2018 Sunfish North Americans

Wavedancer

Wavedancer

Upside down?
Staff member
Very strong field; no doubt to the fact that this championship counts as a qualifier for the Pan Am games.
One, to me at least, unexpected participant is Annie Haeger, a US Olympian in the 470 class (2016). Among many honors, she was the 2015 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year.
After the first two races today in light winds, Andres Ducasse (Chili) leads with Annie second.

Racelog Web Results Center
 
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Wavedancer said:
Anyone reading this forum out there with the big boys and girls?
Please report back!
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Well, I am here but don’t have a lot to report. Day 1 it blew around 8 but the RC had trouble adjusting to the big shifts coming through from the west (there were some challenging conditions for getting a square course) and we only got two races.

Today we got in 4 in a steady 10 or so out of the east. Big lumpy seas and minimal shifts - 10 degrees or so. We start early tomorrow at 10. Not sure if they’re going for 4 more or just 3.
 
Thanks Chris; it's great that you found the time (and energy) to write after a long day on the water.
Any 'interesting' jury actions? The last major regatta I was at, only one of the judges made it, and being by himself, couldn't go out to police us.
 
Here is the 'official' report from Day 2

Light breeze continued on Day 2 of the 2018 USSCA North American Championships at Waukegan, Illinois.

After six races total and one throw-out, current World Champion Alonso Collantes from Peru has taken the lead on a tie breaker over countryman Jean Paul de Trazegnies.

Conner Blouin and Annie Haeger from the US sit on third and fourth respectively within striking distance from the Peruvians.

Peter Stanton from the US Virgin Islands was the only sailor that managed to accrue single-digit finishes on all day 2 races.

The last day of the regatta will decide three 2019 Pan Am Games berths among sailors from the USA, Mexico, Colombia, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Chile, and Curacao. Peru is already qualified as host nation.
 
Regatta wrapped up with three races. Fairly light air in the first race that then filled in from the left. It was expected to fill from the right, so some good sailors got trapped in the wrong side of the first weather leg. Second race was just a once-around WL with breeze from 5-10, going up and down. Last race had the most wind of the event.

There was a full international jury of 5, and they all showed up! There were maybe 7 on the water rule 42 violations flagged.
 
Not a Class historian, but I can't remember that a junior sailor won at this level of Sunfish racing!
What is also interesting is that the final day shuffled the standings on top quite a bit.
After day 2, Alonso Collantes from Peru was in the lead with Jean Paul de Trazegnies a very close second.
Conner Blouin and Annie Haeger from the US were third and fourth respectively within striking distance from the Peruvians. But on the third and last day only Annie held on and moved up to second. Alonso and Jean Paul dropped to fifth and seventh, respectively. Conner Blouin had two (!) Black Flag Disqualifications and dropped ten places (ouch!).

The result means that Columbia, USA and Mexico have placed for the PanAm games in Peru.

Here is the 'official' press release from the Class (with a BIG thank you to Doug Warren)

Simon Gomez Ortiz Of Colombia Wins 2018 USSCA North American Championship ​

August 4, 2018 – Lake Bluff, IL

Simon Gomez Ortiz of Colombia stared the week with a warm-up by winning the USSCA North American Youth Regatta and finished it off by beating a 69-competitor field to win the 2018 USSCA North American Open Championship. This year’s regatta was a 3-day event held on Lake Michigan near Waukegan, IL and hosted by the Lake Bluff Yacht Club (www.lakebluffyachtclub.org). Conditions varied throughout the event from light and shifty winds to moderate conditions with a variety of sea conditions. Throughout the 9-race, 1-throwout regatta Ortiz showed good consistency gathering a total of only 46 points. The top three were rounded out by Annie Haeger (52 pts) of the US and Hector Guzman (62 pts) of Mexico.

This year’s regatta brought sailors from 9 different countries and 16 US states to the US Midwest in part because it is part of the country qualifying process for the 2019 Pan American Games. As a result of the regatta Colombia, USA and Mexico were qualified to the 2019 Pam Ams Games which will be held in Peru.

Other trophy winners for the regatta included Eric Oetgin of Georgia as top Master (over 40 yrs) and Mark Kastel of Wisconsin as top Grand Master (over 60 yrs.).

Full results for the regatta are available at: Racelog Web Results Center

The Lake Bluff Yacht Club is a community-based, family friendly, sailing, kayaking and social club based in Lake Bluff, IL. Over 140 families from Lake Bluff and surrounding communities belong to the club. The club hosts weekly summer and fall sailing races as well as family oriented social events each year.

For additional information please contact Douglas Warren, Regatta Chairman, 847-2047023 or [email protected]
 
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chris williams said:
Regatta wrapped up with three races. Fairly light air in the first race that then filled in from the left. It was expected to fill from the right, so some good sailors got trapped in the wrong side of the first weather leg. Second race was just a once-around WL with breeze from 5-10, going up and down. Last race had the most wind of the event.

There was a full international jury of 5, and they all showed up! There were maybe 7 on the water rule 42 violations flagged.
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Thanks again!
As an aside, where are current Sunfish being made? Were there some brand new beauties on the water or did the sailors from abroad charter older boats?
 
A few things. Jens Hookanson, of Jens rig fame, won the NAs back in 1976 or so as a junior. A Venezuelan youth/junior sailor won at Brant Beach in 2013, and I think there have been a few others.

In addition to the first race yesterday having a favored side on the first leg, the second race was only once around, so no chance for a comeback after a bad first leg.

Conner B had a new British boat. There were a couple new Chinese boats there but LP hasn’t shared their plans with the class. That said, the APS site now shows new Sunfish coming only made in a baby blue color, as does the LP site, and that is what Conner had. They may have given up on China. Who knows?? Lake Bluff provided 17 charters of varying vintage, and the Dinghy Shop brought an assortment of hulls, and I think none of them were new but I’m not sure.
 
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