VISA HCS Team Race Regatta

Another beautiful Virginia day on Mill Creek greeted 11 teams of sailors from 7 area schools with partly cloudy skies and and temps in the mid to high 70's. However, lack of early morning wind had sailors delaying on shore for over an hour. After launching, getting in a couple of races and another lull, the wind finally settled in at a consistent 10-12mph out of the east.

Initially, the regatta was divided into two weighted divisions with A division in a rank group above B division. Single round robins of each division were interwoven with 25 races completed. With the 4th place team Maury declining to continue, a final 4 was then sailed between Christchurch Team 1, Christchurch Team 2, Norfolk Academy Team 1, and Norfolk Collegiate.

In race 15, NA Team 1 boat 13 lost their crew on the downwind just after mark 2. The skipper kept sailing, engaged in holding off the opposing team single handed at mark 3 for a good 3-4 min, came back, picked up his crew and continued racing. In the end, he retired after finishing, but it was a good show.

Norfolk Collegiate sailed much better than the scores reflect because they took DSQ's in a few races for having an underage skipper.

Final results place Christchurch School Team 1 in first place with an 8/0 record. Christchurch School Team 2 won the tiebreaker for second place with 5 wins and 3 losses. Third place then went to Norfolk Academy Team 1 with a 5/0 record. Maury High School took forth place with 2 wins and three losses in A division.

Much thanks goes to the race committee, especially PRO Leigh Chapman, Finish boat Alan Mason, scorer Walter McKenna, and Melissa Green who recruited volunteers and organized the event.