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Victoria Day Weekend Regatta 2015

This year, Victoria Day fell early in the month. However, we had excellent warm weather and fine winds for sailing. The Belwood Lake Sailing Club graciously hosted our regatta again. We had exciting racing, younger members serving as crew, and time for some more casual cruising. All in all, it was a great weekend.

Saturday

Jim Carroll and Paul Lingen had graciously volunteered to serve as race committee. Jim's daughter Emma and her boyfriend Ian decided to keep him company and help out in the committee boat, so Paul took a Zodiak and borrowed a camera to be photographer. As a result, we've got some great photos of the races.

With such good weather conditions, it was time to get started. A quick last check of the rigging, and too figure out where our crew had gone. Then it was time to launch the boats and head out to the course. Today, we were sailing near the dam.

Photo: Lined Up on the Launch Ramp Photo: Heather Shows Daisy the Course Photo: Steve and Tayja Wait for Their Turn Photo: Andrew Watches Marika Helping Aleid Photo: Steve Untangles his Mainsheet, While Erik Launches Photo: Tayja Climbs in While Marika and Wyatt Head Out in the Background

Then it was time to try out a few practise manouvers while the race committee got ready to start. It's amazing what you forget over the winter!

Photo: Steve and Tayja Photo: Shelley Photo: Our Race Committee: Jim, Emma and Ian (with his Back to the Camera)

Race 1

The race committee decided on a conventional triangle-sausage course for the first race. It was an exciting race, with lots of changes of position all through the race. It began with a close start between Erik and Shelley.

Photo: Erik and Kaiden and Shelley are Neck and Neck at the Start

At the first mark, the first four boats were fairly close: Marika and Wyatt were in the lead, followed by Erik and Kaiden, then Steve and Tayja and Dawn and Caleb.

Photo: Marika and Wyatt are First Around the Top Mark Photo: Followed by Erik and Kaiden Photo: Then Steve and Tayja Photo: And Then Dawn and Caleb Photo: The First Four Boats Head to the Gybe Mark

Heather and Shelley got there too.

Photo: Heather Rounds Photo: Followed by Shelley

At the leeward mark, there have been some changes of position: Dawn has passed Erik and Steve, and Steve has passed Erik.

Photo: Dawn Rounding Leeward Mark Ahead of Steve and Erik Photo: Marika Sticks to the Righthand Side Heading Back to the Windward Mark Photo: Dawn and Caleb

At the windward mark, we have another change of position as Steve and Tayja get there first.

Photo: Steve is First Around the Windward Mark this Time

After rounding the leeward mark, it's a quick beat back to the finish line.

Photo: Erik, Dawn and Heather head to the finish

Steve and Tayja hold on to their lead, and cross the finish line on a strong gust. Tayja's cry of "I don't wanna die" as the gust hits provides some amusement to the race committee! Erik and Kaiden managed to stay just ahead of Dawn and Caleb, with Marika not too far behind.

Photo: Steve and Tayja Cross the Finish Line on a Gust Photo: Erik and Kaiden Cross Just Ahead of Dawn and Caleb Photo: Marika and Wyatt Finish

Race 2

For the second race, the committee shortened the course to a simple triangle course. It was a close start, but Heather was over early and had to restart.

Photo: Less than Four Minutes to the Start Photo: Heather, Erik and Steve are All Close to the Line Photo: Heather Heads Back to Restart Photo: Marika and Shelley Get a Late Start

Erik, Dawn and Steve all opted for the lefthand side.

Photo: Erik, Dawn and Steve Opt for the Lefthand Side Photo: Steve Heading to the Windward Mark, Dawn and Erik to Leeward Photo: Marika and Wyatt

At the mark, Steve and Tayja get there first, closely followed by Erik and Kaiden and Dawn and Caleb. Then it's a close race reaching to the gybe mark. However, there is no change in the first three positions.

Photo: Erik Rounds Just Ahead of Dawn Photo: Erik and Kaiden Head to the Gybe Mark Photo: With Dawn Close Behind Then Photo: It's a CLose Race Between Steve, Erik and Dawn Approaching the Gybe Mark Photo: Dawn Rounds the Gybe Mark Behind Erik Photo: Dawn and Caleb Photo: Steve Adjusts his Outhaul

The rest of the fleet reaches the gybe mark: Heather and Daisy, Shelley and Marika and Wyatt.

Photo: Heather, Shelley and Marika Round Photo: Heather and Daisy Head to the Leeward Mark Photo: Shelley Photo: Marika and Wyatt

There are no more lead changes at the front of the fleet approaching the finish line, but it's a close finish.

Photo: Steve, Erik and Dawn Approach the Finish Line Photo: Steve Hangs on to his Lead, with Erik and Dawn Close Behind Photo: Dawn and Caleb Cross the Line Photo: Heather Follows

Marika, who was in last place at the gybe mark rounding, has managed to catch up with Shelley. Coming up to the finish line, its a close race. Marika manages to just get ahead of Shelley in time for the finish line!

