Schaffner tops at U.S. Offshore Champs

Eight teams representing their respective US Sailing Areas from regions around the country vied for the Lloyd Phoenix Trophy on September 15-17 at the 2023 U.S. Offshore Sailing Championship. Skipper Charles Schaffner and his crew from Edgewater Yacht Club (Ohio) emerged as the winners with winds from five to 25knots in Annapolis, MD.

Schaffner, who normally sails with this crew on a J/105 Fall Line, credits the win to clean sailing and teamwork in the United States Naval Academy’s fleet of Navy 44 MK II sloops.

“We came to this regatta in 2017 and didn’t have as great a result then,” said Schaffner. “So, coming into this year’s event, we had a goal and were able to pull it off! We were able to sail clean, stay out of the protest room, and not get involved with the other competitors.”

Schaffner, with 26.5 points, was followed by Matt Beck and his crew from Annapolis Yacht Club in second with 28.8, followed by three-time trophy winner Bruce Kuryla and crew from Milford Yacht Club and Eastern Connecticut Sailing Association with 30.3 points.

The Race Committee was able to complete three buoy races and four distance races on Chesapeake Bay during the event. Races were sailed in the vicinity of Thomas Point Lighthouse. The first races were sailed in the remnants of Hurricane Lee, with the wind gusting over 26 knots. That was followed on day two with a light air, starting at 12 knots and dwindling down to un-sailable conditions, causing the race committee to abandon the day’s second distance race. Conditions picked up again for final day, treating competitors to a 14-16 knot southerly straight up the Chesapeake Bay.

“Naval Academy sailing is delighted to continue to host this regatta, it’s a special event for our midshipmen to be able to participate in against sailors of a high caliber from across the country,” said Jahn Tihansky, Director and Head Coach of the U.S. Naval Academy Offshore Sailing Team.

“The mids that sail with the visiting teams all come away with huge lessons learned regarding how offshore racing is done in the ‘outside world.’ It’s a symbiotic relationship – competitors love sailing with our mids, and our mids love getting to sail with these teams.”

The U.S. Offshore Championship is a biennial event, hosted at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Full scores: https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=16238

Entry List:
Chris Lewis (Austin, TX)
Bruce Kuryla (Milford, CT)
Matt Beck (Annapolis, MD)
Jeff Freeman (Flowery Branch, GA)
Charles Schaffner (Avon Lake, OH)
Keith Ives (Long Beach, CA)
Daniel McGanty (Long Beach, CA)

Event details: https://www.ussailing.org/competition/championships/2023-u-s-offshore-championshipre-sailing/
Photos: https://usst.photoshelter.com/galleries/C0000CPsUaXNq_HI/2023-U-S-Offshore-Championship

Source: US Sailing