Inclement Weather Limits Racing at Congressional Cup

Long Beach, CA (April 7, 2016) – Spring showers on day two of the Congressional Cup disrupted the reliable thermal to limit racing for the twelve teams at the second stop on the World Match Racing Tour.

Only one flight was completed before the wind shut off, with racers taking shelter indoors from the rain at the Veterans Memorial Pier. A new wind direction prompted the race committee to bring the teams back to the course, where they barely completed one more flight before the wind quit for the day.

Taking shelter the the pier headquarters during wind and rain delay.

The random conditions shuffled the status quo, as Nicolai Sehested (DEN) – undefeated after day one – suffered his first loss while 6-time World Champion Ian Williams (GBR) got his first win. Taylor Canfield (ISV) and Phil Robertson (NZL), finalists from 2015, won both their matches to rise in the rank.

Competing in Catalina 37s, the format has a single round robin to advance the top four teams, with a repechage round to determine the next four teams that advance to the knock out rounds. Racing planned for April 6 to 10.

Day Two Standings (After 8 of 14 flights)
Phil Robertson (NZL) 6-1
Nicolai Sehested (DEN) 5-1
Chris Steele (NZL) 5-1
Taylor Canfield (ISV) 5-2
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) 4-3
Eric Monnin (SUI) 4-3
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) 3-4
Sam Gilmore (AUS) 3-4
Scott Dickson (USA) 2-4
Keith Swinton (AUS) 1-5
Sally Barkow (USA) 1-6
Ian Williams (GBR) 1-6

Event website – Scoreboard – Livestream – Facebook

PRO Randy Smith takes advantage of postponement to fire up the BBQ and cook up some lunch.

ABOUT THE CONGRESSIONAL CUP
The 52nd Congressional Cup on April 6-10 features five days of yacht racing at its finest, with twelve elite teams vying for the esteemed Crimson Blazer – an honor bestowed to sailing icons like Dennis Conner, Dean Barker, Ken Read, Ted Turner, Taylor Canfield and more. Founded in 1965 and pioneering the concept of on-the-water umpiring, The Congressional Cup is regarded as the ‘granddaddy of match racing’ and is part of the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT). This intense round-the-world circuit kicked off early March in Fremantle, Australia, and concludes in July in Marstrand, Sweden; where one lucky sailor will earn a sizeable purse and bragging rights – as the number one skipper at the pinnacle of the sailing game. http://www.thecongressionalcup.com/

Source: Event media