Ever had the weather mark stolen during a race?…read on! Alamitos Bay Yacht Club hosted the International 14 US National Championships from September 9th through 11th. Twenty four boats from as far a field as Australia, Great Britain and Canada sailed in conditions varying between 8 and 16 knots of breeze. Three days of racing were scheduled; the long distance race on Friday, followed by buoy racing on Saturday and Sunday.

The International 14 is a development racing dinghy that has a history as an International class going back almost 80 years. During that time it has been a leader in sailboat technology and design. Uffa Fox proved that light was fast in the late 1920's and 1930's with his 220lb boats. The class pioneered the single trapeze in 1938, and in 1984 twin trapezes were added to increase the sail carrying power and to ease the handling of the huge 350 sq. ft asymmetric spinnakers. In the 1996 the Australian 14 Foot Skiff class, which could trace its history back over a hundred years, and the International 14 classes merged.

The long distance race started Friday at 3p.m. The course was a long one, about 19 miles, starting about 200 yards of the beach with a beat to weather through the Long Beach entrance in the Federal breakwater, a tight reach to the Long Beach entrance channel marker, a run down to leeward mark 2 (where the Belmont Oil platform used to be located), a port tack beat back to a mark just before the Long Beach entrance, another run to the start/finish area, and then around again.

The fleet started on time and headed upwind. Zack Berkowitz & Mike Martin (USA), Bruce Edwards & John Vincze (CAN), Kris Bundy & Jamie Hanseler (GBR), Ron Boehem & Pete Mohler (USA) were slated to be the boats to beat. The 11-12 knots of wind provided two wire conditions with flat water inside the breakwater and a gentle swell outside the breakwater for a little surfing. Kris Bundy & Jamie Hanseler, Great Britain, lead in the early going, with Zack Berkowitz & Mike Martin, USA, just behind. The first boats completed the first lap in under two hours. With the wind dying, it was obvious that the course was going to be shortened. The wind picked up slightly at the start of the second lap and shifted right. The race committee was trying to shorten at the Long Beach entrance, but with two freighters and a cruise ship leaving the harbor it didn’t seem like a good spot for a Race Committee finish boat. The Race Committee shortened course at the first leeward mark of the second lap with Zack Berkowitz & Mike Martin (USA), passing Kris Bundy & Jamie Hanseler (GBR) on the last gybe into the finish after 19 miles of racing and Ron Boehem & Pete Mohler (USA) finishing third. The last place boat arrived at the dock around sunset.

There were three races scheduled for Saturday on the ocean course, with building winds and an ocean swell that was just enough for some surfing and a lot of capsizing.

Race two was a double windward leeward, with a downwind finish. With the right generally favored the race course was located so that you had to tack up the outside of the breakwater. However, as with most boats, clear air and boat speed wins. Kris Bundy & Jamie Hanseler, Great Britain won, with Bruce Edwards & John Vincze, Canada in second and Zack Berkowitz & Mike Martin, USA in third.

Race three was a triangle on the first lap followed by a windward leeward. The wind shifted to the right during the first lap by about five degrees, and a further ten as the first boat started the second beat. The race committee decided to move the downwind finish to square the last leg. The weather mark boat had the new course to the finish mark posted and the Charlie flag flying, with the first boat about three minutes from the mark. An ocean racing catamaran sailing past the weather mark caught the mark on its rudder and sailed off with the mark in tow.

Not having enough time to retrieve the mark from the rapidly disappearing catamaran, Don Shirley on the weather mark boat anchored and hoisted the M flag (missing mark) and the Charlie flag (course change) at the same time. For about three minutes we had a US National championship race running with no marks in the water. The windward mark was a whaler with the M flag, the finish line was up and moving and Patience was underway. However, Robin Townsend and Mike Baumann got the flag in, and Patience swooped in and anchored for the finish.

As for the weather mark the Catamaran hauled the mark on to its foredeck and continued in its race, apparently dragging the mark and anchor along was slowing the boat down. The reach boat finally caught up and retrieved the mark .

Zack Berkowitz & Mike Martin, USA won the race, with Kris Bundy & Jamie Hanseler, Great Britain in second, and in the first of two ties for the weekend, Bruce Edwards & John Vincze, Canada and Brad/Patrick were both given 3.5 points with a dead heat.

Race four brought more wind, still moderate, but enough to make things a little more exciting. Bruce Edwards & John Vincze, Canada won, followed by Zack Berkowitz & Mike Martin, USA and Kris Bundy & Jamie Hanseler, Great Britain.

After two days of racing there were just 2.5 points separating 1st from 3rd! Sunday the race committee, at the request of the competitors, set us up inside the breakwater to provide some different conditions. Race 5 was another windward leeward twice around course, Paul Galvez & Guillermo de la Barra sailed an outstanding race and won, followed by Zack Berkowitz & Mike Martin, USA. Race six was a triangle windward leeward, with a tight second reach. Bruce Edwards & John Vincze, Canada won, followed by Zack Berkowitz & Mike Martin, USA and Kris Bundy & Jamie Hanseler, Great Britain.

Race seven the last race was another triangle windward leeward, still tight on the second reach but more boats laid the leeward mark this time. Bruce Edwards & John Vincze, Canada won again, followed by Zack Berkowitz & Mike Martin, USA and Kris Bundy & Jamie Hanseler, Great Britain.

Zack Berkowitz & Mike Martin took home the US Nationals trophy, the 11th time for Zack Berkowitz, with a 2.5 point margin over second. Tani Reiko took home the coveted US Nationals woman's trophy presented to the top placing female sailor.

Thanks to the race committee staff and whaler crews for all their efforts on the water. It is a great deal easier to run good races for the competitors when you have competent people supporting the course - Mike Baumann and Robin Townsend on the leeward mark and starting line, Don Shirley, Kevin Ellis and Tom Mendenhall on the weather mark. Kitty James on the reach mark. The Patience crew included Jon and Isabelle Lounsberry, Sharon Pearson and Sandy Toscan. Stan Sorensen lent a big hand on Sunday when we had numerous competitor breakdowns and we certainly needed and appreciated the extra help. Jim Morford rocked on the computer and produced the results in record time. And last, but certainly not least, our heartfelt thanks to Yvonne Galvez whose organization was superb and without whom it would have been a far lesser regatta. Once again, thanks to everyone and plan for the Worlds - next summer at ABYC should be a blast; make sure you reserve your whaler or get your boat in the container!

Results

Mark Townsend