Mid-season racing update - 2023
The 2023 version of the so-called ‘Summer Series’ is over at WYC, culminating with the last race of the ‘T’ Series. The 7 races of that series, added to the 8 races from the earlier ‘G’ series, determine the winner the the ‘Sunset Series’, the most prestigious series of the WYC season.
BlueJ had won the ‘G’ series, but the lighter air of the T is always an issue for the 260. But this year we hung tough and were tied on points with the perennial winner, a lightweight Olympic-class Soling 27. We owned the tie breaker, but that didn’t matter. Who ever finished better would take the overall. Our plan was simple. Sail fast and solid, zero mistakes, and apply loose cover to the Soling. Here we are going down-wind after catching up the fleet that started 3 minutes in front of us. The Soling is out of frame, just off our leeward bow.
On the last upwind to the finish of the 5-leg W/L, the two lead boats (the Soling and an Impulse 26) split, and we were forced to pick. As we could not win the T unless the Soling also beat the Impulse, we stayed with the Soling. It paid off, and we beat the Soling on handicap easily, and lost the the Impulse by 12 seconds on a 75 minutes race. No matter. We WON the Sunset!
Party time! After the finish, we popped some champagne and some great Costa Rican rum. And danced and celebrated to hip-hop all the way back to the dock. A friend on another boat caught us in the act. More racing to come, but MAN what a great first half!
1st G Series
1st Sunset Series
2nd T Series
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