Youth Sailing Foundation (YSF) the 8th Annual Steve Martine Memorial Regatta on Sunday, April 3. Sailing south of the 17th Street Bridge fifty boats, manned by sixty-five sailors, from as far away as the Mid-Keys and Lakeland, took the race courses about noon. After enduring a major wind-shift from west to north-northeast at the start of racing, a steady breeze of 10-12 knots filled-in and made for ideal racing conditions for the 8-18-year old junior sailors.
YSF’s Director of Sailing, Mary Morgan served as overall Race Director and officiated the thirty-five boat Opti racing fleet sailing in two classes. The more advanced sailors competed in the Gold Fleet, while sailors new to regatta racing made up the Silver Fleet. After having to recall the first race because of the weather frontal passage a major wind-shift, the young elementary school age sailors regrouped and got in six races around the mile-long triangle course. YSF, brought home some impressive hardware with Alex Delamarter taking 2nd place and Skyler Dussan 3rd in the Opti Gold.
The fifteen-boat fleet of high school racers in 2-person 420’s competed on a 2-mile offset windward course well south of the bridge. YSF Board Member and lifelong sailboat racer, Skip Willauer, officiated. Seven races were sailed in three hours of close competition. Note the bow to stern overlap between competitors in the accompanying photo. Skipper Nick Crull with Edee Steinkamp aboard as crew took a 2nd place with skipper Denali Herold and crew Luke Franco bringing home a 3rd place trophy.
Youth Sailing Foundation of Indian River County, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit devoted to eliminating cultural and financial barriers to sailing. Please contact Executive Director Stu Keiller at: stu.keiller@ysfirc.org or 772-925-2521 if you would like to learn more about YSF’s free sailing programs.
