2009 Al Morris Regatta

2009 Al Morris Regatta

Hosted by Willamette Sailing Club on Yale Reservoir

August 22 & 23, 2009

Otto Keller returns and Team Runyan repeats as Fleet 25 Champion at Al Morris Regatta

Mother Nature cooperated beautifully Aug 22 and 23 for Willamette Sailing Club’s annual Al Morris Memorial Regatta. Nine Lido’s competed under sunny skies and steady winds.

Saturday started out with typical winds of 8-10 knots on majestic Yale Reservoir in Washington State under the shadow of Mount St. Helens. Water was low due to maintenance on Merwin Dam above Yale, which made launching at Cougar campground tricky. Most chose the power-boat infested ramp down the road, which didn’t prove much better.

Notable this year was the return of six-time Fleet 25 Champ Otto Keller, who took a short (15+ year) break from Lido sailing. But he picked up a nice 4000 series boat this year and is looking fit.

Ron and Nicole dominated the racing Saturday, taking three bullets and a sixth (after stopping, along with Toby and Barbara King of Anacortes WA, to assist Fred Jenson who had a nasty downwind capsize). Lorin Moentenich took the bullet in race four. Allan Stults and Terry Sellers were on their game too, and ended the day with four second place finishes.

After racing, Fred Jenson broke his rudder at the “other” dock, so we all vowed to make a go of it at Cougar on Sunday, which turned out fine since the water rose overnight. Fred was able to borrow a rudder for Sunday - care of Gerry Monroe.

Saturday night dinner was great fun, though an apparently very hungry dog tied to a slightly overlong leash ate (yes ate) a huge hole in Terry Seller’s tent. He was a good sport though (Terry, that is) and didn’t mind our uncontrolled laughter in the least.

The wind blew harder Sunday; starting at 10 and building to about 14. The Runyans took race 5, but Mark and Cathy Sandifer took off to the right on the first leg of race 6 and got way ahead, easily hanging on for the victory.

In race 7, Otto Keller moved into first near the windward mark and extended his lead on the downwind leg as the Runyans duked it out with Allan and Terry, who were fast downwind all weekend. On the final leg, team Runyan managed to gain ground. As the Runyans made their final tack on to starboard about 400 yards from the finish, Ron saw Otto (with crew Gerry Monroe) approaching on port, slightly ahead, but unable to cross. Otto lee-bowed, but left just enough space for the Runyans to pull dead even for the 200 yard sprint to the finish. The Runyans managed to hang on in Otto’s disturbed air and gave him just a touch of shadow to pull ahead by about 2 feet at the finish; just one of many close finishes over the weekend, and definitely a sign that Otto will be tough to beat with another regatta or two under his belt.

Next year the Al Morris regatta is the District IV Championship, so mark your calendar. Think Huntington Lake without the long drive, and showers in the campground! That’s what we have. It’s a terrific place to sail Lido’s.

Report Submitted by:

Ron Runyan, Fleet 25 (Portland, OR) Captain

Pos	Skipper	Club	Sail#	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	T
1^st	Ron Runyan	WSC	6131	1	1	1	(6)	2	1	1	1	8
2^nd	Allen Stults	EYC	5071	2	2	2	2	(3)	3	2	3	16
3^rd	Mark Sandifer	WSC	3157	4	3	3	4	1	4	(6)	2	21
4^th	Otto Keller	Unattached	4156	5	6	(8)	5	5	2	3	4	30
5^th	Lorin Moentenich	WSC	3997	(7)	5	6	1	6	6	4	5	33
6^th	Tobey King	AYC	6132	6	7	5	7	7	5	(DNS)	DNS	37
7^th	Fred Jensen	WSC	4522	3	4	4	(DNF)	4	8	7	10	38
8^th	Everett Hobson	WSC	4266	8	8	7	3	8	7	5	6	44
9^th	Mich Dickens	Unattached	3463	9	(DNS)	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	69

Pos