A strong turn out of 18 J105s entered this weekend’s popular Aldo Alessio Regatta, sponsored by the St Francis Yacht Club. With good breeze, clear skies and moderate ebb, the City-Front buoy-race course favored right hand circles – out to the Central Bay for current help on the beats and tight along the beach for relief (or perhaps a little early flood) on the return leg.

Arbitrage, Jam Session and Blackhawk appeared to be the boats to beat, with good finishes early on and close racing throughout the first day. Race 3 was particularly close as Blackhawk, Godot and Arbitrage converged, vying for space at the first weather mark zone. Unfortunately, Godot and Blackhawk converged rather more completely than either skipper was hoping for, resulting in the retirement of both boats. After the dust cleared on Saturday evening, Jam Session was in the lead followed by Arbitrage, Risk, Donkey-Jack and Blackhawk, granted 4.5 pts in lieu of their DNF.

The RC arranged for longer courses on the second day of the regatta, placing the start line off TI and the weather mark just East of Anita Rock. This opened up wider lanes both upwind and down and changed the game from management of boat-on-boat tactics and micro-currents to raw speed. By the end of the penultimate race, any of the top 4 or 5 boats had a viable shot at taking the event. The regatta finished as Bruce Stone’s Arbitrage pulled out a bullet, which was enough to take the regatta from a well-sailed Jam Session, the Blackhawk team sailing Godot’s hull, Risk and Donkey-Jack.