Pacific Yankee Wins Bacardi Winter Series Event 2
January 29, 2023 - Miami, FL, USA - Congratulations to Drew Freides’ Pacific Yankee — 2023 Bacardi Winter Series Event No. 2 Champion. Chuck Lamphere’s Entente captured the Corinthian Champion trophy.
Three days in a row of perfect sailing conditions on Biscayne Bay, January 27-29, 2023, and a dream event for all, with a fantastic breeze, sun, and shoreside Bacardi bonhomie at Bacardi Winter Series Event 2.
A leaderboard shake-up saw a new leader in the Melges 24 Class after today’s racing — Drew Freides’ ‘Pacific Yankee’ crowned in the Melges 24.
The change of breeze and flatter water called for a new race strategy, with the wind easing to 10-15 knots from the east and tapering off as the day unfolded. Quantum Sails shared their insights on the new weather pattern, before it was out to the racetrack with all starts getting away to plan.
The Bacardi Winter Series Event 2 wrapped-up with the Bacardi Happy Hour at Shake-A-Leg-Miami and prize giving celebrations. Teams now look to the next event as the focus moves to the renowned Bacardi Cup and Bacardi Invitational Regatta in just over one month’s time, March 5-11, 2023. Entries are open for the Star, J/70, L30, Melges 15, Melges 24, VX One and 69F Classes.
The day’s opening race 7 was a start-to-finish control game from Michael Goldfarb and his team on ‘WarCanoe’. Peter Duncan’s ‘Raza Mixta’ picked their way through the fleet, converting a 4th at the first mark to 2nd at the finish to claim their best result of the series and third to Bruce Ayres’ team on ‘Monsoon’.
Series leaders going into the day, the Italians on ‘Bombarda’ if Andrea Pozzi still held the lead, but after scoring a 7th place finish in race 7 the points were compressed, with just 10 points between 1st to 5th, and then a 10 point gap to 6th place.
All change for race 8, as ‘Pacific Yankee’ pulled it out of the bag to wrestle their way up from fourth overall, leading to the first mark and piling it onto the finish, to claim what turned out to be the first of back-to-back wins, with ‘Bombarda’ relegated to a fourth place.
Making their mission a mountain going into the deciding race 9, with scores of 8,4, series leaders ‘Bombarda’ saw their points advantage diminish over the chasing pack. They just needed to stay ahead of ‘Pacific Yankee’ to seal the victory.
A thrilling final race 9 was all about reactions and skill, as several teams were in the running for the event win and more in touching distance of the podium. An epic battle from ‘Pacific Yankee’ saw them save their best until last, show their pedigree and do what was needed to claim the final race win and seize overall victory, by 1 point over ‘Bombarda’. The Italians were toppled by their 8th place finish, with Bruce Ayres’ ‘Monsoon’ coming through to cross the line in 5th place for third overall.
‘WarCanoe’ helmed by Michael Goldfarb had put themselves in the running for a podium finish, but an unfortunate UFD penalty in race 9 dropped them to 4th overall.
“The feeling is fantastic,” said Charlie Smythe, trimmer on ‘Pacific Yankee’. “We really missed Drew today and yesterday, but bringing Marcus in and having a great time with him, he has been part of ‘Pacific Yankee’ for a long time.
“We just wanted to make Drew proud. It was all fight, never giving up. We just did what we had to do, which was win the last two races and let the chips fall where they fall,” he noted in reference to their usual helm Drew Freides who could only race on Friday, with Marcus Eagan stepping in.
On what made the difference to the team’s performance when it really mattered, bowman Kyle Navin commented, “Really good upwind speed was the key today and keeping it going through the chop, light air and always hitting the shifts.”
‘Pacific Yankee’s’ coach Vince Brun, who amongst many accolades won the first ever Melges 24 Worlds in 1998, added, “They are a good team, they have a good time together and sail well together because it is a good group of people.”
