SUCCESS OF THE BENETEAU FIRST 36.7 NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA 2026!
A recap of a great regatta by Alice Martin (Painkiller 5, Chicago)
Approaching ABYC (Ashbridges Bay Yacht Club) Monday, Aug 17 on Lake Ontario aboard TENACIOUS-the charter boat for the PAINKILLER crew , we were enthusiastic about the upcoming Regatta. Charles Edgworrth, the Regatta Chair and his committees had provided us full details of the week’s racing schedule and social programs, charter boat availability, and crew pool. Rob Bartholew, the boat owner, described the lovely shoreline scenery that would be the racing location.
Entering the ABYC Harbor we were directed to one of the slips reserved for the 36.7s participating in the regatta. Our dock partner was Charles and eventually we found the other 36.7s nearby. EXCELLENT HOST CLUB AND ORGANIZING AUTHORITY ABYC is in a park setting along Lake Ontario, convenient to Toronto accommodations, restaurants and ship stores! Preparing our boats from Tuesday to Friday was convenient due to club cooperation, regatta staff, and facilities. The many social events were outdoor and indoor the club conveniently at the end of the docks . This made the week pleasurable and facilitated crew and skipper interactions.
Weigh-ins and boat inspections were easy due to the location and the presence of Chuck Norris, a long-time 36.7 owner , Executive Committee member, and Volunteer Measurer at many NAs . Chuck received an award for his service at the Thursday Cocktail Reception.
Complementary Breakfast was served on the patio Friday through Sunday. Gifts and daily awards and dinners were on the pation or inside the club. A dock PAINKILLER party occurred at the tiki bar of one of the ABYC members-who also was the leader of the band playing Saturday eve.
Despite some concerns that 9 participants were a relatively small number , competition was close and exciting. As desired for a NA, there were boats from 4 different yacht clubs, and this was an opportunity for skippers to race against different boats than in their usual regions.NAs should not just be regional, they should present opportunities to race against, and socialize with, new competitors. Rising costs and other factors have made it difficult to achieve this goal, but in Toronto we enjoyed new adventures. The interaction among the 9 skippers and probably 100 crew was better than in some recent NAs, probably due to the compact location and dockage, and planning and friendliness of the OA.
Races were W/L ,started on time, and were well planned. The first 2 days were winds that were good and manageable- 7 to12,. Weather was pleasant. Starting Saturday evening after the races, heavy rains started and Sunday was sporty- winds 12-20+ and waves. Results were out in timely fashion. There were daily awards as well as the overall awards, So opportunities for many boats to go home with an award.
OVERALL WINNERS:
lst Place: Richard Reid aboard ZINGARA(National Yacht Club)with 12 net points.
2nd Place: Alice Martin aboard PAINKILLER/TENACIOUS(Chicago Yacht Club) with 19 net points.
3rd Place: Brian Rutter aboard NEPTUNE’S CAR((Mimico Cruising Club) with 26 met points.
There were 8 races.