The 2011 Albacore Mid Winter Championships were held March 18-20 at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron in Sarasota, Florida. A total of 19 boats made the 14-24 hour trip south, including 12 boats from Canada. This was the largest of the 4 fleets that attended the regatta.
Conditions were excellent for all three days with moderate winds, sunny skies, and temperatures reaching 26-27°C each day. As with previous years, the Sarasota Sailing Squadron was a great host and many people camped at the club.
A sea breeze came up during the afternoon on the first day of racing just in time for the 1pm start. A total of 4 windward-leeward races were run. Competition was very tight, with only 5 point separating second and eighth place at the end of the day. The sea breeze came in again for the second day of racing and built all afternoon to approximately 12 knots. 4 windward-leeward races run. For the last day, the Albacores raced a triangle course and 3 races were run in the easterly breeze.
Looking forward, the racing season is fast approaching with a packed schedule that includes a regatta or training clinic on practically every weekend from mid-May to mid-October. The weekly Friday club series in Toronto will begin on May 6th and is expected to draw an average of over 40 boats with peaks of 50-60 boats in the summer. Additional details may be found at http://albacore.ca.
The highlight of the season will be the International Championships, being held from September 16th to 23rd in Toronto. A 50-70 boat fleet is expected with an exciting week is being planned with great sailing and social events. Additional details may be found on the Internationals website at http://albacore.org/intls.
See you on the water.
Ken Yamazaki Second Vice Commodore, Canadian Albacore Association
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