US Mens Sailing Championships

Zak Fanberg and his Bay-Waveland YC crew win for second time running

For a second consecutive year, Zak Fanberg has led his team representing Bay-Waveland Yacht Club to the U.S. Men’s Sailing Championship title. Competing with crew Dave Blouin and Kippy Chamberlain, Fanberg took the lead on the first day of the U.S. Men’s Sailing Championship and never gave it up throughout the four-day event hosted by the Long Beach Island Yacht Racing Association in New Jersey and sailed on Lightnings. Rolex Watch U.S.A. sponsored this regatta, as it does with all U.S. Adult Championships. Other sponsors include Chubb and Dry Creek Vineyard.

Fanberg's crew, Blouin and Chamberlain, are both skippers during the regular season and when asked how this team worked in harmony, they replied that they have been in competition with each other, and sailing together, all their lives. All sailed together at the same college and credit the intense college sailing competition to their edge. For Fanberg’s team, the primary class at home is the Flying Scot, but thanks to a clinic sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A. and the openness of fellow competitors who frequently sail Lightnings, they quickly learned many little tricks and tips to get the
Lightning going.

The race for second place turned out to be very exciting with three teams changing positions throughout the regatta. In the end, it was the team from the Buffalo Canoe Club with skipper Jim Allen and crew Tom Allen and Jody Swanson taking second place overall. The Niantic Bay Yacht Club team finished two points behind and ended up in third place. Allen also took home the Royal Victoria YC Seamanship Trophy and Kenny Manzoni from Southwestern Yacht Club was awarded the Staton J. Peele Jr. Sportsmanship Trophy.