Road To The Cup – Week 0
2025 Preview – 5/18/25
What You Need To Know
- Time To Register – Registration is open for everything so get it done. Details and links below.
- MRA Opening Day – Saturday May 24th MRA kicks off the 2025 season on Saturday and Sunday, May 24-25. Racing is scheduled for the South Line, and first gun is at 1PM.
- Twilight Opening Day – Thursday May 29th The first Twilight of 2025 will be Thursday evening May 29th. First gun is 7PM. Keep an eye on the CYC web site for the SIs.
- On-The-Water Clinic – Saturday June 7th Fran Charles will coach us through an unscored short-course day, with Jud Smith serving as PRO. Details below.
- First Party – Saturday June 7th The first party of the new season will be held after sailing at the home of Rebecca & Larry Ehrhardt. Details below.
Welcome Back
Welcome to year 15 of RTTC. Although Fleet 5 has been around for decades, RTTC was introduced 15 years ago to provide a weekly snapshot of our racing, scores, upcoming events, and anything else that might brighten your day. Think of it as part racing recap, part newsletter and part gossip column. We gather racing information from first-hand accounts and score sheets, but rely heavily on you for news, scuttlebutt, and gossip, so don’t be shy. If you have a funny picture, a bit of dirt, a news event or even something legit like a birth announcement, just lob it in and we’ll do the rest.
RTTC is distributed by email every Sunday morning, unless there is racing on Sunday, in which case, Monday morning. If you don’t get it, check your spam. If you want out, let us know and we’ll take you off the list. And if you know someone who might want in, we’ll add them.
Before we get down to business, I’d like to give a well-deserved shout-out to our spring clinic panelists Fran Charles, Will Bailey and Tim Wadlow for their time and insights. I learned more about the rules in two hours than I had for the last ten years. Huge thanks to them.
Cup Scoring Overview
Next Saturday kicks off our annual battle for the Nick Nichols Trophy, aka ‘The Cup.’ Below is a quick overview of the Cup, a little history, and a review of what scores will be included.
The Nick Nichols Season Championship Trophy is named in memory of long-time Townie and Rhodes skipper Nathan ‘Nick’ Nichols. It is among our most coveted prizes because, it’s not just about winning a day or a series, but about sustaining a competitive campaign over the entire season. To win the Cup, you have to sail just about every week and turn in consistently solid results. You don’t have to win every race, but you do have to show up and be competitive. We’ll use this soapbox each week to document the journey, with race day recaps and top ten rankings.
Don’t confuse Cup scoring with MRA scoring. MRA will crown a champion based on the aggregated results of the three MRA series. By contrast, Cup scoring includes the aggregated results of virtually everything. As usual, our 2025 scored racing will include the following:
- MRA Series 1, 2 & 3
- Twilight Series 1 & 2
- Race Week
- Fall Series
You’ll find all those dates on the calendar below, as well as on the MRA schedule. Also this reminder about scoring issues resolved at the spring meeting:
- MRA 1 – Day 4 on June 7 will not be scored, either for MRA or the Cup. We’ll be sailing a short course day on Brimbles, but we’ll be doing so in the context of our summer clinic, which will be coached.
- MRA 2 – Day 1 on June 21st will not be scored, either for MRA or for the Cup. This race day conflicts with East Coasts in Winthrop. Not scoring the day allows teams to travel to Winthrop without a scoring penalty. MRA will provides starts for boats who don’t travel to Winthrop, but they will not be scored.
Twilights
There will be 11 scored Twilight Thursdays between Memorial Day and Labor Day. We’re splitting those 11 evenings into series of six and five, as follows.
Series 1 – May 29, June 5, June 12, June 19, June 26, July 10,
Series 2 – July 17, July 31, August 7, August 14, August 28
Note that there will be no Twilight racing on Thursday July 24th (Race Week) or Thursday August 21st (Nationals). Note also that PRO David Graham may run a couple of practice starts on May 29th, so monitor the radio.
