Sailors welcome favorable winds on final day

Sailors in Charleston Yacht Club's open regatta experienced a complete change in conditions Sunday from Saturday's blustery, shifting winds. A light, steady south-southeasterly sea breeze filled in with the incoming tide just before race time Sunday afternoon for the final races in the annual event.

After winning the MC Scow class, Charleston's Tommy Harken accepted his award by saying: "Mother Nature gave everybody a lot to deal with (Saturday), and the race committee had a hard job changing courses due to the shifts." Lenny Krawcheck finished second in the class.

Alan Uram held onto the lead he took into today's Sunfish competition to win the regatta, the first of two regional competitions to determine the nomination for the upcoming Sunfish Worlds in Italy. Seth Siegler placed second.

In the J/24 class, Chip Till from Wrightsville Beach, N.C., sailed well enough Sunday to retain his lead, with Charleston's Ryan Hamm finishing second.

In the E Scow class, Will van Cleef won both races Sunday with Will Hanckel finishing second, but Hanckel's three wins Saturday secured first place for the regatta.

Will Cabell sailed Cygnet2 to victory in the Sea Island One Design class with two wins Sunday, with Jonathan Hiers placing second on Dog House. Even Minshew, sailing Privateer, was in the hunt for first when he had to retire Sunday with equipment problems.

In junior sailing, Peter Hogan dominated the Optimist Red class with a string of first places, Jordan Wiggins from Lake Norman, N.C., captured first in Optimist Blue, and Anthony Spyropoulas took first in the Green Class. Joshua Schlude won the 420 class.

Charleston Yacht Club's George M. Lockwood Trophy is presented each year to the yacht club member who demonstrates the late captain's passion for sailing. The award has been given each year since the 1960s and each year's recipient is chosen by previous recipients. This year's award went to Ken King, a local endodontist who took up the sport about 10 years ago.

The yacht club's Women's Award is given annually to a female sailor over the age of 18.

This year's award went to Derrill Hagood of Sullivan's Island.

Hagood sailed for the Ashley Hall sailing team from the 9th through the 12th grade and will be attending William and Mary this fall.