SSP Team Race

Sailors from 17 NWISA silver fleet teams were greeted by a sustained 22-25mph northerly with some gusts as high as 32. After a 1030 competitors meeting the breeze had dropped to 15-18, so boats were rigged and RC went out and set a course. After a short postponement, races began around 1145, 19 races were completed over the the next few hours.

Unfortunately by 1315 the pressure subsided and dueling westerlies, and even some southerlies plagued the racing area off the SSP pier. After chasing the breeze for a bit, to no avail, a wicked squall with the largest gusts of the day (!) touched down from the WNW leading to several capsizes and an on shore postponement.

After the breeze settled to a more management 5-10, more races were completed. The last few races of the day were sailed in another touch of 20-25mph pressure from the north; all in all a uniquely wild and exciting day on the waters of Lake Washington.

RC were faced with the daunting task of completing the qualifying round (which consisted of two concurrent round robins featuring teams from NWISAs two regions) and completing some sort of secondary round to spar the top teams from each region. The breeze needed to deliver and deliver consistently, and it 'kinda did?'

An intriguing forecast was not quite right; Lake Washington was sun soaked and glassy until 1115 when a faint NNW breeze touched down from over the hill. With more wind seen approaching from the north, RC mustered and racing began soon after. What settling in was an up and down northerly which went from 5-10 to 10-15 by 1430 as the qualifying round was completed.

After talking with coaches, it was decided to race past the end time in order to complete the champion round allowing the top 3 teams from each region to spar in the building breeze. What followed was the best racing of the weekend, pitting Lincoln, CK and Olympia against Nathan Hale, Roosevelt and Garfield (north being represented by all Seattle schools). A 15 race final round was completed in less than two hours, leaving these sailors tired but accomplished.

Congrats to the Lincoln Cardinals for a solid team-wide performance and to their winning team which went undefeated all weekend. 1st place in this year's silver fleet team race districts. Roosevelt and Central Kitsap rounded out the podium.

Big thanks to Sail Sand Point staff and volunteers for a solid weekend of racing, including RC duo extraordinaire Glen Stellmacher and John Renehan, and their committee of Bob, Cara, Blake, Farzana, Austin and El. Also thanks to Erik Mann and the rest of the coaches for banding together to umpire and officiate.