Qualifying continues at Governor’s Cup

Newport Beach, CA (July 18, 2018) – Just when it looked like Balboa Yacht Club’s 52nd Annual Governor’s Cup International Youth Match Racing Championship last year’s four semi-finalists would make a repeat appearance in those same roles, U.S. Youth Match Racing Champion (USYMRC), Jack Parkin (USA), and U.S. Intercollegiate Match Racing Champion, Scott Sinks (USA), came on strong.

While the number-one ranked match racing skipper in the world, Australian Harry Price, slipped to second behind his arch-rival, New Zealand’s Leonard Takahashi, the two GovCup veterans in the oldest youth match racing series in the world are still on top, but barely, on scores of eleven wins (Takahashi) and ten and a half wins (Price). Price had a half point deducted due to a collision during yesterday’s racing that caused damage to another boat.

After struggling in the first Round Robin, Jack Parkin (USA) caught fire today. Starting Round Robin 2 this afternoon, he faced both leaders with odds stacked against him – given Price’s ranking and Takahashi’s unbeaten record in every major youth match racing event in Australia and New Zealand since the last GovCup. Parkin’s learning curve was quite steep, and he handily beat both to be the story of the day.

The last race of the six flights completed by the Balboa Yacht Club Race Committee today pitted Parkin against defending GovCup Champion, Christophe Killian, then at nine wins. Interest was high to see if “Jack the Giant Slayer” could complete the trifecta by beating all the leaders and favorites in the championship. It was not crucial for Killian to win that race given his point total and the likelihood that he would ultimately gain a semi-final berth. Accomplished sailors like Killian tend to rise to the occasion. In this case he did, beating Parkin with relative ease. That left Killian with ten wins and Parkin with eight.

Parkin’s performance today should not have been a surprise. After his USYMRC win in June, five-time United States Match Racing Champion and coach, Dave Perry, said, “This kid is the real deal.” Perry was, yet again, proven right today.

San Diego Yacht Club’s Scott Sinks had been a “sleeper” during the first two days but has consistently been able to put points on the board and is now in sixth place with seven wins. Will Boulden (AUS) and Matt Whitfield (GBR) are just behind with six wins. With eight races to go in Round Robin 2, and after many of the upsets that began in the second Round Robin, the fight for the last semi-final spot will be intense.

Today’s wind was light, averaging five to nine knots. However, the purpose-built GovCup 22s provided to the competitors met the challenge. Built locally by Westerly Marine, most competitors agree they are the best boats among all those used in various match racing events around the world.

It is likely that Round Robin 2 will be complete by midday Friday (July 20), at which time the four semi-finalists will start the “knock out” semifinals to determine the two skippers who will sail in the GovCup finals on Saturday. Killian and Price will be looking to join ten other sailors who have won twice the GovCup’s 52-year history.

The Governor’s Cup is sailed in BYC’s Governor’s Cup 22 sloops for sailors no more than 22 years old. Racing is planned for on July 17-21.

Event details – Results

2018 Teams:
Will Boulden (AUS), Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club
Crew: Alex Negri & Peron Pearse

Clare Costanzo (AUS), Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
Crew: Jessica Angus, Hannah Lanz, & Ruby Scholten

Felix Jacobsen (DEN), Royal Danish Yacht Club
Crew: Sebastian Pieters & August de la Cour

Christophe Killian (USA), College of Charleston Yacht Club
Crew: Porter Killian & Jeffrey Petersen

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

Jack Parkin (USA), Riverside Yacht Club
Crew: Wiley Rogers, Victoria Thompson, & Bram Brakman

Scott Sinks (USA), San Diego Yacht Club
Crew: Wade Waddell & Johannes McElvain

Leonard Takahashi (NZL), Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
Crew: Josh Wijohn & Taylor Balogh

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

Matt Whitfield (GBR), Penarth Yacht Club
Crew: Scott Wallis & Zak Bermon

James Wilson (NZL), Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
Crew: Marco Hull & Logan Andresen

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