2025 Rollo Wheeler Recap

This year marked the 52nd for Berkeley Yacht Club’s Rollo Wheeler Memorial Regatta. Like most sailing events on the Bay and elsewhere, the Wheeler has gotten smaller. This year we had 27 boats sign up for one or both days, and though the field of competitors was smaller, we did not let that dissuade us from having a good time and good racing. Traditionally, Saturday’s racing has had two different regattas, with two different courses and two different race committees going at the same time. These days we combine the two races, the Wheeler and the City of Berkeley, into one and just divide them up by divisions.

Saturday’s racing had 25 boats across four divisions, including an Olson 25 one-design division made up of seven boats. There were two races that day with 13 possible courses. The first race started almost on time with the wind at 8-12 knots out of the SW. With the start line set up in the Berkeley Circle, the first race took the Wheeler and City of Berkeley divisions out to YRA 21 and back twice around for 9.5-mile run. The Olson 25 division, being Olson 25s, had their very own special private course around the green buoys, also twice for an 8-mile run. By the time the second race rolled around, the wind had built to 12-16 knots and shifted west to around 240 degrees. Race two would be shorter for all parties with the PHRF fleets running out to YRA 21 once around and the buoy-bound one-designers doing another double sausage with the windward mark pulled in a mile or so. Overall, Saturday’s racing was excellent with good weather, pretty square courses, competitive sailing and no protests.

Nico Popp sailed his SF 3600 INVICTUS to victory in the PHRF < 82 Wheeler group. In the 83 <PHRF<130 Wheeler Group it was CHOMP!, the Etchells skippered by the one and only David Janinis, taking first. In the City of Berkeley PHRF > 158 Group it was CAN O WHOOPASS, the Cal 20 driven by never complaining, always amicable Richard VonEhrenkrook, crossing the line first. In the Olson 25 One Design division, John Collins steered SKETCH to victory.

Sunday’s race was more of the same, weather-wise, with solid wind out of the WSW and sunshine. We know that the party at the BYC clubhouse Saturday evening was a good one because several crew did not make the start. It was a 10.1 mile run out across the Cityfront and back to the Berkeley Circle for an upwind finish. All boats finished but not all boats finished without penalty as a couple crossed the start/finish line illegally. The Pursuit spoils went to David Janinis on CHOMP! winning decisively.

The City of Berkeley and Wheeler Perpetual Trophies were awarded to the boats with the fastest overall corrected Saturday times in each of the two divisions respectively. David Janinis on CHOMP! won the Wheeler Trophy and Richard VonEhrenkrook on CAN O WHOOPASS won the City of Berkeley Trophy. Their names will be engraved in brass forever and ever.

Thank You to our Volunteers!