Killian Wins Governor’s Cup

Corona del Mar, CA (July 22, 2017) – Christophe Killian, 20, of host Balboa Yacht Club, Newport Beach, California, won the 51st Governor’s Cup International Youth Match Racing Championship with a 3- 1 victory over New Zealand’s Leonard Takahashi before a record number of spectator boats watching the action. Killian and his crew Harrison Vandervort, won five of their last seven races in the semi-finals and finals, with a 3-0 win over Christopher Weis of Del Rey Yacht Club, Marina del Rey, California.

Waiting to Congratulate the Gov Cup winning skipper was one of the few BYC two-time winners of the event, Brad Wheeler. Brad won the Gov Cup in 1978 and 1979. Tall and lanky, Brad continues to be competitive, racing his 8 foot Naples Sabot, #9898, “Little Woody” often in BYC Twilights on Wednesday evenings. Former BYC member, Jack Franco, won in 1980, the last time a BYC member won the Gov Cup.

Killian would be the first to admit that it wasn’t easy. While he won the first race against Takahashi with relative ease, the eighteen-year-old New Zealander came right back to tie the series with a win in race two.

This morning Takahashi arrived at the club with a big smile and said, “I was so excited last night I couldn’t go to sleep.” Clearly sleep wasn’t an issue, and Takahashi also pointed out, “I love to be the underdog.”

Australia’s Harry Price, winner of the double round robin portion of the event – where every team sails against every other team twice – chose his opponent from among the semi-finalists as is the practice in modern match racing events. Many observers predicted that he would choose the youngest sailor in the group, Takahashi, and he did so. But, like many such choices, sometimes they go terribly wrong; in this case, Price may regret that decision as Takahashi beat Price 3-1 in their semi-final.

Price, as the 6th ranked sailor in the World Sailing Open Match Racing rankings, was a favorite coming into the event but a few uncharacteristic mistakes resulted in his loss to the young Kiwi to set up what turned out to be an exciting Killian-Takahashi final. Price and Weis sailed the petit final to determine third place. Price’s difficulties continued in a 3-1 loss to Weis.

All of the top four skippers will be eligible to return again in 2018. The top age limit for the event is 23. Christophe decline to say if he would return, since he will have graduated from College of Charleston. Takahashi, 18 and Weis, 21, both promised to be back. Harry Price and his team will be staying for a few more weeks since they will be racing at BYC again – July 31 through August 5. At that time, the club will host the 2017 World Sailing Youth Match Racing World Championship. That event is the fourth in its history. It depends on geographical diversity and limits entries to no more than two teams per country.

Six of the teams that raced in the Gov Cup will be included in 2018. In addition to Price, Americans Greiner Hobbs of Florida and local Charlie Welsh from Newport Harbor Yacht Club will be racing. The all-girl team from Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Australia, led by Clare Costanzo will compete. She is currently ranked #11 in the World Sailing Women’s Rankings. They placed sixth in the Gov Cup this week in their first time racing in the GC22’s. George Anyon will represent New Zealand. He is from Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. He placed eighth in this year’s Gov Cup. Representing the United Kingdom is Matt Whitfield. Matt and his team won the prestigious Chet and Glee Purcell Sportsmanship Cup.

Round Robin 1 Results

Round Robin 2 Results

Final Results

The following format was planned:
Stage 1 – A double round robin of all teams.
Stage 2 – A semi-final knockout of the top four teams from Stage 1.
Stage 3 – A final knockout of the top two teams from Stage 2.
Stage 4 – A petit final knockout of the other two teams from Stage 2.
Stage 5 – A consolation round for the teams finishing five through twelve from Stage 1.

2017 TEAMS
George Anyon (NZL), Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, 22
Crew: Matthew Hughes & Taylor Balogh

Will Boulden (AUS), Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, 21
Crew: Mark Spearman & Damian Garbowski

Clare Costanzo (AUS), Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, 20
Crew: Jessica Angus, Emma May & Hannah Lanz

Greiner Hobbs (USA), Davis Island Yacht Club, 20
Crew: Colton Carnevale & Noah Barrengos

Christophe Killian (USA), Balboa Yacht Club, 20
Crew: Harrison Vandervort & Jack Martin

James Pinder (UK), Cambridge University Cruising Club, 21
Crew: George Hopes, Jemima Lawson & Jamie Webb

Harry Price (AUS), Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, 21
Crew: Angus Williams & Cameron Seagreen

Leonard Takahashi (JPN), Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, 18
Crew: Ibuki Kolzuni & Josh Wijohn

Christopher Weis (USA), Del Rey Yacht Club, 21
Crew: Roberto Stevens & Dylan Finestone

Charlie Welsh (USA), Newport Harbor Yacht Club, 21
Crew: John Horton & Robert Garrett

Matt Whitfield (UK), Wessex Sailing Club, 20
Crew: Sophie Heritage & Ellie Meopham

David Wood (USA), Balboa Yacht Club, 16
Crew: Max Brennan & Catherine Reynolds

Source: BYC