Smooth sailing for the Flying Tiger crews in the Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta in San Diego. ©Paul Todd/Outside Images Photo Agency
SAN DIEGO–Favorable conditions in San Diego yielded a full day of racing for more than 100 teams competing in 12 classes on the second day of the Helly Hansen National Offshore One Design (NOOD) Regatta, the largest national sailboat racing circuit in the United States. Multiple races for the one-design boats continued as a face-off for the top spot in the series championship in the British Virgin Islands approaches.
The battle continued today at the top of the J/70 fleet. This time, after four races, it’s Jeff Janov’s Minor Threat sliding into the lead over Bruce Golison’s Midlife Crisis.
“Obviously we had a great day today with a 2-1-1,” says Minor Threat’s Doug McLean. “It was close racing all day. We were pretty much keeping tabs on Golison and the Mexicans [currently in third overall]. The three of us were dueling it out all day.” McLean says the highlight was a recovery from an OCS start in the first race. “We came back right away and banged the right corner, which got us right back into it. We fought back into second, which was pretty exciting. That could have been it for us.”
On the same South Bay Circle, the Ultimate 20 fleet’s defending champion also turned in a top-shelf day, winning all four races. “It was fantastic,” says Mark Allen, skipper of the Ultimate 20 Junta, from Salt Lake City, Utah.
In what he describes as “champagne sailing in San Diego,” Allen anointed his spinnaker trimmer Pete Sharp as the day’s MVP. “I have the best spin trimmer in the entire world,” says Allen. “We were faster and lower than everybody all day. He was calling pressure and having me drive to it and whatever we were doing was working.”
Chick Pyle’s Kea had its mojo working as well. Pyle returned to San Diego last week after cruising in the Caribbean all winter and didn’t miss a beat on the opening day in the Beneteau 36.7 fleet. Despite being one crewmember short and not having sailed the boat in months, the team readjusted and turned in a flawless boat handling performance. They won all three of their races, a picket-fence day, which Pyle also attributes to the new headsail he got for his birthday. “It’s the first time we’ve used it and it was unbelievably
fast. We’d start to leeward of boats and just keep climbing and climbing, eventually getting over the top of them.”
Sailing for tomorrow’s final day of action is scheduled to begin at approximately 11:30 a.m., depending on wind and weather conditions. Spectators can see the races aboard private boats both in South Bay and on the Ocean courses.
To recognize exceptional individual performances, NOOD sponsor North Sails presented awards for Local Boat of the Day and the North Sails Rally Race, a one-day pursuit-style race around the bay. Lawrence Adams’ Corsair 31 Trimaran F Bomb won the Rally Race. Jeff Janov’s Minor Threat was selected as the Local Boat of the Day. The regatta’s final awards in all classes will be presented on Sunday, March 20, at the culmination of the event.
The overall winner of the San Diego NOOD will join John Spierling and the crew of the S 2 7.9 Rebel, along with other victors, in the British Virgin Islands for the Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta Championship, hosted by Sunsail.
Sponsors for the NOOD Regatta include Helly Hansen, Mount Gay Rum, North Sails, Sunsail and West Marine.
