Race Day 2 of the New York Yacht Club’s 175th Anniversary Regatta
Dynamic afternoon for Melges IC37 at the New York Yacht Club regatta
NEWPORT, R.I. (July 16, 2019) — Race Day 2 of the New York Yacht Club’s 175th Anniversary Regatta delivered a dynamic afternoon on the water full of action-packed racing for the Melges IC37 sailors. Christopher Culver and the Blazer team managed to hang on to their overall lead, but it was Phil Lotz and his crew onboard Arethusa who won the day. Two races were sailed by the 21 boat Melges IC37 fleet before they headed back to shore for a celebratory evening.
The day began slowly with an on-the-water postponement until the pending breeze reached the race course. Unfazed, the sailors seized the opportunity to either pair up for light air tuning, spend quality time with their fellow crew members, or banter with other teams.
As the wind began to fill in, it became clear that the Melges IC37 fleet was in for some light air racing. Crews spent the afternoon beaming as they put their synergy to the test onboard, and worked the boat with their body weight, sail trim, and tactical skill. Smooth boat handling, sailing in clear air, and consistency were paramount.
Despite the postponement, a shifty 6-8 knot wind, and the exceptionally strong current, the conditions on the race course were a welcome and exhilarating change in pace.
Ultimately, Arethusa dominated the day with a 6th and 1st place finish in Races 4 and 5 respectively. The British team Foreign Affair, led by William Edwards, was the only other team to execute two single-digit race finishes this afternoon, placing 7th and 3rd.
This evening the Melges IC37 Class members dressed in their finest attire for dinner at the New York Yacht Club, gathered around a bonfire for some barbecue, or hit the town to celebrate their first summer on the water together.
Day 3 of the event is a scheduled “Lay-Day,” that gives sailors an afternoon off from racing mid-regatta. IC37 sailors will put their day off to good use by exploring the Newport area and doing other fun inter-team bonding activities.
Racing will resume on Thursday, July 18th.
