Corsica River (back to Regatta Results)

July 29-30, 2006

10 Penguins were treated to typical fare at Corsica River for the 2006 Annual Regatta.  Our secluded eastern shore getaway has apparently been discovered by a hoard of beach catamarans, in addition to the light air challenged Cat Boats, an ever growing handicap fleet, and the usual swarm of Lasers and Laser Radials.  Race committee PRO Fitz Turner and John Foster did an admirable job under tough conditions with such a disproportionately balanced fleet. 

In race one, the  Penguins encountered a wall of catamarans at the finish.  The cats were jockeying for position for the start of their second race, which was occurring as the Penguins were trying to finish.  Sandy and Debbie McAllister weaved their way through and came away with a victory in race one. 
 

At the start of race two, the Penguins were hampered by an errant Cat boat which was trying to finish across the Penguin starting line.  Fortunately, they were gently redirected and the second race got off.  This time, Jonathan and Ann Bartlett were victorious.  The fleet headed in for a lunch break and some shade.  In the afternoon, the weak westerly all but disappeared, which made the long run against an ebbing tide, seem interminable. Bill and Barb Lane stayed closest to the shore and managed to get around the leeward mark first and were whisked up current to the finish.  Although there was a little more breeze at the finish, most of the competitors were pretty well cooked and racing was done for the day.  Corsica had their traditional bluegrass band under the Pavillion for afternoon musical entertainment, followed by their classic chicken dinner.  In the evening a rock and roll band provided entertainment  for those who had enough energy to get out on the dance floor.

Penguin fleet at the 2006 Corsica River Regatta... this fleet really is special.

Sunday, the light westerly to northwesterly breeze rewarded those who stayed to the right on the beats.  David and Julie Cox recovered from being over early, worked right and sailed to a convincing victory.  In race five, the wind went a little further to the northwest, still favoring the right side.  Bill and Barb Lane showed what years of sailing at Corsica River will teach you: respect the current and when you want to go right, go right.  They sailed to a victory in this race and a second place overall.  Surprisingly absent from the race win column were Bud and Sue Dailey (Sunday crew), Christian Ostberg crewed on Saturday.  Bud managed a string of seconds coupled with a third and fourth to end up winning the Temple Blackwood trophy.  Jonathan and Ann Bartlett were third.  Read Biegel and son Read Beigel, with Jr. at the helm in race three (and four), sailed to a second place in race three, carefully (and patiently) following the Lanes on the long downwind leg.  Monty Baker with crew Donna MacKenzie sailed to a third place finish in race two, and showed good speed and were right in the thick of things in many of the other races. Now that Monty has good permanent crew we should see more of him near the top.  Dick Kelly sailed to a fifth in race one, just missing beating Bud Dailey at the finish.  Amy Krafft with crew Brooke Edgecomb, were always in the mix in the close and competitive fleet.  Martin Krafft, with his dad as crew, managed a third in race one and a very close pair of fourths in races two and five.