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| 2016 Windmill Northerns at Lake Massabesic, Auburn, NH | September 17 - 18 |
| Story |
| LARRY & ALLIE DOMINATE NORTHERNS
Larry Christian does NOT always win on "Larry's Lake"--it just seems that way! Actually last year the esteemed skipper was 3rd! However, with his new crew Allie Sponar, Larry continued an outstanding 2016 season (10th Nationals, 4th Erie) with a dominating win on September 17-18 by winning 5 of the 8 races and taking the runner up position in the other 3 for a total of 9 points after discarding a second that anyone else would have loved! Lake Massabesic was 4 feet below normal due to a New England drought, but cooperative work made launching straightforward and excellent mark placements removed any shallow water issues from the race area. Saturday was a beautiful day with 78 degrees and a clear sky; winds were 5-12 mostly from the South with of course the usual Massabesic shifts! Although often challenged by Ralph & Matt Sponar (5060) in "Go Blue", the finished in the first four races (alternating two-lap triangles and modified Olympic courses) found Larry & Allie (wooden 5319 with 5048 sails) in "Dave" battling at the end with defending champions Rick & Jasper Fontana (4261) in "Spaghetti Farm". The Fontanas won the second race and were runners-up to Larry & Allie in the other 3 before falling to 4th in the final race of the day. Allen Chauvenet & Sarah Steward (5586--"Beauty & The Beast") took 3rd in both the 3rd and 5th races, beating the Sponars and then the Fontanas. Geoff Ling (5001) & Steve Allen (3653) broke into the top half with well sailed 4th place finishes in the 2nd and 4th races respectively. There were lots of close finishes and at the end of the day, though the top 4 were likely set, only 1 point separated 5th from 8th! Windmillers enjoyed the end of the day with food provided from the local fleet, especially the great stew/soup by Glenn McKibben! Sunday morning brought threats of rain which actually never exceeded a drizzle and a wide variety of wind predictions. In the end, three races were sailed in light and very shifty conditions with the first two being one lap triangles and the final being a 2 lap WLWL course. After rounding the weather mark in the first race, the fleet generally held to the right on the run to the second mark. Steve Allen & Michelle Harris noticed wind to the left, sailed to it and were soon storming by the fleet. Larry/Allie were able to get back just in time to save their lead while Steve/Michelle turned 2nd ahead of the Sponars and Allen/Sarah. The Sponars made a great challenge on the beat to the finish but Larry & Allie were just able to hold them off for another win while 5586, 3653 and 4621finished in that order. The second race around the same course found Allen & Sarah picking up a perfect slant of wind to round first and sail into just enough wind to maintain the lead throughout the course. Larry & Allie held off the resurgent Fontanas while the Sponars were 4th after just catching Steve & Michelle on the final beat. The concluding race of the regatta saw very close rounding of the first mark among the top 5 with Steve/Michele and Allen/Sarah back in 6th and 7th after going the wrong way on the beat. These two closed distance on the run to the leeward mark but passed no one. While the fleet went left on the long beat, Allen & Sarah found nice pressure and shifts on the right; as they came in on starboard, Sarah alertly noted that boats along the shore were close to becalmed. One extra tack out on port allowed them to come down to the weather mark in the lead, with Larry & Allie right behind. "Dave" got by on the run to the final mark but "B&B" was first to tack starboard after rounding and gradually gained. When "B&B" tacked port it was necessary to duck "Dave" and at the next meeting B&B had a small lead which was protected in the final 40 yards for a second consecutive win. The Sponars followed in third with Steve/Michelle again beating the Fontanas. Larry & Allie thus easily won the regatta with the Fontanas 2nd, only 1 point ahead of "B&B" and "Go Blue." To the delight of "B&B" the tie was broken in their favor (due to the two 1sts) and Allen & Sarah celebrated Allen's birthday with the 3rd place trophy. This of course also excited Larry and his "Wood, Wood, Wood!" theme as wood boats won 7/8 races and took 1st and 3rd place. Overall it was a wonderful event as always. There are good prospects to add to the local fleet and we hope for some additional out of town entrants as well so plan now for September 2017 and a fleet >10 boats. This year had 8 Lightnings and 4 Flying Scots for 20 regatta entries. |
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