June’s PICYA Lipton Cup Delivers Varied Conditions

Last weekend’s PICYA Lipton Cup delivered a variety of conditions from a practically textbook Friday, to a fog-clouded Saturday, and a heavy-weather Sunday. Race crews from the St. Francis, San Fransisco, Sausalito, Richmond, Encinal, Berkeley, Inverness, South Beach and Corinthian yacht clubs were matched aboard StFYC’s fleet of 10 J/22s.

The three-day regatta began in front of St. Francis Yacht Club on Friday, June 16, with a distance race to the Knox area west of Angel Island. Race rules required the helmsperson to be age 60 or above.

Saturday delivered a gloomy day with 18-knot winds. No spinnakers were allowed for the last of the day’s seven races .

The final day arrived with ample sunshine, consistent wind and lumpy water conditions. Sunday was designated women drivers’ day, and this time, the last two races were sailed without spinnakers. By the end of the third race crews were soaked from the white water and waves stirred up by the gusting winds.

Island Yacht Club’s Ros de Vries was sailing for Encinal, and on Sunday her boat was skippered by Karissa Peth, who was enjoying her first time sailing a J/22.

“[She] crushed the heavy-weather sailing,” Ros wrote us. “We got two fourth-place finishes on Sunday — and could have done better, if we hadn’t made a team bet on heading to the Cityfront first (vs. heading to the North Tower) from Harding Rock during the long-distance race. Her driving was super.”

Keep an eye out for the July issue of Latitude 38 for Christine Weaver’s full report and results in Racing Sheet.