Our High School Sailing Teams (East Lansing, Haslett, Lansing Catholic, Lansing Eastern, Okemos, Williamston, together with the Lansing Sailing Club) hosted their first official MISSA regatta, on Lake Lansing. Gorgeous, but wild and windy day - NWS reported winds at 17 MPH, gusting to 25+, during the time boats were sailing. With temps only in the upper 50s it was a brisk day for sailing!
Photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lansingsailing/albums/72157719329245342
Six boats (in two-person 420s) competed in our first MISSA Tier 3 regatta (hosting), including racers from six Lansing area teams (into mixed teams), and we were very pleased to welcome visiting teams from Seaholm High School.
Wind built over the day from the NE, starting around 10-12mph with gusts to 20, quickly building to 15-17 with gusts 25-30. An odd lull briefly changed gears down to 8-10mph. It was sunny, and the lake water was warmed up, but the air did a Spring rewind to chilly 51F temps (reaching 62F by the afternoon) and with higher winds, many drysuits were in play.
Racers skipped a break on shore and stayed on the water for an amazing six races straight, finishing the last race at about 12:30pm, then screeching in for well-earned food hot off the grill.
Awards were given for top 3 finishing boats with Seaholm HS A Team taking a First, then East Lansing HS A Team of Michael Kovalchick and Enele Malete with a Second, and Haslett HS B Team of Tony Harkins and Clayton DeBruyn taking a Third.
Our High School Teams - racers, and parents - worked hard to prepare the sailboats (high school regattas, like college regattas, provide all the boats racers use), RC equipment, Club grounds, as well as communicating with teams and procuring prizes.
Many thanks to our LSC and community sponsors who donated complete new sets (jib and main) of 420 sails this last month, to help the teams continue to train (replacing torn and blown out old crunky sails) and allowing them also to actually host an official MISSA event like this. (Donor Families include - Fletcher, in memory of Jim Fletcher, Kovalchick, DeBruyn, Kiebler, Wagner, Ericksen, and Community Sponsors Feighner Docks and Lifts, and Blue Gill Grill.
Many thanks also to Scott Petritz and the MSU Sailing Center, and MSU Sailing Team for the resources and support that made this possible. It is truly a community of sailing on our Lake.
Many thanks to our Race Committee Gil Chesbro (PRO), John Fishbeck (scoring), coach Mike Moody, Keith Hayes, Scott Watkins (safety boat), shore crew, volunteers, families and racers, to Lansing Sailing Club, to MSU Sailing Team and MSU Sailing Center for the support and boats, and to Eric Ellison and Lynn Frikker always for their support and mentorship to our program.