RACE NEWS 53rd Gasparilla Regatta, Tampa, FL, Feb. 11 — Shifts, Turns and Surprises By Ray Dupuis
TSS Vice Commodore Dan Kresge, left, awards “Jabberwocky” skipper Jeremiah Laureano and crew member Michelle Shaw the Spinnaker class first-place trophy at the 53rd Gasparilla Regatta after-race celebration on Feb. 11 in Apollo Beach. Photo by William Fishbourne. In the foreground is Jabberwocky, a J/22, which took first in the Spinnaker Class. Photo by William Fishbourne.
Tampa Sailing Squadron’s 53rd Gasparilla Regatta on Feb. 11 was full of shifts, turns and surprises. Anticipating a downwind leg at the nine-boat start in the Racer-Cruiser class, “A sudden wind shift put us on a spinnaker run,” said Ed Plotts of TSS, racing his San Juan 28, Slippery When Wet. Four boats charged to the first mark—a 50-foot range tower—together, giving fishermen in two anchored boats another surprise. Boats from Davis Island Yacht Club, St. Pete Sailing Association, St. Petersburg Yacht Club and Boca Ciega Yacht Club took part in the regatta, sponsored by Mount Gay Rum. Sailors were competing in six divisions for 18 trophies. Mike Doyle, who piloted his Irwin 39, Wing It, to first place just ahead of Plotts in the 10-mile Racer-Cruiser division, said, “The day’s changing dynamics on Tampa Bay— the land breeze on the Apollo Beach side, building winds, changing tides, and the westerly sea breeze on the St. Pete side—had the sailors shifting gears throughout the day. A real test of skills.” Intrepid, a J40, captained by Jeff Russo out of Davis Island Yacht Club, came in third, correcting over fourthplace finisher Don Highnote sailing out of Davis Island Yacht Club in his Elite 364, Mon Ami. “Long-course races attracted 39 of the 50 boats registered for the event,” said Doyle of TSS. “Seven of the 20 boats and crews in Cruising and Racer-Cruiser classes were gearing up for the race to Cuba.” But it wasn’t all long-course racing. There was plenty of excitement in the windward-leeward Spinnaker and NonSpinnaker classes, too. After three races, Jeremiah Laureano and his crew, all from TSS, took first in Spinnaker on Jabberwocky, a J/22. “We caught a luffty shift and kept the boat moving. Winds kept building in each of the races. We had to keep adjusting. 36
April 2017
SOUTHWINDS
Great teamwork.” Wesley Shaw and his TSS crew took the J24, Ragged Edge to second in Spinnaker. “We didn’t make all the right calls, but when others didn’t either, we were able to capitalize. It was fun, and the food at the party was great.” Dave Tonkin of TSS skippered a borrowed J/24, Black Magic Woman, to third place. “It was the crew’s first time sailing together. Son Zach had foredeck, Bob Witzler was in the pit and Matt Dalton was trimming. “We had low expectations, but we won the second race with teamwork and coordination. The other teams were seasoned and tough. We were fortunate to do as well as we did,” Tonkin said. TSS sailor John Martini and his crew took first in the Non-Spinnaker class on his Pearson Flyer 30, Pure Magic. “A good boat, clean bottom, good sails, crew that works together and a skipper who crosses the line on time, that’s the winning combination. Not bad for an 85-year-old guy,” Martini said. Gene Denisio and his crew, all of TSS, took second in Non-Spin aboard Shrew, his Creekmore 23. “A different boat won each of the three races, and we smoked ‘em in the first. The building air in each race wasn’t in our favor. But we had a great time.” Ron Spainhour out of TSS skippered his 10 Meter, Flying Tiger, to third in Non-Spinnaker. Back on the long course—from a starting point south of the Racer-Cruiser start—there were two classes taking part in pursuit races: Cruising class with 10 entered, and Mother Lode, a class that allows boats without PHRF rating certificates to compete. Mother Lode, with 20 boats entered, had two 10-boat divisions, A & B. In Cruising, John Gardner, representing TSS and St. Petersburg Yacht Club, took a first on After You, his Irwin 38 Mk I. “The winds weren’t as advertised, we thought we’d www.southwindsmagazine.com