Competition Disappears as Larson Coasts to Single-Handed Sailing Title

Coronado’s David Houser trailed Morgan Larson by almost six points entering the final day of the O’Day U.S. single-handed sailing championships. So Larson, a sophomore at College of Charleston, knew he had better keep an eye on Houser.

But first, he had to find him.

“I kept looking for him so I could cover him, but he wasn’t around,” Larson said.

Larson learned after the first of Thursday’s three races that Houser had been disqualified for running into another boat after the first lured mark. And his misfortune virtually handed Larson the O’Day trophy.

With just two races remaining, Larson only had to finish one--each competitor is allowed to drop his lowest finish of the series. Still, Larson went on to take fifth in Thursday’s second race and second in the last of nine races.

He finished with 11.25 points, while Houser, a junior at Coronado High and at 16 the youngest of 14 competitors, took second with 22.25. Three-quarters of a point was given for first in each race, then two for second, three for third and so on, with the low total winning. Each race covered an approximate distance of 2.25 miles.

Of the nine races, Larson’s lowest finish was seventh in his second race. He won three times, with three second-place finishes.

“In a long regatta like this, it’s consistency that wins,” Larson said. “I just didn’t make any big mistakes.”

Instead, he left them for Houser.

“As I went around the lured mark, I just had too much speed going for me,” Houser said. “I was watching somebody else, and I wasn’t paying attention to the guy in front of me. I thought, ‘Oh no.’ Because you can’t clear yourself here. You only get one chance.”

Still, Houser said he was thankful for the chance.

“I knew I had to get two firsts and a second to win,” he said. “It would have been tough. But I’m happy with the way I sailed.”

Larson, who captured the collegiate single-handed championships last year, said familiarity helped him navigate the 14-foot Laser boats a little more easily.

And the big lead after six races didn’t hurt either.

“I felt a little more comfortable,” Larson said. “But then there’s always the chance you can screw up, and then you look really stupid. That’s why my goal was to sail my best race first, and after that I could coast.”

Last year’s champion, Charles Pucciarello of Pensacola, Fla., figured to be in the hunt again. But he fouled out of five of nine races and finished 11th out of 14. Jason Rucker, the youth champion from Bedford, Tex., ended up sixth after being third heading into the final day.

Kim Logan of Miami, who attends Old Dominion, was third with 24 points.