Melges 24 Overall Top 10 results – FINAL (After 9 Races)
1. PACIFIC YANKEE - Drew Freides / Marcus Eagan / Nic Asher / Charlie Smythe / Kyle Navin / Mark Ivey (USA 865) - 23 pts
2. BOMBARDA - Andrea Pozzi / Carlo Zermini / Matteo Ivaldi / Stefano Ciampalini / Nicolas Dal Ferro (ITA 830) - 24 pts
3. MONSOON - Bruce Ayres / Thomas Dietrich / Edward Hackney / Chelsea Simms / Jeremy Wilmot (USA 851) - 29 pts
4. WAR CANOE - Michael Goldfarb / Chris Rast / Jonny Goldsberry / Matteo Ramian / Chris Watters (USA 825) - 31 pts
5. RAZA MIXTA - Peter Duncan / Victor Diaz de Leon / Norman Berge / Morgan Trubovich / Erik Shampain (USA 829) - 31 pts
6. NEFELI - Peter Karrié / Alessandro Franci / Niccolò Bianchi / Alessandro Saettone / Saverio Cigliano (GER673) - 46 pts
7. DARK ENERGY - Laura Grondin / Taylor Canfield / Scott Ewing / Rich Peale / Cole Brauer (USA864) - 52 pts
8. LUCKY DOG - Travis Weisleder / John Bowden / Mike Buckley / Chewy Sanchez / Ian Liberty (USA858) - 53 pts
9. GAMECOCK - Peter McClennen / Mike Marshall / Allie Gray / Wilson Stout / Max Hooker (USA811) - 53 pts
10. FLYING JENNY - Sandra Askew / Reed Baldridge / Nicholas Ford / Alan Nakanishi / Dave Shriner (USA801) - 74 pts
Melges 24 Corinthian Top Results - FINAL (After 9 Races)
1. Chuck Lamphere / William Huerth / Taylor Just / John Porter (USA 685) - 90 pts
2. Stuart Simpson / Marty O’Leary / Freddie Kemp / Bernard Fitzpatrick / Andrew Verso (GBR 691) - 110 pts
3. Frank A. Davenport / Kevin Alcock / Andrew Wilson / Jill Mecklenberg / David Davenport (USA 789) - 119 pts
4. Greg Chamberlain / Matt Mercier / Matt Lane / Lisa Mercier / Will Osterink (CAN 491) - 120 pts
Photos © Hannah Lee Noll | Bacardi Invitational Winter Series
Pacific Yankee of Drew Freides with Marcus Eagan, Charlie Smythe, Mark Ivey, Nic Asher, Kyle Navin and Vince Brun - Bacardi Invitational Winter Series 2022-2023 Event 2
Bombarda ITA830 of Andrea Pozzi with Carlo Zermini, Matteo Ivaldi, Stefano Ciampalini and Nicolas Dal Ferro - 2022-2023 Bacardi Winter Series Event 2, Miami, FL
Monsoon USA851 of Bruce Ayres with Thomas Dietrich, Edward Hackney, Chelsea Simms and Jeremy Wilmot - 2022-2023 Bacardi Invitational Winter Series Event 2
Pacific Yankee USA865 of Drew Freides with Marcus Eagan, Charlie Smythe, Mark Ivey, Nic Asher, Kyle Navin and Vince Brun - Bacardi Invitational Winter Series 2022-2023 Event 2
Giulio Desiderato, Nicholas Dal Ferro and Federico Valenti representing Andrea Pozzi's Bombarda - 2022-2023 Bacardi Invitational Winter Series Event 2
Monsoon USA851 of Bruce Ayres with Thomas Dietrich, Edward Hackney, Chelsea Simms and Jeremy Wilmot - 2022-2023 Bacardi Invitational Winter Series Event 2
2022-2023 Bacardi Invitational Winter Series Event 2 - Miami, FL, USA
2022-2023 Bacardi Invitational Winter Series Event 2 - Miami, FL, USA
War Canoe USA825 of Michael Goldfarb with Christopher Rast, Jonny Goldsberry, Matteo Ramian and Chris Watters - 2022-2023 Bacardi Invitational Winter Series Event 2 - Miami, FL, USA
