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Lady Luck finally smiled down on the Bitter Ends and their Interclub Chair, Pam Miller, on the fourth attempt for their Luck Be A Lady Sunfish Interclub. Rescheduled from October to November then to February and finally to March, fourteen competitors arrived at Higel Park in Venice, Florida, to cool temperatures, sunny blue skies and low winds. The sailors optimistically unloaded their trailers and rigged their Sunfish, anticipating a good morning out on the water. The Competitors' meeting was held at 9:30 am where PRO Jennifer Ikeda shared information on how to get out to the race course, wind and tide conditions, possible race courses, and signals and flags in case there was a need to either shorten the course or abandon a race. She then announced that, "Everyone is rigged and there is some wind, so we will sail." The Bitter Ends launch team assisted sailors out of the HIgel boat ramp while the Race Committee Boat set up a Windward/Leeward 2 course on Roberts Bay. Luffing Lassies rookie coach Lisa Brown Ehrhart also set out on her paddleboard.
After all sailors had arrived at Roberts Bay a warning signal was given for the first race. Winds were low and shifty and from the spectator boat point of view the left side of the course appeared to be favored. As sailors established their starting position, Windlasses Chris Kelly and Janet Kruetzer along with Bitter End Amy Van der Velde took off at the horn up the left side of the course, while Bitter Ends Ann Carroll, Jill Joos and Luffing Lassie Jean Orr headed up the right side of the course. Windlasses Janet Kruetzer was first around the windward mark and established a strong lead on the first downwind leg of the race with four competitors in pursuit.
As the group approached the windward mark for the second time they encountered Bitter Ends sailors Cindy Grant and Laurie Knudson who had been stuck at the windward mark from the first rounding in very low winds. Cindy Grant stated " we finally just had to laugh about it and talk to each other while we kept hoping for the wind to pick up a bit so we could get around the mark." Windlasses Janet Kruetzer and Chris Kelly finished in first and second place while Luffing Lassie Jean Orr finished in third place. Cindy Grant and Laurie Knudson were able to finish the race in time ,with a photo finish no less, with Cindy Grant finishing just ahead of Laurie Knudson by a nose.
After a brief delay to reset the course, sailors were off for Race Two. Wind conditions remained low and shifty with some dead air spots on the course. The pin end of the start line appeared to be favored and Windlasses Chris Kelly and Janet Kruetzer, Dinghy Dame Lynne Randall and Bitter End Mary Littel quickly crossed the start line. Close behind the Race Committee Boat, a group of sailors were caught together with little wind to separate them making for a later start for this group. First out of the pack and across the line was Luffing Lassie Rookie Sandra Gerber closely followed by Bitter Ends Laurie Knudson and Jill Joos. Sailors navigated towards the windward mark finding puffs of wind but some ventured too far away from the windward mark. First around the first windward mark were leaders Windlasses Chris Kelly and Janet Kruetzer followed by Luffing Lassies Carey Seven and Jean Orr. By the second windward mark, the top three leaders remained the same with Bitter End Amy Van der Velde moving in to fourth place. Windlasses Chris Kelly finished first, Windlasses Janet Kruetzer finished second with Dinghy Dame Lynne Randall and Bitter Ends Amy Van der Velde finishing 3rd and 4th,
Due to even lower winds, a decision was made to cancel a possible third race and sailors headed to the dock. After cleanup, everyone gathered at the Higel Park Pavillion for a delicious lunch provided by Croissant & Co of Venice, FL. Everyone was given a pack of 5 playing cards with their lunch to create a poker hand in hopes of winning a fabulous prize created by Bitter End Jill Joos. Up to three cards could be exchanged to make a best possible hand. Deuces were wild.
Interclub Chair Pam Miller called out the best hands as winners came forward to claim the coveted prizes. Next up the Interclub Winners were announced. Winners received a beautiful tote bag created for this interclub by Jill Joos. There were two ties in the scores, one between first and second place with a total of 3 points and one between third and fourth place with a total of 9 points. The lowest finish on the second race determined the ranking. In first place was Windlasses Chris Kelly, in second place was Windlasses Janet Kruetzer, in third place was Dinghy Dame Lynne Randall and in fourth place was Bitter End Amy Van der Velde. The Rookie award went to Luffing Lassie Sandra Gerber.
All in all a fun day on the water and in the sun for FWSA sailors, their supporters and the Bitter Ends hosts. It was so great to be together once again!
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