”
Doyle last won the North Americans in 1999 – the same year he triumphed at the Worlds. Although that was nearly two decades ago, he’s currently back on a winning streak: triumphing in last weekend’s King of Spain tune-up here, following a win at the Santa Barbara Lipton Cup.
Overall, Doyle stood on top of the leaderboard with three points, followed by Cayard at five, and the team of Peter Vessella and Phil Trinter, with nine points. Racing continues through Sunday, August 19, with two matches daily starting at 12:25PM.
Racers, from the US, Canada and Argentina, can expect more of the same great weather, and superior race management and organization from Cal Yacht Club.
For full details and results please visit: http://Calyachtclub.com
Top Five
1. Eric Doyle 3
2. Paul Cayard 5
3. Peter Vessella 9
4. John MacCausland 11
5. Andrew Macdonald 12
