Over the years I have made many trips to Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire. There was a string of five years in which three of them we did not even take the boats off the trailers the whole weekend. But Lake Sunapee is such a beautiful place and the fleet members do such a great job with housing and social events that I come back year after year and I enjoy each visit.

This year’s event was no different, nice weather, great hospitality and some nice racing. With twenty-seven boats attending from eight different fleets we had the makings of a good event.

Saturday dawned partly cloudy with good breeze from the south. Some puffs reached twenty knots. Robin Cook, our race committee chairman, set a nice long windward leeward course. John MacCausland with Bruce Hatfield had a nice lead at the first leeward mark only to be passed by J.B. Braun and George Iverson on the second beat. Braun held on for the win followed by MacCausland and Sandstrom. Race two was sailed in similar conditions on the same course. Early in the race Ron Sandstrom with Steve Braverman built up a good lead only to be passed by MacCausland and Hatfield, who held on for the win and Sandstrom and Braverman in second. Local fleet champion Dave Cook and Mike Wood rounded out the top three.

Saturday night’s famous steak roast is not to be missed. Again Dick Atkinson and his helpers outdid themselves. A great time was had by all, but it was an early night. The day on the water was very long.

Sunday was a completely different day with more sun, less wind but enough to race. The boats that started well at the windward end of the line and played the right side well had good results from the first leg. At the first mark Ron Sandstrom and Steve Braverman were in the lead. MacCausland and Hatfield, Saturday’s Leaders, were well back in the fleet in nineteenth place. As the race went on Josh Phyers and Rob Bowers were able to get by Sandstrom and win the race. Ron and Steve held on for second, followed by Barbara Vosbury and Trapper Lippincott in third.

Ron Sandstrom has been the king of Lake Sunapee over the years. With this years victory he is now the all time leader in wins at the open with five. He passed Joe Duplin who had four.