Junior Sailing Tuesday

Drew Krogulecki works on his driving skills

This Tuesday the Junior Sailing Program begins its racing format. There will be four short races with the first beginning at 6:30. Awards will be handed out after racing.

Junior sailors should come early enough to get their boat ready and sail to the race course in front of the Club (probably 6 or a little before).

Races will be handicapped so each sailor has a fair opportunity to win - regardless of how much experience and skill they have. As sailors results improve, their handicap is reduced - a lot like in golf.

Junior sailors who prefer not to race are wecome to come and sail in the vicinity of the race course.

Sailors Improve Skills at Small Boat Clinic

Sailing skills improved for Saturday participants

Saturday's Small Boat Clinic saw participants substantially improve their boat handling skills. Despite winds that kept changing direction and sometimes left the lake a little glassy, sailors worked hard to build their skills in tacking, gybing, starting and stopping the boat, sailing in close proximity to other boats, as well as some racing skills like getting better starts.

In addition to spending a lot of time on the water, partipants watched a videos featuring an Olympic class sailor, saw World Sunfish Champion Derrick Fries on film demonstrating roll tacking and other skills. Video was taken of on the water activities so participants could watch their boat handling and get ideas for improvement.

Thanks to Mike Moody for organizing and running this Clinic. .

Lightning Results

"UFP" In a Sunday Gust Picture by Ann Baker

There was plenty of wind Sunday - enough that most boats didn't fly spinnakers in the first two races. "Sail Fevre" broke the ice in race two - and in the last race of the day the other boats were on notice. Showing no fear, Leif Alton, Tom Rasmussen and John LeFevre put the kite up. As a result, chutes went up in the next race and crews spent some time up on a plane and some time trying to make sense of how to get a gybe in. The finish of the last race was particularly exciting with three boats coming to the finish at great speed - trying to sustain their planes. Mike Moody, Lisa Winters and Steve Jackson won "by a couple of inches" according to the Race Committee.

Blaine Severin and the "Unidentified Flying Pigasus" crew kept their boat in the thick of things all day and finished 3-2-3. "Sail Fevre" led the spinnaker flying crowd and finished 4-3-5. Neil Harrison and John Quensen picked up Merrick Hurlbutt to be the third in the Harrision boat and scored a 5-4-4 day.

"Moody's Booty" shows a lot of her bottom Picture by Ann Baker

"Moody's Booty had some excitement at the leeward mark rounding in Race 2, catching a gust as they turned to go upwind that put the boat on its ear. The crew kept the boat on its feet, but took on water and retired from the race. A second place finish in the first race completed their day.

Susanna Tellschow, Gil Chesbro and Pat Dolan put "Wind Dancer" through its paces - ending up with wins in the first two races and almost coming from behind to catch "Moody's Booty" at the end of the final race.

Ann Baker, a new face at LSC in the past week showed up hoping to crew - but finding full boats went on the water and took excellent pictures. A photo story will be posted soon on the LSC web site. Complete results and current standings can be found on the racing page of the LSC web site at www.lansingsailing.org.

• July 31 (Sun): Joel Shapiro and Phill Carbonell
• Aug 7 (Sun): Mike Moody, Lisa Winters and Jim Kennedy

• The complete Calendar of Events is on the LSC Web Site. Click on "Calendar"
• Tuesdays: Junior Racing/Sailing and Lightning Practice Day.
• Wednesdays: Lasers and Sunfish Race
• Sundays: Lightnings Race

• Swedish Match Tour. Professional Match Racing at venues throughout the world.
• America's Cup Racing. Acts 6 and 7 will be held in Sweden beginning in late August.