A strong low-pressure system greeted the fleet at South Port Sailing Club for the first regatta of the Great Lakes Circuit, setting the tone for a weekend where being in the right place at the right time mattered as much as boatspeed.
Saturday
With gusts exceeding 30 knots through most of the day, the Race Committee held racing until late afternoon when the breeze settled into the low-to-mid teens. Two races went off in the remaining daylight, sailed in a leftover chop that made upwind work difficult and rewarded playing the waves downwind.
Team Jackpot (Eric and Lisa Vigrass, Lee Shuckerow) took Race 1, continuing their dominant form from last year’s Canadian Championships at this same venue. Gone Banana (Marina Maffessanti, Michael Weber, and Will Parkolab) won Race 2. Vigor (Van Sheppard with sons Alexander and Luke), posted two second-place finishes and looked quick in the conditions throughout.
The fleet came ashore to spicy jerk chicken, live DJs, and the traditional communal Viper cooler full of cold beer.
Sunday
Sunday was the opposite with glassy water and no wind at the dock. The Race Committee towed the fleet out, and the patience paid off with five races completed in a tricky, shifty breeze.
Cole Constantineau, sailing with locals Alan Johnson and Ben Margerison — both first-time Viper sailors — put their Lake St. Clair knowledge to good use and won the opening race, with solid scores to follow. Jackpot and Gone Banana traded bullets across the remaining races, and when the points were added up, Gone Banana took the overall win over Jackpot by a single point and a bit of luck.
Thanks to all the sailors for their patience through a tough weekend of conditions, and to the Race Committee for getting seven races in a weekend that could have very well had no racing at all.
The next regatta on the Great Lakes schedule is the Nepean One Design Regatta, June 27–28.
