The 2017 North American Finn Master Championships are less then 1 week away and already the athletes are tuning up for an epic showdown off the shores of North Cape Yacht Club in beautiful LaSalle, MI in the waters of Lake Erie. This year’s Regatta will see 20+ competitors sailing for the chance to be crowned Master Champion. This year’s event is also the 5th regatta on the Great Lakes Championship Series presented by LATIS.
Athletes from all over will converge on the shores of Western Lake Erie representing 9 states and 1 Province and their sailing clubs as far away as the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron in Brisbane Australia.
This years Masters will showcase some of the best Finn sailors in North America. 2017 Finn world master champion in the Legend division ( age 70-79 ) and former Gold Cup winner Henry Sprague traveling from southern California will try to take the championship against a star studded field. This years regatta will be tough to win with a very deep field of athletes. Rob Coutts ( top U.S. boat and 2nd Great Grand Master (age 60-69) at the ’17 worlds as well as the older brother that taught Russell how to sail), Chuck Rudinsky ( 3rd Legend ’17 worlds), Darrell Peck who won the 49th annual Toilet Bowl less then 2 weeks ago, and Steve Landeau from Savannah Georgia fresh off his win at CORK posting 9 straight bullets this past weekend will all be in Michigan for this epic event. Others including Peter Frissell from North Cape and current Great Lakes Champion, 84 year old Super Legend Gus Miller ( who is borrowing a boat that he originally owned when new, a 1976 Vanguard ), John Woodruff ( currently leading the 2017 Great Lakes Championship Series by 1 point), and North Cape Yacht Club Commodore Steve Marrow ( who bought a never sailed Jibetech Lemieux because of this event) will all be seeking the crown of North American Master Champion this weekend.
Practice races and opening ceremony are scheduled for Thursday with racing starting on Friday. The stage is set and the athletes are ready. The time for Bull Shit is over let’s go sailing, good luck to all.
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