Race Results

Inter-Lake Yachting Association and GMC Join Forces to Present 2007 Bay Weeks

In late July, hundreds of boating enthusiasts will head to Lake Erie to participate in the Inter-Lake Yachting Association's (I-LYA) annual GMC I-LYA Bay Week Regattas at Put-in-Bay (Ohio). Newly sponsored by GMC Trucks and supported by West Marine, the GMC I-LYA Bay Week Regattas consist of three events run back-to-back: the Junior Regatta (July 16-21), the Powerboat Regatta (July 26-30) and the Sailing Regatta (July 30-Aug. 1).
Put-in-Bay, the quaint Victorian resort village that lures participants back with its charm and ambience year after year, is located on South Bass Island, Lake Erie's version of Mackinac Island. Another two dozen of the Bass islands -- where Commodore Perry won his famous battle in the War of 1812 and spoke the indelible words "We have met the enemy and they are ours” -- surround it, enhancing the area's beauty and adding to its tactical racing challenges. The Bay Week Regattas, however, are not all about hard-core competition; they also cater to those who prefer extreme recreational fun.
"The Bay Week Regattas are an annual rendezvous opportunity for many of the sailors throughout the Lake Erie region," said I-LYA Commodore Jim Dupre of Riverview Yacht Club. "They offer something for everyone—young, old, male, female, competitive racer, recreational boater. Some of the adults have been participating since they were young kids and run into the same friends they made some 20 years ago."

Contributing to the rich maritime tradition of the area, the I-LYA —formed in 1885 to promote the interest of boat owners and other members — is the oldest yacht racing association in the country. It is also one of the largest, with 146 member yacht clubs located in states that surround Lake Erie: Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and the Canadian province of Ontario.

GMC I-LYA Bay Week Junior Regatta

The GMC I-LYA Bay Week Junior Regatta (Mon., July 16-Sat., 21) at Put-in-Bay features upwards of 160 juniors racing in one-design classes for Thistles, CFJs and Lasers. With the boats being of the same design within each class, the emphasis is on skill rather than on equipment. The Junior Regatta, which has been held anually for over 50 years, also is a stepping stone to US SAILING's national junior sailing championships for the Sears Cup, Bemis and Smythe Trophies, serving as Area E Quarter Finals for these ladder events.

GMC I-LYA Bay Week Power Boat Regatta

Since 1908 when the Class C speed boat Rainmaker won the main event at an average speed of 22.04 knots, the I-LYA Bay Week Power Boat Regatta (Thurs., July 26-Mon., July 30) has been one of the most festive and fun family events on Lake Erie. Contests include predicted log races and other tests of seamanship such as docking, maneuvering (including the "chicane" sequence of tight serpentine curves), compass navigation, weather forecasting, and the "flying mile." There is also a Commodore's Trophy, Junior Navigation Contest, Canoe and Inflatable Races, Miniature Golf Outing, Kids Fishing Derby, Softball Game and Golf Scrambles. A party for the adults, sponsored by Captain Morgan Rum, is also a welcome favorite on the events list.

GMC I-LYA Deepwater Races

Feeder races on Friday, July 27 (starting in Cleveland); Saturday, July 28 (Sandusky, Port Clinton and Toledo); and Sunday, July 29 (Detroit) will send their fleets through the challenging waters around the Bass Islands to the bustling waterfront of Put-in-Bay, where the GMC I-LYA Bay Week Sailing Regatta will begin on Monday, July 30.

GMC I-LYA 114th Bay Week Sailing Regatta

With a tradition of 114 years behind it, the GMC I-LYA Bay Week Sailing Regatta has long been a proving ground for some of the best sailors and fastest boats on the Lakes. Racing enthusiasts, from pre-teens to veterans of 30 or more years, compete in classes for Handicap (LE-PHRF, JAM, MORC, Offshore Multihull); One-Design (Interlake, Thistle, JY15); Offshore One-Design (Tartan 10, J/22, J/24, J/105); and One-Design Centerboard & Catamaran. There's even a Cruising Class with optional casual racing.

Sailing Regatta festivities begin Sunday afternoon, July 29, as regatta entrants arrive at Put-in-Bay. Some sailors casually cruise to the Bay over the weekend, while others choose to compete in feeder races called Deepwater Races. Whether cruising or racing to the Bay, the boats dock at the Put-in-Bay City Docks in the area reserved for Bay Week competitors (docking is included in entry fees).
Monday, July 30, through Wednesday, Aug. 1, is dedicated to racing. The many moods of Lake Erie typically require sailors to negotiate challenging shifts in winds, current and notorious chop while navigating around islands and reefs. The event traditionally has served as national championships for various championships, and sailors look forward to Boat of the Day awards presented by GMC. After racing, they can revel in the many shoreside activities on tap, including the Deepwater Awards, daily awards, Captain Morgan Rum party, Sailors' Steak Fry and Ladies Tea.

Second Annual Tri-Area Challenge

Open to all racing classes participating in the GMC I-LYA Bay Week Sailing Regatta, the Second Annual Tri-Area Challenge will be decided among teams from Detroit, Western Lake Erie Basin and Cleveland. Boats registered for the regatta will be automatically eligible and included in the scoring for no additional fee.

The winning area will receive a cash prize of $1000 to be distributed to that area's Junior programs, along with a case of Captain Morgan Rum for the sailors GMC, the brand name used on trucks, vans, and SUVs marketed in North America and the Middle East by General Motors, is General Motors' second largest selling light vehicle division.

For more information visit http://www.i-lya.com, or for information on the Junior Regatta, contact Ron Spies at r.spies@gm.com; on the Sailing Regatta, contact Ed Skoch at ejskoch@comcast.net; on the Power Boat Regatta, contact John Stewart at jdnna@sbcglobal.net.
 

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