Twenty one Sunfish and two Lasers came out Saturday, January 26th and sailed four races in 3-8 knots with temperatures in the mid to high 60's. Shorts, T-shirts, sunscreen, it was almost like summer already except for the water temperature.

During the starting sequence for the first race, it quickly became clear to the principle race officer, Bernie Wolfe, and his committee that the starts would not be a cake walk. Aside from having plenty of great sailors who would push the starting line anyway, the tide seemed to be moving upwind faster than the wind itself was blowing, naturally, making for a very crowded line. The first start had to be recalled, but from then on, the sailors adjusted to the tide and only a few boats were called back during the rest of the starts.

Winning the last two big Sunfish regattas in light air, Jackson Benvenutti knew that he would be targeted as a favorite in these conditions and that was evident in the first start that was recalled, when he was over early. The next start, he kept out of trouble, got away clean and wrestled the lead from Anne Swan.  A late charge from Tom Whitehurst on the last leeward put a slight scare in him, but Tom's puff died out to soon and Jackson was able to hold on for the bullet.

When a lefty came in just before the start of race two, only a small part of the fleet picked up on it. Hank Saurage was one of them, but mistimed the start and was over early at the pin. Immediately spinning around the mark, Hank took a couple of sterns and sailed right, taking advantage of the left shift, and soon had the lead with Jackson chasing. Randy Santa Cruz and Bishop Stieffel were next at the pin, and having clean starts, sailed left, gambling on the left shift becoming more persistent, but when the breeze oscillated back to the right, they fell deep. Bailing out earlier than Randy, Bishop managed to salvage a fifth by passing six or seven boats downwind following a failed attempt at shortening the course to one leg. Fred Eagan rounded the weather mark third, but having lost his bungi cord, had difficulties keeping his sail out downwind and got into a slight altercation with Alex Boudreaux.  Fred would lose three boats on the leg but nosed out Bishop right at the finish to take sixth.  Jackson got close to Hank, but on the last leeward, chased a puff that never got there and Hank went on to win race two.

Todd Edwards and Bishop worked the left side of the first leg of race three and rounded one - two with Tom Whitehurst close behind. Sailing low, Tom managed to get by both Bishop and Todd at the leeward mark and led Todd into a duel on the right side of the next leg, while Bishop gambled left again losing distance on the leaders and letting Hank Saurage slip by when he hit the last mark and had to sail a 360. Todd won the match race with Tom on the beat and held him off downwind to win the third race.