Mystic Lake Team Race

Once again this weekend, sailors on the Mystic Lake endured bone-chilling cold and driving rain in pursuit of team racing glory. While the weather was unequivocally miserable, the steady easterly was an acceptable consolation; the shift range was smaller than 90 degrees, and makes only had to be shifted a few times during the day to improve racing quality, without the need for any abandonments. Due to a questionable forecast for Sunday, RC pushed ahead through drizzle and downpour with no breaks, attempting to finish round 1 by the end of the day. Unfortunately, as breeze moderated throughout the afternoon, the boathouse’s growing wind shadow increasingly slowed rotation, and only 87% of round 1 was completed. Wind finally collapsed around 5:40 pm, and the last planned flight was abandoned. On the scorecard it was a show of avian primacy: Congrats to the BC Eagles for their undefeated run, and a salute to the RWU Hawks for dropping only one race to the Eagles. Many thanks to helpers Rees Tindall, Leo Terry, Sarah Leary, Blake Vogel, Jack Flores, Grant Schmidt, Thomas Mazzeo, Brayden Benesch, Stefano Chiampo and Maria Skouloudi who truly demonstrated their dedication to the program by taking shifts on the signal and finish boats.

Unfortunately, although the forecast was spot on about the precipitation, the predicted light westerly never materialized, and racing was abandoned for the day shortly before 2pm. Thanks again to coaches, competitors, and volunteers for braving the conditions to ensure another weekend of high-quality team racing.