Driver skill, along with some luck, was a big factor in one of the best heat races of the 2nd Annual Urbanna Cup Cocktail Class Wooden Boat Races held Saturday, May 17, on Urbanna Creek.
In the “Classic” 6-horsepower heavyweights, Zach Ditmars (#67) in Molotov Cocktail carried plenty of momentum to the flying start. Although he wasn’t first across the starting line he soon was leading the field. At the start, Robert Edmonds (#70), piloting Shaken Not Stirred, was four deep in the pack that chased Ditmars, who stretched his lead to the first mark.
Ditmars and Edmonds had battled close in the first heat. The second heat was no different.
Edmonds made up ground and, as they approached the second buoy, trailed Ditmars by two boat lengths. Edmonds approached the turn wide with an eye towards cutting tight under Ditmars. Luck intervened.
Ditmars’ bow was high out of the water, but in the next second it plowed into a wave—breaking his momentum, nearly stopping his boat and giving Edmonds a chance to get even.
They raced neck and neck to Buoy 3, with Ditmars holding a slim advantage.
Digging
Down the home stretch they came with Ditmars leading. With the finish line getting closer, Edmonds was inching up. Edmonds pulled alongside Ditmars—the race would be decided in the last 90 feet.
Edmonds dropped his body low and got flat to cut wind resistance and turned his head to watch Ditmars. Edmonds shifted his weight to the stern, which brought up the bow, reducing water resistance.
Ditmars continued to stretch his body forward trying to keep the bow down.
At the wire, Edmonds’ bow lifted and only his prop and about two feet of his boat were in the water as he took the heat race win.
Ditmars finished second by about a boat length.
In their three heat races Edmonds finished first twice and second once, while Ditmars was second twice and first once. Low score wins, so Edmonds won overall with 4 points to Ditmars’ 5. It was the closest winning margin of the meet.
