Final Showdown - Rolex Big Boat Series - San Francisco

San Francisco Bay laid on more user friendly conditions of between 14-17 knots and sunshine for the final day of the Rolex Big Boat Series.

Peregrine Photo: Rolex/Daniel Forster

Seven classes (IRC A, B, C, D J/105, J/120, Express 37) were sent on a course around San Francisco Bay marked by the Golden Gate Bridge to the west, Alacatraz Island in the middle, and Treasure Island and Bay Bridge to the east. The Farr 30's completed their  world championship with four races on the North Course.

Photo: Rolex/Daniel Forster

All boats paraded in honor of 9/11 victims, and for the finish, a bright and colourful lineup of spinnakers roared past the stretch of land closest to Crissy Field to the sounds of cannon fire from the St. Francis Yacht Club.

Atlantic Perpetual Trophy – Farr 30: With a world championship at stake, 12 Farr 30s competed in their own regatta within the regatta and until today Scott Easom's Eight Ball had been successfully fighting off fierce competition from Barking Mad and Groovederci. Wipeouts and sail blowouts had become the norm over the seven extremely windy races. With just one race completed yesterday due to the extreme conditions, Easom's rivals were set to pounce as soon as the wind settled.

Barking Mad Photo: Rolex/Daniel Forster

Barking Mad moved into first after winning today’s first race and maintained their lead until the third race when, on the last leg, they fouled Wild Thing after gybing too close and causing their spinnakers touched.

“It was an unforced error, we shouldn’t have been there,” said Barking Mad's Owner/Skipper Jim Richardson.

Groovederci Photo: Rolex/Daniel Forster

Barking Mad's penalty turn put the nail in their coffin and an 11th place saw them drop to third overall. This opened up the door for Groovederci, skippered by Deneen Demourkas, to take the overall lead and then secure the championship in the last race. Demourkas won after posting finish positions of 5-2-2-4 today, while Easom finished third overall, behind Richardson, on merit of his 8-4-4-7 today.

“Coming into today, I knew winning was a possibility, but we would need all four races,” Demourkas said. “In the first race, we were leading and hit the weather mark, so that wasn’t so good, but we did our penalty turn and managed to hold it all together. This is my ninth world championship in this boat; I’ve been a bride’s maid a few times, so I’ve paid my dues.”

Demourkas, who is also the Farr 30 class president praised the St. Francis Yacht Club for  allowing the smaller one design boats to compete in the Rolex Big Boat Series.

“It shows their commitment to yachting to have us here and gave us a chance to show what theses boats can do.” While the boats are capable of performing in high winds she said that many of the owners here have not had precious time in the boat like she has had. “It was a little more nerve wracking, but damn good racing,” she said.

Vesper  Photo: Rolex/Daniel Forster

St. Francis Perpetual Trophy – IRC A: Jim Swartz’s IRC 52Vesper breezed to a overall victory winning five from seven races, including today’s. Swartz put it down to a well-oiled team that knew how to handle the boat no matter how high the winds. PowerPlay and Mayhem, two of five IRC 52s among the fleet battled hard to take out second and third respectively.

Powerplay Photo: Rolex/Daniel Forster

City of San Francisco Trophy – IRC B: Brad Copper, skipper of the Tripp 43 TNT, won his second Rolex watch here after today's second-place finish sewed up the series for him.

 Double Trouble Photo: Rolex/Daniel Forster

Richard Rheem Perpetual Trophy – IRC C: Andy Costello’s J/125 Double Trouble was the only boat to turn in a perfect score for the series winning all seven races.

Dayenu Photo: Rolex/Daniel Forster

Keefe-Kilborn Perpetual Trophy – IRC D: Donald Payan's J/120 Dayenu, entered in IRC D for the first time, proved her salt as both the crew and boat stepped up to plate in the demanding conditions.

Blackhawk Photo: Rolex/Daniel Forster

Commodore’s Cup – J/105: Despite a collision that excluded her from yesterday’s two races,  Blackhawk was looking strong going into today with a full 12 points (helped by granted redress of second-place for yesterday’s two missed opportunities) over Risk, in second overall.

Risk Photo: Rolex/Daniel Forster

Blackhawk jumped the gun and had to restart. “We had to make up 12 boats, and then we chose to go to shore for relief from the current and that was the wrong decision,” said Simmons. “The wind clocked right, and by the time we got to the city front, we were so deep it was the most discouraging thing in the world. Then we knew we had to rope in 10 boats. My crew is just so good that we were able to do it, but it’s not the way you want to win a regatta.” After finishing tenth today Blackhawk’s lead over Risk was reduced to seven points and enough to secure owner Scooter Simmons his first Rolex watch.

