This past weekend, August 12-13, a qualifier for the United States Match Racing Championship for the Prince of Wales Bowl took place. 8 skippers from several Southern California yacht clubs competed in Catalina 37’s, battling for a spot in the championship. Cricket Racing of Balboa Yacht Club, ( Team of Jeffrey Petersen, Max Brennan, Max Mooseman, Eric Berzins, Chris Bretschger and Tyler Wolk) competed in this double round robin event. While I have been sailing for almost 9 years, this was the first time I had ever match raced a boat th
is big and only my second time as a skipper for a Match Race event. It was also my first time racing against the best match racing adults in our area. We had teams like Dave Hood, who has been sailing Catalina 37’s for 5 years, and Chris Nesbitt who has been sailing longer than I have been alive! I was so excited to sail against these amazing sailors. My crew, aside from fellow youth sailor, Max Brennan, were all adults and race regularly in the Pac 52 and Fast 50 classes. I had a GREAT crew. Going into the event, I knew that it was going to be tough and that I would probably only win a few races. On the first day, we had light winds of 8kts. My team and I went 5-1 in the first round robin, finishing in second to Chris Nesbitt, whom we had lost to, with a record of 6-0. Closely in third was Justin Law, my Intermediate CFJ coach, with a record of 4-2. I was thrilled! I could not believe how well the day went. On the high of almost going undefeated, the team and I went out for some post race sushi to celebrate and relax. When I got home, it hit me…the butterflies in my stomach, the sleeplessness, the whole deal. I couldn’t stop thinking about what could happen the next day, with six more races to determine the Qualifying Champion. Being so close to earning that title, I got very nervous.
I did not get much sleep and was tense on Sunday morning, I couldn’t keep the scores off my mind. It was a cool and quiet Sunday morning in Long Beach harbor so we docked out early and went sailing. On the ride out to the racing area, our bowman, Tyler Wolk, cranked up the music to ease my mind. We left the harbor blasting “Danger Zone”, by Kenny Loggins and disrupted the local waterfront restaurant morning brunch service. The forecast for Day 2 was 12kts, gusting to 15 kts. Our first race was against a fellow youth skipper Sidney Gathrid a senior in high school, from Del Rey Yacht Club. We had a super close race, only squeaking by on the last upwind leg to pass him for the win. After that, the butterflies went away and I went into full race mode. We raced Brain Bissel, Dave Hood, Justin Law, and Michael Levy, and won every race. This brought us into our bye race where we chatted about all the things we could have done better in those past few races in hope to prepare our selves for the most important and last match of the day, against Chris Nesbitt. Who ever won that last race between Nesbitt and I, would win the regatta and go to the Championships. The 7 minute gun went off and we were in sequence. We ended up losing the start against Chris by one half a boat length and he lead us in a tacking duel all the way to the top mark. Downwind, he beat us to a gybe to get clean air and from that point it, was quite difficult to catch back up. We rounded the top mark for the last time, 3 boat lengths behind. We did everything we could to run him down, but he beat us across the line, and in doing so, took first place and the spot in The United States Match Racing Championships. I was content with my finish and was beyond stoked to end the event with a 10-2 score. I want to thank the Maritime Sciences and Seamanship Foundation and The Newport Harbor Sailing Foundation for their generous support of me at this event. Thank you to Long Beach Yacht Club for hosting a terrific event. I can’t wait to get back on the 37’s and do it again!