NBChas
Tornado warnings and 60-knot winds caused the cancellation of racing on Day 3 of Charleston Race Week, and even wreaked some havoc on the awards ceremony: The party tent collapsed in the high wind, and officials moved the awards ceremony into a nearby conference room.Simon Strauss won the Melges 24 division and now has high hopes for the class’ world championship in Santa Cruz, Calif., in May. “The competition here was solid, but the event managed to keep everyone happy and there wasn’t much stress on us,” said Strauss. “It was the perfect place for our crew to get to know each other so we can be ready for Santa Cruz.”For the second straight year, Steven Stollman won the Palmetto Cup, awarded to the overall PHRF champion. “We just love it here,” said Stollman, who sails a C&C 115. “It’s the kind of atmosphere that the whole crew enjoys.” Stollman’s win in the PHRF C class is even more surprising considering that he never set foot on a sailboat until five years ago. “I just drive the boat – that’s the easy part,” he said. “I’ve got the most fun, most exciting crew, and they love coming here to compete.”J/105 Class winner Brian Keane won the Charleston Race Week Cup for putting in the best performance of any one-design competitor. Keane is also a consecutive two-time winner here, and his Massachusetts crew considers this a high point of their travel schedule.For complete results, click here.