Light wind day at Chester Race Week

Chester, Nova Scotia (August 16, 2018) – The second day of Chester Race Week was a light air test for the 120 teams competing in 14 one design and handicap fleets.

“Our race officers decided to move further out into the bay where winds ran about 8-10 km/hour,” said Patricia Nelder, Chair-water for the event. “Light-wind sailing is a whole different skill, so it put their technical skills to the test.”

Amid the field, women skippers and all-women crews have been making inroads at Race Week over the years. Three women living in Ontario with Nova Scotia connections made plans at last year’s Chester Race Week to sail together this summer. Rhonda Joyce (helm), Jennifer Paterson (main) and Julia Carroll (jib) sailed together on the Bluenose Sandpiper out of Chester. Despite only one hour of practice, their first day went even better than expected.

“We didn’t get involved with any of the competitive drama that happens in a race. Instead, we waited for the other boats to crowd around the marks. We were able to round quickly and smoothly once the confusion was over,” said Joyce. “By thinking it through and being consistent, we were able to finish in the top third of the fleet.”

Karen Fowler from Bedford Basin Yacht Club led a 4-woman crew to sail her J/22 Cheap Thrill.

“You see a lot of men sailing in these types of regattas, so the chance to pull together a group of talented female sailors and sail as hard as we can feels great. We’re working really well as a team, and we pulled in some great results on both days,” Fowler said.

Racing is planned for August 15 to 18.

Event details – Race information – Results

Day Two Results – Top Three

Bluenose (One Design – 21 Boats)
1. Wahoo, Bluenose 23, Henry Demone , Chester, NS, CAN – [9] -1 -1 -3 -9 -3 ; 17
2. Shaken Knot Stirred, Bluenose 22, Malcolm Fraser , Chester, NS, CAN – 4 -4 -5 -6 -4 -[12] ; 23
3. Rebel, Bluenose 23, Thomas Murphy , Chester, NS, CAN – [22] -6 -3 -11 -3 -1 ; 24

Classics (Pursuit – 7 Boats)
1. pursuit, custom peterson 46 46, bob belliveau , chester, CAN – 2 -1 ; 3
2. Seneca, Classic 48, David Creighton , Chester, NS, CAN – 1 -3 ; 4
3. Hayseed IV, Wm Gardner P 54, Christopher Wurts , Chester, NS, CAN – 5 -2 ; 7

Distance 1 (PHRF_ToT – 9 Boats)
1. Deviation, J 120 40, Stu McCrea , Halifax, NS, CAN – 1 -2 -1 ; 4
2. Rebel Rebel, X-Yacht X-35 35, Sarah / Greg Hardy , Halifax, NS, CAN – 6 -1 -5 ; 12
3. Wandrian , Taylor 41 41, Bill Tucker , Halifax, NS, CAN – 4 -5 -3 ; 12

Distance 2 (PHRF_ToT – 7 Boats)
1. Young Blood, J 100 32′, Larry Creaser , Chester, NS, CAN – 1 -1 -2 ; 4
2. HELOC, J 35 35, Andrew Childs , Halifax, NS, CAN – 3 -2 -1 ; 6
3. J’ai Tu, J 35 35, Rodney Johnstone / Gary Bennett , Storrs, CT, USA – 2 -4 -3 ; 9

Distance 3 (PHRF_ToT – 5 Boats)
1. Poohsticks, J 92 30, Colin Mann , Lunenburg, NS, CAN – 4 -1 -1 ; 6
2. Persistence, Frers 33 33.25, Mike / Heather Hoyt , Herring Cove, NS, CAN – 2 -3 -2 ; 7
3. Wildthing VI, Beneteau 42s7 42, Greg/Liz Hammond , Glen Margaret, NS, CAN – 1 -4 -4 ; 9

Distance 4 (PHRF_ToT – 7 Boats)
1. Just Add Water, J 30 30, Jesleine Baker , Halifax, NS, CAN – 3 -1 -1 ; 5
2. Flux, J 30 30, Jordan MacNeil , Halifax, NS, CAN – 2 -2 -3 ; 7
3. Highlander, Dehler DB1 33, Dan Pride , Halifax, NS, CAN – 1 -4 -4 ; 9

