29 Aug 2017 Clagett/Oakcliff Match Race
Consistency was queen at the second annual Clagett/Oakcliff Match Race Regatta
Oyster Bay, N.Y. (August 27, 2017) – Nine teams and twenty seven competitors were served a mixed bag of conditions at the second annual Clagett/Oakcliff Match Race Regatta for sailors with adaptive needs. Pauline Dowell (Boston, Mass.) and her crew of Christian Thaxton (Sommerville, Mass.) and Kay VanValkenburgh (Boston, Mass.), who are return customers of this event, walked away unscathed this year without a single loss on their score line. They even bested Rio Paralympic silver medalist, Rick Doerr, who made his debut in match racing this weekend, and earned a second place spot after a tiebreaker with Charles Rosenfield.
Day One of racing was challenging with no more than four knots of breeze but Day Two saw 6 knots gusting 8, which was perfect for the competitors who were coached all weekend by two America’s Cup legends, Dave Perry and Dave Dellenbaugh. Perry commented to Dowell and her crew after their winning race today,” Your sailing was fundamentally sound and consistent; you let the other teams make the mistakes. I’m so proud of you guys.”
Dowell, who is heading to the Blind World Sailing Championships in Sheboygan, Wisconsin later this year, has sailed with Thaxton for two years and VanValkenburgh for three. “We have very specific communication on the boat; it’s like a specific sailing language,” Pauline remarked. “Last year I sailed in this regatta with a different crew and this year it’s been my regular crew and that has made a difference. I sailed at the Blind Nationals where Dave Perry was coaching and we are constantly referring to the notes and his coaching information.”
“This has been a tremendous opportunity and I’ve really enjoyed the clinic and regatta. We’ve learned so much about boat handling skills and sailing in really tight quarters while applying rules to those situations. This has been my and Charles’ first match racing regatta and I will absolutely be back next year,” said Doerr.
Returning to take part in the clinic and regatta were Clagett fleet racing regulars, Charlie Rosenfield and Tim Ripley who teamed up in the Sonar after spending many years in the singled handed 2.4mR. Joining Ripley and Rosenfield for this regatta was Ripley’s childhood sailing coach, Stu Caplan (Larchmont, N.Y.), who taught him to sail at the Sea Legs program in City Island. “It has been a great regatta and I enjoyed the company on the boat!” Rosenfield commented, “We had great boat handling and I enjoyed the better breeze from last year. I will be back next year for sure and hope that Stu will be able to sail with us again.”
Final results
1 Pauline Dowell, Christian Thaxton, Kay VanValkenburgh
2 Rick Doerr, Charles McClure, Betsy Perry
3 Charlie Rosenfield, Tim Ripley Stu Caplan
4 Julia Dorsett, Carol Whitmer, Karen Miller
5 Duane Smith, Donoray Bickham, John Lubrano
6 Gerry Tiernan, Dennis Moran, Greg Murphy
7 David Caras, Mike Hersey, Rachelle Pontes
8 Unbreakable tie – Dave Whalen, Spencer Raggio, Joesph Brooks and Jim Dickson, Clarence Greene, Debora Abrams-Wright