Congressional Cup Has Breezy Day Two for Match Racers

21st April 2022

At the end of 12 flights, defending champion Taylor Canfield (USA) had continued full steam ahead to the top of the leaderboard at 10 - 2

Under the command of Principal Race Officer, John Busch racers completed the first round robin series and dipped into the second today of match racing's Congressional Cup. Long Beach continued to deliver stiff and steady westerly breezes: with more forecast in the days ahead.

Earlier today Pearson Potts (USA) won his first match of the event and picked up the pace from there. "You make the smallest mistake, and you know the guy on the other side will capitalize on it." Harry Price (AUS) also started to get up to speed, after a long gap in racing forced by the pandemic.

Congressional Cup match racing action at Long Beach

At the end of 12 flights, defending champion Taylor Canfield (USA) had continued full steam ahead to the top of the leaderboard at 10 - 2, but not without a pack of hungry rivals on his caboose: Ian Williams (GBR), Johnie Berntsson (SWE) and Chris Poole (USA) all at 8 - 4.

Long Beach Yacht Club - Established in 1929, Long Beach Yacht Club is recognized as a leading club in the international yachting community for its commitment to excellence in yacht racing and innovation in race management. Congressional Cup, the club’s signature event, now in its 57th year, is the preeminent match racing regatta in the United States and considered the Gateway to the America’s Cup. In addition to hosting numerous local, national and international yachting events, the Club’s member families enjoy a year-round calendar of social, yachting, and junior activities at its beautiful clubhouse on the shore of Alamitos Bay

And it was a day of thumps and thrills as the ten teams warmed up, and the action heated up. Chief Umpire Russell Green noted 21 penalty flags in today's six flights, with combative competitors colliding, clipping the Race Committee boat, tangling with each other - and the pin end of the line.

As Nick Egnot-Jones (NZL) put it, "There were lots of flags flying, boats colliding, and a real spectacle. It was high calibre competition."

Skipper - Nation - Results after 12 flights

Taylor Canfield - USA - 10
Ian Williams - GBR - 8
Johnie Berntsson - SWE - 8
Chris Poole - USA - 8
Nick Egnot-Johnson - NZL - 6
Emil Kjaer - DEN - 5
Jeppe Borch - DEN - 5
Harry Price - AUS - 4
Pearson Potts - USA - 4
Dave Hood - USA - 3

Published in Match Racing

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Match Racing

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