Local team take the lead

Phil Lotz's New York Yacht Club team two points ahead at the inter-club Invitational Cup

With brisk breezes to propel them, the fleet of 19 teams from 14 nations competing at the inaugural New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup worked it hard in four shifty, somewhat unpredictable races on Narragansett Bay today. Irish eyes were smiling aboard the Royal Cork Yacht Club’s entry when skipper Anthony O’Leary won the first two races of the day, but it was the New York Yacht Club’s team led by skipper Phil Lotz that made the move to the top of the scoreboard (from second yesterday) when he played the averages for a score line that never left the single digits. (RCYC rounded out its scores today with a 14-7 to secure third place behind yesterday’s leader the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, skippered by Terry McLaughlin.)

Lotz gave credit to his team and tactician Ken Read (Newport, R.I.), recently returned from skippering Puma in the Volvo Ocean Race, for a remarkable comeback in the second race that took them from sorry-at the-start to phenomenal-at-the-finish. Having jumped the start gun with three others, the team was called back to clear itself and begin again.

“We had a clean lane at least,” said Lotz, “and were able to work a number of shifts to finish second.” In the last race of the day, when the wind had begged off slightly from its highs of 18-20 knots, Lotz was caught, along with the Canadian team, at the pin end of the start line when the wind went right. “A good jibe-set gained us some boats, and on the last beat we were able to gain some more,” said Lotz, who finished sixth while the Canadians took a 14th.

“It was a classic Newport northerly,” said the Canadian team’s trimmer Geoff Moore. “Everyone had at least one lucky break today; it’s like trading baskets.” Moore made the point that no one is winning all the races and he expects everyone to have a bad race or two, but there are no discard races, so staying on top of the game is key.





With a large spectator fleet at hand, the NYYC Swan 42 one-designs being used for the event sailed 'up the Bay'. The windward/leeward courses (twice around), designed to last about an hour, proved perfect for keeping the fleet tight but with ample room for the cream to rise to the top.

“Two miles out in the ocean the fleet tends to separate more,” said Lotz, “but in flat water, the boats are very even, and we’re all going the same speed, so there are lots of opportunities to stay close to your opponents.”

The boat sailed by Royal St. George Yacht Club (IRL) suffered damage today after a collision in the last race. It is expected it will be repaired by tomorrow’s racing.

The Yacht Club Italiano and Nylandska Jaktklubben (FIN) teams both received average points for yesterday’s single race after being awarded redress for their failed jibs. The Italian team, skippered by Carlo Puri Negri currently sits in 12th place, while the Finnish team, skippered by Leonardo Ferragamo, is in sixth.

The regatta continues through Saturday (Sept. 19) when a Parade of Nations through Newport Harbor will precede the final races.

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