By Rick West and Jarl Wathne

Stowe is a professional operation in management and execution. This is a long standing regatta and headed mostly by Charlie Berry, a Soling one meter skipper. He is considered by all in Region one as a top Race Director.

There were 25 entries and sailed under the original P/R system. Saturday was a very difficult sail under little to no air with several switches in starting areas. One of the main problems was maintaining movement when involved in altercations.

More races were sailed on Sunday than Saturday with good air and positive control of the boats. Sunday was really fun by all and ended the regatta on a positive note. This is one of the major venues we have for comfort, access to a lake and the hospitality of a major national destination and accommodation. You literally walk out of your room to the lake.

 

Harry Mote started the regatta hot, leading by a narrow margin after 3 races.  Then Dave Brawner, last year’s winner, pounced and took the lead.  His worse score in the light fluky winds of Day 1 was 4th.  He however had to “cash many coupons” for these finishing scores, often being in last place early in the race then picking the correct side for the wind to fill thus gliding up to the front to the dismay of those he passed.  It can’t all be luck can it?  At the end of Day 1 he led Jarl Wathne by 3, with Mote 2 points further back, followed by a tie for 3rd with Ivor Walton and Chuck Luscomb.  Brawner started Day 2 with a win.  But then in race 2 he finally had a trip to the B fleet giving the regatta lead briefly to Wathne, who promptly had his only trip down to B passing the lead baton back to Brawner who refused to relinquish it the remainder of the regatta.  I Walton closed to within 3 pts of Wathne halfway through Day 2 but could get no closer. 

 

Of note there were 9 race winners, with Brawner winning 4 as did Jake Leo while Bruce N won 3 races.  Paul Fixx had a tough 1st day but came back to have the 2nd best score of the 2nd day.

While Region 2 dominated the top positions, there were more Region 1 sailors in attendance in many years and among those that are moving this class to fore in the area. There are going to be some very good things coming out of this region for all of the class in technology and activity. Next year there will be three major regattas in the region not heard of in years.


You need to experience this event. It is challenging, superb hospitality, well run and with a group rarely seen south of Region 2. Stowe is a long standing regatta and a destination in this class.


The results were, score and region:
1. David Brawner 32 R2
2. Jarl Wathne 47.7 R2
3. Ivor Walton 55 R2
4. Chuck Luscomb 61 R1
5. Bruce Walton 63 R1
6. Harry Mote 65 R2
7. Bruce Noujian 72 R1
8. Rick West 80 R6
9. Jake Leo 81 R1
10. Bob Greer 84 R3
11. Phil Tonks 84.3 R1
12. Brian Jobson 90 R1
13. Al Dion 92 R1
14. Paul Fixx 96 R1
15. Gary Mueller 104 R4
16. Ole Kistler 109 R4
17. Ken Shaw 118 R1
18. Jim Linville 118 R1
19. Doug Amsbary 122 R1
20. George Greenhalgh 124 R1
21. Larry Mazoway 135.7 R1
22. Mark O’Connell 146 R1
23. Frankie Novak 149 R4
24. Bob Larson 158 R1
25. Jim Brown 169 R1