Photo: Marika and Shelley are in a Tight Race Photo: Marika Crosses Ahead of Shelly

Race 3

The third race was another triangular course. Shelly and Erik had great starts, but Marika was too early and had sailed past the pin before the start.

Photo: Everybody is Heading for the line as the Start Approaches Photo: Marika has Gone Past the Pin at the Start, Shelley and Erik Get it Just Right Photo: Steve and Dawn Tack onto Port, while Marika Turns Back to Cross the Line Photo: Except for Erik and Shelley, Everybody Heads for the Righthand Side on Port Tack Photo: Heather and Daisy Photo: Heather Wishes She was on Starboard Tack

Of course, there were plenty of gusts.

Photo: Marika and Wyatt Hike Out When a Gust Hits Photo: Ten Seconds Later, and the Gust has Passed

Erik and Kaiden are first to the windward mark. They kept their lead at the leeward mark, but Steve and Tayja are catching up and Dawn and Caleb are not far behind.

Photo: Erik and Kaiden are First Around the Windward Mark Photo: Erik and Kaiden Still Lead Around the Leeward Mark Photo: Steve and Tayja are Just 40 Seconds Behind Photo: Dawn and Caleb are Close Behind

After rounding the leeward mark, Shelley took a gamble and went far out to the righthand side. It paid off, as she passed Dawn and Caleb on her way to the finish line.

Photo: Shelley, with Heather and Daisy Just Behind Photo: Shelley Goes All the Way to the Righthand Side Photo: Marika Rounds the Leeward Mark Photo: Shelley’s Gamble Pays Off, and She Crosses the Finish Ahead of Dawn Photo: Marika and Wyatt Finish

Dawn and Caleb head back to shore.

Race 4

The race committee changed things up with a new course. A drag race: a quick race up to the windward mark and back.

Photo: Everybody is Late to the Start Line Photo: Shelley and Erik are First to Cross the Line Photo: Marika and Heather are Next Photo: Steve is Last Across the Start Line

In a drag race, its all about the start as there is not much time to pass. The finishing order matched the start, except that Steve and Tayja did manage to pass Marika and Wyatt.

Photo: Erik and Kaiden are First Back to the Finish Line Photo: Shelley was Next Photo: Followed by Heather and Daisy

Race 5

For the last race, we had a longer windward-leeward-windward race: up to the windward mark, down to the leward and windward back to the finish.

Photo: Ian, Our Timekeeper, Relaxes During the Start Sequence for Race Five

Emma, our flag minder.

Photo: Emma Handled the Flags dur the Start Sequences Photo: All Clear at the Start

Marika gets the best start, but it's close.

Photo: Marika gets a Great Start Photo: It’s a Close Field Jast After the Start Photo: Marika, Erik and Steve Heading to the Windward Mark Photo: Heading Downwind, Steve and Tayja have Grabbed the Lead with Erik and Kaiden Close Behind Photo: Shelley Heads Downwind Photo: Heather and Daisy

Halfway down the downwind leg, Steve and Tayja are in the lead, with Erik and Kaiden close behind, followed by Shelley. Shelley manages to pass Erik and Kaiden on the way back. In another close finish, Marika and Wyatt don't quite manage to pass Erik and Kaiden.

Photo: Looking through the finish line as the fleet heads to the leeward mark Photo: Steve and Tayja are First Across the Finish Photo: Shelley is Next Photo: Erik Squeaks Across Just Ahead of Marika

Race Results

2015 OMDA Victoria Day Weekend Regatta Results
Place Sail No. Crew Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Points
1 53050 Stephen Steel
Tayja Beaumont
1 1 2 4 1 5
2 51161 Erik Brendeke
Kaiden Beaumont
2 2 1 1 3 6
3 16562 Heather Pugh
Daisy
5 4 6 3 5 17
4 34048 Shelley 6 6 3 2 2 17
5 51208 Dawn Richardson
Caleb Richardson
3 3 4 DNS DNS 17
6 51161 Marika Beaumont
Wyatt Beaumont
4 5 5 5 4 18

Note: Those sailing single-handed were assessed a penalty of 1 point per race, and each crew's worst result was thrown-out. Careful observers will notice that we had to use both tiebreaker rules to sort out the three way tie with 17 points!

Many thanks to Jim Carroll, his daughter Emma and her boyfriend Ian for volunteering as our race committee. They did a great job. And many thanks to Paul Lingen. He got a lot of great photos of the racing from the water. And of course, many thanks the Belwood Lake Sailing Club for hosting such a great day of sailing!

Sunday

Sunday morning started with our traditional pancake breakfast cooked by Aleid. A great start to a beautiful day.

Since we managed to sail five races on Saturday, this left Sunday free to take the kids out for a fun cruise. Some of them were brave enough to taking a turn on the tiller. Sorry, no photos of this yet.

Photo Credits

Thanks to all those who provided photos: