Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Glow II and Midwest District Championships

A longer post will follow with some of the exciting details.  Suffice it to say, the conditions were perfect, the racing was very competitive, the parties were fun.  I'm pretty sure that everyone had a wonderful time.  Deb and I certainly did!

Pictures are worth 1000's of words - 

Line up at one of the starts on Saturday...


Glow II 2011 Winners, Rob Fowler and Scot Cline, who traveled all the way from Chattanooga, TN...


2011 Midwest District Champions, Ryan Malmgren and Amy Novak...

Photos above by Doug Williams.  Here is a link to all of Doug's photos from the regatta posted on Flickr:  CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE PHOTOS

I am posting below the results for Glow and the Districts which were combined this year.  The results differ because we had some sailors from other districts competing in the Glow regatta.

2011 Glow II Regatta


PosSailSkipperCrew 1 /
Crew 2
R1R2R3R4R5Total
15152Rob FowlerScot Cline 111339
25622Ryan MalmgrenAmy Novak 2255115
35897Ben WilliamsDeb Aronson 5442419
45015Frank GerryMarianne Gerry 6561220
55150Larry KlickJames Williams 7626627
62512Randy AdolphsKasi Rekoske 38124835
74788Charles HowtingLuthor Torgerson 47108938
85892Bill VoglerDeb Torgerson 89391039
95551Christopher WrightJon Wright 93718 OCS542
105404Jack McClurkinDan Lopionski 1213157754
113204Stephen GrossmanEric Grossman 11158111156
125631Eric BussellRod Bussell 181411121368
135356Bill HumphriesLinda Lind 10109212171
145927Dave SherwoodEmory Luth 161214161573
154278Geoff EndrisPatrick Endris 151816141275
165638Felicia BamerLinda Tatum /
Adam Benson
131713151876
172695Walter BarniskisMichael Barniskis 191620101479
183683Hugh RoberstsonChristina 141117212184
192981Ken JohnsonTeri Keeler /
George Keeler
202019131688
205681Chistopher TesdaleBryce Davis 171918171788


2011 Midwest District Championships


PosSailSkipperCrew 1 /
Crew 2
R1R2R3R4R5Total
15622Ryan MalmgrenAmy Novak 2255115
25897Ben WilliamsDeb Aronson 5442419
35015Frank GerryMarianne Gerry 6561220
45150Larry KlickJames Williams 7626627
52512Randy AdolphsKasi Rekoske 38124835
64788Charles HowtingLuthor Torgerson 47108938
75892Bill VoglerDeb Torgerson 89391039
85551Christopher WrightJon Wright 93718 OCS542
95404Jack McClurkinDan Lopionski 1213157754
103204Stephen GrossmanEric Grossman 11158111156
115631Eric BussellRod Bussell 181411121368
125927Dave SherwoodEmory Luth 161214161573
134278Geoff EndrisPatrick Endris 151816141275
145638Felicia BamerLinda Tatum /
Adam Benson
131713151876
152695Walter BarniskisMichael Barniskis 191620101479
162981Ken JohnsonTeri Keeler /
George Keeler
202019131688

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

A Post from Marianne Gerry....

Reflections on 2011 NAC’s

Many of you don;t know me, but I am sure you all know Frank. When I go to a regatta, I am all about the sailing, the time outside in the sun and the physical and mental challenge of sailing in different places and different conditions. I don’t hang around and socialize too long so it takes longer to get to know me. Both Frank and I continue to strive to improve our sailing and do our best, no matter what place that gives us.

Anyway, on to the NACs. Two days of driving, first night a stop at Berlin Yacht Club in Ohio to pick up our boat and spend the night, see a few friends who were in the middle of overnight Junior Sailing Camp; 50 + kids; we didn’t hang around too long; afraid we’d get put to work.

I hadn’t even looked at any of the NAC promotion material until I began reading it on our second day of travel. WOW, I was impressed by the clear and concise instructions and the attention to every detail on paper. I asked Frank who wrote the instruction packet and he said either Hank or Melanie. When I met them both, I complimented the author; Melanie by the way. I tend to be a very organized person (some say OCD) and recognize and appreciate that trait in others.

