In the high-stakes world of competitive sailing, sometimes the best-laid plans go awry, and success depends on how well a team can execute Plan B. For Eastern Yacht Club, that backup strategy paid dividends on Day 3 of the 2025 Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup.
The Marblehead-based team employed what they call the “reverse rabbit” — a tactical maneuver used when their preferred pin-end start doesn’t materialize. The risky move helped them secure a sixth-place finish in Race 8 and win the day overall, extending their streak of single-digit finishes to five races.
“Clinton Hayes is our helmsman, and, he stays very calm and cool and collected throughout all of this stuff,” said tactician Bill Lynn. “Sometimes the reverse rabbit is just awesome, because you’re sailing behind everybody’s main and as long as you don’t have to dip too much, you can just slingshot out of that going seven and a half knots.”
The technique involves quickly switching to port tack after abandoning a pin-end start, essentially sailing behind the fleet’s mainsails before breaking free. It’s far from easy, but for Eastern Yacht Club, it was their ticket to climbing up the leaderboard.
After a difficult opening day that put them in a deep hole, Eastern has been steadily working their way up the rankings. They now sit in ninth place with 71 points, just 14 points out of fourth place with four races remaining.
Itchenor’s emotional victory
The day’s most heartwarming moment came when Britain’s Itchenor Sailing Club earned their first win of the regatta in Race 7. The victory was especially meaningful for team principal Barry Sampson, who at his seventh Invitational Cup appearance, admitted this might be his last.
“I’m getting a bit old, and I just thought, a bit selfishly, that it would really be nice to come one more time,” said Sampson, whose late invitation gave the team less than two months to prepare.
After starting the day in last place following a string of difficult finishes, Itchenor’s tactical gamble to sail far right paid off spectacularly. The team jumped from 20th to 18th overall with their wire-to-wire victory.
Family affair for Eastern
For Eastern’s Bill Lynn, this regatta has special personal meaning. Among his teammates are his daughter Hannah and new son-in-law Alden Reid, who married in March after sailing together with Lynn for 15 years.
“(Alden) became my son-in-law this past March,” Lynn said. “But he and I have been sailing together for 15 years. My daughter Hannah does the runners and he trims the main, and they’re like this finely tuned machine. I’m incredibly fortunate to be able to sail with family.”
Leaderboard battles
At the top of the standings, San Diego Yacht Club continues to dominate with 29 points after eight races, building a 17-point cushion over second-place Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (46 points). Royal Canadian Yacht Club sits just one point behind in third with 47 points.
The regatta’s most consistent performer has been Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, which has finished between third and fifth in seven of eight races, with only a 20th-place finish in Race 5 blemishing their record.
Looking ahead
With four races remaining through Saturday, several teams still have realistic shots at podium positions, while others are fighting to avoid disappointing finishes. Eastern Yacht Club, despite their recent strong sailing, faces the challenge of avoiding their worst-ever result at this prestigious biennial event.
Racing continues Friday with the first race scheduled for 11 a.m. EDT, with live coverage available on YouTube and Facebook. Twenty teams from 12 countries are competing in the IC37 one-design boats provided by the New York Yacht Club, ensuring a level playing field for this premier amateur sailing competition.
The 2025 Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup is supported by title sponsor Rolex and regatta sponsors Helly Hansen, Safe Harbor Marinas, and Peters & May.
