News
2009 Halloween a Bradley Affair
Date: 10/29/2009
Author: Don Hackbarth
The 56th Halloween Regatta at the Atlanta yacht Club on Lake Allatoona, GA aptly demonstrated the fundamental strength of the Snipe One Design racing sailboat. It is a boat in which the entire family can participate in together, for their entire lifetime. For the first time in the history of the event the Halloween Regatta was won by a Junior, Anna Lee Bradley (20) with Pete Gregory crewing. To top it off the Goblins Fleet (B fleet) was won by her older sister, Kelly Bradley Mickler and her husband Paul. Their father and mother, Lee and Courtney, participated in the event sailing, sailing in Courtney’s father’s (Herb West) old Clark Mills wood Snipe 12021 and finished a respectable 23rd. The wood boat, now owned, expertly maintained and sailed by Lee and Courtney also won an award in the Classic Wooden Snipe rally held during the week prior to Halloween.
61 teams participated in the weekend event, which is traditionally the largest weekend Snipe regatta in the USA. A great time was had by all, on and off the water, especially during the Saturday evening costume party dance. The spooks and goblins were out in force with all kinds of costumes dancing to the live band.
On Saturday morning a youth regatta was held with junior teams and mixed junior skipper senior crew teams. There was a great breeze from the west and 3 races were conducted for the six teams participating. The team of Max Irvine and his father John from AYC won the event with Addison Hackstaff and his father Gordon, from the US Virgin Islands taking second.
In the afternoon the main event was held in a breeze of 12-15 mph out of the NW. 48 teams in the Spooks (A Fleet) started on one line with 7 Goblins starting in the second fleet. Anna Lee and Pete won the first race, taking an early and strong lead by starting at the Committee boat and getting a great starboard lift for much of the leg. They were able to hold the lead the entire race and won a well deserved victory. Tommy and Jack Smith were second and Robby Brown and Merrill Varn (St Pedte) were 3rd.
The second race of the day was won by Brent McKenzie and Barb Evans with Lee Griffith and Julia Marsh (Masters Champs) second with Don Hackbarth and Amy Thompson 3rd. Anna Lee and Pete finished 7th and were in the lead on Saturday night (8 pts), with Robby Brown and Merrill in 2 nd ( 8 pts tie breaker), Brent and Barb 3rd ( 9pts tie breaker with 4th, and Don and Amy 4th (9 pts).
Kelly Bradley Mickler and Paul won both races in the Goblin Fleet with Trey and Ben Shipp taking 2nd in both.
Sunday initially looked promising but the light NW wind as blowing from a direction that was not forecasted indicating that it probably would die as the day went on. The 3 rd race was started in the light NW wind but died as the boats approached the first weather mark. Jack Gannon and BJ Hudson were in the lead, with Clayton Dixon and Jessica Archambault in second, on the reach leg to the jibe mark (sailing in Joe Norton’s ’woody’ 28182 ) when the race was canceled giving Anna Lee and Pete the victory.
Top 10 Spooks (A fleet)
1 Anna Lee Bradley Pete Gregory (top Junior and Top Female)
2 Robby Brown Merrill Varn
3 Brent McKenzie Barb Evans
4 Don Hackbarth Amy Thompson (top Master over 55)
5 John and leslie Irvine
6 Tom and Jack Smith
7 Lee Griffith and Julia Marsh
8 Max Hardage and Bruno Mello
9 Jerry Thompson and Eleanor Newnham
10 Tarasa Davis and Elliott Newnham
Top 3 Goblins
1 Kelly and Paul Mickler
2 Trey and Ben Shipp
3. Robert and paul Mitchell
The entire week of sailing, ’The Good Ole Days’ with the Masters, Classic Snipe Rally and Halloween was coordinated and managed by Peggy Davis and her family of husband Means and daughter Tarasa. The Davis family has been instrumental in the operation of the Snipe Fleet at AYC over the years and is another shining example of the strength of our Class, family sailing, together, for a lifetime.
Plan to attend the 2010 Halloween and join in the Serious Sailing, Serious Fun’ together as a family.
|
