Conundrum Wins 115th Larchmont Race Week

Conundrum bested the nine-boat field in the 115th running of Larchmont Race Week. It took the final leg of the ten-race series to decide the outcome. The last race began with Damian Emery’s Eclipse holding on to a one-point lead as well as the tiebreaker advantage with four race victories to two for Harald Edegran and Jeremy Henderson’s team on Conundrum. That meant Conundrum not only needed to beat Eclipse, but also put a boat between them. The drama started early in the final race, when both Eclipse and Conundrum were OCS at the gun. The two boats were vying for position at the pin end and the call from the race committee came instantly, so both competitors were able to circle back and restart quickly. By the weather mark, the two J/105s had climbed into the top five with Eclipse slightly ahead. But the downwind leg turned into a challenging one. Rather than moving clockwise as expected, the wind went the other way and favored boats that got to the starboard jibe layline in the bottom third of the leg. Covering was also tricky in the lumpy and light conditions. Conundrum seized the opportunity brought on by the unexpected shift, and shot ahead of Eclipse. The upwind beat was a parade to the right side with Conundrum rounding in third and Eclipse in fourth. Conundrum set off downwind still needing to put one boat between it and Eclipse. It was flying a new Doyle spinnaker Edegran and Henderson had just purchased from Paul Beaudin, whose Loulou was just ahead in second place. Loulou was flying a 2011 chute. Conundrum’s sail investment appeared to pay off as it gradually caught and passed loulou (despite shouts of tactical advice for loulou from the crew on Eclipse). Conundrum crossed the finish line with its fourth consecutive second place; Eclipse was fourth. “We tried to hold them off but just couldn’t do it,” Beaudin said afterward. George and Alex Wilbanks won the final two races on Revelation to move into third for the regatta. Fourth went to Beaudin on loulou, and fifth to the American Yacht Club junior sailors sailing with Peter Becker on Young American. When the day began, Conundrum’s Edegran was overheard hoping for just enough wind for two races but not so much to eliminate the chance for some fluky shifts. His wish was granted.