ORR Regional Championship 2016

Offshore Racing Rule (ORR) and the Offshore Racing Association (ORA) have announced the winners of their annual regional championship series in the West Coast, Great Lakes, and East Coast.

2016 ORR West Coast Championship Series – Northern Division
Wayne Koide’s Encore finished in first place, thereby winning the same championship as in 2015. The top three placings of this year’s regional championship series include:

First Place: Encore – Sydney 36 CR owned by Wayne Koide
Second Place: Buona Sera – Santa Cruz 70 owned by Edward Marez
Third Place: Adrenalin LLC – SNC 50 owned by Mark & Shana Howe

The ORR West Coast Championship Series began in 2013 and the 2016 Northern Division races included: the OYRA Lightship Race, Great Vallejo Race, Spinnaker Cup, Coastal Cup Race, OYRA Farrallon Islands Race, Pacific Cup, and Rolex Big Boat Series. Scores were based on the best results of a minimum of 3 of the aforementioned races. The Pacific Cup was weighted as two races while all other regattas were weighted as one race.

2016 ORR West Coast Championship Series – Southern Division
This incredibly competitive region brought out dozens of racers who vied for top honors. This year the awards go to:

First Place: Horizon – Santa Cruz 50 owned by John Shulze
Second Place: Timeshaver – J/125 owned by Viggo Torbensen
Third Place: Pyewacket – Andrews 70 owned by Roy P. Disney

Races included in the 2016 West Coast Championship Series – Southern division, included: San Diego to Puerto Vallarta Race, MEXORC, Island Race, Newport to Ensenada Race, So Cal 300, Santa Barbara to King Harbor, and Long Point Race Week. Each yacht’s score for the championship series consisted of points earned during these qualifying events. The San Diego to Puerto Vallarta Race was weighted as two races and the So Cal 300 race weight as one and a half races. All other regattas were weighted as one race.

2016 ORR Great Lakes Championship Series
This series brings together top sailors racing in some challenging conditions. Taking top honors this year was Philip & Sharon O’Niel with their boat, Natalie J. Other winners include:

First Place: Natalie J – TP52 owned by Philip & Sharon O’Niel
Second Place: Heartbreaker – TP52 owned by Robert L. Hughes
Third Place: Denali^2 – Carkeek HPR 40 owned by William F. McKinley

Natalie J. is a fixture in Great Lakes racing and came in second place in the 2012 ORR Great Lakes Championship Series. This year marks the first time Natalie J. was able to race in four major regattas in the Great Lakes under the ORR Rule.

The Offshore Racing Rule started its regional championship racing series in 2010 in the Great Lakes, which was utilized as a testing ground for using the ORR in a variety of regional races. Executive Director Bjorn Johnson explained, “It’s amazing how the Offshore Racing Rule and the regional championship series have exploded since our inaugural year in 2010. The Great Lakes Championship Series was our launch of a grassroots effort to promote and encourage racing to a much broader base of boat owners. We couldn’t be more pleased with its success not only in the Great Lakes, but across the country.”

The 2016 Great Lakes Championship Series included the following events: the Queen’s Cup, Bayview Mackinac Race, Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, Verve Cup (Offshore) and Bayview Yacht Club Long Distance Race. Each yacht’s score for the series consisted of the points earned in the qualifying events; the Mackinac was weighted as two races and all other regattas were weighted as one.

2016 Offshore Racing Rule East Coast Championship Series
Taking first place was Charles and CJ Bocklet’s boat, Perigee, a Beneteau 42. This year’s series was as competitive as ever with top boats racing in varied conditions. The top three finishers were:

First Place: Perigee – Beneteau 42 owned by CJ and Charles Bocklet
Second Place: Dreamcatcher – Swan 48 owned by Stephen Kylander
Third Place: That’s Ridiculous – Beneteau First 36.7 owned by Francis Nilsen

Charles and CJ Bocklet had an impressive racing season with a young crew that had to convince the Newport Bermuda Race Committee to let them sail in that tough race. The team focused on safety first, then having fun, and finally, to sail fast. They committed to an aggressive pre-Bermuda race schedule and the crew pushed themselves to the limit and sailed hard.

Dreamcatcher, a Swan 48, came in second place and has been a part of the ORR East Coast Championship Series in previous years, winning in 2014 and 2013. This is the first year for That’s Ridiculous, owned by Francis Nilsen, to be in the top 3 of this series.

The East Coast Championship Series began in 2012 and this year the races that were part of the series included: the Block Island Race, New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta, Newport Bermuda Race, Anniversary Regatta at Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, and the Stamford Vineyard Race. Scoring was based on the results of a minimum of two races, with each yacht competing in at least one distance race in order to qualify. Each yacht’s score for the Championship Series consisted of the points earned in the qualifying events with the Newport Bermuda Race weighted as one and one half races. All other regattas were weighted as one race. The combination of the best two individual race scores was used to determine the series scoring.

Source: www.offshoreracingrule.org