Also remember that first gun is at 7pm until Race Week and at 6pm after. Hopefully, you’ll find the Twilight SIs and chart showing the marks at the CYC web site. You also should be able to pick up the hard copy at the CYC front desk.
Well, there it is. I’m ready, as is your entire RTTC team, which includes Twilight reporters John Casler & Steve Uhl, contributing photographers, including old friend Bruce Durkee, and of course, my life editor Christina Pandapas. They’re all here and ready to go. Let the games begin.
So, in Cup competition, we’re all tied up.
Week 1 racing will include the first two days of MRA Series 1 on Saturday May 24th and Sunday May 25th. First gun is at 1pm.
Don’t forget that Twilights start Week 2 on Thursday May 29th.
Other News, Notices & Miscellaneous Scuttlebutt
Time To Register – If you haven’t registered yet, what are you waiting for? Here are the links.
Fleet 5 On-the-Water Clinic – June 7th – As we did last year, the fleet will hold an on-the-water clinic on Saturday June 7. Old friend Joe Fava has been working tirelessly to pull this together and provides the following update
“The 2025 Rhodes 19 clinic is on!!! Timing has intentionally move to early June to, 1) help shake off the winter rust, and 2) encourage us all to get our move on and boats launched. We are excited for the opportunity to be coached by EYC Dean Fran Charles and their sailing director Justin Ahern. The day will be a mix of some drills followed by short course racing. Eat your Wheaties. It will be a day not to miss.”
Fleet 5 Summer Kick-Off Party – June 7th – Our first party of the season will be generously hosted by Rebecca and Larry Ehrhardt, at their Ballast Lane home just steps from the Eastern Yacht Club. Rich & Rosy Denton will deliver a fully stocked fleet bar, so it’s doubtful anyone will go thirsty. And as you may have heard, Rosy is propagating a new Fleet 5 tradition of creating party-specific signature cocktails for each of our events, and she’s promising to create one for this event as well. Please note that this party will not be potluck, as we’re hoping you’ll go straight from the water to the party. So just bring yourselves. The menu will likely involve a few apps and burgers on the grill. Stay tuned for details.
Center Consoles Needed for Nationals – The EYC RC needs a couple of center consoles to use for Nationals. If you’re willing to help, contact Cindy Smith at race.committee@easternyc.org.
Race Week Registration – The Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta, will be Thursday through Sunday, July 24-27. Your MRA fee covers the entry fee, so you don’t have to pay an additional fee, but you do have to register, which you can do here.
Need Boat for Race Week – CYC team racer and Laser sailor Jack Field is interested in joining us for Race Week, but needs a boat. If you don’t plan to sail and are willing to offer your boat for charter, contact Jack at johnmfield@gmail.com.
If You Spin, Send It In – As in year’s past, to promote fair sailing, sportsmanship and keeping it on the racecourse, we’re continuing ‘If you spin, send it in.’ So, if you spin, please send an email after racing to kpandapas@comcast.net with the subject line ‘Spins’ and let me know how many fouls you committed for which you exonerated yourself. I’ll tally them up, give an appropriately laudatory sportsmanship shout-out, and also keep you apprised of the season totals. The season winner with the most spins will be appropriately recognized at the awards party this fall.
Into The Shop For Repairs – Elise Nash had a minor mishap on her last day of skiing that, regrettably, will sideline her for the season. Bummer, right. We’ll miss her. Surgery was Friday. Here’s a look at the repair.
Fleet 5 Hits the MRA Kickoff Party – Fleet 5 made an impressive showing at MRA’s opening day themed kickoff party on May 2nd. Here are a couple of shots of some of the Fleet 5ers doing their best impression of the Village People. Thanks to MRA and CYC for a nice time.
Just Like TV – This week’s prize for funniest photo goes to Elise Nash, who snapped this shot of her two boys waiting for their muffins to cook.
Mail Bag
No mail this week.
Complaints Department
Got Gripes? Don’t be shy. Unload at kpandapas@comcast.net. The buck stops here. -kp
