Semi Finals begin at Governor’s Cup

Newport Beach, CA (July 20, 2018) – Though the four semifinalists were mathematically decided yesterday, the fourth day of the 52nd Annual Governor’s Cup International Youth Match Racing Championship saw the 12 teams complete the second round robin series to finalize the ranking order going into the knock-out stage of the competition.

Harry Price (AUS, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia) chose local favorite and Newport Beach native, Christophe Killian (USA, College of Charleston YC), the GovCup defending champion, as his semifinal opponent, surprising many experienced Cup watchers. But it proved a smart decision, as tonight he is up 2-0 over Killian in his first-to-win-three-race semifinal.

Meanwhile, in the other semi, Chris Weis (USA, Del Rey Yacht Club) and Leonard Takahashi (NZL, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron) split, and go into tomorrow’s racing 1-1.

Those who might think that the sport needs foiling boats to produce exciting racing, did not see the first Killian/Price semifinal.

After a short dial-up and run around the spectator fleet, Killian attempted a leeward duck on Price, but making contact, incurred a penalty at 1:30 before the starting horn. With both boats over at the start, Killian ducked the line ahead of Price. Both sailors stayed left, but Price had to tack right to find clearer air. Killian, favoring the left side throughout the windward leg, found his lead expanded to four boat lengths. The question for Killian: how much of a lead did he need to resolve his penalty?

Downwind, Killian maintained his advantage with careful jibing to find clearer air. Finally, at the last windward mark, Killian resolved his penalty with a clever turn and jibe, maintaining his clear lead. But, Price, the “Downwind Magician” who based on past performance, either passes a competitor ahead or has few issues maintaining a lead on the runs, covered Killian at every step of their run to the finish line.

The final 200 yards decided the race, with Price finding an overlap and forcing Killian up. After another jibe, Killian tried the same tactic, but couldn’t achieve the overlap, and Price sailed over the line with less than a boat length win.

The second match-up between Killian and Price found Killian getting stuck behind a significant southerly shift and an eventual Price win. Price now has a 2-0 race advantage.

In the other semi-final race, the second match-up between Takahashi and Weis found Takahashi down 0-1. Mirroring the Killian/Price start from race number one, Takahashi and Weis’ dial up led to a separation and eventual start to the left with Weis being forced to tack away to the right. Limited engagement provided a one boat-length advantage to Weis at the windward mark, which he expanded to two boat lengths at the leeward gate.

This time, Weis went left, while Takahashi chose right. Despite the southerly shift, Takahashi closed the gap at the windward mark, then found clear air all the way to the finish line, where he managed to even the racing to 1-1, with a two boat-length win.

The first-to-three-wins semifinals continue tomorrow, after which the winners of the semifinals advance to the best-of-five finals on this final day of the competition.

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