Top four advance at Governor’s Cup

Newport Beach, CA (July 19, 2018) – The third day of the 52nd Annual Governor’s Cup International Youth Match Racing Championship saw the 12 teams continue in the second round robin series to see which four teams would advance to the knock-out stage of the competition.

Some would call today’s Flight 18 match between Harry Price (AUS, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia), the world’s number-one ranked match racer of any age, and GovCup defending champion, Christophe Killian (USA, College of Charleston YC), epic, classic even. Regardless, it was a real barn-burner.

The pre-start was hotly contested, with Price controlling Killian until the final 45 seconds. In a risky escape move, Killian jibed close ahead of Price who arguably had to alter course to avoid a collision, but the umpires green-flagged it (no penalty).

Killian ended up winning the start by a boat length and led at the first two crosses up Leg 1. However, later in the first leg he could not hold off Price, who charged into the lead with slightly better boat handling.

Down the Leg 2 run, Killian pulled even, but Price aggressively luffed him into “downwind jail” (off to the right side of the gate) and both sailed well past it. Eventually, Price led Killian back to the gate and aggressively covered his opponent for the balance of the race. The two teams were never more than three boat lengths apart – and that was the delta at the finish.

The win helped cement Price’s tenuous standing at the top of the leaderboard on 15 wins (14.5 points after being docked half a point on day one for failing to avoid contact). He went on to win his Flight 19 match against Felix Jacobsen (DEN), ending the day undefeated with five wins and 15.5 points.

Killian was involved in the other big match of the day against another pre-regatta favorite, Leonard Takahashi (NZL, Royal New Zealand YS). Takahashi had defeated Killian in Round Robin 1, but trailed in most of today’s aggressively-sailed (by both teams) match – coming from far behind and passing Killian in the final 100 meters for the win and a solid 4-1 day, losing only to the steady Chris Weis (USA, Del Rey YC).

Meanwhile, yesterday’s Jack “The Giant Killer” Parkin (USA, Riverside YC), who had defeated both Price and Takahashi, had a less auspicious day today with only two wins. He beat Jacobsen and Wilson, while losing to Matt Whitfield (GBR), Will Boulden (AUS), and Clare Costanzo (AUS). Even if Parkin and Boulden win their remaining three matches, and Killian loses all three, they would only be tied on points, and Killian would get the tie-break nod having beaten Parkin and Boulden in their Round Robin 2 match.

Scott Sinks (USA, San Diego YC) also struggled today, going 0-5 after winning four on day one and three yesterday, dashing his chances for a semifinal berth.

David Wood (USA, Balboa YC) had his best day, notching wins against Whitfield, Boulden, and Jacobsen, and losing only to top dogs Price and Killian.

With a steady 5-9 knots of breeze most of the afternoon, in the face of a dying breeze, Principal Race Officer, Don Becker, wisely halted the proceedings as planned, after Flight 19. The remaining three Round Robin 2 flights will be raced tomorrow beginning at 11:30a PDT before the start of the semifinals.

Though the four semifinalists are mathematically decided, the remaining three Round Robin 2 flights could have a significant impact – the leading team at the end of the Rounds Robin gets to choose their semifinal opponent.

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

Source: BYC