Perry Cup 4th Race & Final Results, February 3, 2024
John and Mike Ravizza won this season’s Perry Cup Series with a first and two second-place finishes against three other Mercs on an overcast day with a light but remarkably steady northerly breeze on Monterey Bay. Patti and Jack McAleer needed to shift the weather mark only once when the wind shifted to the right and diminished to a whisper, as the boats ghosted to the finish on a three-lap windward-leeward course that PRO Dick Clark wisely shortened after two laps.
Second place went to Bradley Schoch and Patrick O’Hara of the local fleet. They accomplished the rare feat of earning 1st in the Silver Division in addition to their overall podium finish.
Ravizza’s and Schoch’s boats were the only two to start all twelve races in the series. Third place in the series went to Dave West and Chris Krueger, who missed the first weekend’s races. Randy Smith was absent from January’s four-race installment but still finished the series in 4th place with two wins on the last day.
2023-24 Mercury Perry Cup - Race 2
Mercury Perry Cup - Race 1
A perfect fall day in Monterey, helped get this Perry Cup off to a good start.
Thanks to the Race Committee, with PRO Dick Clark, Judy Clark, Chip Wood, and Art Stratton, along with Jack and Pattie McAleer setting marks.
Mercury Perry Cup – MPYC - November 4, 2023
The 53rd annual Perry Cup got off to a great start with good winds of 10 to 12 knots. There was little swell and light wave action; perfect for Mercury racing. Anticipating the daylight savings time change, the fleet arrived at the start line an hour early. So, PRO Dick Clark ran three practice starts to get the fleet ready for some great racing.
Mark Chandler with his wife Liz crewing (524) showed good speed as he and Bradley Schoch with crew Patrick O’Hara (563) fought it out all the way around the course. At the finish, the Chandlers pull ahead to win with Schoch second.
The PRO lengthened the course by having Jack and Patti McAleer move the weather mark out to sea another 200 yards. The Chandlers found the longer course to their liking and led all the way. Jim and Kathy Bradley(553) gave chase but could not shorten the Chandlers’ lead.
The third and last race of the day saw a 10-degree wind shift to the left and Jim and Kathy made the best of it with a leeward end start. Once again Chandler crossed the fleet in front, this time with Randy Smith and his crew, Junette Kushner right on Chandler's tail. Bradley’s tack for the lay line turned out to be spot on, moving him ahead at the weather mark. The first three boats all turned the mark bow to stern. Jim and Kathy stretched it out on the run but Chandlers came right back on the upwind leg. At the finish of this three-time-around course, Jim and Kathy held the lead with Chandlers second and Bradley Schoch back on the pace taking a third.
The regatta’s second installment is the first Saturday in December. There is a lot of racing yet to go on this great winter series but for now, the Chandlers have a two-point lead on Jim and Kathy, and Bradley Schoch is 3 points back from there. More boats out means more fun for all so let’s see more boats out in December.
A special attraction for the day was the return to Monterey of the Western Flyer; revitalized and looking spectacular. If you don’t know about this grand old boat, read John Steinbeck’s “Log of the Sea of Cortez”.
Notice of Race
