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Alter Cup Area E
Eliminations
Catamaran Racing Association of
Michigan
Higgins Lake, MI
September
25-26, 2004
The Area E Hobie Alter Cup Eliminations were held
September 25 and 26 on Higgins Lake in Roscommon, Michigan. This regatta is
the last race of the CRAM season and the Alter Cup added a little spice to
our menu. The race committee of Tom and MJ Liston and Ray Fullerton did a
fine job. Higgins is usually a challenge for the RC because of all the wind
shifts you usually see on inland lakes, and this year was no exception.
Seventeen eager competitors raced in this event. The winds went from light
to moderate back to light. The first race on Saturday was the lightest in 6
knots of wind. We went to lunch and as luck would have it the wind built to
12 knots for the second race and 11 knots for the third race. If you look at
the results you can see how jumbled it was after the first day. Everyone in
contention felt they had a good throw out and we were all looking forward to
Sunday and more racing. Matt Bounds with crew David on a Hobie Tiger had a
first and second and a throw out, Eric Kennedy on a Nacra 5.5 Uni had a
first and a third and a throw out, Bill Gillespie on a Nacra F17 had a first
and a fourth and a throw out.
On Sunday we rose to see the lake as smooth as glass. We pushed off the
beach and sat by the RC for two and a half hours until they finally called
it for the day. It was a good call. As we were putting our boats on the
trailers, as always happens, the wind filled in, oh well. Congratulations to
Bill Gillespie, the Area E Champion for 2004 on a Nacra F17, with Mark
Bachelor on a Nacra F17 second and Mark and Karen Label on a Nacra 20 third.
What’s our battle cry? "Wait 'til next year." If you look, you will notice
that four out of the top five finishers were on one-man boats.
Higgins is noted for clean water (you can see the bottom from 25' depths),
sandy beaches, great camping location, decent winds and good beach parties.
All were true once again. Stan Hall and his wife Melinda hosted a great
Mexican dinner party at the camp site for all the hungry racers Saturday
evening. On Sunday there was more wind on the boats than there was on the
sails.
Eric
Kennedy, Area E Representative
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