Exciting Regatta News for 2008!

We have some exciting news to tell you about the Southern Chesapeake Leukemia Cup Regatta series.  Last year our event received nationwide recognition as the Third Highest Net Income fundraiser out of 43 Regattas held throughout the country with a total raised of $165,000.  We consider this quite an achievement since most Regattas draw from much larger metropolitan areas.  Incredibly, only those held in San Francisco and Chicago compiled more impressive records. 

This year, our objective is to be number one in the nation.  And that’s why we are asking for your help in promoting our Regatta amongst your membership.

Although the Southern Bay Chesapeake Leukemia Cup Regatta has been based at the Fishing Bay Yacht Club following the first year of its inception at the Hampton Yacht Club almost 10 years ago, it is truly intended to be a regional event drawing participants from all over the southern bay to support the cause of patients with blood cancers.  While we have come to expect between 80 – 90 racing yachts in recent years, we feel that there is an opportunity to expand this level of participation if we can get a boost from more southern bay clubs with active sailing programs.  This year our goal is 125+ registered yachts.

There are many reasons that your racers may want to consider attending the Leukemia Cup Regatta this year:

• The Regatta is a sanctioned CBYRA event for all PHRF Spinnaker and Non-Spinnaker classes.  One-design class possibilities include the J-105, J-24, and others with five or more entries.  There is a Classic Division (Full Keel and Fin Keel Divisions subject to number of entries) and a Leukemia Class for cruising boats for more laid-back racing.  Boats in Classic and Leukemia Classes will be assigned ratings if they do not already have a PHRF certificates.

• In contrast to earlier years of the event offering only one day of racing, there are now multiple races over a two-day period with daily trophies awarded as well as overall trophies on the final day for the series.
• Gary Jobson, national Honorary Chairman of the Leukemia Cup Regattas, will be on hand for the awards presentation on the final day, and each trophy winner will be photographed receiving his award from Gary.
• In another major change from events in prior years, all activities, including the Auction Friday night and the Gala on Saturday night with great musical entertainment, will be centered at the Fishing Bay Yacht Club rather than at destinations in town requiring transportation for captains and crew. Subject to availability, visiting yachts can enjoy access to slips at our Jackson’s Creek facilities or raft up at the end of the piers.  For those preferring to swing at anchor in Jackson Creek or Fishing Bay, launch service can be provided.
• The Fishing Bay Yacht Club is better equipped than ever to handle major regional events with its enlarged clubhouse, expanded property footprint, and a renovated pool facility.  Evidence of this was the hugely successful 50^th Anniversary Flying Scot North American Championships last summer with 120 boats for which the club earned an extensive spread in Sailing World magazine and US Sailing’s 2007 One-Design Regatta of the Year Award.
• Finally, we are aware that many southern bay boats travel north to the Screwpile Regatta at Soloman’s Island scheduled the weekend following the Leukemia Cup Regatta this year.  We believe that the Leukemia Cup Regatta at FBYC would not only offer a perfect midpoint layover for the Screwpile Regatta but also a excellent racing tune-up for the conditions expected to prevail at Screwpile.

Summarizing the Regatta schedule this year:

Auction at the Fishing Bay Yacht Club           Friday evening, July 11

Regatta at the Fishing Bay Yacht Club            Saturday & Sunday, July 12-13

Gala at the Fishing Bay Yacht Club                Saturday evening, July 12

Presenting Co-sponsors:  SunTrust Bank & Riverside Health Systems

We cordially invite your members to be with us this year for this important 10^th anniversary event and would appreciate anything you can do to publicize the 2008 Leukemia Cup Regatta at your club.  Thank you.  Additional information and registration is available online at www.fbyc.net or www.leukemiacup.org/va or call (757) 723-2676.

Leukemia Cup Draws Enthusiastic Participants

The 9^th Annual Southern Chesapeake Leukemia Cup Regatta held in Deltaville over the weekend of July 6 -8 was a rousing success with 80 registered yachts and enthusiastic crowds at the Auction and Gala who helped raise over $177,500 in cash and in kind donations to support patients with blood cancers. The total raised came not just from the sailors who competed on the racecourse but also from area business sponsors, led by the presenting sponsor SunTrust Bank, and many individual community supporters of all the Leukemia Cup events that began in the early spring and culminated with the Regatta in Deltaville. And folks still have the opportunity to continue Regatta fundraising until August 31. The Regatta was again co-hosted by Fishing Bay Yacht Club, Stingray Harbour Yacht Club, and York River Yacht Club.

The racing fleets endured lots of sun and warm light to medium breezes in a four race – two day format officiated by principal race officer Brooks Zerkel of the Fishing Bay Yacht Club.  Overall awards for the top three boats in each division were presented on Sunday afternoon.

J105:

PHRF A:

PHRF B/C:

PHRF Non-Spin:

Classic:

Cruising:

The never coveted Bent Rudder Award for questionable seamanship went to team Mojito on the Non-Spinnaker course.  The vessel’s navigator, a Deltaville printing and publishing magnate, apparently failed to correctly interpret the course board on the committee boat suffering Mojito the indignity of sailing two extra and unnecessary legs in the third race, a race, according to the aggrieved skipper, she was destined to win had it not been for the impaired visual acuity of the crew.

 But the action at this year’s Leukemia Cup was not restricted solely to the racecourse.  With the addition of spacious, billowing tents at the Stingray Point Marina, members of the Stingray Harbour Yacht Club and other volunteers transformed a grassy field on Friday night into the site for the event’s awesomely popular fund-raising auction and on

Saturday into the site for the Leukemia Cup’s Gala celebration with food, beverages, and entertainment.  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is extremely grateful to the owners of the marina for providing a site for the Regatta activities that was large enough to accommodate parking for the many attendees of these increasingly popular events.

 The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society once again was overwhelmed with the level of enthusiasm from the host yacht clubs, the Deltaville and Middlesex communities, the racing participants, and other supporters who make this annual event possible. Co-chairs Carolyn Norton Schmalenberger and Judy Buis wish to sincerely thank all those who contributed to this important effort to help eradicate blood cancers. 

 It is hard to believe that, next summer, the Leukemia Cup Regatta will commemorate its 10^th year of successful fundraising efforts for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Total funds through last year’s event totaled over $1,000,000, and, with the gratifying results of the 2007 Regatta, we are well on our way toward the $2,000,000 mark.