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Ditch Run Drama

Chris Gage’s Express 27 Ergo leads the charge upriver in shorts and T-shirts, ready for Stockton’s 107-degree temps.

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With gusts topping 38 knots, this weekend’s racing fleets saw a fair amount of carnage. Boats in both the Delta Ditch Run and San Francisco YC’s June Invitational for J/105s and J/120s suffered blown-out sails, injuries and dismastings. One skipper posted on his Facebook page a sentiment heard ’round the Bay on Saturday: "Oy! What a shit show on the Bay today!"

According to our intrepid racing reporter, Christine Weaver — who suffered a post-race injury and is unable to write her normal stellar recap — the Delta Ditch Run was great fun. "We didn’t see the gnarly winds the Bay got," she said. "We had good wind in the 15- to 18-knot range most of the way, with a light spot in North San Pablo Bay and a few 25-knot side blasters at Benicia." 

Zonker’s crew were ready for some fun in the sun!

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In the end, David Paudler’s Ventura-based Mull 22 Navasana corrected out to win the PHRF 3 class and top monohull spot. We’ll have a full report on all the exciting happenings in the July issue of Latitude 38. (Please see yesterday’s Special ‘Lectronic on the tragic loss of young sailor Noe Goodman after the race.)

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 As reported earlier, the Bay Area sailing community lost one of its most beloved ‘elder statesmen’ last month.
If you’re planning to submit a Classy Classified for the July issue of Latitude 38, be aware that the deadline is this Saturday.
Latitude readers may remember John Lubimir, the likable singlehander from the East Coast who came to California in 2012 to sail in the Singlehanded TransPac.
In the June issue of Latitude 38, this writer reported on the foiling trimaran l’Hydroptère and their upcoming TransPacific record attempt.