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Chapman places 2nd in Chicago Match Cup Qualifier

RSYS's David Chapman placed 2nd in an all-star class at the Chicago Match Cup Qualifier series to Chris Steele.

Steele from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and his team of Walker Banks on Main, Hamish Hardy on Jib and Tim Siemers on Bow have prevailed in blustery conditions today to win the ISAF Grade 2 Chicago Match Cup Qualifier. In a come-from-behind effort, Steele defeated Australia’s David Chapman 2-1 in a fiery series of matches that were shortened to a first-to-two point series due to strong wind and high wave conditions on Lake Michigan.

Racing in 15-20 knots and lumpy seas, Steele’s road to victory started with being down 2-0 to CMRC’s Don Wilson in the Semi-Final, and then coming back to win the next three to go to the Final to meet Australia’s David Chapman, who won 3-0 over Steve Lowery. 

Then the wind picked up to gusts to over 30 knots with seas building even higher, so CMRC race managers decided to put up the Z flag to indicate that spinnaker use would not be allowed. The lack of these sails did nothing to minimize the action, as the TOM 28’s could easily surf downwind in the huge waves and create and break overlaps quickly and change the tactical game in an instant. The waves were high enough to even scare off the CMRC’s signature houseboat regatta center, which left the race area and headed for safety into nearby Belmont Harbor.

The Finals started well for Chapman, who scoring first blood and put Steele under pressure to win the second match and stay alive for the series. Steele and team did exactly this, setting the stage for a dramatic final showdown. 

In this last match, Chapman took what looked to be a commanding lead, which on the first downwind leg looked safe at 10 lengths. But then Steele surfed a wave into the bottom gate, acquired right of way, and when Chapman did not yield and came out in front, the match umpires gave him a red flag penalty, requiring an immediate penalty turn. This allowed Steele to take the lead and sail to victory.

And in the one-match sudden death Petit Final, Wilson defeated Lowery to take third place overall.

Steele’s only other appearance at CMRC was at last August’s Grade 2 Grand Slam event, where he finished second in a field of 12 teams from 6 nations. This event featured a slightly smaller field - ten teams from four nations - but with valuable Grade 2 winning points Steele should make a significant advance up from his current position of 22nd on the ISAF Open World Match Race Ranking list. 

Chicago Match Cup Qualifier Final results:

1. Chris Steele (NZL)

2. David Chapman (AUS)

3. Don Wilson (USA)

4. Steve Lowery (USA)

5. Stefan Lindberg (FIN)

6. Scott Dickson (NZL)

7. David Storrs (USA)

8. Chris Poole (USA)

9. Tyler Rice (ISV)

10. David Niemann (USA)

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Chapman Leads Final Four at Chicago Cup Match Qualifier

In an exciting finish to a perfect day, the final match determines the Final Four teams to advance to tomorrow's Semi-Finals

Chicago, IL - Under perfect blue skies and a building southerly that peaked at about 14 knots, the second Round Robin of the Chicago Match Cup Qualifier today yielded some surprising winners and losers in Day Two of this ISAF Grade 2 event. Among a competitive field of ten teams from four nations it was Australia's David Chapman and Chicago's Don Wilson who emerged on top, having each won 13 matches each among their 18 sailed.

Since Chapman defeated Wilson, the Australian has earned the right to choose his rival in tomorrow's Semi-Final round, where the winners will be the teams that first earn three points to advance to the Finals. The eventual winner of the event will receive an invitation to the Chicago Match Cup in September, a prize-money ISAF Grade WC event that is the only US stop on the Alpari World Match Racing Tour.

Besides Wilson, Chapman's other Semi-Final choices include another Chicago-area team,

Steven Lowery, who impressively finished this stage of the competition on 12 points despite being ranked 77th in the world, and the only other antipodal team in the competition, 22nd-ranked Chris Steele from New Zealand.

Despite being the series leaders after the first day of racing, Steele's team fell into a losing streak and just barely squeezed into the Final Four, having defeated Staffan Lindberg from Finland in the final match of today. Lindberg's fall from the top ranks was an unexpected result: not only was he the winner of the first Round Robin in defeating Steele in the first match of the day, but he and his team had entered the event as the highest-ranked entry: 10th in the ISAF Open World Match Race Ranking List.

"The competition here has been really tough," said Lindberg. "I did not start today expecting to have to fight for the final spot in the last match, but this is how it goes sometimes. Chris and his team sailed very well."

Chapman will announce his choice at tomorrow's skipper briefing at 8 AM, with Semi-Final match racing action due to start at 9:00 AM on courses set just east of the entrance to Chicago's Belmont Harbor. Finals and Petit-Finals will then follow.

For more information, results and live feeds on Twitter and Facebook, visit the CMRC website at www.chicagomatchrace.com

by CMRC Media

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Cruise 2014 - Race 1 Abandoned Saturday 12th April 2014.

Dear Competitors,
 
Sadly the forecast weather has got worse and the once slight chance of strong to gale force winds from the south has now materialised across all weather modelling systems.
 
Clouds Badham forecast is as follows;
 
Situation
The trough system moving across NSW has increased speed and a low pressure system will develop off the far south coast of NSW this morning. The low will then move NNE to be off the Sydney and then central coast tomorrow (Saturday)  and then move further away to be over the central Tasman later Sunday. 
The movement of the low pressure system up the coast tonight and tomorrow will generate SSW winds along the NSW coast tomorrow, slowly easing back Sunday.
A second burst of strong to gale force S-SE winds is now likely mid to later in the week – with the same low pressure system still operating over the central to eastern Tasman Sea. This is not yet certain and depends on the remnants of TC ITA that are now forecast to join with the low over the Tasman Sea.
 
