The GBCA Cannon - September Issue

by Chris Kelley

mojo The 2007 Galveston Bay Cruising Association (GBCA) Woman's Regatta on September was an exciting one. This unique GBCA race states that a woman should be on the helm at all times while racing. 11 boats competed this year, ranging in size from J22's to a pair of J109's. If you missed the event this year, you missed a treasure of goodies! The ladies of GBCA we really pampered in this regatta, with the C&C Sailmaker skippers packets filled with hand, foot and lip balm products from Arbonne, citrus pealers and pearing knifes from Pampered Chef, and 10% discount certificates at La DE DA Fine Lingerie!

Out on the water, the first race started in light air, with a series of embedded cumulus clouds maturing to the northeast and providing a challenge to tacticians and the race committee throughout the day. This system dissipated and moved north, only later to partially reform over La Porte, and provided to be a big influence on both direction and wind speed. The few boats that went left toward the weather on the first weather leg were rewarded with significant gains. Halfway thru race one, the wind jumped to from 7 knots to approximately 15 knots, forcing a headsail change on several boats. The bigger and heaver J109 boats took advantage of the increased velocity and accompanying wind shift, to stretch their legs and place 1^st and 2^nd in the first race.

For the 2nd race ,the winds continued and the Galveston Bay chop built, again favoring the bigger J109's. The J22's who came out to practice for the Woman's Rolex Keelboat Championship, got a good opportunity to see what November's Mojo sailed by Vicky Rhyne

conditions might have in store!

The 3^rd race proved the most exciting of all, with a crowded starting line near the committee boat. "Mojo" was forced over early and had to turn back to restart. The wind began to taper for most competitors halfway thru the second weather leg. "Mojo"was quietly on a roll and made up the lost ground very quickly, going from dead last in the fleet to engage the lead J109 "Sea Trial" helmed by last years winner, Jody Henry. The result was essentially a J109 match race on the last downwind leg. Such close competition proved to be spectacular finish, with "Mojo" a boat length ahead! The feud was settled between the J109's who placed 6^th and 8^th in race 3, but the rest of the fleet was still in hot pursuit for 1^st place in the last race. When the dust settled, Andrea Pola who traveled from Cape Cod to race with her friends, showed her winning form on J80 "Kicks" and won the final race. In the end, it was was the third and final race of the day that proved to be the closest of the three races run in the regatta.

Along with the overall, other fleets scored that we're scored we're the J22's and J80's.

In the J80's Andrea Pola, with such a strong 3^rd race finish, managed to fend off long time rival and good friend Beverly Caldwell on "Cluster" and win the J80 class . In the J22 class, Janet Ruder finished last not just among the J22's but among the entire fleet for the first race. Digging out of a deep hole, Janet and crew turned things around and made the biggest comeback of the day. Janet took bullets in the J22 class for both the second and third race and secured an overall first place in the J22 fleet.

womens2007 In the end, it was Vicky Rhyne who won the perpetual trophy followed by defending champions, Andrea Pola and Jody Henry.