Central Coast Catamaran Championships
August 2-5, 2013
The 2013 Central Coast Catamaran Championships, otherwise known as the C4 Regatta, brought sailors from all over the world to Racine, Wisconsin this year. Not only did they encompass the F16 Nationals, but also a fleet of F18s competing for the title of 2013 F18 Central Coast Champion. The regatta got off to a great start on Friday with wind ranging from 6-10 knots for most of the afternoon. Competitors’ skills were also tested by some significant wind shifts and a swell of 3-4 feet for much of the day. Robbie Daniel and Gary Chu gave an incredible performance, leaving the rest of the F18s behind to fight for second. The duo came away with bullets in all four races of the day. John Bauldry and Bea Gintere claimed second in three out of the four races.
By the second day, the breeze had lifted to around 5-8 knots out of the NE with considerable chop that kept everyone looking for power and tactical advantage. The sailors saw much of the same as the day before, with Daniel/Chu continuing to dominate the fleet by going 8 for 8, taking home wins in all four races of the day. However, CRAW sailors Guy Selsmeyer and JJ Johnson, taking advantage of the three-day scoring rule, took to the water for the first time Saturday and managed to establish a slight advantage over Bauldry/Gintere for second place overall.
Sunday in Racine delivered another beautiful day with winds similar to Saturday but building through the afternoon. Because of Daniel and Chu’s absence, the rest of the fleet kept it interesting while fighting for first, with different results for every mark rounding and nearly every finish. Selsmeyer/Johnson took first in race number 9 and Bauldry/Gintere claimed number 11 resulting in an overall tie for the two boats after three days. However, it was Dave Stiemsma and Colin Caliban who came from behind to take race number 10 and 12 and they moved up to fourth place overall.
By the fourth day it looked as if our luck with the weather was about to run out. Scattered thunderstorms on the horizon caused some concern Monday morning, but the sailors headed out anyway to get in two more races. The enthusiasm was rewarded with the strongest wind of the regatta, which gave many of the sailors the chance to stretch their legs. It wasn’t enough to change any of the overall standings, however. Selsmeyer/Johnson and Bauldry/Gintere came away with a second and third place respectively, and Daniel/Chu scored two more bullets, locking in their title as the 2013 F18 Central Coast Champions.
In the F16 fleet, Ravi Parent and Sam Armington became the 2013 F16 National Champions with seven wins out of fourteen races. Taylor Reiss and Carson Shores claimed second, and our special guests from the Netherlands, Gunnar Larsen and Sanne Van Hek, took home third.During the awards ceremony, Larsen praised the skills of the top two skippers who are both campaigning for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. “They’re really smart on the course. Everybody here should make sure to watch their pathway to the Olympics.”
A special thanks to the Catamaran Racing Association of Wisconsin, Racine Yacht Club, Red Gear Racing, Zhik, Narca, Harken, APS, Glaser Sails, Murrays Sports, Catsailor and everyone else who made the C4 Regatta possible.