Forecast
SATURDAY 12
SW/20-30 increasing SW/30-35 inshore and SW/30-40 offshore
SW tending SSW-S overnight
2m waves increasing 2-3m in close and 3-4m immediately offshore on a 1m SE swell 
A few showers, mainly afternoon
 
SUNDAY 13
SW-S/20-30 easing to S/20-25
2-3m seas on a 1-2m S swell
A few showers
 
Sadly Cloud’s forecast marries up with all other forecasts from other organizations and after waiting for later forecast the situation has not improved.
 
Therefore the Race Committee has abandoned tomorrows scheduled 10am Race (Saturday 12th April).
 
For the information of all competitors the following has been agreed to by the race committee;
  1. Saturday 12th April Race is abandoned due to adverse weather and sea conditions.
  2. The intended mooring location for those in Pittwater on Saturday evening is now Refuge Bay. There unfortunately will be no organized BBQ.
  3. Race 2 on Sunday 13th April will be delayed until roughly 1400hrs to allow for late competitor arrival and the weather to settle. Please be aware that this may change.  
  4. All competitors are now asked to make their own way to Pittwater. 
CAUTION: Competitors should take suitable precautions while travelling to Pittwater in unstable weather. Competitors should ensure they have suitably experienced crew for the conditions. All care should be taken in reading up-to-date weather forecasting information and be aware that conditions can deteriorate without warning.
 
The Cruise Committee & Race Committee apologize for any inconvenience and it is their intention to resume the Cruise and racing as soon as weather and conditions allow.
 
Should anyone have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact the sailing office.
 
Chris Stone - RSYS Sailing Manager
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Squadron sailors shine at NSW Optimist Championship

The 2014 International Optimist NSW Championship was held last weekend at Georges River 16' Skiff Sailing Club with almost 150 boats racing across Open, Intermediate  and Green Fleet divisions. 8 members of the Squadron's Optimist Sailing program competed over 2 days against sailors from clubs across NSW and the ACT as well as from Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

Great conditions and good racing at a terrific dinghy venue made for plenty of fun and smiling faces across the fleet and a chance for the Squadron's sailors to sail against and meet sailors from other clubs.

The Optimist Association ran a fantastic event with Open and Intermediate Fleet racing on the main race area in Botany Bay and the Green Fleet enjoying "stadium racing" just off the beach at Dolls Point giving parents and supporters a great view of sailors enjoying their first regatta experience.

In Green Fleet, which is the first / introductory regatta level, Phoebe Thackray, Vaughan O'Shea and Anna Tyquin all sailed well representing the Squadron and while in Green Fleet there are no formal results or trophies, each sailor in Green Fleet received a medal at the prize giving and showed great promise. To cap it off Anna and Phoebe both won prizes in the lucky dip and look forward to cashing in their vouchers at NB Sailsports for some new "go fast" gear for their boats soon (and their parents saving some $$$s too)!

The Intermediate fleet for the next level of sailors looking to develop their racing had 5 Squadron sailors, Henry Davison, Maddie O'Shea, Riley Evans, Gretel Payne and Carl Hansen. With 58 entries and long course racing over 8 races, it was a big programme but supported by coach Mike Leigh each sailor performed well with all team members recording at least 1 top 10 race finish and the highlight being Henry Davison's 3rd place overall and win in race 1. Congratulations Henry for your outstanding result.

Apart from the performances of our Green and Intermediate Fleet sailors, the camaraderie, team spirit and support for each other within the Squadron team was fantastic and no doubt was a massive factor in the fun that was had and enjoyment of each sailor.

With the Squadron Opti programme being in just its second season, there were no RSYS entries in Open fleet with the title being taken out by Flyn Twomey from MHYC just ahead of current national champion Otto Henry from Woollahra Sailing Club and Middle Harbour's Archie Cropley a close third. First girl was Isabelle Kenny all the way from South of Perth Yacht Club! Congratulations to Flyn on becoming the NSW Champion.

Congratulations to all the RSYS team and to the medal and trophy winners from all clubs.

All of the RSYS sailors who attended the States were very fortunate to have dual Olympian, Canadian Mike Leigh as their coach leading up to and at the regatta and have along with other RSYS Opti sailors been getting a huge amount out of the Friday afternoon sessions with about half the Green Fleet group making it to at least 1 friday session in recent weeks. With almost 10% of the combined Intermediate and Green Fleet entries at the States the RSYS Opti programme has a great platform for future - and the fun is guaranteed!

A big thank you goes out to the Opti Association, Andrew McLaughlin and the team at GRSC, RSYS - particularly coaches Josh Chant and Mike Leigh and lastly the parents and volunteers for a great event.

Mike Tyquin

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Summer 2013-2014 Photos

Plenty has been happening at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron over the past few months from special member guest speaker events through to regular Friday night twilight racing.

Throughout that time many members have taken countless photos of the Squadron as they sail, enjoy the facilities, attend friend's weddings and watch the sunrise. So as we enjoy the last few days of summer, we decided to go back through these photos and share them with all our members to relive the Summer of 2013-14.

To view all the photos or to share your photos with us, don't forget to 'Like' us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter (@RSYS1862) or Instagram (@RSYS1862).

William Houston - RSYS Intermediate Committee

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