2006 Squam
Lakes Lightning Regatta
August
26-27, Holderness NH
Regatta
Report
Ten boats from the
host fleet were joined by seven visitors for this year’s Squam Lake
regatta. The prize for traveling the farthest went to Peter Miller
from Bermuda while another welcome first time visitor was Tripp
Blair from Newfound Lake, a potential site for organized Lightning
racing in the future.
The weather was
challenging, to say the least. On Saturday, race committee chair
Allan Whatley towed the fleet four miles to Sandwich Bay in the hope
that the area might provide steadier winds as an approaching front
began to pull an unusual easterly flow across the surface of the
lake. This trip offered visitors a scenic tour of several of the
locations used in filming the movie On Golden Pond 25 years
ago and a close up view of the slopes that rise 3300 feet above the
North end of the lake but also the same shifty and intermittent cats
paws that were cursing the rest of the lake. Allan did his best and
managed to hold two races before it was time to tow the fleet home
and gather ashore for drinks and snacks.
Sunday brought dark
skies, even shiftier winds, and periods of soaking rain. Most of
the fleet ventured out and Allan again managed to set two courses
that allowed us a semblance of normal racing.
A pack of very wet
sailors huddled together in the sailing classrooms at the Squam
Lakes Association headquarters on Sunday afternoon to drink hot
chocolate and applaud the winners. Nick Aswad ended the four races
far ahead of the fleet after an impressive display of consistency.
The rest of the standings were jumbled with numerous ties and two
points separating 3rd from 8th. The
leadership of the Squam Lakes Lightning Fleet promises all visitors
perfect weather to go with the mountain scenery in 2007.
