Mossman ahead

At the Chicago Match Race Centerf's Key West Match Race invitational

After the completion of three round robins in near-ideal conditions, Guy Mossman and his team takes an early lead in the Chicago Match Race Center’s 2nd annual Key West Match Race Invitational. Mossman, who hails from Charleston, SC, is tied in points with current runner-up Don Wilson and his team from Chicago, but has defeated Wilson two times in three matches to win the tie-break.

“Even though this is my first match racing event,” said Mossman, a five-year veteran of the Melges 24 class, “my team has been really strong to get us around the course fast. And I’m really having a lot of fun!”

“This year we’ve had another great start to this event,” said Principal Race Officer Ken Legler. “Three teams are within a point after three round robins, so there’s no one team dominating the results. Anyone can win tomorrow.”

Legler and his team set short courses west of Sunset Key and adjusted continuously for shifts in the 5-10 knot southeasterly breeze and strong flood current. These shifts kept competitors on their game, with many matches determined only in the last few lengths to the finish, and a few determined by penalty turns performed on the final leg of the match.

One of the most exciting matches of the day was in the final flight, when Wilson had a slim lead around the final top mark rounding against Mark Johnson, from Appleton, WI. Wilson had earned a pre-start penalty and was looking for an opportunity to offset that against Johnson, not having enough lead to do his turn and preserve his lead into the finish.

When Wilson gybe set after rounding the mark, Johnson gybed as well, boldly positioned between Wilson and the mark. Despite the excitement of penalty flags and frenetic crew work, Johnson managed to initially keep clear and earn a green (no penalty) flag from match umpires Tom Rinda and Ruth Miller. The next luffing move by Wilson caused Johnson’s spinnaker to drape into Wilson’s cockpit, but no Y-flag flown by either team could allow the umpires to penalize Johnson and offset Wilson’s outstanding penalty.

So, even though Wilson extended away from this incident back in the lead, he and his team could not build enough distance to perform their turn and get to the finish line ahead, so Johnson went on to win the match by two lengths. Had Wilson won, he would have gone to 7 points and held the lead.

“I’m impressed with how close these matches are considering its been a few months since anyone has match raced,” said CMRC Director Bill Hardesty, who is reigning US National Match Race Champion. “The teams that are coming fresh off Key West Race Week this past week have their boat handling moves down well, and it shows. I suspect tomorrow the racing will tighten even more as everyone gets a little better in their team work.”

Tomorrow may likely be exciting for other reasons as well, as the forecast calls for 15 knots of southeasterly breeze, making the Melges 24s really light up in their performance. Legler anticipates another two round robins followed by a first-to-three point Final Round.

Standings, after Round Robin 3:

1. Guy Mossman Charleston, SC 6 points
2. Don Wilson Chicago, IL 6
3. Mark Johnson Appleton, WI 5
4. Kevin Dooley Tampa, FL 1