Day two race results, including the top three finishers in each class, are listed below:
Far Ocean Course
Beneteau First 36.7 (One Design – 8 Boats)
1. Kea, Beneteau First 36.7, Chick Pyle , Jamestown, RI, USA, 1 -1 -1 ; 3
2. Kodachrome, Beneteau First 36.7, Jerry Twomey , San Diego, CA, USA, 3 -3 -2 ; 8
3. Sorcerer, Beneteau First 36.7, Robert Kopaniasz , San Diego, CA, USA, 2 -5 -4 ; 11
Beneteau First 40.7 (One Design – 7 Boats)
1. Wiki Wiki, Beneteau First 40.7, Mike Honeysett / Will Stout , Ramona, CA, USA, 1 -1 -4 ; 6
2. Silhouette, Beneteau First 40.7, Warren Gross , San Diego, CA, USA, 2 -3 -2 ; 7
3. Lugano, Beneteau First 40.7, Mark Stratton , Los Angeles, CA, USA, 3 -6 -1 ; 10
J 120 (One Design – 6 Boats)
1. CC Rider, J 120, Charles Nichols , San Diego, CA, USA, 1 -1 -1 ; 3
2. caper, J 120, John Laun , San Diego, CA, USA, 3 -4 -2 ; 9
3. Mad Men, J 120, Ernie Pennell , San Diego, CA, USA, 2 -2 -6 ; 10
Flying Tiger 10 (One Design – 6 Boats)
1. Relapse, FT 10M, Tom Hirsh , San Diego, CA, USA, 3 -2 -1 ; 6
2. Justice, FT 10M, John Harrop , San Diego, CA, USA, 1 -3 -2 ; 6
3. Mile High Klub, FT 10M, Phillip Infelise , Evergreen, CO, USA, 2 -1 -3 ; 6
Near Ocean Course
Etchells (One Design – 14 Boats)
1. Elizabeth , Etchells, Tom Carruthers , San Diego, CA, USA, 1 -1 -3 ; 5
Etchells (One Design – 14 Boats)
1. Elizabeth , Etchells, Tom Carruthers , San Diego, CA, USA, 1 -1 -3 ; 5
2. Etchells, Etchells, Brad Rod , San Diego, CA, USA, 3 -4 -5 ; 12
3. Blond Antelope, Etchells, Keith Whittemore , Seattle, WA, USA, 11 -2 -1 ; 14
J 105 (One Design – 10 Boats)
1. Wings, J 105, Dennis Case , San Diego, CA, USA, 1 -1 -2 ; 4
2. Sanity, J 105, Rick Goebel , San Diego, CA, USA, 2 -3 -1 ; 6
3. Current Obsession 2, J 105, Gary Mozer , Beverly Hills, CA, USA, 3 -2 -4 ; 9
South Bay Course
Ultimate 20 (One Design – 7 Boats)
1. Junta, Ultimate 20, Mark Allen , Salt Lake City, UT, USA, 1 -2 -2 -1 -1 -1 -1 ; 9
2. Ultimate Antics, Ultimate 20, Bob Comstock , Fresno, CA, USA, 3 -1 -3 -4 -7 -2 -2 ; 22
3. 222, Ultimate 20, Travis Gregory , Farmington, UT, USA, 2 -3 -5 -3 -2 -4 -4 ; 23
Bucaneer 18 (One Design – 4 Boats)
1. Wonder, Buccaneer 18, Matt Davis , Phoenix, AZ, USA, 1 -2 -1 -1 -1 -2 -5 ; 13
2. Easy, Buccaneer 18, Chuck Williams , Yuma, AZ, USA, 2 -1 -2 -2 -2 -1 -5 ; 15
3. Rainie’s Day, Buccaneer 18, Michael Parker , Chandler, AZ, USA, 5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 ; 35
J 70 (One Design – 24 Boats)
1. Minor Threat, J 70, Jeff Janov , Malibu, CA, USA, 5 -3 -2 -2 -2 -1 -1 ; 16
2. Midlife Crisis, J 70, Bruce Golison , Rossmoor, CA, USA, 1 -1 -8 -3 -1 -3 -2 ; 19
3. Zumbale, J 70, Luis Barrios , Mexico, CDMX, MEX, 2 -8 -1 -1 -4 -2 -3 ; 21
Viper 640 (One Design – 10 Boats)
1. Last Call, Viper 640, Alex Steele , Costa Mesa, CA, USA, 1 -1 -2 -1 -1 -2 -2 ; 10
2. Cobra, Viper 640, Tim Carter , Harbor City, CA, USA, 2 -4 -1 -2 -2 -1 -1 ; 13
3. Clown School, Viper 640, Todd Downey , Port Hueneme, CA, USA, 3 -9 -6 -5 -4 -3 -4 ; 34
I 14 (One Design – 5 Boats)
1. Mind Your Step, International 14, Cameron Puckey , Cardiff, CA, USA, 1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 ; 6
2. Cheeky-Bastard/ Science Project/ Got Wave *Ohs, International 14, Aidan Mobley , Playa del Rey, CA, USA, 2 -2 -2 -3 -3 -3 ; 15
3. Astragulus, International 14, Brad Ruetenik , Encinitas, Ca, USA, 6 -6 -6 -2 -2 -2 ; 24
