The ECSC Junior Sailing Team has had another very busy month! July started off with the team going to Mentor Harbor, Ohio for Junior Olympics. Both days consisted of very light wind and they got two races in. Reagan Lessick was 9th overall, Grant Goff placed 31st, and Jack Hadlock placed 34th. There was a great turn out at this regatta!
The next regatta that the ECSC Junior Sailors tackled was at Vermilion Boat Club. Again, there was little wind to be found, but they managed to get in 4 races during the regatta. Reagan finished 12th, Grant 17th, and Jack 27th. There were 38 boats participating. Great job team ECSC! Immediately after Vermilion, Reagan Lessick, Grant Goff, Abbie Binzer, and Jack Hadlock headed to Put-In-Bay for the I-LYA Junior Championships at Put-In-Bay Yacht Club (AKA "Jr. Bay Week").
At Jr. Bay Week ECSC won the icebreaker skits on the first night for the first time in 15 years of competing! After two light air qualifying days, the 40 boat fleet was split into two fleets (Gold and Silver) with Abbie and Reagan making the gold fleet, and Grant and Jack in the silver fleet. The last two days of racing were a bit heavier air and very competitive! Reagan Lessick finished 6th overall (after tying for 5th), she also received the Backus Cup, which is awarded to the top female sailor in the laser fleet. This trophy has been around for 25 years. It has top women sailors on it and Reagan has certainly earned her way into a very exclusive club! Awesome job! Abbie finished 11th overall, fighting hard the whole week, and breaking a mast in the finals. Grant Goff placed 1st in the silver fleet, 21st overall. This is a great start for his first time at Jr. Bay Week. Good Job! Jack Hadlock finished 15th in the silver fleet, and 35th overall in the 40 boat fleet. Nice work Jack! Congrats on an awesome job at the Bay to our whole junior race team!
Last weekend, the team traveled to Sandusky for an I-LYA regatta. The wind was solid and then died for the last race. Reagan finished 7th, Jack 25th, and Olivia DeGrella 26th out of 26 boats. There are only two more Traveler Series regattas left. Wish the team luck as they finish out their season!
Chuck Lessick