Vicki Palmer, Windward Leg Editor

windwardlegeditor@gmail.com

10/29 – 11/1, 2023 – Valparaiso, Chile

By Vicki Palmer

We salute our PanAm Medal Winners and All Competitors

For the non-Olympic classes such as the Snipe, Lightning and Sunfish, there is no higher honor than competing in the PanAm Games, an event that encompasses a test of skills and endurance from the competitors coupled with a strong sense of patriotism and gratitude to the many who helped them prepare for this prestigious competition.

To qualify for the PanAm Games the competition is fierce, tiring and exciting all at once. One doesn’t just hop on a Sunfish and sail his or her best. They prepare. They practice. They eat healthy and stay hydrated. They condition their bodies for what can be brutal sailing conditions testing every muscle, every brain cell. They do all this again and again until they think they can’t train or practice any harder. Then they train and practice just that extra “more.” This is what champions are made of. This is who we saw sailing Sunfish at the 2023 PanAm Games in Valparaiso, Chile. Every single one of them - champions all -- before the competition even started. 

The sailing events at the PanGames were ranked third in the number of countries represented, an impressive statistic. What was less than impressive was the cold supposed-to-be-summertime in Chile, with temperatures in the 50’s. The water was cold and the wind conditions were difficult at best. 

Along with all the competitors wearing puffy, warm jackets on shore and layers of sleek but warm sailing clothing on the water, representatives from US Sailing kept track of all the USA competitors and also kept all of us here informed about what was happening with the USA team. The exceptional sailing event photographer, Matias Capizzano, captured many incredible photos. And the judges and race committee volunteers did an outstanding job holding races in very challenging – and did we mention cold? --conditions. It took a sailing community of US Sailing reps, international judges, experienced race committee and club volunteers to give up their time and dedicate their energies to create an event that was the most successful PanAm Games yet.

L to R … Silver Medalist, Philipine van Aanholt, Aruba; Gold Medalist, Caterina Romero, Peru; Bronze Medalist, Maurin Poncel, Chile

For the first time ever, our Sunfish women were represented at the PanAm Games in their own division. 

Congratulations to Caterina Romero, Peru, who won the Gold in the Sunfish Women’s division. Imagine having your throwout be a 2^nd place finish in 10 races … unbelievable! Caterina continues to amaze us with her sailing skills always accompanied by a winning attitude to compete at her highest level. Riding those treacherous waves in every wind condition takes a special skill with lots of practice. A gold-medal performance by a true champion. Congratulations, Caterina!

There’s an interesting background that accompanies our Silver medalist from Aruba. Philipine van Aanholt is the daughter of Cor van Aanholt, who was Philipine’s coach for these games. I asked Cor van Aanholt if Philipine was related to him and learned so much more about the whole van Aanholt family.

Philipine couldn’t have had a more qualified coach. Cor won the Sunfish World Championship in 1980 sailed in Oranjestad, Aruba, placed 2nd in the 1979 Sunfish World Championship sailed in Medemblik, Netherlands and placed 3rd in the 1981 Worlds sailed in Sardinia, Italy, 3rd in   the1997 Worlds in Cartagena, Colombia, and 3rd in the 1998 Worlds sailed in Sayville, NY. 

According to a very proud Dad, “Philipine also participated in many games and also in the London 2012 and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.”

Philipine’s brother, Just, placed 7th overall in the ILCA 7 division at these PanAm Games. According to Just’s Dad, Cor van Aanholt, Just qualified at these games for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Cor also shared the following … “Odile van Aanholt, a two-time World Champion in the 49er FX and currently Vice World-Champion and number one in the World ranking is my youngest daughter. She will represent The Netherlands in next year’s Olympics. Then we have one more child, Ard van Aanholt. He sails in the Starclass. He won a Bronze Medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Sunfish at the age of 16.” In the Sunfish Worlds in Punta Ala, Italy in 2010, Ard placed 3^rd overall.

A very impressive and dedicated sailing family. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that Cor is a doctor who has been actively volunteering in disabled sailing at the international level. Also, Cor headed up the World Sailing Classification Sub-Committee at one time.

If there’s any truer testament to the benefits of being coached by the best and growing up in a world of Sunfish sailing, well … Congratulations to everyone in the van Aanholt family!

Our Bronze Medalist, Maurin Poncell, Chile, stayed on pace with Caterina and Philipine and ended up only seven points behind Philipine to earn the Bronze medal. This being her home waters might have given her a slight edge over the other competitors. Regardless, it took great skill and determination to compete with this level of Sunfish women competitors.

L to R … Silver Medalist, Jean-Paul de Trazegnies, Peru; Gold Medalist, Lee Parkhill, Canada and Bronze Medalist, Diego Gonzalez, Chile.