Distance 5 (PHRF_ToT – 12 Boats)
1. Patience, Nonsuch 30 Ultra 30, Bruce Flinn , Halifax, NS, CAN – 1 -6 -1 ; 8
2. Rougewave, Viking 28 28, Elizabeth Whyte , Halifax, NS, CAN – 5 -2 -4 ; 11
3. Foxy Lady, Chaser 29 29, Bob Cragg , Chester , NS, CAN – 3 -1 -11 ; 15

Inshore 2 – J105 (PHRF_ToT – 5 Boats)
1. McMac, J 105 10.5m, Sean McDermott / Rory MacDonald , Dartmouth, NS, CAN – 2 -1 -1 ; 4
2. MOJO, J 105 35, James Mosher , Lunenburg, NS, CAN – 1 -3 -2 ; 6
3. Buzz, J 105 35, Barry Eisener , lunenburg, NS, CAN – 3 -2 -5 ; 10

Inshore 1 (PHRF_ToT – 9 Boats)
1. Painkiller, J 29 29.5, jane filbee , Halifax, NS, CAN – 1 -1 -1 -2 -[3] ; 5
2. Scotch Mist IV, J 29 29, Chris MacDonald , Halifax, NS, CAN – [4] -2 -2 -1 -1 ; 6
3. Head Games, J 29 29.5, Terry Schnare , Chester Basin, NS, CAN – 2 -3 -3 -[5] -5 ; 13

Inshore 3 (PHRF_ToT – 9 Boats)
1. Apres Ski, Laser 28 28, Tony Thompson , Bedford , NS, CAN – 2 -3 -1 -1 ; 7
2. Hummin, Soling 26, Bill Haliburton , Halifax, NS, can – 1 -2 -4 -2 ; 9
3. Hoonigan, Soling 27, Ivan Fitch , Chester, NS, CAN – 4 -1 -3 -4 ; 12

Distance (Starting on the Inshore Course) – C&C99 (PHRF_ToT – 4 Boats)
1. Agent 99, C&C 99 33, Rob Crutcher , Bedford, NS, CAN – 1 -1 -1 ; 3
2. Equinox 99, C&C 99 33, Rod Stright , Halifax, NS, CAN – 2 -2 -2 ; 6
3. Demons Dance, C&C 99 32.5, Andrew Watts , Halifax, NS, CAN – 3 -4 -3 ; 10

Sonar (One Design – 8 Boats)
1. Barbarian, Sonar 23, Rob Barbara , Halifax, NS, CAN – [2] -1 -2 -1 -1 -1 ; 6
2. Ping, Sonar 23, Andreas Josenhans , Lunenburg , NS, CAN – 1 -2 -1 -[6] -3 -2 ; 9
3. Model T, Sonar 23, Lesley Taylor , Halifax, NS, CAN – [5] -3 -4 -3 -2 -3 ; 15

Farr 30 (One Design – 7 Boats)
1. Head First 3, Farr 30 30, Peter Toombs , Charlottetown, PEI, CAN – [1] -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 ; 5
2. One More Time, Farr 30 30, Rob Gale , Halifax, NS, CAN – 2 -2 -[6] -5 -2 -2 ; 13
3. Goose, Farr 30 30, Ben Maloney , Bedford, NS, CAN – 3 -3 -3 -2 -[5] -3 ; 14

International One Design (One Design – 10 Boats)
1. Bella, IOD 30, Evan Petley-Jones , Halifax, NS, CAN – 2 -1 -1 -[5] -2 -1 ; 7
2. Restless, IOD 33′, Ted Murphy , Halifax, NS, CAN – 1 -[6] -4 -2 -4 -2 ; 13
3. Squall, IOD 33, Peter Wickwire , Halifax, NS, CAN – 3 -4 -[5] -3 -1 -4 ; 15

Source: Holly Dunn