WEST ASHLEY RECREATION REPORT

MP regatta draws nearly 50 sailors

Nearly 50 young sailors ages 18 and younger cast their sails to compete in the fourth annual Mount Pleasant Junior Regatta at Hobcaw Yacht Club on Saturday.

A co-sponsored event between the yacht club and the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department, the goal of the annual junior regatta is to give young sailors of all experience levels a chance to participate in an official competition.

Following a morning of rainy weather, the skies cleared up at the Hobcaw Yacht Club in Mount Pleasant just in time for sailors to begin the regatta.

MPRD program coordinator Tina Carter, who helped organize the regatta with Hobcaw Yacht Club, commented that participant numbers in the various boat classes are growing each year the junior regatta is held.

Forty-nine sailors signed up to participate in four boat classes — Optimist, Sunfish Juniors, Lasers and 420s. Hobcaw Yacht Club provided boats to a number of young sailors for use during the race.

"Hobcaw does a really good job in making this a nice event," Carter said. "Kids enjoy not only the sailing aspect, but also the social part of the event."

Winners were as follows:

420 Fleet

1. Joe Sanders (age 9, Mount Pleasant) and Margaux Bacro-Duverger (13, Mount Pleasant); 2. Patrick Ging (13, Charleston) and Russel Smith (13, Charleston); 3. Jack Cabell (15, James Island) and Patrick O'Donnell (16, Charleston).

Optimist Red Fleet

1. Avery Fanning (14, Isle of Palms); 2. Alexander Laughlin (13, Charleston).

Optimist Blue Fleet

1. Todd Fanning (12, Isle of Palms); 2. Marc DeLoach (12, Mount Pleasant); 3. Patson Saner (12, Mount Pleasant).

Optimist White Fleet

1. Cameron Gise (10, Mount Pleasant).

Optimist Green Fleet

1. Will Monts (11, Hilton Head); 2. Sam Cabiness (10, Charleston); 3. J.D. Monts (8, Hilton Head).

Sunfish Fleet

1. Nick Valente (14, Mount Pleasant); 2. Billy Lesemann (15, Mount Pleasant); 3. J. Michael Lally (12, Sullivan's Island)

Laser Radial Fleet

1. Chet Wood (15, Mount Pleasant).