May 2024

The San Francisco Yacht Club hosted an exhilarating weekend of competitive sailing with the Elite Keel Regatta on May 18th and 19th. The event drew top sailors from the region, all eager to test their skills against the bay’s challenging conditions. PRO Forrest Gay and his Race Committee team organized a series of five exciting races that kept both competitors and spectators on the edge of their seats.

The regatta featured very windy conditions coupled with a strong ebb tide, creating a dynamic and thrilling racing environment. Amidst these conditions, Tim Russell and his team on Ne*Ne emerged as the regatta champions, securing the top spot with a score of 13. Their victory was hard-fought, with Russell and his crew’s adept handling, fast starts, and strategic tactics guided Ne*Ne through the challenging waters.

Shawn Bennet and his crew on Jose Cuervo delivered an impressive performance, finishing in second place with a score of 18. Doug Bailey’s Akula claimed third place with a score of 19, showcasing resilience and skill throughout the races.

The regatta not only highlighted the competitive spirit of the sailors but also the intense camaraderie and sportsmanship that define the J/105 sailing community. Each team faced the challenging conditions head-on, resulting in close races and multiple lead changes that kept everyone engaged.

In addition to the fierce competition, the regatta was a testament to the exceptional organization by the San Francisco Yacht Club. The club’s commitment to promoting sailing and providing a platform for top-tier competition was evident in every aspect of the event.

As the 2024 Elite Keel Regatta comes to a close, sailors and fans alike are already looking forward to next year’s event, anticipating another weekend of thrilling races and memorable moments on the San Francisco Bay.

On May 11, the St. Francis Yacht Club hosted nine teams for the 2024 SF Bay J/105 Women Skipper Invitational. PRO Gerard Sheridan and his RC team ran four action-packed races on the city-front course while Karl the Fog danced across the sky. Nicole Breault’s team on Arbitrage, which included some of her match racing friends from up and down the California coast, topped the field for the 3^rd time. 

In addition to playing the shoreline for relief from the flood tide on the beats, Breault credited the work of her team sailing the boat through challenging shifty and puffy phases at the top of the course under Fort Point. “Keeping the boat steady and moving through transitions was hard work, and this added to some tricky tactical decisions we faced as boats converged.” 

The reputation of Fleet 1 with its intense one-design culture was upheld well by all nine women drivers who led their teams in close racing with heavy-air maneuvers and multiple lead changes. Team Arbitrage had their hands full all day with fierce performances by Kristin Simmons’ Blackhawk (2^nd place), Samantha Gebb’s Peaches (3^rd place), and Maggie Bacon’s Niuhi (4^th place). Usually foredeck, Gebb, who had the father-son duo of John and Michael Rivlin on board as well as her dad, found taking the helm to be fun and rewarding. “I can now appreciate the level of drama in the back of the boat when short-tacking the city-front!” 

Breault, who served as regatta chair and who is the current J/105 Class President, expressed gratitude to the owners who made their boats available. “It is such a worthy endeavor to promote the women in our Fleet and in our sport, to give them a chance to lead and prove their mettle.” This regatta was created as part of a larger J/105 Class initiative to encourage local fleets to come up with solutions to persistent areas of gender disparity in sailing. Zeroing in on the lack of women owner-drivers in the Class, Fleet 1 adopted a woman-skipper with mixed crew format. As Breault explained, “having owners and regular crews lean-in to the event and participate makes it extra meaningful. It is an opportunity for women sailors, sure, but the racing community owns it together.”

As the trend may suggest, the SF Bay J/105 Women Skipper Invitational has found its home on the Saturday of Mothers’ Day at the St. Francis Yacht Club. Looking forward to next year’s fun already!

Full results: https://theclubspot.com/regatta/Xq68efp2kn/results?class_id=CeaG5JKCLX

Event photos: https://stfyc.pixieset.com/j105womenskipperinvitational/