Classic Yachts Race in the Jessica Cup
October 17 was a sunny and light-wind day on the San Francisco Cityfront, which saw 18 beautiful classic yachts racing in St. Francis Yacht Club’s (StFYC) annual Jessica Cup.
The competitors were divided into three divisions. After several hours of waiting for wind during the Indian-summer heat, a moderate westerly breeze filled in, allowing one race to be sailed in two of the fleets, and two races in the other.
The largest division was the nine-boat Classic Marconi 2, yachts under 40-ft of length. Oriole (SFYC), helmed by Lachlan MacLean, was victorious, followed by Richard and Mark Pearce’s Fjaer (SFYC) in second and Will Campbell’s Hummingbird (MMBA) in third.
The Classic Marconi 1 fleet — yachts over 40-ft — was the only one to sail multiple races. The fleet was won on tiebreaker by Michael Zolezzi’s Yucca (MMBA). Zolezzi and team beat out Neil Gibbs’ Kay of Göteborg (SYC) by winning the last race (Kay had won the first).
Ken Inouye’s Makani Kai (MMBA) won the smallest fleet, the four-boat Classic Gaff fleet, finishing ahead of second-place Terry and Lindsey Klaus’s Brigadoon (StFYC).
