Hard Core Fun at Palmer Trophy

Newport Beach, CA (April 10, 2018) – Heading into the Baldwin Cup Team Race, the Newport Harbor Yacht Club hosted the third Palmer Trophy Grandmasters Team Race with eight teams competing in a three on three team race format. This iconic regatta boasts America’s Cup veterans, college all-Americans and accomplished champions.

The Palmer Trophy Grandmasters Team Race is named after Newport Harbor Staff Commodore Bill Palmer whose passion for team racing inspired the creation of the Baldwin Team Cup Race. It is part of the Grand Masters year-round circuit, where to win the circuit, competitors must race in three out of the five events.

The hallmark of this “gentleman’s” race is honoring the Corinthian spirit for this highly competitive group of legacy sailors that enjoy team racing and camaraderie.

This year’s event featured teams from all over the U.S., including The New York Yacht Club, The Norton Yacht Club, The Newport Harbor Yacht Club (Fire), The Newport Harbor Yacht Club (Ice), The Pequot Yacht Club, The San Diego Yacht Club, The St. Francis Yacht Club and the Texas Corinthian Yacht Club.

“This event tested sailor’s light air skills, as we never saw wind over 5-6 knots,” said John Fuller, P.R.O. “Competitors won because of light air consistency with no big mistakes. Taking penalty turns in light air proved to be catastrophic.”

Chandler Hill, race administrator from the Newport Harbor Yacht Club, noted, “We were able to get in one complete round robin of racing and 80% of round robin two was completed. There was extremely close competition through the entire regatta, with a three-way tie for 1st place going into the 2nd day.

During disagreements on the course, racers are often heard to say, “I’m sorry”, or “Pardon me,” instead of the usual colorful commentary associated with competitive racing. As John Fuller, continued, “It’s not hard, it’s hard core fun – relatively less stressful and calm.”

The comment that best sums up the Palmer Trophy Grandmasters Team Race comes from Dave Perry, “The great thing about the Palmer Trophy is that we don’t age. Every year we come back, and it is like we are 25 again.”

Results
1st Place:
Pequot Yacht Club
David & Susan Dellenbaugh, Peter & Debra Haynes, Dave Perry & Kathy Reed

2nd Place:
NHYC Ice
Doug Rastello & Kurt Wiese, Robert Kinney & Nick Madigan, Phil Thompson & Mark Conzelman

3rd Place:
St. Francis Yacht Club
Russ Silvestri & Dave Willke, Craig Healy & Tom Ducharme, Tracy Usher & Jon Andron

Event Website

Source: Chris Ann Goddard