Brett McKenzie Melges took first place overall in the Barefoot Open.
The weather forced the 52nd Annual Barefoot Open into a 1-day event, but it didn’t stop the camaraderie among the hardy sailors and crews who showed up the weekend of Hurricane Isaias.
Although the race committee abandoned Saturday’s races because of rain and high winds, officials said participants still enjoyed ancillary events planned for the weekend, which took place at Lake Lanier Sailing Club.
“Winds were clocked at between 15 knots and 40 knots,” said Matt Geiger, race captain for Barefoot Sailing Club. “Sunday the winds were still brisk, but with the maximum gusts around 25, gray skies and white caps, the lake provided good conditions and a great challenge.”
Here are the results of Sunday’s races:
- Spinnaker Fleet (four races): Brent McKenzie, First place on a Melges 24/Ex-Kahn; Ben Owens, Second place on a J-80/Meraki; and Mike Tararis, Third place on an F10M/Tigress.
- Low PHRF (three races): Kathey Paes, First place on an Islander Peterson 40/Taka; Charles Lumpkin, Second place on a Beneteau Oceanis 38.1/Camelot; Ryan Jones, Third place, on a JeanneauSO35/Peregrine.
- High PHRF (three races): Jim Chambers, First place on a Beneteau 285/Wind Spinner; Manuel DeArmas, Second place on a Hunter 310/Indy J; David Wright, Third place on an O’Day 28/Sails Call.
The Barefoot Open is the signature lake-side regatta for Barefoot Sailing Club.
Membership is open to sailors and non-sailors. More info about BSC: barefootsailingclub.org.
Photo: by Norman Plotkin
