After a tough fought battle with the home team, Newport Harbour Yacht Club, the CYCA team of Will Ryan, Ted Hackney and Sean O’Rourke, finished second in the  Governor’s Cup – 42nd US International Junior Match Racing Championship. The CYCA team won the first race of the three final races with the Newport team eventually winning two races to one.

The top two teams, NHYC (which was undefeated throughout the round robin series) and CYC A, (who only had one loss only to NHYC) were joined in the semi-finals by third place Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, with Bradley Farrand at the helm, and Royal Yachting Association, skipper Andrew Shaw, in fourth. NHYC raced against Royal Yachting Association in the semi finals whilst the CYCA team faced off against Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. The semi-finals ended with RYA in third place and RNZYS, fourth.

“The team was very competitive right from the beginning of round one in light wind conditions. They adapted to the boats quickly and showed that they were one of the teams to catch early on” said coach Nev Wittey.

Adding to Nev’s comments, Sailing Manager Justine Kirkjian said  “I am very proud of the team and the excellent skills they have shown over the course of this event. Under the guidance of coach Nev Wittey, our crew was highly competitive and lost a tough battle against the home team on boats that they sail on regularly.”

The Dead of Gift for the Governor’s Cup was granted in 1967 by then California Governor and later President Ronald Reagan. World-class sailors Paul Cayard, John Kostecki and Gavin Brady, among many throughout the world, have emerged from this race to dominate the America’s Cup and many other international competitions.

The sailboats used were “Governor’s Cup” 21-foot sloops, designed by Alan Andrews, an internationally recognised yacht designer, and sails by Dave Ullman.