Cherry Blossom 2012 Results

Well the 2012 Cherry Blossom – Midwinters ISCA Championship was a huge success.  We had 18 Interlake boats sail the regatta.  Special thanks goes out to Martin Howell and Doug Savage for organizing this event.  It was great to see everyone and quite a special treat to sail in our nation’s capital.

Bill Smith and myself, Mike McClinchie, drove into Washington D.C. from Columbus with the Kilpatrick’s on Thursday.  Terry and Karen were pulling the newest Interlake 1428 for Skip Dieball.  On Friday Bill and I went out for cruise on the Potomac River for a couple hours.  We saw Marine One flying practice runs and saw the US Capitol, Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial.  Friday night we had a about 55 people show up for dinner in Alexandria.

Saturday racing was fantastic.  We had sunny skies, temperatures in the mid seventies and winds from the south at 10-12mph with gusts a little higher.  The sailing was tight all day long.  From my vantage point in the middle of the fleet it seemed like the downwind legs is where the top of the fleet pulled away.  Downwind many sailors were banging the left side corner, but I recall twice when Skip Dieball and Paul Abdullah went way right and made out quite well and even did some surfing off a huge wake.

In all we had five races on Saturday and due to inclement weather no racing on Sunday.  Skip and Paul who traded off at the helm were very consistent and sailed amazing. They had 4 bullets out of 5 races.  The top five in order were;

1. Skip and Paul Abdullah
2. Steve and Lisa Aspery, Jamie Jones
3. Scott and Rick Savage
4. AJ Savage, two nephews ??
5. Jeff Clark, Tim Cullenen and Kristen C.

(help me with names – email at mike1424@me.com)