Five Junior Teams Competing at Charleston Race Week 2021
For a glimpse into the future of Charleston Race Week, head down to the docks of the Stewart Walker Sailing Center at Patriots Point.
That facility that serves as home base for the College of Charleston intercollegiate sailing team has welcomed several junior teams that are competing at Charleston Race Week 2021.
Mark Newman, sailing instructor at South Carolina Yacht Club in Hilton Head, is largely responsible for organizing the contingent of teenagers. Four of six boats in J/22 class are crewed entirely by junior sailors, while another is competing in the J/70 class.
"We brought all our juniors and sent emails out to other clubs in the area asking if they wanted to send some as well," Newman said. "We've got 15 total juniors racing this year and we're very pleased with that turnout."
What's On Today: Saturday April 10
0730: Live Weather Briefing on Zoom Pass: CRW2021 with Shea Gibson/SailFlow and Farley Fontenot/Quantum Sails
0930: Pursuit Class - First Warning Signal for 1st boat
0930: Hybrid Pursuit Class - First Warning Signal for 1st boat
1100: Inshore (Circles 1, 2, 3 & 4) - First Warning Signal
1700-1900: Event boxed dinners and Goslings Rum Party Pack Pick-up
1800: Quantum Daily Virtual Debrief Pass: CRW2021 with Cameron Appleton, Farley Fontenot, Zack Clayton and Will Keyworth
Charleston Race Week Off to Rousing Start with Multiple Races Completed
Charleston Race Week 2021 got off to a rousing start on Thursday with organizers completing multiple races for all classes in moderate to medium conditions.
It was a busy day for the four classes on Circles 1 and 3, both of which did four races in southeasterly winds that ranged from 8 to 15 knots. Over on Circle 2, the 35-boat Melges 24 and 29-boat J/70 classes started a fourth race, but it was quickly abandoned due to dying breeze.
"We were super psyched to be able to get four good races in today," said Taran Teague, overall principal race officer for the regatta. "Early forecasts were kind of dicey, but the breeze turned out to be better than expected. Some areas of the harbor saw up to 15 knots."
Skipper Michelle Warner and the Tudo Bem team took the early lead in VX One class, which has 26 entries and Circle 1 all to itself. Austin Powers and Reed Baldridge are crewing for Warner, the regatta's reigning champion from 2019. They got the gun in Race 4 to post a low score of 12 points – eight better than Jack Jorgenson and his crew on SDR.
"Our PRO threatened us with Course 6 (six legs) in the final race. Fortunately, we wound up doing another four-leg course. It had already been a tough day," Warner said.
What's On Today: Friday, April 9
0730: Live Weather Briefing on Zoom Pass: CRW2021 with Shea Gibson/SailFlow and Farley Fontenot/Quantum Sails
0930: Pursuit Class - First Warning Signal for 1st boat
0930: Hybrid Pursuit Class - First Warning Signal for 1st boat
1100: Inshore (Circles 1, 2, 3 & 4) - First Warning Signal
1700-1900: Event boxed dinners and Goslings Rum Party Pack Pick-up
1800: Quantum Daily Virtual Debrief Pass: CRW2021 with Cameron Appleton, Farley Fontenot, Zack Clayton and Will Keyworth
Albondigas crew honors the memory of J/88 class stalwart Mike Bruno
Mike Bruno was a stalwart member of the J/88 class and always a top contender aboard his boat named Wings.
Bruno skippered Wings to victory in numerous major class events since joining the one-design class in 2015. The New York resident’s last big win came at Charleston Race Week 2019 when he placed first or second in five of 10 races to post a low score of 25 points.
It was a tight regatta among the fleet of 10 boats with Wing needing to win the last race to edge Albondigas by two points. Spaceman Spiff took third, just one point astern of Albondigas.
Bruno steered Wings to another big win at Block Island Race Week later that year. That would turn out to be his final regatta.
Bruno died suddenly of a heart attack on August 13, 2019 at his home in Armonk, N.Y. He was only 63 years old and left behind wife Meg and three children – Mike Jr., Russell and Price.