Welcome to World Regattas - Sailing and Regatta Event Schedules and Information

By Gonzalo Diaz and Ron Rostofer

Wow! CGSC's annual Commodoro Rasco Snipe Class Regatta was decided by a fraction of a point after a five-race, no drop regatta held February 3-4. Seventeen boats, from as far as Long Beach, CA, came to race on a weekend that didn't live up to the Chamber of Commerce's Super Bowl weather forecast, but provided incredible competition.

Racing got off to a slow start on Saturday afternoon as the Race Committee was forced to postpone the noon start due to lack of wind. A couple of attempts to start were aborted due to wind shifts. Finally, after over an hour and a half, the wind steadied down from the northeast, eventually increasing to about 12 knots. Three windward-leeward, five leg races were sailed in good sailing conditions. All finishes in the Rasco are at the windward mark.

It was a three boat regatta right from Race 1. After Saturday's racing, there was a three-way tie for first place! CGSC's Ernesto Rodriguez, Ft. Lauderdale's Peter Commette and Annapolis veteran Henry Filter each had a first, second, and third for 5.75 points apiece. In fourth was CGSC's Nick Voss, some 12 points back!

The sailors and some of the Race Committee enjoyed the traditional Com. Rasco Regatta lasagna dinner at the home of Gonzalo and Carmen Diaz on Saturday evening. Sunday morning came drizzly and light. Armed with a forecast of 8 knot winds by the 10 am start for Race 4, the Race Committee shooed the Snipes out on the Bay. A short postponement was necessary to allow the fleet to assemble. The breeze was still in the northeast quadrant, but further right than Saturday. Two more windward-leeward courses were sailed with the wind shifting right and increasing, then back to the left and decreasing as the day went on. The Race Committee responded with course changes to square the course and first lengthen, then shorten the legs. Finally, for the 5th and final race, the RC shortened the course at the end of the second beat due to the decreasing wind.Ernesto had a 1-3 for the day, with Peter scoring a 2-2 and Henry a 5-1. So, in the end, it was Ernesto's two race wins that provided a quarter-point victory over Peter at 9.50 vs. 9.75 points. Henry was 3rd with 11.5. Tomas Hornos bested Lee Griffith by a point for 4th, as Nick Voss was not able to sail on Sunday.

Gonzalo Diaz presided over the trophy presentation on the lower level of the Clubhouse Sunday afternoon. As usual, it was hilarious! Ernesto was awarded the Commodoro Rasco Perpetual Trophy, and keeper trophies for 1st through 3rd were also presented. Carolina Palacios, who finished 8th, was awarded the Aicardi Trophy, which goes to the first place in the Green Fleet (middle of the fleet with preference to someone new in the Snipe racing).

After the trophies were presented, the assembled Snipe sailors participated in the traditional singing of LA BOMBA, an old Cuban Seawolves custom dating from the thirties, which includes the winner(s) sipping a mix of cider and wine from a large bowl while the rest of the sailors sing LA BOMBA VA (rest of the words translated to English)! CGSC's Race Committee did an excellent job under conditions that were challenging for a substantial part of the time. Wil Bourne's 29 ft. Intrepid Kokopelli was Signal Boat, and Wil was PRO on Sunday. Ron Rostorfer was PRO on Saturday. The rest of the Signal Boat crew included Julia McGlannan, Vicki Rosenbloom, Jo Ann Mathieu and Jeanne Bunten. On the weather Mark Boat were Geoff Sutcliffe, Susan Walcutt and Dottie Rostorfer. The Pin Boat crew was Bruce Schneider and Carolyn Rahn. Thanks to all.