AYC Dominates Inaugural Intra-Club Triple Racing Match                     

EVENT PHOTOS

Etchells Team Wins 4 of 6 Over SSA and Gibson Island

ANNAPOLIS,
MD:  Etchells and Solings share many stories and sailors over almost a
half century of one design racing and friendly rivalry.  The Soling is a
distinguished fixture of so many Olympic campaigns.  Technical, nimble,
athletic and smaller than its close cousin.  The Etchells, sometimes
teased as an old man's Soling (its rules disallow hiking gear), has
nonetheless prospered, loved for its Star-like pointing ability, clean
lines and top-ranked regattas the world over. 

Saturday, December 2nd, added to the lore of these timeliness
one-designs with the inaugural sailing of The December Challenge Cup. 
Conceived and hosted by the Severn Sailing Association (SSA) of
Eastport, MD, 18 racers from one-design fleets of the AYC (Etchells),
SSA (Soling) and Gibson Island Yacht Squadron (210) answered the call
for a rare Paul Elvstrom-style triple racing format.  Featured for
rotation were three local Solings, hand-picked from the SSA fleet, for
six races in the fickle puffs of Spa Creek.

The AYC challengers, led by three local Etchells skippers, Andy Acton (USA 663),
Jose Fuentes (Caramba, USA 1097), and team captain Alan Kelly (Playmaker,  USA 1260),
knotted a quick victory with consecutive wins in the first
four matches.  Paul Murphy, Brian Robinson and Eric Seeger worked the
middle while bowman duties were handled by the boat owner.  Races five
and six were for honor and good fun.  Good thing, too, as the legendary
Soling champ Stuart Walker, along with skippers Andy Dize and Henry
Thomas, and the always quick Tim Price, Murray Leigh and Kin Yellot of
GIYS 210 fame, were just warming up.  Each delivered bullets in the
dying swirl.  Final score:

AYC: 4

SSA: 1

GIYS: 1

Hobbled and Bobbled

The AYC team seemed set for a first-race win as Fuentes maneuvered for a
perfect starting position.  With veteran Paul Murphy crewing middle,
Fuentes tacked at the horn to cover the SSA and GIYS entries.  One good
roll tack and they'd be in control, a drill that Murphy, whose Olympic
trial campaigns in Solings, surely knew well.  But only in the signature
hiking hobbles that, for The December Challenge Cup, had been removed. 
In four knots of  breeze, and mere feet away from dockside spectators,
Murphy lunged to port to start the roll.  But without his familiar
tethers, there was nothing to stop the affable 6"2" workhorse from
taking a winter swim.  Later, from fireside at the SSA clubhouse, a
chagrined Murphy had to laugh: "I've never roll-tacked a Soling without 'em!”

With its boat stopped and the SSA and GIYS ghosting away on starboard, AYC
was solidly last at the first mark.  But Fuentes and Murphy, each with a
nose for Wednesday Night Racing and The Creek’s secret puffs, came back
for Team Etchells’ first win.

Terms of The Challenge oblige each year’s winner to host the next year’s
installment in a boat of its choosing.  Team captain Alan Kelly was
quick to name the 2012 design.  “We’ll be ready with three Etchells.”

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