We all know JP very well or Jean-Paul de Trazegnies more officially. He flies home with trophies from every event he sails in! Now he can add a Silver Medal to his trophy shelf. Awesome! He can shift past awards to the side to make room – Sunfish World Champion in 2018, Wrightsville Beach, NC, and 2022, Torbole Sul Garda, Italy; 2^nd place finishes at Sunfish World Championships in 2014, Arapahoe, NC, and 2021, Sarasota, FL, at the 50^th Sunfish World Championship. Congratulations, Jean-Paul!

Unfortunately, we don’t know Lee Parkhill or Diego Gonzalez as well. What we do know is that Lee slips across the border from Canada (legally, of course!) into the USA and goes home with top place finishes sailing against some of our most highly skilled champions. And there was the hotly contested battle with his fellow Canadian, Luke Ramsay, to win the spot to represent Canada in these PanAm Games. Lee won the Canadian berth and went on to win the coveted Gold medal. Congratulations, Lee! 

Diego Gonzalez, Chile, sailed with enough bullets and 2^nd places to earn him a coveted Bronze medal in a field of competitors who sail at a championship level and are difficult to beat. Congratulations Diego!

Conner Blouin and Amanda Callahan at the PanAm Games in Chile.

Winning the honor to represent the USA in the Sunfish Men and Sunfish Women’s divisions at the 2023 PanAm Games in Valparaiso, Chile was no easy feat. The competition was aggressive and challenging in both divisions. But two true USA champions came out on top.

Amanda Callahan won the honors to sail for the USA in the first-ever Sunfish Women’s division. In the top spot for the Sunfish Men’s Division was Conner Blouin who was going to test his skills for his third PanAm Games participation against the best of the best in the Sunfish Men’s division.

This year’s PanAm Games provided tough sailing conditions against even tougher competition. A mixture of wind speeds from heavy to not-so-heavy plus mountainous waves challenged everyone including the Race Committee. Amanda said she had never sailed in such mountainous waves! If the cheers from fellow countrymen watching every Sunfish race on TracTrac could be heard in Chile, Amanda and Conner would know our hearts were with them on every leg through every mountainous wave. Congratulations Amanda and Conner!

Although some familiar ISCA names were not sailing a Sunfish at this PanAm Games, the sailing skills they learned on a Sunfish transferred quite well to a different boat.

IQ Foil – 5^th overall – Simon Gomez Ortiz, COL, 2018 and 2019 Youth North American Winner. 

ILCA 7 – 2^nd overall – Clemente Seguel, CHI, 2016 Youth North American Winner; Youth Worlds 3^rd place winner in 2017 in Brant Beach, NJ, Youth Worlds 3^rd place in Cartagena, Colombia, and 2^nd place winner in 2015 at the Youth Worlds in Paracas, Peru.

ILCA 7 – 15h overall – Ricardo Seguel, CHI, always a top place finisher who sailed with the best, his brother Clemente.         

Lightning - 4th overall - Luke Ramsay CAN

October 14-15, 2023 – Niantic Yacht Club, Niantic, CT

By Paul Dierze

Fifty-one sailors from 14 states gathered at Niantic Bay Yacht Club in Niantic, CT, for the 2023 US Masters Championship. Among the competitors were 14 women and several first time Master sailors. 

Sailors arrived on Friday to clear skies and a light breeze for the practice race. The race committee was mildly amused when no one completed the race as the windward mark made for an easy reach to the club. An evening get together was enjoyed by many. 

Saturday started with a brilliant sunrise as competitors made boat adjustments and discussed wardrobe choices for the brisk fall weather with rain forecasted. After an on-shore postponement was dropped, the racing began in a varying and shifty breeze. After 3 races the course was moved and lengthened with a light rain. The delay made for some cold sailors. The fourth and final race of the day was shortened as the breeze slowly died allowing for a short sail to the club and hot showers. 

Amanda Callahan was in 1^st position on Day One followed closely by Paul Jon Patin and Dominic Simonetti. Competitors and guests enjoyed a nice hot meal and camaraderie that evening. 

Sunday dawned with a stiffer building breeze out of the North with gusts forecasted into the 20's. Jen's rigs were adjusted, reefs were installed and warm clothing was donned.  Four races were completed with tension building to see if Amanada could hold off Paul-Jon who was in his element. 

Paul-Jon won the day with 1-1-1-1 and secured 1st place for the regatta. Doug Kaukeinen and Amanda tied for second with Amanda winning the tiebreaker.

Group photo from the Masters 2023

Current List of current Registrants

Gull Lake Sailing Club, Richland, Michigan -- October 1, 2023

An unseasonably warm period opened October in Michigan.  It came with a near weeklong lack of wind!  The day for the race came with a forecast of SW 4-7, sunny and 84°.  Well, as the sailors were setting up and some zephyrs were coming through, it became painfully obvious there wasn’t enough wind to propel the fleet over five miles to the island to beat the 1.5 hour time limit to first mark, nor the over five miles back to the finish (could be shortened) to beat the overall 3 hour time limit for first finisher.  

