High Winds at Tahoe ILCA Championship

ILCA sailors from around Lake Tahoe and the Bay Area gathered in Tahoe on September 12–13 for the popular annual ILCA Championship (International Laser Class Association). Crews were ready for a weekend of great racing, camaraderie and our spectacular venue. This year, however, Tahoe delivered a little more wind than anyone had ordered!

While 10 races for each of three divisions were planned over the two-day regatta, Saturday’s races were canceled due to high winds and even stronger gusts, making racing too risky for the sailors. However, the planned Saturday evening BBQ went ahead as scheduled, and everyone gathered at TYC to enjoy the camaraderie ashore. A highlight of the evening was the traditional “Whitey Cup” award, presented to John Siegel for his over-the-top enthusiasm and support of sailboat racing.

Sunday got an early start in hopes of making up some of the canceled racing. With winds of 20–25 knots and gusts into the 30s, conditions were still iffy, but the race committee managed to squeeze in three races for each of the ILCA 4, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 divisions. Given the high winds, completing three races was a victory in itself!

After the remaining races were canceled, the competitors gathered at the Lake Forest Boat Launch for championship awards, wrapping up a wild and memorable weekend of ILCA racing on Lake Tahoe.

You can find the full results for the regatta here.