Tough opening day

Big seas make for difficult racing at Charleston Race Week

Competitors are nursing sunburns and sore muscles this evening after spectacular weather made the start of 2009 Charleston Race Week something to remember.

Race Committee members on the offshore courses faced some of the hardest conditions of the day as they pitched around setting marks and start/finish lines. "The seas started off only three feet or so, but by the end of the day they were consistently at 6 feet plus, with four second periods," said mark set official Jay Stuart.

There was plenty of wind, but it was pretty consistent and great sailing breeze," said Jeff Worobel, sailing on the B-25 Red Hot Chili Peppers. "In fact, there wasn't any drama at all until we broke our rudder!" Worobel expects to be ready to race again in the morning.

Worobel's rudder wasn't the only breakage - the Beneteau 36.7 Blueprint crashed into a competing boat and destroyed its bow pulpit, but they didn't let it deter them. "We made a call to the local Beneteau dealer, and have a look yourself - the new part is already on and we're ready to go again!"

Inshore Courses Deliver Thrills and Spills

The 22-knot winds on the ocean courses didn't make it into the harbor until the third race of the day, but it was worth the wait.

The 35-strong Viper 640 class is being led after four races by David Guggenheim's Black Mamba.

"It's always so great in this harbor when the breeze gets up," said Viper 640 Class President Justin Scott. The British born Massachusetts sailor said he "couldn't wipe the smile off my face."

Today was also the first ever one-design start for the Melges 20, the newest sportboat from the famous Wisconsin-based builder. Here after four races Marc Hollerbach is tied on points with David Hammett and Linton Weiss on Simplified Sophistication.

"The boat is just so easy to handle, never out of control and an absolute hoot to sail," said points leader Marc Hollerbach, who sails with sons Adam and Ian, and soon-to-be superstar female sailor, 16 year old Morgan Kiss. "The Race Committee and volunteers were flawless and we had the best racing I've done in ages - bring on tomorrow!"

Meanwhile John Kolius leads the Melges 24s, but only two points ahead of Argyle Campbell's Rock 'N Roll.

Tomorrow's forecasts calls for significantly less wind than today, bringing Charleston's famous currents more into focus for the sailors. Their aching bodies should be replenished by then - thanks to a huge spread of dinner at tonight's Lowcountry feast at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina.

Full results here

More photos on page 2....