2024 Sailing in God’s Country Regatta (O) La Crosse Sailing Club, WI
2024 Sailing in God’s Country Regatta
Event Date(s): May 18-19
Host: La Crosse Sailing Club, 3600 Lakeshore Drive on French Island, La Crosse, WI
Contact: Mark Kastel kastel@mwt.net 608.625.2042 https://www.lax-sailing.org/
Notice of Race V4 posted 4-14-2024
Notes: Free camping. Motels within 15 minutes. Lots of short course racing. Fine steak dinner Saturday.
Event Type: Open
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REASONS TO ATTEND THE THIRD ANNUAL SAILING IN GOD'S COUNTRY REGATTA IN LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN:
--- TIME CRITICAL --- IF YOU ARE OPTING TO STAY IN A HOTEL, MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS IMMEDIATELY. THE TOWN IS BUZZING THAT WEEKEND.
- May 18-19 = one of the first opportunities to race in the Midwest.
- The venue is breathtaking.
- An all-organic farm to fork dinner Saturday night featuring grass-fed ribeyes, corn, potatoes, roasted asparagus or zucchini, and more.
- Last time we had something like thirteen 20-minute races = great practice/great fun.
During the summer, we race Lasers on Lake Onalaska at the La Crosse Sailing Club. It’s a dammed-up portion of the Mississippi River. The level is controlled, so there is rarely ever a discernible current and, even when there is, it doesn’t create any tactical differences on the racecourse.
Because Lake Onalaska is part of the Mississippi River system, with thousands of miles of opportunity to boat, we rarely have any powerboats (and no jet skis). We are in the Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge. It’s pretty unspoiled and the lake is not surrounded by McMansions. Your chance to view abundant wildlife surrounding the racecourse and club (Eagles, migrating waterfall and more).
Also, the valley tends to Venturi the wind from a couple of the most common directions and we actually pick up a little velocity and it tends not to be too fluky.
We NEED TO HAVE (final) RSVPs, so we can make sure that we have the correct amount of vittles for Saturday night. Our preliminary headcount indicates 16 boats competing. This is a farm to fork meal masquerading as a Regatta.
Those who attended our last Regatta, with 13 boats, will testify to the gourmet status of our evening meal: grass-fed organic steak on the grill, organic corn, roasted zucchini and asparagus.
If you’re motivated to bring food to share for either pre-meal snacks, desserts, salads, or breakfasts, please let us know. I would be much appreciated by both the organizers and your friends.
Camping is available on the club grounds, which are in a beautiful park-like setting on a small peninsula jutting out into the lake. Many more formal lodging options are available within 15 minutes or so. I can make recommendations depending on your interest. Please see details in the NOR.
Please see Notice of Race… Notice of Race posted 4-13-2024
There's another big event happening in town and hotel rooms are in short supply but I have identified a couple very reasonably priced and some discount pricing = if you are coming and need a hotel room you need to act now.
It’s a beautiful area for non-racers to explore on bikes, kayaks, borrowed sailboats for daysailing, or numerous other historic or nature-oriented outings.
Lots of short-medium course racing. Great practice for an early regatta. Regardless of how we do, we should all be pretty sharp afterwards (aiming for 10 to 15 20-minute races). Fifteen starts and 45-60 mark-roundings. Great practice and lots of fun.
I’d appreciate it if you would write back and let me know if you are interested in attending.
In prior years, we’ve had a handful of boats from Chicago, a couple of us from La Crosse, Dave Handelman from Northeast Wisconsin, members of the up-and-coming fleet in Lincoln, Nebraska, and a few of our crazier sailors from Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky (easily as crazy as I am about Sunfish).
As they used to say, “Be there or be square.”
Mark
