Matt Struble dominates opening day at A-Class Catamaran North Americans

Panama City, FL (May 19, 2015) – Panama City’s St Andrews Bay delivered champagne sailing conditions for Day One of the 2015 A-Class Catamaran North American Championship with three races completed in breeze ranging from eight to 16 knots, flat water and sunny skies.

Matt Struble, multiple A-Cat and DN Ice boat champion, is returning to the A-Cat after a two-year absence and owned the day with three firsts. He’s sailing a borrowed eXploder with JZ foils, and in typical understated style says he’s “winging it,” but his performance says otherwise, finishing the races two-plus minutes ahead of 2nd place Bruce Mahoney, last year’s champion. Bailey White, U.S. A-Class Catamaran president, sits in third overall with 10 points.

Woody Cope has been on a roll producing top 3 results in the fleet this winter with his non-foiling Nikita, a 2004 design with curved boards (C-boards), had a strong day posting 7th and 5th place in the first two races. Until race three, as he and Bob Hodges approached the top mark neck and neck on port, Hodges tacked first, Cope did not complete his tack in time and speared Hodges’ port bow, and then Hodges got wrapped up in the top mark. Back on shore the two worked together to make the repair and Hodges will be back on the water tomorrow.

Hosted by St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club (St.ABYC) and Panama City, 41 sailors are registered from 17 states and Canada, racing on foiling and non-foiling boats ranging from DNAs, eXploders, EVO, XJs, and custom-built designs from OH Rodgers, Ben Hall and Larry Woods. In total, almost half of the boats racing will be testing their foiling skills.

Racing is scheduled on May 19-22.

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