{"id":75684,"date":"2023-06-11T11:18:14","date_gmt":"2023-06-11T15:18:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/?p=75684"},"modified":"2023-06-22T13:51:12","modified_gmt":"2023-06-22T17:51:12","slug":"distance-racers-battle-the-wind-and-the-clock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/regatta-series\/distance-racers-battle-the-wind-and-the-clock\/","title":{"rendered":"Distance Racers Battle the Wind and the Clock"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }<\/style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5jPn2lyvHds' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/yachtscoring.com\/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eid=15508\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Final Results<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Four minutes. For Daniel Koules\u2019 team on the <strong>Beneteau First 40<\/strong> <em>Badge<\/em>, that was difference between finishing and not finishing after navigating a patience-testing 30-mile distance race on the second day of the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series in Chicago. Earlier this morning 35 teams set off from a starting line near the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse with one hard deadline: finish by 1600. Only 13 boats managed to do so and <em>Badge<\/em> was almost another casualty to the time limit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe knew that when we made the turn at Montrose [the final mark of the course near Montrose Harbor] we had to get to the finish, and somehow we were able to make up some time,\u201d Koules says. \u201cIt was a good point of sail for us and we were comfortable with what we were doing, and the crew made every effort to get us across the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"526\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0137-1024x673.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image disable-lazyload\" alt=\"2023 Sailing World Regatta Series \u2013 Chicago\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0137-1024x673.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0137-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0137-768x505.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0137-1536x1009.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0137.jpg 1644w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Daniel Koules\u2019 Beneteau First 40 <i>Badge<\/i> gets underway at the start of the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series Chicago Distance Race. Nearly five hours later, <i>Badge<\/i> would be one of a handful to finish before the time limit expired.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\"><\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>What exactly transpired over the nearly 30 miles, five hours, 10 sail changes and nine-mark roundings was a blur for helmsman Koules, but his navigator, Jim Gignac, plotted the course says the key to both finishing within the time limit and winning the <strong>ORC1<\/strong> division was one easily identifiable point in the race. \u201cThe forecast called for the thermal to build in the afternoon, but it came early and that was where things changed. There was a battle between the thermal and the southeasterly and you had to find your way through. It was a matter of understanding where the thermal was and where it wasn\u2019t and not going to where it was dying\u2026you could see the light spots creeping across the course.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At one point, Gignac says, they were making their way north under jib on port tack, and 100 yards east of them was a boat with flying a spinnaker. \u201cWe elected to just live with jib, fight through it, and wait for the shift. When it finally came, we popped the spinnaker and got away from rest of the fleet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jeff and Jane Hoswell\u2019s Nelson Marek 46 <em>Skye<\/em> was the only other boat in the 10-boat ORC1 division to finishing within the time limit, but in the <strong>ORC2<\/strong> division, which sailed a shorter course, all but one completed the course on time, but even then, they were cutting it close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0492-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"2023 Sailing World Regatta Series \u2013 Chicago\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0492-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0492-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0492-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0492-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0492.jpg 1620w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Luke Wolbrink&#8217;s C&#038;C35-3 Zella, winner of the Distance Race&#8217;s ORC2 division.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere was a huge park-up at the southern end of the course,\u201d says Luke Wolbrink, who\u2019s C&amp;C35-3 <em>Zella<\/em> topped its fleet of seven. \u201cWe were stuck there for about 30 minutes trying to make any headway\u20141 knot at times,\u201d Wolbrink says. \u201cWe were fortunate enough to get just enough separation from our fleet and get our kite up first.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the slowest boat in its fleet, a heavy-displacement classic of the 1980s, <em>Zella<\/em> not only won its fleet but won boat-for-boat, which Wolbrink says, is \u201cmiraculous.\u201d \u201cOur boat is terrible in those conditions, but we sail in this area lot and we knew what the wind would likely do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The two <strong>PHRF<\/strong> Distance Race classes were not so fortunate: none of the PHRF 1 or 2 entrants finished in time, but the smallest boats of PHRF 3 did all managed to finish behind Bill Bartz\u2019s Hunter 355 <em>Ranger<\/em>. For these unfortunate teams, redemption should come on Sunday for the final day of the regatta where the wind forecast is promising fresher breezes and a much rougher sea state from the north.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"571\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0760-1024x731.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"2023 Sailing World Regatta Series \u2013 Chicago\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0760-1024x731.