35 C-Boats decided to accept the Beulah Challenge and it did not disappoint. The forecast looked iffy coming into the weekend but Saturday brought steady breeze around 7-9 mph with surprisingly strong gusts (as the 3 boats who tipped over discovered). Two races were sailed in the morning with a different Haeger winning each (B-12 Kent Haeger won race 1 while B-1 WIll Haeger, sailing the CourtShip with Kate “Nugget” Klement, won race 2).
Race 3 was sailed after lunch and brought some real excitement. Back in a C-Boat for the first time in several years, Olympic hopeful and Beulah native Steph Roble was at or near the top for most of the race. On the last leg up the breeze went light and the leaders were forced to pick a side. Steph Roble and Kent Haeger were left. Marty Barr, Joe Byrnes, and BIlly Madden were right. And apparently some idiot attempted to play the middle. In the end, a big righty came in and despite the best efforts of some “a-hole” motor boater B-6 Marty and Bridget Barr crossed the line in 1st. Steph managed to salvage a 4th despite looking for a while like she was sailing back to her house.
The Saturday night party ensured sailors were well fed and properly hydrated and also included speeches from P.R.O./long time C-Boat sailor Milt Haeger and needs-no-introduction Buddy Melges, as well as a presentation from Steph Roble about the 49er FX and her travels.
Despite the PRO’s best efforts, the wind never filled and Sunday racing was abandoned. B-12 Kent Haeger with crew Mike Greeson took the crown by a healthy 11 points. In testament to the “Challenge” aspect of this regatta, B-12 was the only boat without a finish outside the top 10. The top 5 was rounded out by A-22 Jim Tews (who, in a brilliant stroke of foresight, pulled his boat Saturday after racing) and Jenny Jaessing, B-25 Joe Byrnes and Carla Keck, B-88 Jay Hiller and Robert Klement, and B-16/Nan Norris descendant/Cosmic Cookies & Cream Creator Charlie Kutsch and Monica Zoellner.
Huge kudos to the Norris/Kutsch clan, particularly Betsy Kutsch, for making the Nan Norris Beulah Challenge a great event!