Norwalk Yacht Club Eastern District Regatta 2024
On June 27th Norwalk Yacht Club hosted the 2024 JSA Eastern Districts Feva-ILCA classes. It was a beautiful day to kick off one of the first regattas of the season. This year Norwalk and Noroton highlighted JSA 100 years on their t-shirts that the competitors received at registration. Two competitors from Pequot, Maggie and Grayson shared that they were excited for the regatta. Easter districts was Grayson’s first time racing in a Laser. Their coach, Caitlyn Schwartz, talked with both competitors about strategy and rigging tips prior to the competitors meeting. Katie Sparkman, committee chair, and her team of volunteers worked hard to get the racers registered and get their coaches and competitors meetings started. The regatta featured 11 different clubs with a total of 61 boats finishing across 4 different classes. Katie had said, “ This year they had the most Laser and Feva registrations that they have had in a long time.” They even had 5 Standard Lasers participate in the regatta.
Principal Race Officers Jan Engelhardtsen and Wes Oliver reviewed the rules of the regatta, including the starting flags and course information. During the competitors’ meeting, racers made way to their boats and started to launch them and make any last minute changes to their rigs. In talking with Anderson and Parker from Housatonic Boat Club, they said, “ We are both excited and nervous.” It was their first regatta and they were ready. They practiced flying their spinnakers the day before and felt okay about flying them during the races.
Eastern Districts is a great place for sailors to experience racing against other clubs early in the summer. The course was a windward start and tack around the mark, then around a weather mark, and a downward leg. The beginning of races were delayed due to the wind shifts. The ILCA Radial’s were able to get in 5 races, the ILCA Standard class was able to get in 4 races, and both Feva and ILCA 4.7 classes were able to complete 3 races. Eastern Districts is a qualifying event for the 2024 JSA championships, but it also seems to be a good regatta for new competitors to get some experience in racing.
View Norwalk’s Eastern Districts results Here
