In the bag for Martin and Nelson

Win in the 505 North Americans in the build-up to the SAP Worlds in San Francisco

Mike Martin and Jeff Nelson (2-1-1-1-1-DNS, 7.0 pts) needed one more race to clinch the title on the last day of the 2009 5O5 North American Championships. Regional favorites considered by many to be the best heavy weather sailors in the class, Martin and Nelson dominated throughout the week securing the title after finishing second in the fifth race of the series.

“The Bay is a great place to compete and this week did not disappoint,” commented 2009 505 North American Champion Mike Martin. “We’ve been looking forward to this since we won in 2004.”

Carter Jackson and Peter Holden got off to a strong start in the first race of the day and held a slight lead over fellow Australians Peter Chappell and Ian Davidson at the first gate while Martin and Nelson were neck-and-neck with Mike Holt and Carl Smit (6-2-2-2-1-DNS, 13.0 pts) less than 20 seconds behind. By the second lap, Holt and Smit had opened up a 23 second lead and ended up taking the gun. Current World Champions Ian Pinnell and Carl Gibbon who started the race as the pathfinder boat finished third.

“Its been a great week but the long days tire you out and you can make mistakes,” commented Mike Holt. “It was a bit lighter today so it made for a fantastic day. That, and knowing we didn’t have to go out for the last race,” he jokingly added.

In the final race of the series Howie Hamlin and Ian Mitchell (7-8-9-[4]-7-1, 27.0 pts) held off Tyler Moore and Geoff Ewenson to take first and secure third place overall in the regatta. Pinnell/Gibbon (8-7-7-[10]-3-4, 29.0) ended up fourth in both the race and the regatta while Moore/Ewenson (1-DNS-6-11-18-2, 38) finished fifth in the final standings.

Results: