Dark n’ Stormy Start to Chicago Grand Slam

Chicago, IL (August 19, 2016) – A dark and stormy morning greeted match racers on the first day of the Chicago Grand Slam at Chicago Yacht Club. Storms rolled through pelting Belmont Station with rain until blue skies appeared and the AP was lifted after 11:45 A.M. Southerly winds blew threw at 10-15 knots on Friday while the Air & Water Show was practicing overhead.

After completing eight flights of the fourteen in the double round robin, David Storrs (USA) and Harry Price (AUS) are tied for the lead on six points. Just one point behind, Jeremy Koo (MAS) and Peter Holz (USA) are tied for third and fourth. Peter Holz’s Windy City Match Race Team started strong until he was defeated by Connor Miller (GBR), which ended his four-race winning streak. Holz was given a black flag for earning a double penalty and failing to take his turn soon enough.

The breeze lightened up around 2:00 P.M. as the Thunderbird F16’s continued to buzz overhead. The noise from the airplanes overhead on the water was almost deafening over the Race Committee’s hails. As the breeze lightened in the afternoon, the younger teams with less experience in the Sonars improved their score lines against the teams who had an edge in the challenging conditions earlier in the day, especially Hector Guzman (MEX) and Connor Miller (GBR).

1. Harry Price (AUS) – Ben Robinson and Murray Jones
2. David Storrs (USA) – Chris Steele and Shane Diviney
3. Peter Holz (USA) – Mikey Whitford and Will Holz
4. Jeremy Koo (MAS) – Graeme Sutherland and Mohd Salfullah Mond Esa
5. Steven Lowery (USA) – Rory Lewis and Maurin Lovera
6. Connor Miller (GBR) – Isaac Clarke and Mark Davies
7. Hector Guzman (MEX) – Hector Guzman Sr. and Aisling Sullivan
8. James Wagner (USA) – David Wagner and Spencer Keenan

Saturday, the Race Committee plans to finish a second Round Robin, but the forecast is calling for rain all day with a west southwest wind at 10-15 knots.

Event Website – Results

Source: Morgan Kinney, Chicago Yacht Club