Chicago Team Takes 2021 U.S. Match Racing Championships

LONG BEACH一 Peter Holz and his crew from the Chicago Yacht Club took the top honors at the 2021 U.S. Match Racing Championship the weekend of Oct. 1.

There were three days of racing that had Holz facing off against Pearson Potts from the New York Yacht Club for a 2-0 final matchup and Chris Poole from Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club coming in third place after winning against Jeffery Peterson from Balboa Yacht Club in the petit final.

Holz raced with Ellis Tonissi from Beverly Yacht Club, Jonathan Hammond from Seawanhaka Yacht Club, I.G. Schottlaender from Noroton Yacht Club, John Colburn from Windy City Racing LLC, and Graham Post from Macatawa Bay Yacht Club.

Ten teams were competing for the overall title.

The Long Beach Yacht Club race committee had to set courses in the afternoon on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2 for the first stages of racing after light winds in the morning made it a bit difficult.

“It [was] the lightest Long Beach sailing I’ve ever seen,” said Poole in an Oct 4 press release from U.S. Sailing. “Other than Congressional Cup this year, this is the first time I’ve sailed here this time of year.  Now that we’re experiencing normal September conditions, it’s tricky getting up to speed.  But I think everyone is on the same page learning how to sail these boats in 3-5 knots.”

The committee had to suspend the final match of the quarter-finals on Saturday afternoon after they lost the wind. However, the match was picked back up again on Sunday morning Holz against Janel Zarkowsky from Scuttlebutt Sailing Club.

Holz pulled out on top and went into the semi-finals, which saw returning champion Potts against Petersen and then Poole against Holz for the second match.

Holz lost two matches to Poole and then turned around to win two matches and make it into the finals against Potts.

“Interestingly enough, something similar [to what happened in the semifinal] happened in the final,” said Chief Umpire Randy Smith in the Oct. 4 press release. “Instead, it was at the leeward end. Holz was on the right, and Potts was the tacking boat, so he was at risk. He ended up turning a little bit, and there was contact, so Potts got a penalty.”

Holz and his team went 2-0 in the final and took home the title.

For a complete list of the standings, see https://www.ussailing.org/competition/championships/2021-u-s-match-racing-championship/.

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