Sailing in the NOOD

Checking in with San Diego Yacht Club from the past three days of racing in the Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta shows three days of tight racing in 12 one-design fleets. The Ocean Course racers sailed south of Point Loma, and the two Bay Courses were set on South San Diego Bay. Light and shifty winds set the stage for the final day.

Ocean Course

Tom Carruthers, of San Diego, won the 15-boat Etchells fleet in his boat, Elizabeth. Carruthers led the field going into the final race, but was over early, forcing him to restart behind the fleet. “We had good boatspeed all weekend, so we knew we would be able to claw back if something bad happened,” Carruthers said. “The funny thing is that between races, we talked about the importance of getting a conservative start.” Sailing with tactician Jeff Madrigali and bowman Matt Reynolds, Carruthers emphasized the importance of keeping a cool head. They ground their way back to fifth, which was enough for the regatta win.

In the Beneteau 36.7 fleet, a father-son duo and their teammates posted a flawless score sheet, winning all six races on Kea. “It’s always super-fun to sail with my dad,” said Chick Pyle’s son, Nick. “This weekend falls on his birthday, so it’s been a special tradition for five years now. He introduced me to the sport, so it’s great to come back and sail with him.”

Going into the final race of the J/105s, a 2-point margin between the top three boats produced a winner-take-all showdown. Chuck Driscoll and his team on Juiced emerged victorious. “My partner, Tom Hurlburt, and I have been sailing this regatta for 12 years,” said Driscoll, ” and we’ve come second many times. This was the first time we’ve been able to put it together for a win.”

South San Diego Bay Courses

Pamela Rose’s J/70 team on Rosebud emerged as the top team in a talent-laden class. She’ll be the San Diego NOOD Challenger for the Helly Hansen NOOD Caribbean Championship.

Jordan and Grant Janov of Los Angeles won the 12-boat 29er class. The skiffs had the only youth class at the event and were the smallest boats of the regatta. Alan Field’s team from Los Angeles dominated the new RS21 fleet. “The boat performed spectacularly,” Field said. “We see them as a viable platform for match racing and team racing. They are really well thought out.” Click here for complete results.