Five of the seven scheduled races were sailed at the '97 Mardi Gras Regatta hosted by
New Orleans Yacht Club on February 8 & 9. Temperatures and stiff north breezes brought
the wind chill down to 29°, and brought out the postponement flag. Three races were
eventually sailed Saturday in 15-22 kts and to no one's surprise, Ash Beatty came out of
the blocks fast with two bullets. Bishop Stieffel's hiking stick popped out four times in
race one, sending him into the drink once. Zane Yoder and Bishop traded 3's and 2's in the
first two races. After leading race 3 around the triangle, Ash's hiking stick broke,
forcing him to sail from the back of the boat and causing him to capsize at the last
leeward mark, costing him four boats. Todd Edwards broke his tiller in half as he left the
dock for the first race and though he was able to borrow another, he never fully
recovered, capsizing twice during Saturday's races.
Choppy 8-12 kts for race 4 Sunday morning would draw the pack a little closer. Over early
at the pin somehow paid off for Bishop when he looped around took three sterns, found a
hole, then a shift, then the lead within three minutes of the gun. Rounding the top mark
second, Todd quickly took the lead from Bishop, then as though he didn't already have
enough problems, his hiking stick snapped. Eric Faust got it in gear and led the pack at
the leeward mark, but lost three boats halfway up the last beat to one of those shifts on
"the other side".
Eric would get his in the last race, taking the start and the first shift all the way
around the Olympic course. Tommy Meric and Tommy Harris made him work for it though,
closing to 3 boatlengths at the last mark.
Top Woman Joanne Weberlein Top Master Tommy Meric PL Skipper Total R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 1 Bishop Stieffel 6.50 3 2 1 1 (9) 2 Ash Beatty 8.50 1 1 5 2 (8) 3 Eric Faust 12.75 (9) 4 4 4 1 4 Zane Yoder 14.00 2 3 2 (DNS) 7 5 Tommy Meric 19.00 6 7 3 (9) 3 6 Todd Edwards 21.00 5 8 (DNF) 6 2 7 Tommy Harris 23.00 8 (10) 6 5 4 8 Clinton Edwards 27.00 10 9 (DNC) 3 5 9 Guy Brierre 27.00 7 5 8 7 (DNF) 10 Jerry Blouin 33.00 4 6 7 (DNC) DNC 11 Joanne Weberlein 35.00 (11) 11 10 8 6 12 Bonner Cordelle 41.00 (12) 12 9 10 10 13 Ann Edwards 64.00 (DNC) DNC DNC DNC DNC 13 Trin Ollinger 64.00 (DNC) DNC DNC DNC DNC 13 Ellis Ollinger 64.00 (DNF) DNC DNC DNC DNC