Posted October 15
The Pumpkin Regatta is a favourite “end of season” regatta for sailors from FYC and for sailors from out of town. In the past, the regatta has been held in all kinds of weather: from driving rain, heavy winds, and even snow. This year’s forecast for the regatta proved to be a little different – though, with a changing climate, perhaps this is not so different after all.
London was in the midst of a fall heat wave. Temperatures were in the mid to high 20’s and the sun was bright and strong. And the winds you ask? Almost nil.
The regatta took place on Saturday, September 30 and Sunday, October 1. There was a great crowd of sailors in several different classes eager to get the racing under way. Some came from Sudbury, the Windsor area, the GTA, Waterloo area, etc. The classes were:
- CS 22
- Open B (Sirius 22, Paceship 19, Edel 540, Tanzer 22)
- Laser
- Y-Flyer
- Wayfarer
- Laser Radial where there was also a nice showing by some of the FYC Sailing School Race Team
The race committee managed to get one solitary slow race in late Saturday morning and that was it. The wind completely died.
Of course, sailors will socialize when ashore and a fun time was had by all. FYC volunteers served up a delicious Turkey Dinner on Saturday night and many yarns about past regattas were spun I’m sure.
Sadly, Sunday was a No Go as well as there was even less wind than Saturday!
The winners of the only race were announced once the boats were packed up (click here to see the results). The Pumpkin Regatta Trophy was examined afterwards by several sailors who had never seen it before. One of the young visiting racers was heard to exclaim “I’m going to have my name on a trophy like that someday!” An excellent goal! Another young fellow who won the Laser Radial class, Ben, from the Tecumseh area was amazed that his name and class would be etched onto the trophy! I’ll try to post a photo once the engraving is done.
So a hot and non-windy Pumpkin Regatta is in the books. Nobody I spoke with could remember a Pumpkin Regatta that warm…and it’s been held since the 60’s!
Photos below by C. Hone
