Mike Hester and John Mayall coped with shifting Tempe Town Lake wind better than 8 other competitors Saturday (5/13) to take the 2017 Club Championship trophy.
This is Mike’s and John’s third Club Championship. Three other club champions finished second-fourth: Martin Lorch, Paul Miachika, and Dave Haggart. Mike and John will be formally presented the trophy at the Commodore’s Celebration at The Yard in Tempe on Friday night, June 9.
TTL challenged all 9 teams with wind that ranged from light to puff-me-over, shifting from east to west, but usually blowing from the southeast, enough wind confusion that the race committee was constantly debating where to set the course.
All the top teams had a rough race or two, being called OCS and having to catch up or having to overcome a missed puff. Mike and John managed to work their way through the fleet on those bad starts to minimize the impact—and then were able to sprint out to the lead on other races, winning three. See the scores below. And here are three dozen pictures of the racing.
Congratulations to all 9 teams and thanks to the many people who pitched in to bring off the successful day. Race committee: PRO Mike Ferring, Mike Bernard, Lori Reger, Vanessa Wisbaum, Tony Chapman, and George Sheller. Chief Hospitality Officer Maryellen Ferring with Larry Green, Dave Henning, Ralph Vatalaro, and a couple others who will escape unnamed.
| Sailor | Race 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Total |
| Hester | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 18 |
| Lorch | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 24 |
| Miachika | 6 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 28 |
| Haggart | 5 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 28 |
| Richards | 4 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | DNS 10 | 41 |
| Worrall | 3 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 42 |
| Heisler | 9 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 52 |
| Rahn | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 8 | OCS | 6 | 62 |
| Liszewski | 7 | 8 | RET | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | 75 |
