The 2015 Hampton Roads Sunfish Challenge and Dinghy Distance Race, held on September 7, was a huge success! Below are some special racers that participated in the event.
BR Flowers used to race offshore. He is a past member of the Hampton Yacht Club and lives in the Grandview Island neighborhood where I also live in Hampton. He is near 75 years old and still races Sunfish on a regular basis. He is a great light air sailor and he races with me on my S/V Wine Down at the local club races.
Saturday the winds were out of the east and it was almost a direct run down to Middle Ground Lighhouse. The fleet was bunched at the light and because the winds had been building, even the recreational fleet gained a little. That is why all the pictures look so great. It was a beat all the way back against a strong incoming tide.
BR tacked all the into the Elizabeth River on one tack and came back out. That put him in front of the racing fleet at the entrance to Willoghby Bay and a taking duel to the finish line ensued between him and Bert Sanford. Bert if a great sailor and in his 40s's so BR ended up barely loosing that battle. He finished second. Bert was first and Rob Suhay (yes that Rob Suhay) finished third. Rob actually won the recreational division last year. Bert won the racing division last year as well. I think this is the sixth running of the race and I think BR actually won the second running.
The other picture is of Ethan and Amelon Rule. They won the tandem division. Jonathan called them the Princess Rule Team. Perfect example of why the Sunfish is still a popular boat.
The winner of the recreational fleet this year was Peter Patnaude. The award is the Tyler Patnaude Memorial Award named after his son who won the race in the past and passed away three years ago.
Welcome to our family affair.
by Tim Etherington
