Canada Versus USA, Again!

4:13 AM Sun 11 Sep 2011 GMT

'You Wish in tight at the start . The race committee is blanketed by a wall of sails - 10th Beneteau 36.7 North American Championships' Tim Wilkes &copy

Last week the Canada's Cup was a very tightly contested regatta with Team Vincere of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club of Toronto, Canada, winning by an overall score of five wins and three losses over Team Heritage of Macatawa Bay Yacht Club of Holland, Michigan.

This week the showdown will be between Zingara from the National Yacht Club in Toronto against First Today from the Youngstown Yacht Club for the Beneteau 36.7 North American Championships.

Juliet bow 12 from RCYC catches a ride - 10th Beneteau 36.7 North American Championships - Tim Wilkes &copy

After three days and nine races these two yachts are now tied at the top of the leader board with 24 points each going in the final day of racing. Skippers Richard Reid, Zingara, and Gary Tisdale, First Today are not strangers to each other as they have traded the honour of North American Champion back and forth for five years.

In racing today under brilliant blue skies and a consistent 12 knot breeze, the race committee set 1.8 mile legs and, according to one race official, the steady wind today made their work much easier. The first two races were relatively square with no major incidents.

The third race began, as Mike Sonosky Skipper of Fullscale described, a little carnage as number of boats made contact. Just behind the line with a great vantage point of the start was Colin Andrews in a very unfamiliar role as spectator. He described the scene as four boats started rafting together, no injuries or major damage was reported, just some yelling and the sound of fibreglass coming together. The jury prepared for a long evening!

This final race of the day was lengthened to five legs delivering the boats back to the club entrance. Zingara, who was leading at the bottom of the fourth leg, ended up losing the race winner's spot to Myouri who nicely played the right hand side of the course to claim the victory.

Sunday`s two scheduled races for the top prize are set with the leaders tied at 24 points each. The third position on the podium is still up for grabs as three boats are in tight contention:

Grizzly, skippered by Charles Bayer from Bayview Yacht Club with 44 points, Myouri, skippered by Paul Johnson from Orchard Park, NY with 47 points, and not far behind and still in striking distance is Steve Pelke on Stingray with 48 points.

For more information and full results go to: 2011beneteau367northamerican.com