Karen and her teammate Bob Jones win the NACC in the double handed Freedom fleet by an impressive 17 points, August 1-3, 2009.
This is Karen’s sixth win in this event; she also won in 2003-2007.
Chicago’s North American Challenge Cup brought all types of wind and weather conditions to the Lake Michigan. Saturday, with 15-20 knot winds out of the south, southwest with gusts in the 30s, Bob and Karen took two bullets (firsts) in the morning races. They lead both races in the afternoon, however, with the main sheet accidentally wrapping around Karen and the tiller during a gybe, and a confusing shortened course finish line, they lost their lead to take a third in both races finishing the day with a four point lead.
Sunday brought shifty winds ranging from 3-7 knots. The day began with winds out of the north. During the second race, the wind completely died in the third leg at the leeward mark. With the left shore side of the course being the favored side, Bob and Karen inched towards the shore hoping to catch a freshened breeze. It paid off big, when a 2-3 knots of wind breeze line freshened, thus lifting them first to the windward mark. The wind continued to clock 180 degrees right turning their downwind finish line into an upwind finish. The morning races yielded another two bullets. In the afternoon, Bob and Karen won the first race. In the second race, choosing to cover Jaffe and Daniher, their closest completion, they did not cover Strahle and DeMarest, who took a flyer out to the favored side of the course, placing them in second place, but ahead of Jaffe. They now lead with a 10 point lead.
Monday brought rain in the morning with a predication of 30 knot winds. Sailing in the rain and lighter winds than expected, they took a bullet and a second. During the afternoon races, the winds picked up to 10-15 knots with gust to 20. Bob and Karen put two more bullets under their belts to win the regatta with a 17 point lead with 15 points. Mike Jaffe and Maurice Daniher took second place with 32 points, and Mike Strahle and Donna DeMarest finished third with 44 points.
Check out www.chicagoyachtclub.org/news/viewNewsArticle.aspx?id=19 for further regatta information.