Lightning Winter Champs: Light winds limit racing

St. Petersburg, FL (March 16, 2015) – After fickle conditions plagued the start of the Lightning Winter Championship yesterday, the conditions today began with a light 5-6 knot Northeast breeze and big incoming current, and didn’t get much better.

The fleet had a clean start on the second attempt under a black flag, with Team Gonzalez from Chile leading around mark 1 followed by Bill Dreheim, Ched Proctor and Justin Coplan. The breeze slowly began to diminish to 4 knots, and with a shift to the right, the RC shortened the race and finished the fleet on leg 3. Coplan from Mechanicsburg, PA sailing with Danielle Prior and Caroline Patten moved ahead to take the bullet. Tito Gonzalez sailing with his daughter Trinidad Gonzalez and Cristian Herman finished second and Proctor, Jamie Ewing and Meredith Killion from Connecticut finished in third.

The fleet was sent back to shore under postponement, but the sea breeze never developed, and racing was canceled for the day.

After three races, Tim Scanlon has moved into first overall with 13 total points, with Gonzalez now in second with 16 points and Matt Fisher moving up to third place overall with 24 points. The event is also being used as the US Lightning Pan Am Qualifier, with Fisher atop the standings.

Racing concludes tomorrow, with an improved forecast of NW winds, 8-10 in the afternoon. Full Results.

Report by class media.