Rob Fowler Wins 1997 Midwinters:
by Bob McGrath # 525
On a beautiful North Carolina weekend in mid-March nine boats
gathered to compete on Lake Norman for the Sixth Annual S-2 Midwinters. Although
the turn-out was somewhat light, the racing was excellent. The temperature was
in the mid 50's on Saturday when four out-of-town- boats (Tennessee, Colorado
and 2 from Michigan) began racing in 13-15 mph winds for the first of three
races. The fist race was a short WL to get everyone warmed up and used to the
competition. John Musa jumped out to an early lead followed by Bob McGrath, both
of whom managed to find a really big hole and decided to wait until the rest of
the fleet caught up to begin racing again. Steve Simpson from LNYC managed to
get the first in the first race. In the second race, the unstoppable team on Crime
Scene sailed a great WL twice around to take the first. The third race
brought a new 7.9 sailor, Rob Fowler from Hixson (where in the heck is that),
Tennessee to the front of the pack after finishing 3 and 4 in the first two
races. That bullet put Rob in first place at the end of Saturday's racing.
Special kudos go to Bruce Krause and his crew of One for handling some pretty
strong winds and managing to finish all three races, including all the spinnaker
work- a couple of tired guys at the end of the day.
Fleet #20 hosted a great dinner with the usual beverages served
and later some of the crews headed into Charlotte for some Diamond-Studded
entertainment. My, my, how those sailors love their shore leave.
On Sunday, the winds were about the same, but the temperature
started out at about 36 degrees, but warmed to the mid 40's. The first race on
Sunday was another WL and John Musa put a good start together with great boat
handling to take the first. Finally a bullet for Tac Boston on Lake Norman! The
final race on Sunday turned out to be a Lulu. Every boat let the race at one
time or another. The wind went patchy and location was the key to going fast.
Sometimes on the right, sometimes on the left and sometimes in the middle. But
in the end, Rob Fowler guessed right most often and took his second first of the
weekend, and the regatta overall.
Fleet #20 was happy to have hosted the Midwinter Regatta again
and look forward to a repeat in 1998. Bob McGrath invited all 7.9 sailors to
bring their boats to Lake Norman for the Carolina Keelboat One-Design Regatta in
early November and leave their boats at Lake Norman Yacht Club through the
winter and return to race the 1998 Midwinters.
1997 S2 7.9 Midwinters
March 15&16, 1997
| Name: . . . . . . . Race# |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 . . . . |
Total |
| Rob Fowler |
3 |
4 |
.75 |
3 |
.75 |
11.5 |
| Steve Simpson |
.75 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
11.75 |
| John Musa |
7 |
6 |
2 |
.75 |
5 |
20.75 |
| Bob McGrath |
2 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
21 |
| Mark Robinson |
6 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
23 |
| Shoemaker/Keith |
4 |
.75 |
5 |
7 |
8 |
24.75 |
| Mara Malakoff |
8 |
8 |
9 |
9 |
2 |
36 |
| Bruce Krause |
5 |
9 |
7 |
6 |
9 |
36 |
| Gene Lane |
9 |
7 |
8 |
8 |
7 |
39 |