Relaxation Gives Way To Concentration On Tricky Day 2 In Charleston

A windless Saturday morning was in store for 174 racing boats, including 23 Melges 24s, on Charleston Harbor today, but the warm sun more than made up for a little delay. Racers decided after a delay of more than one hour (due to the lack of wind) to start swimming and sunbathing. Chuck Coyer, a mobile yacht rigger who is sailing Race Week with local hotshot Melges 24 team Blur said, "It was easy to get a little too relaxed - when the racing started it was extremely tough and mentally taxing, a real gear shift from working on a sun tan for two hours."  Blur sits in sixth position, the top local boat in the competitive grand prix Melges class, owned by Isle of Palms resident Steve Kopf.

Harbor Currents Deliver Challenge 
The hot Melges 24 Quantum Racing didn't have any such trouble. The all-pro crew has been on an unmatched winning streak in the marquis fleet, winning last year's North American Championship and currently training for October's World Championship. This crack crew also includes a local - Charleston's Amy Ironmonger, a hot commodity in the sailing world. "It was really a different game than yesterday, with lots of transitions," she commented. The team is only one point out of first, and Amy is "pleased to see that our tuning and skill level is coming together so well as we get ready for Worlds." Even after being over the line early in the final race of the day, Quantum was able to catch and pass 22 other boats and salvage a ninth place in the race.

Tomorrow's forecast calls for more wind and comfortable temperatures as the racers fight to win honors for their fleet and more than $10,000 in prizes from Raymarine, Gosling's Rum and the rest of Charleston Race Week's generous sponsors.  "As far as I can tell, almost every fleet is still up for grabs tomorrow," said Race Director Brad Van Liew.  "No one is walking away with victory without a fight and once again, Charleston Race Week is providing great competition across the board."