Chance V – 2019 Viper 640 World Championship Campaign

Chance V – 2019 Viper 640 World Championship Campaign

Right after moving back to California from NZ, I got a message from Kevin McCarthy about racing the 2019 Viper Worlds, 3 months out. Talking with Kevin it was clear he wanted to prepare properly and we were able to. I was able to priortize the project for the season. Boat prepped, sails sorted, rigging optimized.

We had to overcome some real setup challenges—deck asymmetry, collar alignment, rig geometry—but we did the work, dialed it in, and built a reliable tuning matrix we trusted. The last piece was finding a third crew. After trialing local options, I brought in Zak Merton from Knots Racing. Perfect fit.

Our goal on Day 1: don’t lose the event early. In a deep fleet, that meant smart positioning and tactical discipline.

We avoided hero moves and focused on smart, low-risk execution—low density mid-line or towards favored end starts, clean lanes, full speed. Out of 13 races, we were in the top 25% off the line in all but one.

From each top-25% windward mark rounding, we chipped away at boats. The podium finishes were easy races after great starts. The big recoveries in other races when we weren't so lucky are where we did some of our best sailing.

End result:

4th 2019 Worlds  - 4th at Worlds in our first major class event together. Preparation, attitude, and execution carried the team.

1st 2020 Bacardi Cup A few months later, won the Bacardi Cup with a new owner, closing out the boat’s chapter with a win.

3rd 2019 Long Beach Race Week First / Warm Up Event