A Sneak Peek at the December Racing Scene
Not in December
Richmond Yacht Club announced a change from the original schedule. “I want to make sure that everyone has gotten the update that our Small Boat Midwinters schedule has changed due to the holidays this year,” writes Robin Van Vliet. “The new schedule is: January 5, February 2, March 2 and April 6. As a result of this shift in the schedule, RYC will not hold a Big Dinghy in April. Please join us for this winter series!” RYC’s Small Boat Midwinters normally begins on the first Sunday in December, but that would be December 1 this year, the last day of the long Thanksgiving weekend.
Not in December but Apply Now
Applications are now open for match-racing skippers wishing to compete in the 2025 California Dreamin’ Series. This series features four separate events. It begins with San Diego YC in J/22s on January 25-26 and continues at Balboa YC in GovCup 22s on February 15-16, St. Francis YC in J/22s on March 8-9, and Long Beach YC in Catalina 37s on April 5-6. See the Notice of Series here.
Request invitations to individual stops by submitting the Request for Invitation. Invitation committees will review requests received by December 1 and start issuing invitations until each event is full. Skippers opting for three of the four events will receive priority. But spots are often available to those who can only make one or two. A skipper may win CDS by competing in only the first three events. The top skipper who also competes in Long Beach will earn an invitation to the 2026 Ficker Cup. That team then has a chance to qualify for the 2026 Grade 1 Congressional Cup.
“CDS has incubated scores of skippers and crew into this specialized game and sharpened everyone’s skills for regular fleet racing,” says committee member Bruce Stone of StFYC. “The event is also much sought after by race committee volunteers and umpires, as the action is non-stop. Everyone involved must be focused so we can complete a full round-robin each day. With eight teams competing, that’s 28 matches on Saturday and the same on Sunday, weather permitting. The clubs provide great vantage points for observing the racing.”
Yes in December
Speaking of match racing, Balboa YC in Corona del Mar (Newport Beach) will host a Winter Match Cup on November 30-December 1 in GovCup 22s.
Find many Midwinter Series already in progress in our Calendar, printed in Latitude 38, and online here. One series that starts in December instead of November is Lake Merritt Sailing Club’s Robinson Memorial Midwinters. LMSC invites El Toros, Sunfish and other small boats to race on this urban lake in the heart of Oakland. The series will start on December 14. LMSC doesn’t have a website, so if you’re interested, contact the commodore, Denis, at (707) 338-6955 or via email.
Vallejo YC’s Tiny Robbins Midwinters will kick off on December 7 and run on the first Saturday each month through March. Learn more and sign up on Jibeset.
Monterey Peninsula YC is planning a Boxing Day Race on Saturday, December 28. (Yes, we know, Boxing Day is December 26, but the race is on December 28.) Speaking of Boxing Day, arguably the most exciting first leg of any race is the beat out of Sydney Harbour in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, which does take place on Boxing Day. Only it’s Christmas Day on this side of the International Date Line. Got that?
Happy Thanksgiving, racing fans, and be sure to check the Calendar and racing coverage coming out in the December issue of Latitude 38, on Monday, December 2. (Like RYC, we chose to take the long weekend off.)