Relive the excitement this past weekend in Tampa, Fla at the 2008 Melges 24 Atlantic Coast Championship.
http://www.melges24.com/photogalleries.asp?year=2008&event=41
The 2008 Melges 24 Atlantic Coast Championship was a great success. Congratulations are in order for John Kolius as he is the the 2008 ACC! Joe Blouin has been names 2008 Melges 24 Corinthian Atlantic Coast Champion as well… Steve Kopf has been crowned 2008 USMCA Southeast District Champions for two years running. Way to go Steve!
Again — a big thanks for George Haynie and the Davis Island Yacht Club!
John Kolius on USA-776 KO Sailing from LaPorte, Tx. and crew David Clement, David Whelan and Nicolas Guzman scored two more wins on Sunday to take the title of 2008 Melges 24 Atlantic Coast Champions. From the very start, Kolius and team came out swinging. “Yesterday was physically demanding. Today it was very mental. We were very, very fortunate,” commented Kolius.
Read the full story on www.usmelges24.com
One more race is on tap…
The RC has picked up and moved the course. Big wind shift, almost some 85 degrees… Standing by for final race bearing.
Final race cancelled.
The wind is 5-8 for the start of Race 2. Breeze is light enough that perhaps only two races may be possible. Three were on the agenda… We’ll see…
Course 4, 045, 1.0 nm… In sequence…
Overall – Steve Kopf ahead by 3, Kolius in second. As usual,down to the last race… Can Kopf hang on? Is Kolius strong enough? The wind is very light.
Great start for the fleet. Kolius favoring the left with speed. Although Kopf with a mid- line start still quick favoring the left as well, then doing something different tacking back out to the right.
Around the top is Kolius in first, not looking good for Kopf. Kolius jibes out to the right, then back left. Kopf appears to be fifth, maybe sixth or seventh.
At the gate, Kolius is miles ahead – a very comfortable lead. Fisher is second, Duvall in third. Rob Hobbs challenges JA Booker for fourth. It’s Booker then Hobbs. Then:
Kroetsch
Weisleder
Single
Arata
Vowels
Butler
Kopf
McElwain
Blouin
Kolius just rounded the top in first. Then:
Duval
Fisher
Big gap between the top three and the fleet.
Then:
Booker
Hobbs
Weisleder
Vowels
Kopf
The finish:
Kolius
Fisher -1.30 minutes behind leader
Duval
Booker
Hobbs
Vowels
Weisleder
Kopf
Arata
Schwarting
The wind is dying, slowly but surely. At the top we are looking at 5.
Right side paid off for James Whatmore, John Kolius, Bob Kroetsch, Steve Kopf rounding respectively. Joe Blouin was fifth.
Kites set, fleet heads back right for pressure.
At the gate…
The Corintthians holding their own at the bottom. Whatmore takes the right while Kopf moves up in position taking the left gate followed by Kolius and Kroetsch.
Back upwind, fleet torn in two – five on the right and fifteen on the left going into the last mark of the race. Kolius looking strong out front as is Whatmore.
It’s
Kolius
Kopf
Whatmore
Kroetsch
Vowels
Kolius still going strong. Takes the bullet followed by…
Kopf
Whatmore
Kroetsch
Blouin
Vowels
Fisher
Weisleder
McElwain
Haynie
Third start was clean. I stand corrected. Doug Fisher and team ARE back out on the course.
Second start = general recall
First start = general recall
Course 4, 045, 1.2 nm… Races are on time.
On the docks…
Day two of racing at the 2008 Melges 24 Atlantic Coast Championship is upon us. The twenty-boat fleet has dwendled after an exhausting day or racing to eighteen, but truly — the quality, rather than quantity is what we are focusing on now. Today the weather is supposed the be equally as nice as Saturday (more like winter in Florida) although the breeze is supposed to be in the 8-10 knot range.
Stay tuned to this blog — and feel free to chat it up on here. Give me a shout if there is something specific you are looking for! The USMCA would love to know your predictions or just feel free to cheer on you team!
OVERALLS
1.) Steve Kopf, Blur – 1-2-1-1 = 5
2.) John Kolius, KO Sailing – 2-1-2-4 = 9
3.) Travis Weisleder, Carloan.com – 3-6-3-5 = 17
4.) Rob Butler, Eager Beaver – 6-3-4-12 = 25
5.) Joe Blouin, Wicked Witch – 8-8-7-7 = 30
6.) Bob Kroetsch, Rogue – 13-7-12-2 = 34
7.) Gary Schwarting, Obsession – 7-5-14-10 = 36
8.) Bob McElwain, Scooter – 9-14-6-11 = 40
9.) J.A. Booker, Carmelita – 12-10-13-6 = 41
10.) Shane Vowels, I’m With Stupid – 11-13-10-8 = 42
11.) Tommy Clough/Jim Gunderson, BIG SKY – 10-11-9-15 = 45
12.) James Whatmore, Goux Get Moma – DNS-12-5-9 = 47
13.) George Haynie, Firewater – 15-9-11-13 = 48
14.) Jeff Duval, Doc Holiday – 5-DNS-DNS-3 = 50
15.) Doug Fisher, USA-515 – 4-4-DNS-DNS = 50
16.) Robert Hobbs, Seat Belts Required – 14-16-8-14 = 52
17.) Tony Stanley, Hermes – 16-17-15-16 = 64
18.) David Arata, Ocean Wave – 17-15-16-DNS = 69
19.) Tom Single, Juggling Act – 18-DNF-DNS-DNS = 81
20.) Kai Cox, Free Range Lobster – DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS = 84
CORINTHIAN
1.) Rob Butler, Eager Beaver
2.) Joe Blouin, Wicked Witch
3.) Bob Kroetsch, Rogue
4.) Gary Schwarting, Obsession
5.) Bob McElwain, Scooter
6.) J.A. Booker, Carmelita
7.) Tommy Clough/Jim Gunderson, BIG SKY
8.) James Whatmore, Goux Get Moma
9.) George Haynie, Firewater
10.) Tony Stanley, Hermes
Potentially the last race of the day. Race 4, 1.0 nm, 070. Five legs.
Fleet off to a perfect start. All clear with an aggressive feel.
Corinthians JA Booker and Bob Kroetsch go head-to-head with Kroetsch taking the lead by a slim margin at the top mark. Also mixing up the top five is Joe Blouin and Rob Butler along with Weisleder and Kolius in the top five.