The New York Yacht Club, led by skipper Pete Levesque, sailed to its fourth consecutive victory in the 23rd New York Yacht Club Invitational Team Race Regatta for the Commodore George R. Hinman Masters Trophy, held Aug. 8-10 at Harbour Court.
The Hinman Masters is known for rewarding experience and chemistry, but Levesque’s squad turned the conventional wisdom on its head. He had sailed only sparingly with fellow skippers Tom Kinney and Brian Doyle, yet the team thrived thanks to constant communication. “Since [the team] was unfamiliar with each other, we had to force the communication, and it’s better,” Levesque said.
Corinthian Yacht Club of Marblehead, Mass., finished second, with Eastport Yacht Club of Maryland in third. Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club from Oyster Bay, N.Y., and New York Yacht Club – Leonard rounded out the top five.
After dominating Stage 1 with 17 wins in 21 races, NYYC – Levesque earned a bye into the finals, while Corinthian and Eastport battled in a tight best-of-three semifinal. Corinthian advanced to face New York, aiming for back-to-back wins after taking the Morgan Cup the previous weekend.
Light winds delayed the final, but when racing resumed in a freshened breeze, New York wasted no time, winning two straight races to clinch the title. Levesque credited his teammates’ Sonar expertise and crisp boathandling. “It’s the language of team racing,” he said. “If you can speak it better than other people, you have a different playbook.”
The Hinman Masters is part of the Club’s August team racing series, which continues with the Grandmasters event Aug. 15-17 and the inaugural Great Grandmasters Aug. 22-23.
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