Alerions, Harbor 20s and J/70s Wrap up Fall Series

Competitors arrived at the Club on Saturday morning for the final day of the 79th Fall Series to be greeted by a high tide that blurred the line between the launching area by the hoists and Annapolis Harbor. With a higher than normal seasonal tide affected by both a full moon and a low stalled along the coast, members made their way to their boats to stand by for news from the RC on a possible delay to the warning signal for the first two classes. With the breeze hovering around 2-3kts at 0900, PRO Sandy Grosvenor called for AP over H to be hoisted at the Clubhouse and notified competitors that the Alerion 28 and Harbor 20 warning would be pushed back at least an hour. The first two classes were due to kick off their day with a warning for Race 1 at 1100, with the J/70s due on the course for their warning at 1400. J/70 local class leadership had approached the Sailing Committee earlier in the year and requested that the RC consider multiple short course races for them for one or two regattas on the calendar, rather than the typical windward-leeward course, and Fall Series was the second event to include these courses.

RC mark boats headed out to the Severn River just after 1000 and reported back on improved conditions, so AP was dropped at 1100, which spurred a flurry of activity by competitors and the AYC waterfront staff to launch those who had yet to make their way to the hoist. The Alerion 28 and Harbor 20s kicked off the first of their three races for the day at 1205 and 1215 respectively. The J/70s arrived in the sailing area while the first two classes were wrapping up their day and started their first race of three at 1443.


PRO Sandy Grosvenor with Jim and Rachel Mead

Competitors and supporters gathered on the Skipjack Terrace for their Awards Party at 1700 with overall trophies handed out in all classes, as well as the awarding the of G. di Marzo Centennial Cup for the Harbor 20 Class. After an incredibly competitive regatta, local sailor Geoff Becker, whose son Josh drove the boat, accepted the 1st place trophy on behalf of team Awkward Turtle in the J/70 class. With two bullets but deeper in race three, Peter Bowe on Tea Dance Snake won a tie-breaker for 2nd place, one point out of first. In third place with 9pts, Pete Firey on Phoenix. In the Alerion 28 class, AYC members enjoyed a run on the podium, with Jonah Seiger, Erik & Shannon Dahl, and Jason Goscha and Stacey Anderson accepting 1st through 3rd honors. Winning a tie-breaker in the Harbor 20 class, Jim and Rachel Mead’s Meadeor topped the class over the team of Peter Trogdon and Margaret Podlich on Skimmer. In 3rd place, Garth Hichen’s Sugar. Accepting Fleet 5 Championship honors for the 2019 season, Jim and Rachel Mead. 2019 AYC Fall Series Results

Photos from all three weekends can be found on our Racing Photos page.