Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo M50

2021 West Marine US Open Sailing Series - Clearwater Day 1

by US Sailing 5 Feb 2021 03:28 UTC February 4-7, 2021
2021 West Marine US Open Sailing – Clearwater © US Sailing Team / Allison Chenard

The Gulf of Mexico offered new challenges for the sailors racing today at 2021 West Marine US Open Sailing - Clearwater. The first two events of the new series in Fort Lauderdale and Miami were contested in the Atlantic Ocean. Many of the sailors who raced in one of those events made the short trip across the state to be here this week in Clearwater.

US Sailing Team Laser Radial Coach, Steve Mitchell, is optimistic about the sailing conditions this week in Clearwater. "We've had some cold fronts come in over the past couple of days, which has brought fantastic winds for training. We had an offshore easterly today as the front moved past us, which is tricky. The wind will come from the south and start to build over the next few days, and that should provide some great racing this week. It's going to be a great event. We've got sailors from all over the country and all over the world here."

Despite light conditions this morning, all five classes completed racing this afternoon. The Foiling Kites completed five races, the Lasers finished three races, and the iQFoils posted two races on Thursday. The three Laser fleets started racing just after 11 am in 5-7 knots with very few puffs and flat water. The breeze changed direction significantly and the racecourse was re-located for the second race to take advantage of the breeze coming in from the west, where they found ample wind at 11-13 knots. The Foiling Kites raced in the early afternoon after a postponement and the iQFoils contested all of their racing later in the afternoon.

The Foiling Kites were the busiest fleet of the day and through five races the leaderboard is very close. Only seven points separates the top four kiters. Markus Edegran (West Palm Beach, Fla.) and Evan Heffernan (Santa Barbara, Calif.) are at the top of the fleet with six points. Daniela Moroz (Lafayette, Calif.) is the top women's kiter with 13 points and in fourth place overall.

Lou Boucher (West River, Md.) jumped out of the gate with an early one point lead through three races in the Laser fleet. He won the first two races of the regatta today. Boucher placed 10th at US Open Fort Lauderdale last month.

Anna Vasilieva (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) took an early lead in the Laser 4.7 fleet with three straight wins. Vasilieva placed fourth overall and was the top women's sailor in the 4.7 fleet at US Open Fort Lauderdale.

Chapman Petersen (Fontana, Wis.) paced the Laser Radial fleet in Fort Lauderdale and won the overall title. He is back at the US Open this week in Clearwater and looking put together another strong performance against elite competition from both the men and women sailors in the fleet. The Laser Radial fleet this week includes Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.) and Sarah Douglas (Toronto, CAN). Petersen, Railey, and Douglas are at the top of the leaderboard through three races.

The iQFoil fleet in Miami only competed one race. Mateus Isaac (Sao Paulo, BRA) won that race and he won both races today in the men's fleet. Mariana Aguilar Chavez Peon (MEX) won both races in the Open fleet. Farrah Hall (Annapolis, Md.) is four points back in third place.

For more information visit the official 2021 West Marine US Open Sailing Series event website.

Related Articles

Lowrance Eagle Fishfinders
Eagle was born to fish The Eagle range offers a full suite of options and is the perfect fishfinder for those less frequent anglers looking for an affordable option, but which one is best? Posted today at 6:29 am
PRO Tip: Clay Dyer on bottom-contact plastics
Check out this work horse set up for plastics and jigs out deep Bassmaster angler, Clay Dyer, says a few key variables play big roles in his success while fishing bottom-contact plastics with his St. Croix Rods and SEVIIN Reels. Posted on 31 Jul
Luring with live bait
Keep your livewell in good working order and give live baiting a try if you haven't already Saltwater fishermen tend to fall into one of two camps; those who like using artificial lures, and those who prefer fishing with live bait. Posted on 30 Jul
A great day for conservation
Grady-White teamed up with the Dolphinfish Research Program for an adventure off North Carolina Grady-White teamed up with the Dolphinfish Research Program for an adventure off the North Carolina coast. Winds and waves didn't deter the Grady-White boat or our team, who caught and tagged eight fish. Posted on 29 Jul
Fishing: The Ghost of Fishing's Future
Meet the Mad Scientist Tackle Ghost Shad and elevate your rattlebait game Mad Scientist Tackle's Ghost Shad features powerful and proven UV coatings on a popular lure design Posted on 29 Jul
DAIWA: Palmable Powerhouse
For bigger baits and fish while still championing superlight jigging DAIWA's new 2025 SALTIGA® G 35/35L dominates the saltwater jigging scene with unrivaled power, smoothness, durability and ergonomics Posted on 29 Jul
Hover Rig: The finesse tactic you need now
Throw in a heavy dose of fishing pressure, and you have the recipe for disaster It's great when you flip a dock, laydown, or grass point and you immediately feel that hammer fall. Likewise, frogging's repetitive monotony becomes well worth the effort when that cannonball explosion shatters the stillness. Posted on 27 Jul
Helping boaters steer clear of common mistakes
Veteran Sea Tow® captains share their tips Boating season is already in full throttle, and Sea Tow®, recognized throughout the marine industry as Your Road Service at Sea®, is proud to offer boating tips to avoid some of the most common mistakes seen on the water. Posted on 24 Jul
TATULA is Tops at ICAST 2025
All out with the new 23 model lineup of cork handle bass rods DAIWA goes all out with new 23 model lineup of 2025 TATULA cork handle bass rods and wins coveted Best Freshwater Rod at ICAST 2025. Posted on 24 Jul
Owner shares why he loves his WorldCat 325DC
Chuck highlights the unique experiences and cherished moments created Embark on the adventures of Chuck Smith, proud owner of the WorldCat 325DC. In this short testimonial, Chuck shares the joys of sandbar outings, fishing escapades, and family travels made possible by the versatility of the 325DC. Posted on 23 Jul
Maritimo M75Palm Beach Motor Yachts