(Chester, Nova Scotia)- Just south of Halifax, Nova Scotia is one of the
best “social/ party” race weeks on the North American calendar- Chester
Race Week that is being sailed from August 10th to 13th and proudly
hosted by Chester YC. The event is incredibly popular with dozens of
J/sailors in the Canadian Atlantic provinces and for American sailors in
the northeast. This year, the regatta features a one-design J/24 class
and PHRF handicap classes for a J/44, J/27s, J/29s, J/30s, J/100,
J/105s, J/35s, J/120s, J/88 and J/92. Thirty-eight enthusiastic J/crews
are participating, over 1/3 of the entire fleet! 
The
Chester Race Week regatta PRO, Ken Legler (the famous sailing coach
from Tufts University), reports that sailing promises to be fabulous,
fog-free, sunny, 70s and wind blowing all week long from the ESE from
8-15 kts. Perfection (see picture at right)? Well, sure if you believe
that pigs can fly! Nevertheless, Chester sailors have experienced
those conditions over the course of time and everyone hopes that it’s
not the converse that can sometimes plague the eastern reaches of Nova
Scotia- namely, fog and no wind.The seven-boat J/24 class features many hot ‘Scotian sailors like Ben Rubarth’s DARK STAR, Casey LeBlanc’s LOWLIFE, David Wedlake’s BARELY LEGAL and Ross Romney’s RUSH HOUR.
Sailing in the twenty-three boat PHRF >99 Division is a range of classic J’s and new sportboats. Sam Lamey’s J/27 INCORRIGIBLE will be chasing the likes of seven J/29s, like Paul Dexter’s PAINKILLER, Don William’s PARADIGM SHIFT, Chris MacDonald’s SCOTCH MIST IV, and Carl Davis’ JAH MON. They will be joined by two J/30s- Jesleine Baker’s JUST ADD WATER and Bruce Moore’s RATTLE & HUM. As the little boats, Dale Roberton’s J/80 GOAT WHISPERER and Bill Adams’ J/70 RE-DEMPTION will have their work cut out for them to hang in with their bigger stablemates.
The
thirty-two boat PHRF <99 Division has an enormous range of boats,
from 29’ to 45’ overall. The class features Peter Bethune’s J/100 BABE,
three J/105s (Richard Gerstenberger’s AXIS, Rory MacDonald’s McMAC,
& Jim Mosher’s MOJO); five J/120s (Ross Leighton’s BLACK PEARL,
Richard Calder’s BRILLIANCE, Stu McCrea’s DEVIATION, Mike Kennedy’s
GRAND CRU, & Ron Stewart’s SLICE); six J/35s (Evan Petley-Jones’
HARRIER, Andrew Childs’ HELOC, Rod Johnstone/ Gary Bennett’s J’AI TU,
Thane MacDonald’s JHAWK, Richard Oulton’s WHISTLER’S AIR & Peter
Traves’ CRACKERJACK); Jim Snair’s J/88 DEEP BIGHT and Colin Mann’s J/92
POOHSTICKS.In the fourteen-boat PHRF ToT “white sails” division, is the J/44 AKUBRA skippered by Reginald Goodday from Halifax. For more Chester Race Week sailing information
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