(Dallas, TX)- Yet another Dallas Race Week goes down in the history
books the 34th edition again considered an unqualified success amongst
the many happy evening racers on Lake Ray Hubbard just southeast of
downtown Dallas. Hosted by the only three yachts clubs on the lake
(Chandlers Landing YC, Bayview YC & Rush Creek YC), the one race per
night “pursuit race” style format over a 5nm random-leg course proved
popular for the local members of the Fortune 500 (ya’know, all those
wild-catters and stuff that own J/22s and J/24s). As usual, the evening
“after-party” was always popular and a great way to relax after a
stressful day at the office rounding up yet another massive herd at the
OK Corral (yes, they do things differently in Texas).While the sailors always seem to have fun, perhaps the biggest beneficiary are the sailors helping support the corporate-sponsored community service projects of the Rockwall Breakfast Rotary Club. The mission is to provide funding for programs that address issues of poverty, hunger, illiteracy and health care affecting the community. The motto is “Sail Into Service” and it is a belief that represents the value placed on teamwork by sailors and community servants throughout history. The main sponsors this year are Gus Sails, The Matteson Realty Group and SailWithScott.com.
Despite the low lake levels (there is a drought of epic proportions in mid-America that eclipse John Steinbeck’s famous novel- “The Dust Bowl”), the sailors still managed by throwing boats on their shoulders or on beach dollies and heaving them into the muddy waters along with frantic catfish leaping for their lives.
While the conditions obviously change radically week to week, witness the fact that Dallas has see tornado’s, baseball-sized hail, freakish sheet lightning and hurricane-force winds just in the last two weeks, it’s “all good” for the sailors on the lake— they always manage to make it work.
In the PHRF B Class, it was pretty apparent that J/sailors almost always seem to “make it work”! Taking class honors was the J/24 FREIGHT DOG, sailed by that dynamic duo of Bob Williams & Pete Pitzer from Chandler’s Landing YC. Their three bullets contributed to a runaway win for their class. Taking third was the J/22 RIJJIJOFRIJIK, skippered by Kathy Kulpers from Chandlers Landing YC. Then, in 6th was the J/24 AUDACITY sailed by George Conklin and in 7th was the J/22 MAUDE skippered by Jim Oursler.For more Dallas Race Week sailing information
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