Golden Moon Photo: Rolex/Daniel Forster

Express 37: Defending champion Golden Moon delivered the goods thanks to local knowledge and a highly skilled crew who handled the high winds well.  Blade Runner put up a great challenge but in the end it wasn't enough.

Balde Runner Photo: Rolex/Daniel Forster

J/120:  Chance decided not to play “the cone” at Alcatraz, which was the right decision over reaching across to the city front early, but it put them on the outside of some shifts. Being on the flukier side of the course meant they had to step on the gas and that's exactly what Barry Lewis and his crew did.

Chance Photo: Rolex/Daniel Forster

FINAL RESULTS
Rolex Big Boat Series
Sept. 8-11, 2011

IRC A (IRC - 8 Boats)
1. Vesper, TP 52, Jim Swartz , Park City, UT, USA - 1, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, ; 10
2. PowerPlay, TP 52, Peter Cunningham , George Town, Grand Cayman, CAY - 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 2, 2, ; 15
3. Mayhem, TP 52, Ashley Wolfe , Calgary, AB, CAN - 2, 1, 3, 2, 4, 3, 3, ; 18

IRC B (IRC - 9 Boats)
1. TNT, Custom Tripp 43, Brad Copper , Pt. Richmond, CA, USA - 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, ; 11
2. Swiftsure ll, Sloop 54, Sy Kleinman , Saratoga, CA, USA - 2, 1, 5, 2, 1, 1, 1/RDG, ; 13
3. BustinLoose, Sydney 38, Jeff Pulford , Salinas, Ca, USA - 3, 4, 2, 4, 3, 3, 4, ; 23

IRC C (IRC - 8 Boats)
1. Double Trouble, J 125, Andy Costello , Pt Richmond, CA, USA - 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, ; 7
2. Resolute, J 125, Tim Fuller , Murrieta, CA, USA - 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, ; 17
3. August Ice, J 125, Richard Ferris , Tahoe City, CA, USA - 2, 4, 5, 4, 5, 3, 3, ; 26

IRC D (IRC - 8 Boats)
1. Dayenu, J 120, Donald Payan , Hillsborough, CA, USA - 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, ; 9
2. Tupelo Honey, Elan 40, Gerard Sheridan , San Francisco, CA, USA - 3, 4, 3, 3, 2, 1, 9/SCP, ; 25
3. Mirthmaker, Archambault A35, Douglas Holm / Kirk Denebeim , Corte Madera, CA, USA - 2, 2, 1, 2, 9/DSQ, 4, 6, ; 26

J 105 (One Design - 21 Boats)
1. Blackhawk, J 105, Scooter Simmons , Belvedere, CA, USA - 4, 1, 2, 1, 2/RDG, 2/RDG, 10, ; 22
2. Risk, J 105, Jason Woodley / Scott Whitney , Tiburon, CA, USA - 7, 3, 8, 2, 3, 1, 5, ; 29
3. Donkey Jack, J 105, Edward Conrads / Kaiser / Ryan , San Francisco, CA, USA - 1, 4, 6, 10, 4, 8, 1, ; 34

J 120 (One Design - 7 Boats)
1. Chance, J 12, Barry Lewis , Atherton, CA, USA - 3, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 4, ; 14
2. Mr. Magoo, J 120, Stephen Madeira , Menlo Park, CA, USA - 2, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 2, ; 17
3. Peregrine, J 120, David Halliwill , New York, NY, USA - 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 1, 1, ; 19

Express 37 (One Design - 9 Boats)
1. Golden Moon, Express 37, Kame Richards , Alameda, CA, USA - 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, ; 10
2. Blade Runner, Express 37, Michael Shlens , Palos Verdes Est., CA, USA - 4, 3, 4, 2, 2, 1, 1, ; 17
3. Expeditious, Express 37, Bartz Schneider , Crystal Bay, NV, USA - 2, 1, 3, 3, 10/DNF, 10/DNF, 4, ; 33

Farr 30 (One Design - 12 Boats)
1. Groovederci, Farr 30, Deneen Demourkas , Santa Barbara, CA, USA - 7, 8, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 5, 2, 1, 4, ; 34
2. Barking Mad, Farr 30, James Richardson , Boston, MA, USA - 3, 1, 5, 3, 4, 2, 3, 1, 3, 10, 3, ; 38
3. Eight Ball, Farr 30, Scott Easom , San Rafael, CA, USA - 2, 4, 1, 5, 2, 3, 2, 8, 4, 3, 7, ; 41

Lulu Roseman