Curtailed Hobcaw regatta wraps up

MOUNT PLEASANT — The members of Hobcaw Yacht Club took care of everything they possibly could to put on a first-rate regatta to open the local regatta season, but the factor over which they had no control — the wind — chose not to cooperate until mid-afternoon Sunday for the final day of racing in the club's open regatta.

Principal race official J.D. Rosser commented as the wind delay dragged into the afternoon that the day was shaping up much like Saturday did, light winds that built as afternoon storms approached, and that he did not want to get all the boats out on the water only to have them scurry back in to dodge a storm.

As fate would have it, the wind finally did fill in on the Wando River, races were conducted, and minutes after all the sailors got back to the yacht club, for the second day in a row an afternoon thunderstorm let loose all its fury.

Two days of approaching afternoon storms resulted in the yacht club's signature class, the Hobie Holder 14s, only completing two races in what club members call their "Holder World Championship."

Sam Derrick won both races to win the 12-boat class, and Henry Thomas took second in a tiebreaker over John Spence.

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Hobcaw Regatta Starts the Season

The Hobcaw Yacht Club opened the local regatta season this weekend. The light winds that built as afternoon storms approached gave the sailors a chance to race before the afternoon thunderstorm arrived.

The Sunfish class had fielded a strong fleet of experienced local sailors, including Lowcountry resident and two-time Sunfish world champion David Loring.

Turnout in the Sunfish class was strong as locals prepare for the upcoming Sunfish North American Championship to be hosted at James Island Yacht Club later this month. Competing with one of his children aboard, Loring placed second to Alan Uram in the Sunfish Senior class, with Reid Cabiness finishing third.

In the Sunfish Masters class, Brian Swan edged out Rich Whitehurst by one point to win the class.

The Sea Island One Design class had all eight of the Lowcountry's signature one design class competing for the first time in many years. Dave Stanger skippered Cygnet2 to first place, followed by 19-year old Kurt Hertel on Grey Ghost in second and Jonathan Hiers on Dog House in third.

Though boats in the fleet date back to 1947, it is enjoying an influx of new skippers all in their 20s. In addition to Hertel, Hiers is in his 20s; Evan Minshew, who skippers Privateer, is a rising junior at The Citadel; and Austin Nettles, who is skippering Bohicket II, is a junior at Clemson. Thus half the fleet has very young, talented skippers.

The Michelle Poulnot Memorial Award for the highest performing female sailor went to Ellinor Walters, who placed second overall in the Optimist Red class.

Said one race committee member, "She (Walters) showed the utmost courtesy and respect to the race committee and her fellow competitors during the entire regatta."

As for the youth sailors, Sara Swanson took first in the 420 class, Avery Fanning won the Laser Radial class, Drummond Koppermaes won the Optimist Blue class, David Hewitt swept every race in Optimist Green, and Patrick Mazzeo won the Optimist Red class. Nick Valente won the Sunfish Junior class.

Final results in the Hobcaw Yacht Club Regatta (total points):

420: 1. Sara Swanson 5; 2. Emma Whittemore 7.

E Scow: 1. John Lucas/Turner 2; 2. Walter Prause 4.

Holder: 1. Austin Derrick 2; 2. Henry Thomas 9, 3. John Spence 9, 4. Joe Blitch 11.

Laser Full: 1. Bobby Hamill 4, 2. Lenny Krawcheck 6.

Laser Radial: 1. Avery Fanning 3; 2. Finn Koppermaes 7.

Lightning: 1. John Cameron 2.

SIOD: 1. Dave Stanger 4, 2. Kurt Hertel 8; 3. Jonathan Hiers 10.

Snipe: 1. Christopher Stang 3; 2. Lewis Seabrook 7.

Opti Blue: 1. Drummond Koppermaes 8; 2. Cameron Gise 17; 3. Sally Key 26.

Opti Green: 1. J. David Hewitt 7; 2. William Manual 17.

Sunfish Junior: 1. Nick Valente 7; 2. Billy Lesemann 9.

Opti Red: Patrick Mazzeo 10; 2. Ellinor Walters 12.

Sunfish Senior: 1. Alan Uram 5; 2. David Loring 8, 3. Reid Cabiness 12.

Y Flyer: 1. Don Hill 1; 2. Jim Davis 2.

Sunfish Masters: 1. Brian Swan 6; 2. Rick Whitehurst 7.