It being such a gorgeous day, and with a great turnout, a first-time racer, and an out of town competitor, we agreed to put in a drop mark and shorten the course.  Gotta do what it takes to make a race, right?  The race started about a half hour late. The light wind at the start was SW .5-1.5, making for an upwind first leg; this is a distance race so sometimes the first leg is not upwind.

Gail Turluck and Chuck Connors were OCS, turned back and restarted properly. Larry Carter and Laura Beck were on the left, riding a slightly stronger wind (maybe by .15). Turluck and Connors, in the middle, played shifts, taking tacks to the right.

Nearing the mark, just north of the Gull Lake Country Club, Turluck got a 30° lift to lay the mark and rounded first.   Connors had gotten becalmed being rather close to shore, but got the same lift and rounded second.  Then the South wind filled in, bringing Glenn Howes, Carter and Beck from the left to the mark.  The fleet enjoyed the relative higher S 2.5-5 mph breeze to run to the finish.   

After, the sailors enjoyed a delightful potluck dinner at the Turluck residence.  This year’s approximate three-mile race took more time than last year’s full-course Island Race!  While there was disappointment the full lake couldn’t be sailed, there was strong agreement that being out on the lake on a gorgeous Sunday, with almost no motorboat traffic being so late in the season, was better than trying to reschedule and likely not getting everyone back out!—Gail Turluck

Louisville Sailing Club, Prospect, Kentucky -- October 21-22, 2023

A few sailors arrived on Friday to drop off their boats. The Louisville Sailing Club has nearly 50 Sunfish in its boat park, 15 to 20 come out for their fleet races. The club is located on a bluff on the banks of the Ohio River. There are historical floods that have covered the clubhouse at the top of the bluff! There was no danger of that at this regatta. A few of the racers camped, it was in the upper 30’s overnight. Others stayed in nearby motels. 

The weather forecast called for high winds that never materialized.  Saturday’s beautiful sunrise was right after a cold front went through, but clouded up with occasional showers throughout the day. The races were sailed in West winds of 10-16, puffy and some shifts. The high was about 58 degrees.

 Saturday’s races were all Windward-Leeward 3x around as the wind direction was across the river allowing about a half mile. Five races were sailed. Saturday night the club provided a delicious roast pork dinner with a side of roasted cauliflower and other choices plus dessert. Four protests were heard Saturday evening, three resulted in decisions. 

Sunday morning a nice buffet of egg casseroles, sweet breads and coffee was provided. Sunday was also cloudy, the wind shifted North 8-14, and the high temperature was 56 degrees. Sunday’s courses were Windward-Leeward 2x around as the course was able to be set long across the length of the river. Two races were sailed.  All races were true contests and the best that could be set. We welcomed five new Class members. All races were tight, with close, overlapped mark roundings, some with some bumper boats. 

Thanks go to Paul White from Indianapolis, PRO, his helpers Neal Deaves and Martha; Protest Committee Eugene Cox, Neal Deaves and Joe Collins, Regatta Chair Eugene Cox.   Congratulations to Mark Kastel on the win, he claims the berth to the 2024 Sunfish World Championship in Dallas, Texas. —Gail Turluck

The podium from 2023 Pumpkin Regatta/Sunfish Midwest Region Championship III: 
1^st-Mark Kastel, 2^nd-Art Haggerty, 3^rd-Laura Peters, Top Youth-Dominic Keim, Highest Score-Mike Martin, and Marco Polo-Janet Murphy Ryan. Photo by Gail Turluck.

October 28-29, 2023 – Halifax Sailing Association

Hal Gilreath Wins Florida Regional Sunfish Championship #2

Former Snipe and Laser sailor Hal Gilreath from the Florida Yacht Club in Jacksonville, FL sailed a very consistent series to win the second regional championship of the year for the Florida Region.  Hal finished no worse than 5th place and won five of the 14 races sailed over two days in shifty winds on the Halifax River in Daytona Beach, FL.  Elaine Parshall from Columbia Sailing Club in South Carolina won the first three races of the series but could not maintain the consistency to keep pace with Hal.  She also won five races during the two day event and had an outstanding series to finish in second place.  Steve Honour from Boca Ciega Yacht Club in St. Petersburg, FL returned to the Sunfish Class after a 20 year hiatus and finished 3rd overall.  Bill Swanson from the host club, Halifax Sailing Association, finished 4th, sailing with a borrowed sail and using a club hull, proving that it is the sailor not the boat that makes the difference in this class.  Long time class stalwart Bob Findlay from Sarasota Sailing Squadron rounded out the top five and entertained the race committee and volunteers throughout the weekend.

