Delgato first LYC finisher in Cape-to-Cape Challenge
Carlos, skippered by Tom Lord of Corinthian Yacht Club of Cape May, N.J., brought home the coveted Cape-to-Cape Challenge Cup after two days of racing on both sides of Delaware Bay. The 14th annual event, founded by Lord and Lewes Yacht Club’s Nick Carter, featured two buoy races Aug. 6 off Cape May, and sailors left early Aug. 7 in a race across the bay to the finish in front of the Lewes Yacht Club.
Three LYC boats swept the awards in Class B – performance cruisers with spinnakers. Carter and his crew on Delgato took top honors after three races and also finished first in their class in the Saturday race across the bay. In the class, Iris, skippered by Hattie Warwick-Smith, was second and Mahal, skippered by John Nelson, was third.
In Class C – performance cruisers without spinnakers, Leopolis, another Lewes boat, finished third.
The challenge belonged to Carlos. The boat finished first in Class A – racer cruisers, and was also the first boat across the bay in the Saturday race to capture the cup.
Other LYC finishers included: Class A, Balance, skippered by Richard Beebe, ninth; Class B, Dave Cerney and crew, fourth; and Delilah, skippered by Heath Gehrke, fifth.
Top five finishers
Class A, racer cruisers: 1. Carlos, Tom Lord, Corinthian; 2. Goofyfoot, John Wilsey, Corinthian; 3. Mini Max, Patricia Schulze/Matthew York, Corinthian; 4. Another White Lie, Chip Rapp, Corinthian; 5. Salty Goat, Jacob Gublo, Corinthian.
Class B, performance cruisers with spinnaker: 1. Delgato, Nick Carter, Lewes; 2. Iris, Hattie Warwick-Smith, Lewes; 3. Mahal, John Nelson, Lewes; 4. Dave Cerney, Lewes; 5. Delilah, Heath Gehrke, Lewes.
Class C, performance cruisers without spinnakers: 1. Solaia, Daniel and Deirdre Murphy, Corinthian; 2. About Time, Robert Pattillo, Corinthian; 3. Leopolis, Askhold Sandursky, Lewes; 4. Step One, Theodore Desantis, Corinthian; 5. Endeavor, William Brady, Corinthian.
Tucker Thompson returns home
Following the awards ceremony, LYC hosted a banquet featuring speaker Tucker Thompson, an award-winning TV/video host and commentator, producer and public speaker, and a member of the United States team on American True in the 2000 America’s Cup.
Thompson, who grew up sailing at LYC and Rehoboth Bay Sailing Association, went to high school in Newport, R.I., and college at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where his team won a national championship.
“I started when I was 8 years old, and my first day out, it changed my whole life,” he said.
He advanced in the professional ranks as a match racer and got the call in 1998 to join the U.S. team.
“Sailing can literally take you around the world. It did that for me. Sailing will transform your life,” Thompson said.
When asked how to get more young people involved, Thompson replied, “It has to be fast, fun and with friends. Racing is not always the answer. The key is to be in love with it.”
Thompson is traveling around the country with his presentation The Cup Experience, which highlights the history of the race dating back to 1851 with special emphasis on the 2021 race won by New Zealand.
