FWYC Letter Log August 2014 | Page 9

Page 9 FWYC Sports News Jibin’ with the Juniors Fort Walton Junior Lipton Team takes two firsts at the Junior Lipton Challenge Regatta at Southern Yacht Club!! A team of seven of our best Junior sailors took Southern Yacht Club, the host of the Junior Lipton Challenge Regatta, by storm over the weekend of 18-20 July. Out of six races the Team took two firsts, two fourths, a fifth and a ninth giving them the final placing of fourth overall and just four points behind the second and third place teams which tied and 17 points ahead of the fifth place team. Racing was tight all weekend with FWYC going into the last race in second place. The first race was fluky lake sailing with skipper David Beaudry and crew Ian Hunter and Adam Metruck The 2014 FWYC Junior Lipton Team finishing fifth out of the fleet of 14. Kelly Stukbauer Kelly Stukbauer, Anna Maria Vaccaro, Ian skippered the second race with David Beaudry and Parker Hunter, George Hambleton, Parker Dewrell, Dewrell crewing, they got a first after establishing an early coach Paul Beaudry, David Beaudry, and Adam lead. George Hambleton was at the helm with David Metruck Beaudry and Anna Maria Vaccaro crewing and were one-half leg ahead of the nearest boat when the first attempt at race three was called for crazy winds. There were boats on the upwind leg with their spinnakers up, while our team was approaching the change of course leeward mark that had not been anchored in time. George and his crew placed fourth once the wind came back up. David and Adam have sailed their last Junior Lipton race (they age out next year) finishing with a first earned after an upwind tactical battle with Mobile in light air and chop. Also on the first place team for the fourth race was Ian Hunter. The first day of racing concluded with their bullet which enabled FWYC to win the tiebreaker for second with Mobile, and put them just one point behind the first place Southern Yacht Club. In the first race of the second day of competition, Kelly, Ian and Parker placed fourth. The team was now sitting in front of third place Mobile by only one point! (A second place overall behind Southern would secure a FWYC host for next year's regatta). A major traffic jam at the start of the final race made it difficult for Ian to climb out of their second row start even with the help of his crew George and Anna Maria! The Team would like to thank everyone at the club for all of their support and encouragement. Thanks to Commodore Bobby Dewrell for the long sleeve team shirts and to Fleet Captain Ashley Sukalski for the short sleeve shirts! And a special thank you to Paul Beaudry for his time and effort dedicated to coaching the kids both at home and on the road at regattas as they practiced for the big one in New Orleans. The kids are excited for next year and are ready to work hard to have an even better showing in Gulfport at the 2015 Junior Lipton Challenge. ~ Jan Beaudry Congratulations to Joseph Bello, who has been accepted at the University of South Florida and their sailing team. Joseph is currently at the Oakcliff Sailing Center in Oyster Bay, New York, on a 4-week scholarship where he is training on F-17s and a variety of other boats, including larger, offshore boats. He will soon be heading back to college in Tampa in late August. Just livin' the dream! To all members who have helped and encouraged Joseph, a special THANK YOU! ~ Fort Walton Yacht Club, Established in 1951 ~