RACING REPORT GYA Women’s PHRF Championship, Pensacola, FL, June 29-30 By Kim Kaminski On June 29-30, the Pensacola Yacht Club sponsored the Gulf Yachting Association’s Women’s PHRF Championship on the waters of Pensacola Bay. Six boats signed up for the challenge, hailing from various locations along the northern Gulf Coast: two boats from New Orleans, one from Fort Walton Beach and three from Pensacola. This all-female, Spinnaker division-only competition brought some of the top women sailors out to perform their best racing techniques. The women faced numerous challenges including a weather front that came into the area prior to the first race, bringing rain and strong winds. This was followed by the opposite condi- Debby Grimm and crew of Hot Chocolate, which won the 2013 GYA tions on the following day, when the winds were Women’s Championship trophy with three first-place finishes. Photo by Kim reduced to nothing during the final race, which Kaminski. had to be abandoned until the sea breeze eventuSouthern Yacht Club aboard Hot Chocolate sailed away ally filled in with enough breeze to restart the final race. with three first-place finishes to earn the Women’s Debby Grimm and her crew from New Orleans’ Championship. Following close on her heels was the sailing team from Fort Walton Beach, FL, on Eve-N-Keeled, captained by Jennifer Grant. Jennifer and crew captured three second-place finishes to solidly secure the number two position. Only one point separated the third-place position between Kim Kaminski and her team on Helldiver, and Ellen Hunt and crew aboard Reach Around. This race demonstrated an early sampling of the caliber of competition that lay ahead in the Ladies Sailing Trilogy, which was to be held with the Fast Women Regatta on July 20, the Bikini Regatta on July 27 and the Race for the Roses on August 2. Results (three races— 6 miles, 3.25 miles and 3 miles. Place, boat, captain, club, points): 1, Hot Chocolate, Debby Grimm, SYC, 3; 2, Eve-N-Keeled, Jennifer Grant, FWYC, 6; 3, Helldiver, Kim Kaminski, NYC, 12; 4, Reach Around, Ellen Hunt, PYC, 13; 5, Bruja, Elaine Boos, SYC, 14; 6, White Shell Woman, Julie Connerley, PYC, 15
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SOUTHWINDS August 2013
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