Convergence Wins Verve Cup, T10 North Americans

Chicago, IL (August 10, 2014) – Convergence, a T10 skippered by Chicago Yacht Club Member Don Wilson, won the overall Verve Cup Trophy and was also named T10 North American Champion today at the conclusion of the 22nd annual Verve Cup Offshore Regatta hosted by the Chicago Yacht Club.

This year’s Verve Cup, which features a three-day offshore course race from Friday through Sunday and a one-day distance race on Saturday, included 12 racing sections as well as the Beneteau 40.7 North American Championship and the Tartan Ten North American Championship.

In addition to the Cup and the North American Championship, Convergence also received recognition for having the most family members on a crew. Wilson sailed with his daughter who is 12, cousin who is 13, sister and brother in law. Wilson bought his first T10 in 1991, but hasn’t sailed his boat much in the last five years. The T10 North American Championship brought them out for the competition.

“The boat had been waiting in the warehouse for the next North American Championship,” Wilson said. “This weekend was awesome. If conditions were like this all year round in Chicago, there would be no room in the city.”

Sailing conditions were indeed ideal throughout the weekend. On the final day of sailing on Sunday, temperatures were in the upper 70s with winds out of the ENE at 7-11 knots. Both circles completed a total of nine races throughout the weekend, with Circle A completing three races and Circle B completing two today.

“A lot of the sailors have said that this is the best weather we’ve had for a regatta in quite a while,” said Verve Cup Chairman Martin Sandoval. “The Race Committee did a great job on the water cycling through the sequences to get racers started. They worked very efficiently on the water.”

CYC Member Sandy Curtiss, skipper of Rocking Horse, won the J105 section with his crew, which included his two sons, Alex and Will.

“Sailing in the race today with my two sons was pretty special,” Curtiss said. “I haven’t sailed with them in quite a while, so it felt good to have them with the crew in place.”

“We had fun. We did our job,” said Rocking Horse crewmember Ted Towey. “I’d emphasize how much fun we had. We all get along extremely well, so it was good humor and hard work out on the water this weekend.”

LaTempete, skippered by Tom Weber, won the Beneteau 40.7 North American Championship and commented: “It was a great weekend. The weather was fantastic. We have a very competitive fleet. It’s always good to win a regatta in our fleet because we are competing against some very good sailors.”

Congratulations to all Verve Cup racers. First-place awards to each of the 12 racing sections:
· Beneteau 36.7: Fog, skippered by Charlie Wurtzebach and Mike Bird, Chicago Yacht Club
· J105: Rocking Horse, skippered by Sandy Curtiss, Chicago Yacht Club
· J109: Northstar, skippered by David Gustman, Chicago Yacht Club
· J111: Kashmir, skippered by Karl Brummel, Chicago Yacht Club
· Beneteau 40.7: LaTempete, skippered by Tom Weber, Midwest Open Racing Fleet
· Farr 40: Inferno, skippered by Philip Dowd, Chicago Yacht Club
· ORR 1: Sin Duda!, skippered by Lindsey Duda, Chicago Yacht Club
· ORR 2: Eagle, skippered by Shawn O’Neill, Chicago Yacht Club
· ORR 3: Falcon, skippered by Edwin Bayer, Detroit Yacht Club
· ORR Distance Race 1, Jahazi, skippered by Frank Giampoli, Midwest Open Racing Fleet
· ORR Distance Race 2, Providence, skippered by CYC Vice Commodore Greg Miarecki and Jerry Miarecki, Chicago Yacht Club

Verve Cup Results
T10 Results

Michele Almeida, MISTE Photography