As we pulled into Cedar Point Yacht Club, were greeted, directed, boat unhitched,etc. I realized the organization on paper had been transferred to reality. I have never attended a National Championship (17 years in the Highlander class and 6 NACs in the Flying Scot) where measuring was done so efficiently and stress free. I remember at other times, baking in the sun, waiting in line, tempers around me growing short and I won’t even tell you about my temper!! Ephram was pretty awesome but the addition of a full service yacht club at Cedar Point made the NACs that much better. I quickly found the upstairs balcony with shade and a breeze and not many people and it became my yoga studio every morning before racing.

We pulled into the Cedar Point Yacht Club parking lot at 4:15 pm on Saturday and were measured and registered by 5 pm. WHAT SERVICE

For the first time ever, we had time to sail on Sunday at a leisurely pace, try out our new spinnaker,( Ryan finally got there with spinnaker in bag) and get acquainted with the big water of Long Island Sound.

Day One, Monday July 11. Got there early so Frank could have time to play with the boat, socialize, and generally take his time. Not a problem for me, I used the time to go for a walk, check out the real estate, and do a nice yoga practice up on the balcony. An hour or hour and a half of exercise is my normal morning routine.

The first glitch in the NAC organization happened just when Scots began lining up at the hoist, and all of the dock space was taken up by Junior sailors in Optis for an hour. No wind and a hot day so we delayed for an hour and I am glad those Optis did us the favor of getting in the way. We still bobbed around until 2 pm waiting for the sea breeze to come in. The best favor the Optis did was to delay our race starts until noon for the rest of the week. The heat took it’s toll on me that day and I was glad I hadn’t planned on attending the Jimmy Buffet themed dinner that evening. I did throw my Jimmy Buffet Parrot T-Shirt and earrings and a lei into my suitcase, but never wore them; stayed in my room at the DoubleTree. AIR CONDITIONING and some chicken fajitas were much better than a social event.

Day Two July 12

We still haven’t figured out the wind on this BIG LAKE. Is there a favored side? Do we play the compass? Does the tide really make a difference? At least there was better wind today and we did finish respectably enough to make the Championship division.

Used the afternoon to hang around the yacht club. I headed for the beach where I took a dip on Monday after the races; glorious cool clean water,(never seen a midwest lake this clean). I was planning to do some serious lap swimming, invited Ben and Deb, Ryan and Carrie, Sarah and Charles, but no one was up for it. Just as well. It was low tide and there was no water for me to swim in. I walked out to the dock and dangled my feet in the 4 inches that had been over my head on Monday.

Day Three July 13

Yay, the wind is blowing nicely and the forecast is to build. Our Lake Erie years got us used to some pretty wild conditions, and taught us to respect the water but not fear those high winds. Contrary to most women, I actually love “balls to the wall” sailing. I remember some windy crazy rides being mad at Frank for not putting the chute up. Although I am a Master’s swimmer and swim 2000 yards or more three times a week, I do put my lifejacket on if it is blowing enough that I could get hurt. Doesn’t matter how good a swimmer you are, if you are unconscious. So when you see me with a lifejacket on, it’s definitely time to put on yours.

Day Four and Five

I confess it is now August 2 and two weeks past the NAC’s and I never finished this. I was writing in the van on the drive home to kill the time and as soon as I got home, all the minutiae of daily life took over and I never wrote again.

To sum it up, though, I had a good time at the NACs and everything went smoothly. Also as one of the locals told me, they had a “Chamber of Commerce” week for weather. The following week they and us were wallowing in the 100 degree nasty stuff.

One never knows what Mother Nature has planned so we got lucky that week. I think the weather is the number one factor in the success of any regatta. At this NACs they had everything else perfectly under control and someone must have paid the right bills to get the weather to cooperate too.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Photo from Ephraim...


Note to self; pay attention to what the local sailors are doing! We didn't keep an eye on Frank and Marianne Gerry at the Wife-Husband and on the last race they went far left and caught one of those magical lifts that put them 30 boat lengths ahead of the fleet. Yesterday (Sunday) it took us a race and a half to realize that Jay Lott knew what he was doing going hard right in the windy, wavy conditions at Ephraim.

Oh well, no one ever said we were fast learners!! Still, here we are, duking it out with the Van Egerens on Snout Dog!