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SEAN SCARBOROUGH WINS 2007 HEART CUP ON HIS 'PANTY RAID' MELGES 24

04 AUGUST 2007 • Article courtesy of Simon Strauss 'Gill' • Exceptionally hot and sunny weather. Good sea breezes. Atlantic rollers. What more could a sailor, especially in a fast planing sport boat, want? After seven races over three days, one point separated the top four boats. The competition was exceptional.

With two brand new boats sailing in Ocean City, and another on order, this great venue half way between two other strong Northeast District fleets held much promise for a wonderful weekend of sailing.

On Friday August 3 Sean Scarborough sailing the new “Panty Raid” hull 717 showed the fleet a clean pair of heels in Races 1 and 2. With good surfing technique in marginal planing conditions of 10-12 knots in the southeasterly sea breeze, Sean was very fast downwind. New Class owner Mike McGuckin sailing hull 718 “Bodacious” also showed excellent downwind speed. In race 3, Class veteran Simon Strauss on “Team Gill” had good upwind legs as wind speeds increased to 15 knots, and was never challenged off the start.

Saturday was equally hot and sunny. Breezes were down a little in the 8 to 10 knot range, again from the southeast. Northeast District Governor Bill Carleton on “Tiburon” had the best of the day’s three races but, with some up and down results around him, McGuckin went into Day 3 in the lead by one point over Strauss and Carleton, and by two points over Scarborough.

All to play for going into the final day… Sunday was a mite cooler, with the breeze now from 075 degrees at 13-15 knots. Tiburon, Gill and Panty Raid all had good starts. Tiburon was forced out to the right, leaving Panty Raid and Gill heading left. Panty Raid’s decision to stay furthest left in the most breeze paid off and, heading into the windward mark, Scarborough lead from Gill and Tiburon. Good planing conditions on nice rollers left the fleet in the same order after the first downwind leg but, on the second upwind leg after Panty Raid tacked on Gill, Tiburon reached the windward mark in second place, only to be caught by Gill planing by under kite as Tiburon’s mainsail hooked on the backstay. The order stayed the same through the rest of the downwind leg and up the final beat. Scarborough therefore won the event with equal points to Strauss but better results on countback. One point behind, McGuckin and Carleton had exactly the same finishes over the seven races, with Carleton taking third place on the strength of his better final race finish.

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