3rd Annual Vintage Gold Cup Regatta on Gull Lake, Michigan - Day 1
by Vintage Gold Cup 4 Oct 2019 05:53 BST
3-5 October 2019
The third annual Vintage Gold Cup kicked off today with very challenging conditions and a great first race of the regatta. The wind was about 6 knots at the start and it picked up to 15 with gusts up to 18 by the end of the only race, giving a hard time to the 'old ladies', and a lot of work to do for the shore team tonight. With the forecast calling for the breeze to build up with the progression of the day, the Committee decided to hoist the AP flag over A and send everyone ashore.
The Vintage Gold Cup features restored wooden Stars exclusively and even though the level of the competition is very high with teams hailing from seven different nations and seven Star World Champions in the fleet, the Committee has to play it safe on the 26-boat fleet, particularly on the first day of the series.
The first bullet goes to Lars Grael (BRA) with Arnis Baltins (USA), who overcame, by just few inches and right on the finish line, the reigning Vintage Gold Cup champions Paul and Danny Cayard (USA), who were in the lead from the leeward gate until the finish. It was so close that both Cayard and Grael thought the Americans had won it. Tomas Hornos and Jon Klerk (USA) finished third in a beautiful race that saw them rounding first at the first windward mark, they are the only non-Star World Champion among the first seven teams.
"We are here defending our title and started the event with a nice race in tough conditions - says Danny Cayard - it could have been a win, but it's just the beginning of what looks like a promising event. Sailing these old boats make you appreciate the craftsmanship and the skill in order to sail well in these conditions and I have been looking forward to this regatta since last year. It's a fantastic event managed by even more fantastic people and it embodies the class motto: honoring the past leading the future. Then nothing is better than sailing with my father, and even though we're 50kg lighter we can be competitive and have a good time."
Sailing will resume tomorrow at 11am with three races scheduled for the colorful fleet of the 3rd Vintage Gold Cup.
Results after Day 1: (top ten, 1 race)
| Pos | Helm | Crew | Nat |
|---|
| 1 | Lars Grael | Arnis Baltins | BRA |
| 2 | Paul Cayard | Danny Cayard | USA |
| 3 | Tomas Hornos | Jon Klerk | USA |
| 4 | Eivind Melleby | Joshua Revkin | NOR |
| 5 | Mark Reynolds | Hal Haenel | USA |
| 6 | John MacCausland | Rick burgess | USA |
| 7 | Larry Whipple | Austin Sperry | USA |
| 8 | Joe Londrigan | John Wysokey | USA |
| 9 | Gregory Smith | Kelly Belco | USA |
| 10 | Mike Hecky | Michael Brundage | USA |
Full results available here.
For more information visit vintagegoldcup.com.