Friday, August 22, 2014

J/24 BANDIT Wins “Race To Pub”!

Happy J/24 sailors off Roanoke, Virginia (Roanoke, VA)- Patty Cliborne came out of retirement on Aug. 2 to sail the Blackwater Yacht Racing Association “Race to the Pub” with her son, Glenn, on the J/24 BANDIT. The Cliborne boat prevailed in what was a close battle with the crew of BOOGIE BOARD for most of the race.

The race was sailed from Lakestone on Bull Run, around marker BU5, back to the Blackwater River and to the finish at Crazy Horse Marina. A post-race party and awards presentation was hosted by the Mexico Viejo staff for the combined crews, which totaled more than 35.

Happy J/24 winners in Race to PubThis year’s Race to the Pub was sailed in a very light breeze, but the fleet completed the 4-mile course in two to three hours.

Third place also was hotly contested between Warren Theis’ Gotcha and Don Shelton’s Liberty. The two boats sailed less than 20 feet apart for the last half mile. In the end, Gotcha crossed first, but the hull brushed the finish mark resulting in a penalty, making Liberty the winner of the coveted six-pack of beer!

It would be hard to pick a star of the race; nominees are Patty Cliborne, who came back to racing after over 15 years (she is a rock star to many!); and Hunter Becerra, just 9 years old, who co-skippered his first race on the J/24 BOOGIE BOARD with Mike Maloney and Hunter’s parents, Courtenay and Maurice Becerra.  Thanks for the contribution by Pete Phillip