Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship II
This past weekend (August 14/15, 2010) the Rehoboth Bay Sailing Association (RBSA) hosted the second Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship of the year. The hospitality at the RBSA and the organization of the current event were great, and the weather cooperated nicely. Twenty two sailors enjoyed decent winds on Saturday; 6-12 mph (my guesstimate). Sunday was even a bit better (~10-15 mph), especially for the heavier ones. The sky started to threaten mid-day Sunday and, as a result, we called it a day. However, no rain (or thunderstorm!) materialized; just a few drops when we left for home later that afternoon.
The RBSA is located on a beautiful spot on the water (the sunsets can be awesome), just South of Dewey Beach DE, and Nancy Jaywork has been an enthusiastic fleet captain, eager to help out all comers. Moreover, the Bay is a great place to sail with little interference from power boats and personal watercrafts. And that colorful parasailor way up there in the sky was something fun to look at in between races. Not that we had a lot of time for that, while replenishing the internal fluids and devouring a banana or energy bar.
Especially on Saturday, the racing was very competitive with different winners in each of the five (!) races. The RC had set a square line of decent length and got the races off in a timely manner. Great work from Roger Anderson and the other members of the RC!
We sailed a modified Olympic course of substantial length (~50 min). As mentioned, we did five of those on Saturday; no surprise therefore that we were oh-so-ready to get back to the beach. Once the boats were hosed off and put away for the night, a fantastic home-prepared dinner was presented (thanks to the Murray family). And there were drinks plus snacks before that.
When the results of the first day were tabulated, Steven Evans found himself in first place with 9 points net (at this point we had one throw-out). But David Miller was only one point behind and Nancy Jaywork and David Davies were tied with 12 points. Jim Greenfield was in fifth place with 14 points. Clearly, the regatta was still wide open.
But on Sunday Evans was not to be denied, winning both races. Not only was he fast, he also pointed a bit higher going upwind than most others. I can testify to that, because I was just left in his wake after starting next to him (twice). Miller took second overall and Davies third. Daniel MacElrevey moved up and ended up in fourth place. Nancy Jaywork won a tie for fifth from Jim Greenfield. Once we had all tidied up, the first five finishers received nicely engraved trophies. In addition, plaques were handed out to Jim Greenfield, Allyn Miner and Austin MacElrevey (a light-weight junior sailor). Even the non-winners got to go home with a nice tie-dye T-shirt (again, thanks to Halley and Molly Murray) and great memories of a fun and competitive regatta.
The winner of this regatta will get an invitation to participate in next year's Worlds, to be held in Curacao. We all wish Steven Evans the best of luck in what promises to be a windy and wavy adventure down in the Caribbean.
PS: The first 2010 Mid-Atlantic Regionals was held June 19/20 at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Cape May, NJ.
This past weekend (August 14/15, 2010) the Rehoboth Bay Sailing Association (RBSA) hosted the second Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship of the year. The hospitality at the RBSA and the organization of the current event were great, and the weather cooperated nicely. Twenty two sailors enjoyed decent winds on Saturday; 6-12 mph (my guesstimate). Sunday was even a bit better (~10-15 mph), especially for the heavier ones. The sky started to threaten mid-day Sunday and, as a result, we called it a day. However, no rain (or thunderstorm!) materialized; just a few drops when we left for home later that afternoon.
The RBSA is located on a beautiful spot on the water (the sunsets can be awesome), just South of Dewey Beach DE, and Nancy Jaywork has been an enthusiastic fleet captain, eager to help out all comers. Moreover, the Bay is a great place to sail with little interference from power boats and personal watercrafts. And that colorful parasailor way up there in the sky was something fun to look at in between races. Not that we had a lot of time for that, while replenishing the internal fluids and devouring a banana or energy bar.
Especially on Saturday, the racing was very competitive with different winners in each of the five (!) races. The RC had set a square line of decent length and got the races off in a timely manner. Great work from Roger Anderson and the other members of the RC!
We sailed a modified Olympic course of substantial length (~50 min). As mentioned, we did five of those on Saturday; no surprise therefore that we were oh-so-ready to get back to the beach. Once the boats were hosed off and put away for the night, a fantastic home-prepared dinner was presented (thanks to the Murray family). And there were drinks plus snacks before that.
When the results of the first day were tabulated, Steven Evans found himself in first place with 9 points net (at this point we had one throw-out). But David Miller was only one point behind and Nancy Jaywork and David Davies were tied with 12 points. Jim Greenfield was in fifth place with 14 points. Clearly, the regatta was still wide open.
But on Sunday Evans was not to be denied, winning both races. Not only was he fast, he also pointed a bit higher going upwind than most others. I can testify to that, because I was just left in his wake after starting next to him (twice). Miller took second overall and Davies third. Daniel MacElrevey moved up and ended up in fourth place. Nancy Jaywork won a tie for fifth from Jim Greenfield. Once we had all tidied up, the first five finishers received nicely engraved trophies. In addition, plaques were handed out to Jim Greenfield, Allyn Miner and Austin MacElrevey (a light-weight junior sailor). Even the non-winners got to go home with a nice tie-dye T-shirt (again, thanks to Halley and Molly Murray) and great memories of a fun and competitive regatta.
The winner of this regatta will get an invitation to participate in next year's Worlds, to be held in Curacao. We all wish Steven Evans the best of luck in what promises to be a windy and wavy adventure down in the Caribbean.
PS: The first 2010 Mid-Atlantic Regionals was held June 19/20 at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Cape May, NJ.