Regatta Report: Orcas Teams Win the Regionals

Cameron Schuh skipper and Aiden McCormick on jv jockeying for starting position. Photo courtesy Moana Kutsche

Varsity Team to go on to nationals May 7-8

By Burke Thomas, Regatta Chair

Fourteen schools and over 150 sailors made the trek to Orcas Island to participate in the 2011 NWISA Doublehanded District Championships April 15-17, hosted by NWISA, Sail Orcas and the Orcas High School Sailing team

Most teams arrived on Friday, which was cold and grey, with the remains of a late spring snow still clinging to the top of Turtleback Mountain. Forty boats were quickly rigged and practice races were run late afternoon on West Sound in a shifty easterly.

Saturday dawned to overcast skies and a light westerly that refused to fill in, after holding on the water for a couple hours a cold northwest breeze filled in, bringing clearing skies. Fourteen races were completed in the Varsity fleet and twelve in the JV fleet in winds ranging from 4-18 knots. At the end of racing Saturday the Orcas team had opened up a 15 point lead over second place Bainbridge, with third place Sehome 24 points off the pace

Sunday brought clearing and light northly winds with ten more races completed in Varsity and eight in JV before the wind shut off for the day. Tight competitive racing was observed on both the Varsity and JV courses.

Congratulations to the Orcas sailors for winning both the Varsity and JV fleets.The varsity will compete at nationals May 7 and 8 in Austin, Texas.

Thanks to OIYC [Orcas Island Yacht Club] and Camp Four Winds for their help in hosting the regatta and all the Orcas parents who kept everyone well fed.  Also thank you to Bob Toombs providing the Endeavour for Varsity rotation, Dick Rose head judge, Ian Wareham, Varsity PRO, Scott Boye JV PRO and the gang who manned all the mark set/safety boats that made this regatta happen.

Thanks to Bainbridge, Bellingham, Central Kitsap, Friday Harbor and Port Townsend for bringing boats!