Consistency Gives New York Skipper Challenge Title

The third biennial U.S. Yacht Club Challenge at Newport Beach proved again that while winning may be everything, consistency can pay off, too.

Sailmaker Bill Peterson steered the California Yacht Club entry from Marina del Rey to three first places in five races over the past three days--including a photo finish against host Newport Harbor in Saturday’s wispy breezes--but lost one on a protest disqualification earlier and wound up third in the series.

Meanwhile, John Thomson, a 43-year-old bearing manufacturer, sailed a winless but steady 5-10-2-3-4 series for the Manhasset Yacht Club of Port Washington, N.Y.,to beat out Bay-Waveland of Bay St. Louis, Miss., by a point, 23 to 24.

California was at 24 1/2, with Long Beach and Balboa tied at 24 3/4.

Bay-Waveland, a dinghy sailing club represented by skipper Marc Eagen, was a surprise contender in the fleet of Schock 35s, which carried crews of eight.

“We don’t sail big boats at all,” said Eagen, a 33-year-old insurance agent. “It’s the first time some of us have ever been on the same boat before.”

In the 28th Olympic Classes Regatta at Long Beach, Dave Chapin of Newport Beach has a narrow lead over world Soling champion John Kostecki, with their last three races scheduled today.

David Sweeney of Toronto was close behind Olympic Tornado silver medalist Randy Smyth of Huntington Beach.