I am a big fan of Sturgeon Lake. Two years ago, I came to the venue and got a 2nd at the Mid Ontarios and last year I won the Ontario Masters on the lake. This year the Mid Ontarios arrived again on the calendar, and I was there with bells on.
I did not see my dear Meg this time (see my report of the Masters last year), but I did see plenty of what I like about the lake, the club and the people who host the event.
First the lake: I have yet to have a bad day of sailing on Sturgeon Lake. Saturday, the first day on the water for Mids ‘09, there was a nice south easterly blowing for us as we sailed to the course, and it had the good grace to throw a lefty at me right after a nice start at the pin in the first race. I dug in a little, then tacked and looked for the fleet. I saw a fleet, but so far down to leeward that I wasn't sure it was the one I was racing with. That lefty must have been something else, because it deposited me on the mark on port with about 100 yards to spare on the boat in second.
The second race was like the first, but instead of Isaac Bussin chasing me, I had to chase Emily Searle around the course till the second reach of the trapazoid where I found just enough speed to pass her before the leeward mark. It was another lefty that lifted me (and Emily) above the fleet and around the course first and second.
By the third race, I was edgy about having to grab the pin again, so I suggested to my coach for the regatta, Evan Lewis (he was coaching the Master Racing Team), that I get a more conservative start in the middle of the line. "It's not broke, why fix it?" he asked in reply. I was about to say, "but it's too hard!!!" then realized he was right, and as long as the pin was favoured, I should go for it. I really didn't want to have to get into the fight again, but I did and again got away from the pin in a nice position. Isaac was again in the fight after a 10th in the second race, and he won this one while I followed behind and Justin Hall came third.
In the last race of the day Brenda Bowskill came out of the right as the course started to square up. She crossed me at the top mark first time around and sent the message that she was not going to be passed for the rest of the race. She was very fast downwind and reaching, and I found nothing to challenge her on the second beat. Nicely done. I settled for a second and Isaac was third.
So far so good after the first day, but with a drop (which was coming if we had just one race Sunday), Isaac was only three points behind. I had to do it all again.
In the first race on Sunday, local boy and past regatta chair Richard Roberts showed up and looked to take a couple of bullets but for some miscues that pushed him back to three and something else (can't remember). I managed a couple more bullets before heading in ahead of the last race with a broken hiking stick.
The first bullet of this day was probably the most satisfying because it came in a race started in relatively light wind. Memories of the North Americans, where I came somewhere in the 40s, haunted me as I made my way left. At the NAs, I felt like the heaviest guy in the fleet and couldn't seem to do anything as winds got lighter. Fortunately at Sturgeon, there isn't the chop of Buffalo Canoe Club, and as long as I kept the boat moving and the blades engaged, I had good boatspeed. Couple that with an incredibly fortuitous shift to the left on the first leg, and I was in pretty good shape at the top mark.
In the second race, the wind blew close to the 20s, and again, it was me, Isaac, and Richard at the pointy end of the fleet. During the race, I realized that the hiking stick (wrapped completely in tape) was kinda wonky, and by the end of the race, about two inches longer. There was a repair halfway up the stick that had given way, and the stick was saved only because of the tape. The tears I would have cried if that had not been the case!! As it was, I could finish the race, and with the last race a throw out for me, still win the regatta. I sailed in virtually alone, with about as warm a feeling as a person can have when they are soaking wet.
And now the club and the people. I can't think of a smarter thing to do for a sailing club than to dedicate their energies to their kids sailing programs. The Royal Hamilton was close to folding a few years ago until they decided to reboot their culture to focus almost entirely on youth. The Royal Canadian is famous for funding their youth from diapers to Olympic berths. With the many distractions available now for young people, I wonder sometimes how any young people every find time to sail, and yet, youth keep coming to the sport and it is places like Sturgeon Lake Sailing Club and their dedicated members that make it happen. Why is it important? Because I can't think of a better reason to sail than that I can compete one-on-one with young people. And fathers can race with their sons and daughters can race with fathers, and moms can race, too!! (but it seems, not many want to). It is one of the few sports that can be family oriented on the course, not just because daddy has to drive.
Thanks again, Sturgeon Lake. Give me an excuse to race there again, please!!
Rob Koci races in both the Laser Full-Rig and Laser Radial fleets around District 3. Currently, Rob is the District 3 secretary and maintains a frequently updated race diary on D3Laser.com. Rob's home port is St. James Town Sailing Club in Toronto, Ontario.
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