Racing News, Results, Lies, Etc.

UBS Challenge Chicago Races Final Standings 

1) Team B: Lars Hansen, Wayzata Yacht Club 7 Wins 2 Losses. 2) Team C: Robert Hughes, Macatawa Bay Yacht Club 6 Wins 3 Losses. 3) Team D: Steven Lowery, Naval Academy Sailing Squadron 5 Wins 4 Losses 4) Team A: David Anderson, Columbia Yacht Club 0 Wins 9 Losses

Superb Winds for Black Tie Regatta
by Jimneta Christian

Super racing conditions prevailed throughout the entire weekend of April 19th through the 21st for this the "Champagne of Regattas." "Windwise, it was the best Black Tie I've been to," opined E-scow skipper Frank Davenport from Wisconsin's Lake Geneva Yacht Club. "It was perfect. It just doesn't get any better!" Mother Nature exquisitely provided 86 scow skippers and their crews quite steady, south to southeasterly winds, blowing between 14 and 20 m.p.h., tossing in only minor shifts and challenging puffs. Partial sunshine and toasty temperatures, ranging between 76 and 83š, were added delights to the festivities of this on and offshore spring extravaganza! "We can't ever imagine a group being treated to any better sailing conditions in a five-race series," purported John and Jane Bates, Co-Chairpersons of Black Tie 2002.

Racers, families, and friends trekked to Rush Creek Yacht Club, Heath, Texas, from 13 states, namely, Colorado, Oklahoma, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, to participate. "...The level of competition at this event may be on of the best ever assembled...," declared Eric Hood, an MC racer from Spring Lake Yacht Club, Michigan. Rush Creek's au fait PRO team of Brad and Susan Davis, along with the myriad of valuable race committee volunteers, orchestrated great racing courses. Due to the windward last leg of each race, many sailors had a thrilling and robust ride back to the quay!

With the heftiness of the winds, it was amazing that for the entire racing time, only 12 boats capsized or turtled. It was good that the water temperature was in the mid 60s. The story goes that one E-scow skipper took a tip 'n' dip, but the crew quickly scrambled to the top, and were high and dry!

Friday afternoon was the genesis of the regatta with two back-to-back races. After these two good races were completed, and lunch's calories were all consumed, everyone was ready for the plethora of tasty hor d'¦uvres on the club's deck!

Saturday morning's winds were promising a repeat of yesterday's energy levels. Two races were held, with a lunch respite sandwiched in between them.
Grand conviviality engaged those attending Saturday night's Black Tie dinner and dance. The cuisine was exceptionally delicious! The Seth James Band, Texas blues, oh yeah, "They were terrific. We danced the night away," exclaimed MC skipper Eric Protzman, "and they seemed to enjoy the party as well."

On Sunday morning, the rain gods were held at bay as the fifth, and last, scheduled race commenced. With the wind velocity dittoing yesterday's tempo, "hike hard" was again in the skipper's vocabulary for this day's action! 

On the club's deck under the white tent immediately after Sunday's hardy lunch, three perpetual trophies and 60 handsome, timepiece-oriented trophies were presented. The USSA Appendix A2.2 Low Point Scoring System, with no throw-outs, was employed in calculating the scores. The trophy results for each E, C, M-20/I-20, and MC one-design, racing class division are as follows:

E-scows--10 boats in division 1) Skipper Art Brereton & crew: Torch Lake YC, MI 2) Skipper Kim Buttram & crew: Rush Creek YC, TX 3) Skipper Toby Sutherland & crew: Grand Lake YC, Co

Voila! Skipper Art Brereton and his crew managed a fantastic feat by scoring a bullet, acing all five races!

C-scows--26 boats in division 1) Skipper Tom Frentzel & crew: Pewaukee YC, WI 2) Skipper Patrick Lynch & crew: Browns Lake YC, WI 3) Skipper Marty Palmer & crew: Okoboji YC, IA 4) Skipper Lance Avery & crew: Okoboji YC, IA 5) Skipper Scott Colesworthy & crew: Upper Minnetonka YC, MN 6) Skipper Steve Avery & crew: Okoboji YC, IA 7) Skipper Walter Mendenhall & crew: Okoboji YC, IA 8) Skipper Augie Barkow & crew: Pine Lake YC, WI 9) Strothman, Jack MYC,MN. 10) Helmes, Scott WBYC, MN

M-20/I-20 scows--12 boats in division 1) M-20 Skipper Paul Foerster & crew Brad Winslett: Rush Creek YC, TX 2) M-20 Skipper Andrew Tapper & crew: Minnetonka, MN 3) I-20 Skipper Steve Schech & crew: Mendota, WI

The Leonard Trophy--M-20 Skipper Paul Foerster & crew Brad Winslett: Rush Creek YC, TX

MC-scows--38 boats in division 1) Skipper Eric Hood & crew Leslie Annis: Spring Lake YC, MI 2) Skipper Justin Hood & crew: Spring Lake YC, MI 3) Skipper Jeff Annis: Augusta SC, GA 4) Skipper Doug Kern & crew: Austin YC, TX 5) Skipper Scott Slocum & crew Brad Farrar: Rush Creek YC, TX 6) Skipper Kelli Farrar: Okoboji YC, IA 

MC Master--Skipper Bill Rembold & crew, his son, Dan Rembold: Charleston YC, SC

MC Grand Master--Skipper Charlie Lind & crew Nancy Vickrey: Rush Creek YC, TX

The Perpetual MC Single-Handed Trophy--Skipper Jeff Annis: Augusta SC, GA

The Black Tie MC Perpetual Trophy--Skipper Eric Hood & crew Leslie Annis: Spring Lake YC, MI

In the MC class, father and son captured the first and second trophies, respectively!

For complete race results in all the classes, please visit Rush Creek's web site at www.rcyc.org

In a summative note, here's an impression expressed by Andy Burdick, who crewed this year for Okoboji C-scow skipper Marty Palmer, and is a 17-year Black Tie veteran from Zenda, Wisconsin, "I have been coming to the Black Tie Regatta since 1986, and in no other location are you guaranteed warm weather, nice wind, wonderful hospitality and champagne when you walk off the boat. The Black Tie is the Champagne of Regattas. Everyone must try it!"

Jimneta's first sailing experience was on a scow about nine years ago, and has loved it ever since! For the past three Black Ties, she has crewed on an MC, but thinks crewing on any scow is a great experience. There's nothing just quite like them! Jimneta Christian currently lives in Rockwall, Texas.