Team Lihan Clinches Etchells Midwinters

Forty-six teams competed in the 2019 Etchells Midwinters West, the fourth event of the four-stage Etchells Biscayne Bay Series, held March 1-3 in Miami, FL.

Conditions were variable over the midwinters championship, with the first two days seeing 5-8 knots and significant shifts to keep crew guessing. The final day saw Biscayne Bay at its best, as the winds gradually increased from 8 knots to 12 knots averages during the three final races.

After suffering a 16th in the third race on Biscayne Bay, Thomas Lihan with his crew of Luke Lawrence and Eric Lawrence posted all top ten scores to win the seven race series by ten points over Mark Mendleblatt with Andrew Cumming two points back in third.

Ante Razmilovic with crew Brian Hammersley and Andrew Mills topped the Corinthian fleet.

Final Results (Top 10 of 46; 7 races, 1 discard)
1. Thomas Lihan / Luke Lawrence / Eric Lawrence – 5 -8 -[16] -9 -2 -3 -1 ; 28
2. Mark Mendlebatt / Eric Langendal / Chuck Norris – [31] -9 -3 -2 -9 -6 -9 ; 38
3. Andrew Cumming / Will Felder / Victor Diaz Deleon / Nikki Medley – [14] -13 -10 -1 -8 -2 -6 ; 40
4. Stephen Benjamin / Ian Liberty / Jonny Goldsberry / Michael Menninger – [16] -3 -6 -13 -4 -8 -11 ; 45
5. Lawrie Smith / Gonçalo Ribeiro / Richard Parslow / Joao De Matos Rosa – 24 -5 -[47] -8 -5 -1 -4 ; 47
6. Peter Vessella / Bill Johns / Phil Trinter – 6 -[34] -4 -20 -7 -4 -13 ; 54
7. Scott Kaufman / Lucas Calabrese / Diego Stefani / Austen Anderson – 2 -[24] -11 -5 -17 -22 -2 ; 59
8. Marvin Beckmann / Bill Hardesty / Pilar Calabrese / Jimmy Baranasa – [20] -6 -8 -3 -18 -18 -7 ; 60
9. Jay Cross / George Peet / Erik Shampain / Michael Buckley – 17 -10 -[47] -12 -6 -10 -8 ; 63
10. Bruce Burton / Jon Easley / Glenn Burton – 4 -16 -20 -[47] -13 -11 -3 ; 67

Series information – Event details – Results

2019 Etchells Biscayne Bay Series
The Etchells Biscayne Bay Series is not only a welcome escape from the frozen north; it is a great opportunity for super sailing on Miami’s famous Biscayne Bay. Hosted by Coconut Grove’s historic Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, this four regatta series offers great competition and plenty of sunshine (during racing) and frozen beverages (après sailing).

This series began in December with the Etchells Piana Cup that was won by Steve Benjamin. Steve followed that up with another victory in January’s Sid Doran Memorial. In February, Tony Rae led the fleet.

Overall winners of the 2019 Biscayne Bay Series: Ian Liberty, Steve Benjamin, Jonny Goldsberry, Jeff Nehms (missing: Michael Menninger)

Steve Benjamin and his team on Terrapin took the honors in the overall 2019 Biscayne Bay Series, comprising of 21 races over four regattas. The overall result is scored with each team allowed to drop one of the regattas with the exception of the MidWinters.

Benjamin was followed in the top 10 finishes by Tom Lihan/Luke Lawrence, Andrew Cummings, Jay Cross, Marvin Beckmann, Scott Kaufman, Jose Fuentes, “Corinthian” Ante Tazmilovic, Doug Douglas and, in 10th place overall for the Biscayne Bay Series was Michael Goldfarb’s War Canoe.

BBYC’s Race Committee Chair Bruce Harper, PRO Stuart Childerley and the BBYC’s experienced Race Committee ran the successful series.

2018-19 Etchells Biscayne Bay Series:
Louis Piana Cup Regatta December 8 & 9, 2018
Sidney Doren Memorial Regatta January 5 & 6, 2019
Florida State Championship February 9 & 10, 2019
Mid-Winter’s East Regatta March 1 – 3, 2019

To qualify for the overall 2018-19 Etchells Biscayne Bay Series prizes, boats must include their score in the Mid-Winter’s Regatta and any two of the other three individual regattas (Piana Cup, Sidney Doren Memorial, or Florida State Championship). Overall scores from each individual regatta of the series will be used employing The Low Point System (1st Place = 1 point, 2nd Place = 2 points, 3rd Place = 3 points, etc.). The boat with the lowest score will be declared the overall winner of the 2018 Biscayne Bay Regatta Series.

Source: Connie Bischoff