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0760-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0760-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-0760.jpg 1512w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">The Beneteau 36.7 fleet starts its first race of the day on Saturday at the Helly Hansen Sailing  World Regatta Series<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>While the Distance Racers were battling farther out on the lake, the regatta\u2019s one-design classes were enjoying shifty, but moderate conditions closer to shore once the sea breeze established itself later in the afternoon, allowing race committees on those circles to complete three more races to bring the series for most fleets to six races to date. Here, Gary Powell and Scott and Yvonne Rhulander\u2019s <em>Mojo<\/em> continue to shine in the <strong>Beneteau First 40<\/strong> fleet with a second and a pair of firsts to pad their lead to an impressive 8 points. Jeffrey Davis\u2019 <strong>J\/111<\/strong> <em>Shamrock<\/em> went on a winning streak as well and now sits 5 points atop its three-boat fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the <strong>J\/109<\/strong> division, Team Northstar won two of three races to move into the overall lead by a single point over George Miz\u2019s <em>Smee Again<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Shawn O\u2019Neill\u2019s <em>Eagle<\/em>, with a four-legged crew onboard to sniff out the windshifts, padded its lead in the <strong>ORC<\/strong> division to 3 points with a run of seconds in the three races and in the<strong> PHRF 1<\/strong> fleet, Tod Patten\u2019s J\/112e ran the table with three wins to put them solidly at the standings with one more race day to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-1705-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"2023 Sailing World Regatta Series \u2013 Chicago\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-1705-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-1705-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-1705-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-1705-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/230610_SWRS_Chicago-1705.jpg 1620w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Shawn and Jerry O&#8217;Neill&#8217;s Eagle goes upwind on Saturday at the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series in Chicago.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>Richard Witzel\u2019s Rowdy, with tactician Carlos Robles calling the shots, remains the top <strong>J\/70<\/strong> with top-5 consistency in what is a fleet stacked with pro talent. Rowdy goes into the final day of racing with a 14-point lead over Fernando Perez Ontiveros\u2019s Black Mamba, from Mexico. Bob Willis\u2019 <em>Rip Rullah<\/em> is the top Corinthian, currently sitting seventh overall in the 24-boat fleet. William Howard and his junior sailing teammates on the <em>Grom Squad<\/em> are the top junior team, in 14th overall after six races.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The standings tightened in the 18-boat <strong>Tartan 10<\/strong> fleet with Timothy Rathbun\u2019s team on <em>Winnebago<\/em> winning back-to-back races after posting a sixth in the morning\u2019s first race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brian Kaczor\u2019s <em>Erica<\/em> is sitting on 3-point overall lead after putting up a pair of top-five finishes, setting up what will surely be a final-day battle for T10 bragging rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Battle for the<strong> Beneteau 36.7<\/strong> title a now a 4-point affair between helmsman Jim Clouser and his team on <em>Joie de Vie<\/em>, yesterday\u2019s leader and Jarrett Altmin\u2019s <em>Soulshine<\/em>, the defending champion. Clouser did himself no favors with a terrible start in the day\u2019s first race in which he was \u201cabsolutely buried,\u201d but they came back from the depths of the 12-boat fleet to salvage a sixth. After another bad start in the next race, they once again clawed back to finish third. At that point, frustrated with his performance, Clouser committed to winning the final race of the day. \u201cI said we were going to win it, and I know I\u2019m not supposed to because we\u2019d jinx ourselves,\u201d Clouser said. \u201cBut we able to get off the start, get right and a get a jump and do all we could to stay in front of <em>Soulshine<\/em>. They\u2019re the team to beat and that\u2019s not easy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With Sunday\u2019s wind forecast to be a strong northerly with high seas and heavy rain, there\u2019s a strong probability today\u2019s results might stand, which would be fine for Clouser and Roman Plutanko who\u2019s running away the regatta in the <strong>ILCA<\/strong> fleet. But for the top two teams in the <strong>J\/88<\/strong> and <strong>J\/105<\/strong>s fleets, tied respectively, there\u2019s hope for at least one race to shake out the standings without having to resort to a tie-break finale.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the distance racers battling shifts and holes offshore, the buoy racing action continued on the second day of the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series in Chicago.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":75687,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Dave Reed","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"","hydra_display_updated":false,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"157","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"The race committee sent the distance racers of the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series in Chicago on a long one and for some, it was too long.","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","arc_story_id":"","arc_website_url":"","custom_permalink":"","arc_subtype":"","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"sponsored_image":false,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":true,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","ad_targeting":"","ad_settings_ads_on_this_page":true,"ad_settings_automatic_ad_injection_into_the_content":true,"sponsored_url":"","social_share":true},"categories":[157],"tags":[181,202],"class_list":["post-75684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-regatta-series","tag-helly-hansen-sailing-world-regatta-series","tag-helly-hansen-sailing-world-regatta-series-chicago"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75684"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75684\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/75687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}