Dark ‘N’ Stormy at Viper 640 Internationals

Hamilton, Bermuda (November 16, 2016) – The first day of the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship sponsored by EFG is in the books…but the pages are a bit soggy. As the sailors gathered for the opening competitors meeting, the first line of rain showers was in attendance too. Welcome to the land of Dark ‘N’ Stormys.

Being run in conjunction with the Viper 640 North American Championship and hosted by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, 42 Viper 640 sportboats from around the world headed out to the Great Sound for the first day of racing. The westerly they faced sailing out soon turned to a southerly with gusts into the 20-knot range only to have winds dissipated by repeated lines of rain crossing the Sound.

PRO Hank Stuart and his team started the first race of the regatta on time with a mile course that saw Zeke Horowitz (Annapolis, MD), sailing with Brendan Healey and Ian Coleman, take the lead at the first mark; a position they would hold throughout the day.

Two races were run before the wind (and rain) died out. The weather was shifty; the direction was anywhere from 145-300, ranged from 3-12 knots during racing and was held in flat water just to the southeast of Pearl Island.

Behind Horowitz in second, with eight points, is Justin Scott (Great Britain via Darien, CT) sailing with Rob Crane and Trevor Burd with a 2-6 scoreline. Tied for third with 13 points are Geoff Fargo (Santa Barbara, CA), sailing with Jeff Grange and Spencer Steffan, and Bruce Mattinson (Albany, WA, Australia) with Arlyn Mattinson, Ben Marler, and Keith Swinton as crew.

Topping the Corinthian division is Fargo followed by the team of Peter Beardsley, Jay Rhame, Rachel Beardsley, and Rachel Rhame in second and Somers Kempe, Adam Barboza, Debbie Barboza in third.

Day 2 of the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship is scheduled for tomorrow with early winds predicted to be in excess of 30 knots but moderating later with…wait for it…more rain.

Racing is scheduled for November 16 to 19.

Day One Results (Top 10 of 42 boats; 2 races)
1. Zeke Horowitz, USA – 1 -1 ; 2
2. Justin Scott, GBR – 2 -6 ; 8
3. Geoff Fargo, USA – 11 -2 ; 13
4. Bruce Mattinson, AUS – 3 -10 ; 13
5. Peter Beardsley, USA – 4 -13 ; 17
6. Rod Beurteaux, AUS – 6 -11 ; 17
7. Brian Johansen, CAN – 12 -8 ; 20
8. Tim Carter, USA – 16 -5 ; 21
9. Cole Constantineau, USA – 14 -7 ; 21
10. Somers Kempe, BER – 8 -18 ; 26

Event details – Scoreboard – Facebook

Source: Edward Padin, Viper 640 Class