LYC Team Racers Shine in Newport

August 30, 2010

Newport, RI

Team LYC traveled to New York Yacht Club’s Harbor Court facility in Newport, RI for three consecutive weekends in August for team racing regattas, with solid results along the way.  Team LYC won the 20-team Vanguard 15 Team Race, placed second in the Morgan Cup and fourth at the Hinman Masters. 

LYC came in second at the prestigious Morgan Cup, known as the unofficial keelboat national team race championship, held August 13-15.  Entries are by invitation, and the eight teams assembled represented the best of the best.  Event chair and LYC member Senet Bischoff said, “Where else can you find dozens of college All-Americans, six collegiate “Sailors of the Year”, Olympic sailors, match-racing champions and America’s Cup sailors competing head to head?”  Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club was the runaway winner but Team LYC stood tall, finishing second for the second consecutive year.  Representing LYC were skippers John Baxter, Danny Pletsch and Cardwell Potts with Molly Baxter, David Dowd, Nik Holtan, Jay Rhame, Blaine Pedlow, Melissa Pumphrey, Megan Magill, Marc Glennon and Mark Kroening crewing.  Results.

 

   Team LYC at the 2010 Morgan Cup. 

 

The following weekend, LYC’s wiliest team racing veterans competed at the Hinman Masters against teams from 11 other yacht clubs.  LYC sailed well in the first two round robins to qualify for the championship round along with Noroton YC, Eastern YC and Southern YC - each of whom had numerous Sonar world champions, former Olympians and professional sailors among their teams.  LYC managed to beat each team in at least one race, but Noroton YC ultimately prevailed in the very tight regatta.  Team member David Dowd summed up the regatta: “It was a fabulous event - one of the best team race regattas in the U.S.”  Representing LYC were Andy Kaplan, Dan Ronan, Mike Funsch, Kate Manion, Rob Dailey, Buttons Padin, Chris Marx, Steve Langan, Steve and Trisha Leicht, David Dowd and Teresa Laughlin.  Results.

 

   Team LYC at the 2010 Hinman Masters.

 

Finally, Team LYC’s top dinghy sailors brought their Vanguard 15s to Harbor Court August 28-29 to compete in the 20-team Vanguard 15 Team Race.  The event is one of the most competitive in the entire dinghy team race circuit, and is the last major team racing event before the US Sailing Team Race National Championship.  After two straight years of podium finishes without taking the title, Team LYC broke through to win the 2010 event over arch-rivals and past national and world team race champions Silver Panda.  Team LYC consisted of Danny Pletsch, Cardwell Potts, LJYC coaches Michael Menninger and Megan Magill, Julia Southworth and Kelly Wilbur.  Several other LYC members competed for other teams, including Clay Bischoff as a skipper for the runners-up.  Results.