By Chris Love / Sailgroove.org. The International 14 Fleet blasts downwind at the sixth running of the Pacific Rim I14 Championships in Kaneohe, HI on Day 1.
Kaneohe, H.I. (Oct 9, 2010) – The sixth running of the
Pacific Rim International 14 Championships started today in picture
perfect Hawaiian Trade wind conditions on Kaneohe Bay. The I-14 fleet at
the Kaneohe YC puts this race on biannually. This year twenty-four
boats registered for this Horizon Lines sponsored high performance
sailboat race. The event is also sponsored by the US branch of the
Global Sports Alliance, which is an ecology focused worldwide
organization that promotes clean air and clean water through sporting
events (see gsa.com). Horizon Lines continues to be the corporate
sponsor that supports ecological based community programs that promote
education and awareness of the environment. This sporting event has a
youth sailing component that provides the top Hawaii junior sailors to
ride on an International 14.
The first day of racing was run in moderate to fresh Trade Winds northeast.
The first race was won convincingly by Joe Bersch and Herb Cole (USA
1162). They rounded the weather mark in first place and opened up a lead
that was over a minute by the end of the three lap windward leeward
course. Long time Seattle 14ers Steve Goodson and Alan Diercks chased
Bersch and Cole around the course and finished a distance second. Terry
Gleeson and Bryan Buffaloe from San Francisco rounded the first mark in
third place and finished in sixth place. Prior PAC RIM winners Kris
Bundy and Fritz Lanzinger rounded in fifth place and caught the boats in
front of them on the downwind leg, eventually finishing third. Paul
Galvez and crew JV Gilmour finished fourth, and National Champion Brad
Ruetenik and Jake Sorosky finished fifth.
Race two saw the breeze pick up some to 18 kts in the puffs. Bundy and
Lanzinger rounded the weather mark first and held off the competition
during the two lap race. Goodson and Diercks followed them around the
course waiting for them to falter to no avail. Galvez and Gilmour
rounded the first mark in sixth place and fought their way up to third.
Brad Ruetenik and Jake Sorosky finished fourth and Kris Henderson and
Allan Johnson finished fifth.
The final race of the day saw 17 boats start and 16 boats finish. The
wind was a solid 18 kts. Goodson and Diercks got a good start, led at
the weather mark and opened up a large lead. Bundy and Lanzinger
finished second and Paul Galvez and JV Gilmour finished third. At the
end of the first day Goodson and Diecks lead with five points. They were
consistent all day and made no major errors. Bundy and Lanzinger are
standing in second place with six points and Galvez and Gilmour are in
third place with ten points. All races count in this racing series so
sailing consistently pays off in the end.
Top 5 Provisional Results:
1 Goodson/Diercks 5
2 Bundy/Lansinger 6
3 Galvez/Gilmour 10
4 Bersch/Cole 13
5 Ruetnik/Sorosky 16
Full Day 1 results: http://www.sailgroove.org/flo_assets/ckfinder/userfiles/files/MASTE...
Daily video coverage by Sailgroove.org: http://www.sailgroove.org/coverage/237703-I14-Pacific-Rims
More info about Kaneohe YC: http://www.kaneoheyachtclub.com/2010 International 14 PAC RIM Day O...
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