Is NHYC team "Thunder" immune to the curse of the Bambino?

Today is the final day of the 2013 Baldwin Cup sailed just off the front docks of NHYC. This type of spectating is referred to as a stadium venue that can only be pulled off by NHYC. This format offers the spectators the ability to view the whole race course from land and in this case in front of NHYC. Teams are rotating in and out of boats right in front of you. This gives you the chance to see and feel “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” right there with the competitors.  After a come from behind victory yesterday I had a chance to over hear BYC team member Peter Fallon taking with his teammate Kelsey Gram “ Man I am still shaking after that one”.

Over the last two days and some 100 plus races the top four teams are starting to define themselves. At the top of the heap is NHYC “Team Thunder” with Brian Bissell, Caleb Silsby, Gale and John Pinckney, John Whitney, Michael Menninger, Perry Emsiek and Reid Vitarelli. In second place is Larchmont Yacht Club from New York, Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club from Oyster Bay New York is in third. Yale Corinthian from Branford Connecticut and SDYC trying to stay in the top four.

With todays predicted light winds it appears that the start of the race will be everything. As the wind died yesterday there was a lot of teams rounding the second mark in 1,2,3rd place which is a winning combination and difficult to lose from while the breeze stays light and your sailing H20’s.

The racing today will start with the completion of round 2 and then straight into the final four. At this point all four teams, that make the cut, will be starting fresh. In other words its a whole new ball game at this point. If NHYC is ever going to win this event its this year. Team Thunder has been sailing strong as a team and their boat handing has been superb. 

This team largest obstacle is their “curse of the bambino” and the fans on the dock know it. If NHYC loses the first race of the semi finals the dock will so quite you will be able to hear a seal fart. I am starting to shake my bottle of Zantac already. 

Sea ya on the dock?