Jack Ward Wins Snowbird Tuneup

Jack Ward of the host Punta Gorda Fleet handled 21 competitors to win the second annual Snowbird Tuneup Regatta on Thursday, February 27th. RD, Dave Brawner and the team of Art Hawes, Paul Newfield and Fred in the Boat, ran a terrific show with 16 heats in the odds and evens format.

In second was Frank Vella, of Naples, who bought his used Laser two days before the regatta. He even made a lifting stick the night before the regatta. Frank is the Soling Class Secretary and a top sailor in the Soling and EC12 classes. We welcome him to the RC Laser Class. Scott Loesel came over from East Florida for the day to grab third with Nick Mortgu and Dave Branning in 4th and 5th respectively.

Weather for the early part of the day was looking ominous as the clouds threatened but never delivered the rain. Thanks to Nick Mortgu who organized the regatta for the 2nd year in a row. We all sported our skipper gift sun hats for the final picture above.

This was the second leg of the Snowbird Series, which started last Sunday in Coconut Creek, FL. The next report will be the third leg, the 11th Annual Marco Island Midwinter Championship. Here’s the Snowbird Tuneup Results below.

RESULTS
Place	Sail Number	Skipper	Points
1	148	Jack Ward	12
2	21	Frank Vella	20
3	44	Scott Vella	21
4	00	Nick Mortgu	22
5	93	Dave Branning	23
6	22	Joe Hitchings	24
7	732	Hank Buchanan	25
8	41	Jim Karr	28
9	79	Harry Henkel	28
10	77	Steve Hopkins	33
11	112	Jim DeSano	34
12	25	Gary Sharp	35
13	99	Roger Baldwin	29
14	68	Janice Anderson	29
15	36	TG Wald	49
16	43	Dave Shaw	53
17	75	Chuck Kuhn	53
18	23	Larry Lefczik	55
19	218	Theresa Rae Gay	56
20	12	Dave Martens	59
21	W27	Bill Biersach	DNF
22	91	Frank Jeffens	DNF