Junior racers take to the water

The brightly colored spinnakers of the 21-foot sailboats racing in this year’s Governor’s Cup can be easily spotted from shore.

But it’s the on-the-water vantage point that yields a real glimpse of the action in this exciting match race, where teams of teenage racers from around the world chase one another from mark to mark on a more than one-mile course off Newport Harbor.

Wednesday was the second day of the 40th annual U.S. International Junior Match Racing Championship, sponsored by the Balboa Yacht Club. The sailing teams are made up of racers ages 12 to 19 who apply to participate.

The race, which runs through Saturday, is a round-robin competition where each team of three sailors matches up against another boat from a competing yacht club. Every five minutes, teams start off racing in Governor’s Cup 21s ? racing sailboats designed by Balboa Yacht Club member Alan Andrews.

Match racing is much different from fleet racing, where boats race from one point to another, said race publicity chairwoman Nancy Mellon.

“When you’re just two boats, you have to cover and follow and stay with the opponent and try to get ahead of them,” Mellon said.

Floating in a small spectator boat feet from the start line Wednesday, it’s easy to see that the teams’ strategy begins the moment the race committee boat gives the five-minute warning. The two boats circle each other, jockeying for the best wind so they’re in the right place when they cross the start line. As the boats maneuver and the crews hustle on board, at times the boats are feet ? sometimes inches ? from one another.

“What you try to do is get on the stern and control them that way,” said Len Bose, who is in charge of all the race boats.

From the sounding of the first warning, each boat is observed by a team of race umpires aboard smaller inflatable boats. If a team has been faulted by another team, they raise a protest flag and signal to a race umpire.

As the boats race to the first inflatable mark, the teams can be recognized by either yacht club burgee flag or racing number. Once they loop around the last mark, the boats head downwind and raise their spinnakers: bright white sails marked with distinguishable colored stripes.

The race course is one-and-a-quarter miles long and takes about 30 minutes to be completed. The golden rule of sailing in a match race is to stay between the mark and your competitor, Bose said.

Officials’ boats zoom in to change the marks when the wind changes and boat-repair specialists are also on hand. Spectators’ boats float nearby with their occupants cheering or advising their teams.

At the end of the day Wednesday, Balboa Yacht Club led Newport Harbor Yacht Club, winning six out of nine races. Newport Harbor won two races. When they raced each other, Balboa Yacht Club won over Newport Harbor.

The rivalry between the two clubs is always alive, Bose said.

“Anytime we race them, there isn’t just one,” said Bose, of the club rivalry.dpt.20-govcup-1-CPhotoInfoM51T3QTV20060720j2oae6ncOne sailboat takes a slim lead during Wednesday’s Governor’s Cup action.

LA)Spectators watch as two skippers keep it close during Wednesday’s action at the Governor’s Cup. dpt.20-govcup-2-CPhotoInfoM51T3QU420060720j2oaepnc