2005 U.S. Laser Masters Championship Start of race 3 at the 2005 US Laser Masters Championship at Severn Sailing Association.

Notice of Race

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District 11 Championship

• Saturday, October 12th, 2002 - Sunday, October 13th, 2002
• Fishing Bay Yacht Club
• Deltaville, VA

Fishing Bay Yacht Club played host to the District 11 Grand Prix last weekend in conjunction with their annual Indian Summer Regatta. David Hazlehurst was the regatta chair and the PRO on the Laser course. He offered the following commentary.

16 Lasers and a host of other fleets ignored the dire weather forecast and enjoyed good racing Saturday and so-so racing Sunday plus a surfeit of good fellowship after racing on both days. All of the racers were winners and the only losers were those who chose to stay home. Before discussing the event it's appropriate to acknowledge the help that so many gave, and that is so essential for running a regatta. Most of the help was recruited beforehand but there were a good number who agreed to do double duty and some few who were pressed into service and appeared to do this willingly. Those who must be acknowledged, albeit as a group, are the members who provided RC boats.

On Saturday the rain stopped before the 11.00 first gun and five races were run. Before results could be posted there were protests to be resolved amongst the Optimist racers. Personally your reporter views this as a good sign. On the Laser course there were two protests, but neither was presented to the Race committee before the 60 minute time for submission elapsed. (Nick Van Wagoner should be very grateful for this lapse).

Saturday evening was for camerarderie, telling tales, or whatever and dinner, some 20 minutes late because the kitchen help was unfamiliar with the idiosyncracies of our new oven. But there were no complaints about the dinner; my revered mother-in-law used to say "let them wait and they'll eat anything". Think about that one. Movies on the second floor, courtesy of the Scott family, left the porch available for the Laser sailors and some few other holdouts. When this happy group was cautioned about not drinking and driving at 10.30 they had an appropriate response; "We're camping and dont have to drive, we've got plenty of our own beer across the road so you can stop worrying, lock up the club beer, and go to bed.

Sunday, on shore before a 10.00 first gun, was most noticeable for the few who showed up for breakfast, resulting in ample left-overs for after racing. The 6-8 knots we enjoyed Saturday was not to be and the racers were happy to be told to go home. Mr Roberts towed 11 Lasers to shore for which the skippers were very obviously appreciative, particularly the first to be picked up who asked for and was given a beer.

Results will be posted seperately but some few comments are appropriate. Of the 10 Optimist sailors, 3 were from Fishing Bay and 3 were supported by parents in power boats, each of whom has a great pedigree. One, an early Laser National champion, another who became a sailing coach at two major colleges before becoming head coach to the US Olympic sailing team, and a third who has won his share of Laser regattas, including three Masters events at Fishing Bay, and more recently has become an accomplished Melges 24 skipper. (Guess the names...answers are below).

On the Laser course we had 17 boats, 5 from the USNA, 3 from the Tidewater area, 2 from Fishing Bay and the balance from SSA. The Laser fleet was vyeing for the District-11 championship as well as regatta trophies and at the end of the day George Panayides from HYC became a second time District champion. Anthony Kupersmith, the 2000 District champion, a junior coach in 2001 and presently a second year student at William and Mary, showed he has not lost his touch completely by getting firsts in the last two races on Saturday. Anthony's mother served on the mark/finishing boat on the Laser course, his younger sister Frances raced on a 420 and his father came out on a Laser radial to harrass the race committee. The Kupersmiths just nudged the Scott family out of first place for most active family.

Without exception the parents I spoke to as they were ready to leave said "this is our favorite place to sail and we'll be back next year". Hearing that makes all the effort well worthwhile.

Added: 10/13/2002 12:31:30 by Jon Deutsch
Updated: 7/02/2005 12:31:44 by Jon Deutsch