This regatta drew competitors from as far south as Miami, FL and as far north as Massachusetts.  Everyone enjoyed two days of perfect sailing weather in 6 to 10 knots of breeze, a Jamaican dinner under a full moon along the Halifax river Saturday night, and leftovers were served the next day before the trophy presentation.  PRO Dr. Chris Herbster and his volunteers should be commended for completing 14 races and running a well managed regatta on the water.  The volunteers and competitors alike agreed the regatta was a complete success. LINK to RESULTS

Johnson Slough Yacht Club, Hinsdale, Illinois -- October 28, 2023

A frigid, 38-degree sunrise greeted the sailors as they assembled on the shores of Johnson Slough in Wiseman Park. Fortunately, the sun broke through the clouds by race time and the day warmed. We welcomed two juniors! Wind was out of the NxNW to NxNE, 5-11, shifty as always, some holes as expected, and puffs when unexpected.

Three races were sailed before lunch. The course the whole day had the start in the narrows going into the “little lake” to the north-white mark to port; back into the main body of the lake to the black mark to port, across the lake to the east end to the yellow mark to port, back across the lake to the red mark to starboard. First race was twice around; the rest of the races were once around. Racing was very tight and positions changed frequently, sometimes due to a puff getting to one boat but not to another. Choosing to be close to a shore or out in the middle could pay off or cause a problem—all in the game at the Slough!

While eventual runaway winner Rich Chapman scored five out of six bullets, he came back in the first three races to get in front of Gail Turluck. Turluck had the misfortune in the second race of hitting--and being stopped—by one of the “bubblers” on the bottom of the Slough (deployed to keep the water moving and keep it fresher) as she was turning the white mark. Chapman went around outside eliciting a friendly chuckle.  Poseidon had the last laugh, though, as between races Chapman had his boat capsize on top of him to weather, gaining Slough sludge on his gaff tip and sail, the ever-famous MARK OF THE SLOUGH! He stood up, righted his boat, and readied for the next race.

At the lunch break Chapman was in the lead, Turluck was second, and Mark Kastel third. Kastel was called two times for being OCS.  There were two races that were restarted due to much of the fleet being OCS. A wonderful hot lunch of Kickin’ Chicken Soup (thank you Cheryl Wintz McCarthy) and fresh grilled hamburgers (thank you Jim McCarthy) was enjoyed by all at the break.

After lunch, the last three races were sailed in slightly lighter winds, N to NE, 4-8, yet the course was the same. It had warmed to the upper 40s with clouds moving in. Chapman stayed consistent at finding a way to stay out front until the last race, when Kastel aced a start, got launched and was gone in clear air. Kastel also said he learned from watching Turluck’s strategies and applied them, bringing him better finishes to move up to second.

Once again, Rich Chapman now reigns as King of the Slough! Refreshments after racing were at the Jim McCarthy entertainment space, you have to see it to believe it!  —Gail Turluck

2023 Great Pumpkin regatta podium (l to r): 5th^h-Leland Brode, 4^th-David Anderson, 

3^rd-Gail Turluck; 2^nd-Mark Kastel, 1^st-Rich Chapman. 

Photo by Laura C Beck Photography.

Feb 11-12: FL Regional #1 RESULTS

May 6-7 : Midwest Regional #1 OH RESULTS

May 20-21: Southeast Regional Champs NC RESULTS

May 20-21: Mid-Atlantic Regional #1, NJ RESULTS

May 27-28: Upstate New York Regionals #1 NY RESULTS

June 3-4: New England Regional #1 RI RESULTS

June 17-18: Southwest Regional #1 TX RESULTS

July 22-23: NE Regional #2, Wequaquet Lake YC, MA RESULTS

July 29-30: Down State NY Regional #2, Wet Pants Sailing Assoc. NY RESULTS

Sept 16-17: Midwest Regional #2, Bruce Goldsmith Regatta, Devils Lake YC, MI RESULTS

Sept. 23-24: Gulf Coast Regional Championship Grand Lagoon YC, Pensacola, FL RESULTS

Sept 30-Oct 1: Southwest Regional #2, RCYC, TX RESULTS

Sept 30-Oct 1: Mid-Atlantic Regional #2, TRYC, NJ RESULTS

Oct 13-15: US Masters National Championship, Niantic, CT RESULTS

Oct 14-15: Midwest Regional #3, Great Pumpkin, KY RESULTS

Oct 28-29: FL Regional #2, Halifax SA, FL RESULTS

Nov 18-19: West Regional, Mission Bay, CA

Qualifying for 2024 Worlds October 13-19 at Rush Creek YC, Texas

Class Notice with Qualification details

ISCA/USSCA Class Administrator

8070 Willow Tree Way, Alpharetta, GA 30005

www.sunfishclass.org    sunfishoff@gmail.com  404-451-7743