Canadians Get Their Share at Sodus Bay
August 17, 2022
In LYRA course racing, Royal Canadian Yacht Club (Toronto) John Mitchele’s Thisbe took the Commodore Gooderham Trophy.
For top spot in the One-Design 8 Metre Classic division; Gypsy owned by Cliff Walkington of Ashbridges Bay Yacht Club (Toronto) captured the LYRA Founders’ Cup for One Design R Class; Jimmy Barnash’s PB&H of Newport Yacht Club (Stoney Creek, ON) took the WP Montgomery Trophy for the One Design Melges 15 fleet as well as the Kay Heron Trophy as Regatta Champion, One Design.
LYRA 2022 was held at the end of July at Sodus Yacht Club on the US side of Lake Ontario. Course racing began on Thursday with the 8 Metre North American Championship. As the severe storms rolled in, the fleet postponed onshore. Around 2pm off they went to the course on Lake Ontario. An afternoon thunderstorm came rolling in and enveloped the fleet. Norseman took a bad blow and snapped its mast 12 feet off the deck. In true Corinthian fashion, three other 8 Metre competitors abandoned the race and came to aid Norseman. All crew were safe, and the mast was cut away and both boat and crew returned to shore. Day two saw three races to complete the North American Championship.
Left: Commodore Gooderham Trophy / Right: LYRA Founders’ Cup
Friday was a moderate wind day and all fleets and divisions saw three races completed. It was hot and breezy and the lake was relatively flat given the evening before being southerly winds.
Saturday the wind was blowing the dog off the leash. The 8 Metre and R Class, the NFS Fleets, as well as the Melges 15 on their own course all raced in the bay. Sunday in true LYRA fashion brought very light winds. The Norseman competitors were loaned Jackeen and raced on Sunday to again demonstrate the Corinthian nobility of the 8 Metre fleet. Race committee was able to get 2 races off. We were able to complete all six planned races for the 8 Metre fleet, seven races for the R Class fleet, eight races for the FS fleet, seven races for the Melges 15 fleet, and four races for the NFS fleet.
Left: WP Montgomery Trophy / Right: Kay Heron Trophy
Complete results and trophies can be found HERE
The Lake Yacht Racing Association was founded in 1884 to serve and represent yachting interests on Lake Ontario, Eastern Lake Erie, The Upper St. Lawrence River and the Finger Lakes. LYRA encourages the sport and art of sailing and sportsmanship among sailors, both at the junior and senior levels and contributes good will between Canada and the United States through sailing activities.
