Rodrigues & Vieira Compete At SAISA Invite
Bermudian sailors PJ Rodrigues and Jordan Vieira helped Eckerd College stand fourth overall after the opening day of the SAISA Open Top 6 Invite, hosted by the college on Boca Ciega Bay on Saturday [September 26].
Rodrigues, sailing with crew William Alvarado in Eckerd’s A Division entry, finished the day fifth in the combined 18-boat fleet with 50 points. The pair placed second in race six and recorded third-place finishes in races three and seven.
Vieira and crew Avery Guck, representing Eckerd in B Division, were sixth overall with 53 points. They won race two and finished second in races four and five.
Eckerd’s C Division entry added 136 points, bringing the team’s total to 239. The College of Charleston led the six-team standings with 121 points, followed by the University of Miami on 216 and North Carolina State University on 225.
Eight races were completed during a day of changing winds. Racing began in a northwesterly breeze of four to six knots, which shifted to the northeast before weakening and turning west after race four. The race committee subsequently sent the sailors ashore for lunch.
A steadier southerly breeze of eight to 10 knots allowed races five through eight to be completed. Another shift to the west late in race eight was followed by light, unstable conditions, ending attempts to begin race nine.
The regatta is scheduled to conclude on Sunday [September 27].
