Memorial Day Regatta

Hosted by Eugene Yacht Club

May 26 & 27, 2007

Team Tinkertoy (Bruce Golison, Andrew Kerr and Blair Wallace) collected first place in the 21 boat fleet at Eugene's Memorial Day Regatta.  Saturday conditions were overcast with moderate wind from the north.  Sunday was difficult sailing for everyone (including the committee), with cold temperatures, light winds and frequent windshifts up to 180 degrees.  Team Tinkertoy managed to find the breeze to win the regatta by two points over six races.  Gordon Mattatal on H20 Boa took second and Jerald Skeen on Atomic Punk took third.

-Mark Forrest

Eugene YC’s Memorial Day regatta attracted many Fleet 19 racers as well as road warriors from Lake Tahoe, Stockton, and Sacramento.

The welcoming atmosphere of Eugene YC and the hospitality of its members create cannot be overstated.

S20 sailors Hector and Sue Rosado hosted a great party for all the S20 fleet on the Friday night - it was a great time to socialize and the class would like to thank Hector and Sue for there generosity.  Kevin Goodrich and his team of Boy Scouts did an amazing job of preparing all the meals.  The Race Committee and volunteers, both on and off the water, all ensured a great experience for all of the competitors.  Special thanks to all that helped continue the tradition of excellence at this regatta.

Now onto the racing.  Saturday featured a real test for the fleet with light wind from the NE (the weather mark well to the right of the dam.)  Race # 1 was won by Tinker Toy (Blaire Wallace’s boat with Bruce Golison skippering and Blaire and Andrew Kerr crewing) played the right side (West side of the lake) downwind.  In race # 2, the wind increased to 7 knots and team Aquila (Paul Stephens, Drew Bauman and Bill Nicholls who had come in from Salt Lake City), played the right side going upwind and won the race after a tight battle between 5 boats. Race # 3 was also won by Aquila after an equally tight race in about 8 knots of wind.

Other notable performances were had from team H20 Boa - skippered By Gordon Mattatall who showed great consistency, Giddy Up - Ron and Leanne Fish who had plenty of speed, and Camellia Cup runner up and former Day sailor national Champion Gerald Skeen on Atomic Punk.

Team Aquila held the overall lead going into day #2 with H20 Boa and Tinker Toy in 2^nd and 3^rd.

Saturday night featured a salmon dinner and then dancing to the band outside the club house, it was a great time.

Sunday’s racing featured very light air and colder temps, the wind clocked around all day from the South to the West to NW to NE to East.  The first race featured a very light air beat, Nicholi Lieensn and his team on Crash test dummies (aka – Hostile takeover) lead at the windward mark and went on to win the race followed by H20 Boa and Giddy Up. For Race # 5 the breeze increased to about 6 knots and was lead all the way around by Mark Forrest’s team on Q - who was just passed at the end by Tinker Toy.

The final race of the series featured a light and shifty beat up to the weather mark off the dam – the race lead was contested for by Disaster Area and Fusion, with Atomic Punk right behind them. Tinker Toy and H20 Boa were staying very close to each other as they were only one point apart for the regatta lead.  Disaster Area went on to win this very light air race, followed by Fusion, then Atomic Punk.

In the end team Tinker Toy won the regatta by two points Team H20 Boa.

This is a great regatta – hitch you trailer up and come to Eugene – there is the Emerald cup later this summer and the Harvest day regatta in September.  Next year the Nationals are in Eugene, come and have a great time with fellow S20 sailors.

A special thanks to the road warriors.  They included Mark Erdrich & Austin Quilty on Fusion – from Folsom lake, this team recruited Tinker Toy’s regular bow person Sasha Wallace for the regatta.

From Stockton Sailing Club came Lance and Patricia Purdy on Disaster Area with Fleet 19’s Jay Magers rounding out the team.

From Lake Tahoe came Blaire Wallace’s Tinker Toy with Bruce Golison skippering and Andrew Kerr crewing.

- Andrew Kerr

	Team Tinker Toy L-R: Blair Wallace, Andrew Kerr, Bruce Golison	Gordon Mattatall	Team Atomic Punk	Team Giddy Up
Team Aquila