Photo finish for Jardine

Talbot Wilson reports on the finale of the Bacardi Bermuda Race Week

Tie-breaker decides IOD and drop decides Etchells finals in

Bill Widnall of and Kevin Farrar of were tied at 15 points each after nine IOD races and two throw-out scores. Widnall (1-3-3-1-4-4-2-1-6) had 25 points counting all nine and Farrar (6-1-1-8-2-2-5-2-2) had 29 points. The drops made them equal, but Widnall had more firsts and put his name on the Vrengen Gold Cup as his prize. Widnall also won the 5-race IOD ‘A’ series, Farrar was second and Jordy Walker took third. In the 4-race IOD ’B’ series, Walker (5-5-7-3-1-1-6-1) took first, Farrar second and Widnall third.

In a classic Etchells battle, Peter Duncan (1-5-1-1-1-2-4-2) came second in the final race but nipped Tim Lynch (2-4-2-4-2-1-1-1) by a single point, 12 to 13, in the series. The two spent the three and a half lap course in a tack and cover duel. They finished in a nine race tie at 17 points apiece. Lynch had bullets in the last three races but the drop of only a 4 versus Duncan’s 5 gave the K.F Trimmingham Trophy to Duncan. Tim Patton (4-2-7-2-5-3-3-4) came third.

Three points separated the top three in the J/24 Class going into the last race. Bermudian Jon Corless (3-2-5-7-1-1-2-1-6) who had moved into a one-point lead took a sixth in the last race while Stuart Jardine, Lymington UK, (4-1-4-2-2-2-6-2-3) slipped by two boats at the finish line by only a meter to take third. The photo finish gave Jardine a one-point victory over Corless and the Gipper Trophy for his victory. Mike Lewis (2-3-1-5-4-3-3-3-2) tied with Corless but Coreless ended up taking second and Lewis got third since he had only one first place race.

Adam Barboza and the Bermuda crew of Addiction (1-2-1-2-3-1-4) took a first and fourth in the final two J105 races to win the J/105 class and the B.W. Walker Memorial Trophy. Tom Cotes’ Masquerade (4-1-3-3-1-2-5) took second. Barboza match raced Coates in the final two races to protect his slim three-point victory. The two yachts had continued the competition in Bermuda that developed in Florida J/105 Class racing this
winter. Bermudian Glenn Astwood (2-4-4-1-6-4-5-2) was third and happy with the performance of his less experienced crew.

Bermuda sailors also won all the dinghy classes. Chuck Millican and Drew Buttner(1-5-2-2-2-4-1-2-1-1) won the 505 class four points ahead of Marylander John Hauser and Sol Marini(5-1-1-4-4-3-2-1-2-2). Bret Wright (1-1-2-6-1-1-1-1-1) had a commanding 24-point win in the 18-boat Laser class over Maryland’s Bob Tan. Steve Dickinson and Ty Trott (1-1-4-2) took the Comets over James Perry and Janet Debraga (6-2-2-3).

In the Snipes, Malcolm and Julie Smith (1-1-1-1) had a perfect regatta and led Gordan Fleming and Patty Maloney (2-2-3-2-3) Canadian Gordon Fleming byfive points.