2023 Ideal 18 North American Champs

Hosted by the Larchmont Yacht Club on September 16-17, the 2023 Ideal 18 North American Championship attracted 34 teams from around the northeastern U.S. and Canada for the nine race series in Larchmont, NY.

The approach of Hurricane Lee did not disrupt the event as the first day saw winds in the high teens with the occasional gust above 20 knots while the conditions on the final day of 6-10 knots created ideal Ideal sailing.

Hunter Muller and Rhys Goff from Pequot Yacht Club (Southport, CT) claimed the championship with a scoreline that included two first, two seconds, and two thirds with a tenth as their throw out. Six points behind in second were Matt and Tori Gimple from Stonington (CT) Harbor Yacht Club, followed by Ian Brown and Dale King from Toronto’s Royal Canadian Yacht Club in third.

Muller described the series:
“On Day 1, we had heavy wind with massive puffs. There were a lot of boats that had knockdowns, but we were able to sail solidly having practiced in heavy air. We worked hard to keep our keel underneath us to maintain control in the puffs. On Day 1, we had some really good takedowns giving us an advantage over some others.

“On Day 2, we had lighter winds finishing third twice, but also sailed our throw out. Once we got off the line, we were able to point well with good boat speed.

“Our thanks to the Larchmont Yacht Club for throwing a great regatta. We were here for the NAs two years ago, finishing third, and are glad we came back. We also want to thank our PYC coach Evan Olmstead and Dave Perry, our ‘leader’ at Pequot.”

LYC member Teresa Laughlin finished fifth and was the top local sailor and the top women helm. She commented, “What an incredibly fun and challenging regatta that had it all. Big breeze, crazy shifts, lumpy seas, light air, and amazing competition from the beginning to the end.”

Details: https://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=15791

Source: Buttons Padin