Big Inland 2000/Day Two/Tuesday/August 15, 2000

Big news at the Big Inland. But that comes later.

Two races in Class M16 and I-20, three in Class C. Good westerly wind mostly 8-15. Eric Hood took over the lead in the M16 with a 2,1 Tuesday. Pewaukee’s Paul Reinicke won the other race. Top five in the I-20 are all M-20’s with Madison’s Kevin Caulfield placing 2, 1, then Minnetonka’s Chuck Gorgen 1, 2. The asymmetrical-kite-rigs showed their off-wind prowess in these conditions as the drivers who have learned to sail them deep blasted the running-chute-M-20’s. It seemed these were ideal conditions for tacking-downwind – in less wind the hull doesn’t seem to generate enough speed to offset the longer course sailed, in more wind the chute-guys can run fast straight at the mark. Probably in bigger waves it would be more the advantage to work the gybing angles. But then, everyone has gotta race upwind, and it is here the M-20 crews have the tuning and tactics down. Contest over.

Chris Pinahs (E-99) leads the C-fleet after five races with a 10, 2, 7, 9, 13; David Strothman (M-10) had the best day placing 3, 5, 1 Tuesday, but a first race 31, then 10 keeps him 2.7 points away from regatta first going into Wednesday’s finale. The Pewaukee-fleet is lead by David Koch (V-101) two points back after winning Tuesday’s opener, then 16 and 3. Doug Mills (V800) stands fourth with 3, 6, 4, 37, 6 and Jim Gluek (V-137), who has probably passed more boats than anyone this regatta, moves up to fifth placing 9, 31, 2, 21, 10. Jim Tews (A-22), Art Larson (I-26), Kent Haeger (B-12), Tom Eckert (A-36), and Augie Barkow (E-77) complete the top ten of the awe-inspiring 93-boat fleet. Favorites took black flags, including two each to Peter Keck (B-2), Chris Jewett (UM-7) and Peter Strothman (M-19).

Erick Youngquist’s win in Race Four was the Big News. Sailing I-49 with Nathan Quist and Bri Porter, the young Geneva crew battled a group of four other boats to the wire in a crowd pleasing finish. Putting up a fierce challenge were Sam Rogers (M-42), Ed Eckert (A-136), Bill Nicholas (Z-3) and David Strothman (M-10). Tony Jewett (UM-55) was up there earlier in the W 2 ½. The south side of the course proved to have the better angle while the north side had more velocity. It kinda went this way most of the day. It was a great win in a hard-hiking race, with little lulls to make one wonder what exactly was going-on.

Meanwhile Candace Porter, of home lake Beulah, keeps registration on the straight-and–narrow, as well as leading her team (or doing it herself) in getting those race finishes and results to the competitors as fast as the numbers and decisions come her way. Couldn’t do it without her. Great Thanks!

Wednesday sees the final race in each fleet….then the E’s and MC’s arrive in large number (60-80 fleets expected in each)……..E’s aim for a 3pm start.. A cooler day (that’s good)….. more northerly………………………………………...M. Kurzawa