Fleet 2 and friends:

 

Fleet 2 Invitational is another great success!

 

The 5th annual Fleet 2 Invitational was another great success with eighteen Lidos competing on the outer channel of Marina del Rey in mostly steady but shifty winds.  The marine layer cleared during race 3 and most teams could be seen taking off layers as it got downright warm.  Nice break to the deep June gloom that had been hanging around for long enough even folks we ran into in Thousand Oaks were complaining.

 

Eight boats competed in the A Fleet.  Mark Ryan from Fleet 6 got off to a nice start winning race one.  Susan and Werner then took the next two races and looked like they were in control.  Kelly Cantley was taking seconds and thirds so it was hard to tell how it was shaping up.  After lunch, Ryan takes a bullet in race four.  Race 5 he is over early and somehow recovers to a second to win the regatta.  A great moment occurred when three dolphins escorted the fleet down the run leg of race two.  They came really close to us to the point where DC first hollered no outside assistance and then warned us not to get knocked over.  Thankfully, we didn’t encounter the whale that has been hanging out in the Marina. 

 

Ten boats competed in the B Fleet and they really mixed it up.  In the end Tracey Kenney took 3 firsts and Erik and Davis Bakker from Fleet 6 took 2.  They each had a fifth.  Charles and Joanna would like to forget their first race or they would have been right in the mix.  New owners Paul and Ian Button in 3579 came on strong with second place finishes in the last two races.  Tracey wins by two points, hears the “Horse’s Ass” cheer and is once again a member of the A Fleet.

 

Sponsorship and race management was incredible.  We all have to be thankful for Kelly’s ability to put all the pieces together in the puzzle.  She organized a very talented group of folks to manage the racing on the water, monitored the sponsors and their donations as they came in, delegated to us what some of our responsibilities would be along the way and, on race day, what we should do.  It all came off seamlessly and impressively.

 

We do okay with Super Bowl Regatta but our fleet excels at the Invitational year in and year out.  I don’t know of any other Lido regatta in SoCal with the sponsorship, food and excellent race management Fleet 2’s Invitational provides.  The precedent was set four or five years ago and lives on.  The sponsors are great.  Sailmakers include Quantum and Ullman, they sell sails.  WD Schock sells us our boats and parts.  APS, Sailing Supply, West Marine and Red Pennant offer us great gear on an ongoing basis.  Doublewave offers parts, service and brokerage services and Open Sailing US is bringing in new exciting boats that should open some eyes.  Please support our sponsors to the extent you can.

 

Ah, the Crying Towel:

 

Fleet 1 holds the Bobble Head trophy but that didn’t stop Fleet 2 and Fleet 6 from carrying on the crying towel tradition.  Rightly so, we are the only two fleets to win (by losing) the dreaded towel.  It was great to have Fleet 6 appear in numbers and support the event and we had numbers to get things back on track.  Mark Ryan’s victory was offset by Tracey’s and Susan and Kelly took the next two spots in A Fleet.  At the end of the ceremony, the Crying Towel had been properly marked up by a member of Fleet 6 and re-presented to them.  So it’s off the Fleet 2 back for now.  Let’s go win the Bobble Head when Fleet 1 brings it back with enough boats to make a team!

 

Season High Point:

 

The Invitational was a High Point event and current standings, less throwout(s), is attached.  This Friday’s Sundowner is the next so things can change quickly as evidenced by Tracey’s race up the board in the A Fleet. 

 

Capsize Cup:

 

While this is really just a joke, Steve Vincent joined the race last Thursday and Peter Beale solidified his lead in the fun race Saturday.

 

All great stuff as the summer hopefully heats up weather wise.  A fun four days coming up with the Sunstroke, Sundowner (High Point), Saturday Clinic and the always enjoyable Lido Day.