Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week Day 1
by Michelle Slade 21 Jun 17:25 NZST
June 20-22, 2025
2025 Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week Day 1 © Bruce Crary Photography
Day 1 of the 20th edition Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week, co-organized by Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (ABYC) and Long Beach Yacht Club (LBYC), challenged those used to the bigger breeze that the venue usually dishes out, adding a tricky variable to the already tough competition among the 115+ boats racing across ten fleets. Racing started on the light side around 1pm; the breeze built into the low teens by mid-afternoon under sunny blue skies.
Ryan Cox from the Ventura Yacht Club (VYC), owner/skipper of the J/70 DJ, took two bullets after two races to lead in class; Nunuhunu owned by Arnaud Benahmed (Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club) is in second while Tyler Fleig, also from VYC, is in third. With one easy race and one super tight race today, Cox is looking to maintain top three finishes on Day 2.
"Conditions were different to what we expected but it was a really good day," says Cox. "In the first race we were able to break free and won by a good margin but the second race was really tight and we were battling the whole way around; we were in third or fourth for most of the race and got to the lead at the weather mark and held it off to the finish. The young guy Benjamin driving on Nunuhunu is doing very well; he's obviously a really good sailor and they're quick. We just need to go out and keep getting top threes and not make any big mistake that could cost us the regatta."
The formidable Peter Wagner (StFYC / SFYC / NYYC) and his crew on the J/111 Skeleton Key took two bullets to lead in class. Dan McGanty (California Yacht Club/CYC) took two seconds, while John Staff (CYC) on Obsidian, 2024 class winner, took two thirds. McGanty has been racing his boat J BOSS for four years; he puts his success on the water down to great crew work and the fact that they are probably the most raced boat in Southern California.
"It was a fantastic day, the race committee did a great job of running races, the courses were beautiful, the sea was beautiful, and the competition was fantastic, it was pretty tight racing, hopefully we'll have more of the same tomorrow," says McGanty. "We had great crew work today, it's all about the team - some of us have been sailing together for 10+ years, and the J/111 is just a really fun boat to race."
Of the eleven Catalina 37s racing for the class National Championship, six teams are all-female, two of whom are in top four at the end of Day 1. Chris Orlando representing LBYC is in first, with Alli Bell from San Diego Yacht Club in second, and Derick Prelle / KHYC Racing Team in third. In fourth overall is Allie Blecher and her team representing CYC.
"Our team has sailed together a lot before, we just don't sail these boats often as a group so it took a bit to get the dust off," says Blecher. "Our starts were not that great today, but we found plenty of good lanes to make our way back and we know we have wheels upwind and downwind; we were passing boats both ways so tomorrow is going to be exciting. I've spent a lot of time in the boat both as a driver and other things, and I like it because all the boats are even as best as they can be, it's a tight fleet, the start line feels very short because there are 11 boats on it and we all have just enough space for each other, it's great!"
Racing in PHRF A, Bill Durant, regatta sponsor and LBYC member, is guest helming on the Farr 40 Blade II owned by Mick Shlens and 2024 Farr 40 Class Winner. Blade has participated in the Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week for some 12 years and is typically a fleet leader, but today was not quite this team's day as they finished in fourth, mid-fleet.
"Conditions were light and shifty and very left which is strange for Long Beach; an odd day for a summer day in Long Beach," smiles Durant. "We didn't have a great day - we had one set that didn't go well and boats passed us, and a start that wasn't as good as it could have been. It's a competitive class, a mixed bag with a large PHRF spread, but we had a great day and we have a really nice group of people on board. Tomorrow we'll clean up a few of the hiccups from today and I think we'll be fine, we have great boat speed, this boat is fast, we just shot ourselves in the foot a few times today!"
Hayden Lahr, Richmond Yacht Club (RYC), running pit on her dad Kurt Lahr's Moore 24 Safety Third, is enjoying her first taste of Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week. While she's doing a wind dance for more breeze over the next few days, she's loving the competition in the hot Moore 24 fleet. Safety Third is in second place after Firefly, skippered by Joel Turmel (RYC). Pete Schoen (RYC) on Mooretician is in third.
"It was a great day, the racing was hard and it was a little shifty," says Lahr. "The Moore fleet is very competitive; you have to be on your toes all day. I wouldn't be surprised if throughout the weekend the lead changes quite a bit. This is a great venue and it's fun just being down here. I love big wind so I'm hoping for more but today wasn't bad at all - we had enough to get around the course!"
In his third day sailing a Melges 15, Robbie King driving for Karla Reinhardt, ABYC member and owner of the Melges 15 Dark Wave, made winning in this fast and fun 21-strong fleet look easier than it actually is by taking two bullets, prevailing over Tim Zimmerman from Oceanside Yacht Club on String Theory who finished in second, and Brian MacLean from ABYC who sits in third.
"It was a tricky day to be honest; it was light and choppy with some big wind shifts, so it was quite tough," says King. "Upwind we didn't feel great, we got on the wrong side of some shifts and we weren't too fast but luckily we found some really good pace downwind, that seemed to make up for it and we were passing boats. The course was great, race committee did a great job; it was just a challenging day."
Mark Townsend, member Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, event PRO and International Judge/Umpire/Race Officer, has been on the organizational side of Ullman Sails Long Beach Week for some 35 years and notes the increased participation this year.
"It was a great first day and a very good turnout for the first weekend of summer when we always traditionally hold Long Beach Race Week," says Townsend. "We have the Moore 24s here for the first time for their National Championship, so we have 17 of them and it is great to see them. It is also the Catalina 37 National Championship, so we have two national championships being decided this weekend with lots of great competition."
Day 1 finished with a post-race party hosted by regatta co-organizer Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, with an inter-club shuttle ferrying sailors back and forth between LBYC and ABYC to enjoy the festivities.
"There were a lot of happy sailors having fun at ABYC, I think it was a little light until the end of the day when it picked up and then they all rolled into the party!" says Gabe Ferramola, Junior Staff Commodore ABYC and Regatta Chair representing ABYC.
"At ABYC we're taking care of the Moore 24s, the J/70s and the Melges 15 fleet so we have some 50 boats at the club - a big shout out to everyone for working well together to fit so many boats in the basin and at the club."
LBRW is open to multiple classes and in 2025 the event will host the Catalina 37 National Championship, the J/109 West Coast Championship, the J/111 Pacific Coast Championship, and the J/70, J/105, J/109, and J/120 Southern California High Point Series. For the first time this year, LBRW will host the Moore 24 fleet and the Moore 24 National Championship. A perpetual trophy, the Campbell Cup - PHRF Big Boat Class Winner - will also be awarded.
Race Day 2 on Saturday June 21 starts with a weather briefing at 10:15 AM by Ullman Sails. The first warning will sound at 11:55 AM on Saturday and Sunday. Conditions permitting, it is expected that three races will be held in most classes on Saturday, and two races on Sunday.
Hosted by the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (ABYC) and the Long Beach Yacht Club (LBYC), the event is grateful to the generosity and support of its 2024 sponsors including long-time title sponsor Ullman Sails, Evans, Clarke Marine Insurance, Cabrillo Boat Shop, Durant Design and Construction, Mt Gay Rum, Pirates Lair, The Oriana Shea Group, and Tom Walker Photography.
The Saturday night party will be hosted by LBYC and prize-giving will be held at LBYC on Sunday at 5:00 PM. Competitors are invited to enjoy both clubs' services and amenities including the ice machine, and free water taxi service between the clubs until 9:00 PM Friday and Saturday. For full details on entry, schedule, mooring requests and more, go to www.lbrw.org.