Bruce and Lynn Kitchen (from Ohio) Win Eagle Creek (Indy) Regatta

Ben and I are always happy to serve as a negative example…I guess. So today, when Mark and Maria Benner capsized in the last race and Mark thought, that’s not the worst thing to happen on the lake this weekend, which inspired him to get up, keep going and finish the race, I take some comfort in that. He even beat a boat….Anything for my fellow sailors, I always say.

While I hope we never have to serve that role in just that way ever again, if it helped Mark and Maria get back up and finish the race, then it’s all good.

Today the wind was awesome. Winds were about 10-13 with puffs out of the south/southwest and the race committee ran two 45-minute races.  Tyler and Carrie Andrews were ON FIRE today, with two bullets. Second place in both races was Harry and Karen Carpenter. Tyler would be a little upset with me if I claimed he tacked on his parents’ in law, and squeezed them out at a start, so I won’t say that. Besides, he just tacked on a shift.

Carrie and Tyler 

Racing was ruthless today, but in both races, the top four finishers were the same: Tyler and Carrie, then Harry and Karen, next Bruce and Lynn Kitchen and in fourth, Frank and Marianne Gerry. (see a pattern? All couples…)

Despite Tyler and Carrie’s consistency they could not catch the Kitchens, who won the regatta. This was the first time they’d ever come to Eagle Creek and only the second regatta they had won, so they were beaming. I took a photo, but it looks like they are in the witness protection program (just a silhouette), so I’m not posting it.

Mike A and Linda D are the black spinnaker 

I spent the day on the committee boat and took some snapshots. Ben sailed with a couple from Carlyle, Mike Andreas and Linda Ditzler. With Ben on board they were able to fly the spinnaker and mix it up with some other boats, so they were very happy.

Where broken masts go to die....

As soon as I figure out how to format the results, I'll post them. Meanwhile, just know that Bruce and Lynn Kitchen won, followed by Tyler and Carrie, third was Harry and Karen Carpenter, fourth was Frank and Marianne Gerry and fifth was Mark and Maria Benner (Yes! despite capsizing!).