FlashBlast - September 6, 2024
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| President's Report /Annual Meeting - David Starck
For those who were not available to join us on 8/29/24 for the ANNUAL CLASS MEETING, below please find my President's Report. Please feel free to reach out anytime with comments or questions. I am always happy to talk Lightnings. Thank you.
Since my last report in April, it has been quite a summer of all things “Lightning Class”, both on and off the water. I was fortunate to be able to attend several regional regattas in NY, PA and MA, Youth Worlds in Chile, WJM & NAs, as well as the inaugural U32 Invitational.
The Executive Committee, along with many GB members, have been equally busy with many of the initiatives we discussed in April. I am extremely happy to report many, if not most ideas, plans, and initiatives have been moving forward. I’d like to highlight one which is really moving the needle: LOYALS. Bertie will talk about it in her report.
Other action items we identified last spring and have witnessed good progress are membership & member engagement, marketing the class, mission & vision statements, new boats & equipment, international fleet development (Finland), and the Inaugural U32 Invitational Regatta.
The boat grant program has been an amazing success in 2024. The boats have been seeing a lot of action. It has been a banner year. My hope is we have a strong fundraising campaign this fall and build up funds for future equipment. This is one key to the success of the program.
Looking forward, the fall sailing season is upon us, and schedule looks great. Please try to attend one regatta in your region. I will be attending several and hope to see you.
Finally, I look forward to building upon the successes of 2024 and have an even better 2025.
Finally, my sincere thanks to Laura Jeffers for keeping the class on track! | Announcing the ILCA Perpetual Trophy Project - Clarke Newman and the LOYALS Project Team
The ILCA is beginning a project of archiving and curating all perpetual trophies used by the Class. If your District or Area hosts an ILCA Sanctioned event, and a perpetual trophy is awarded for any position in that event, then we need your help.
Our goal is, first, to identify all of the perpetual trophies awarded at ILCA Sanctioned regattas. That list includes all District Championships, all Area Championships (North American, South American, European, African, and Australian—including the WJM’s), The World Championships, the Circuit Championships, and other Sanctioned events, like the Canadian Open and the ACC’s.
Second, we ask that the current holder to send a nice photograph of each trophy. Third, we would like the current holder to send a list of the previous winners listed by year. One could send a Word document or an Excel spreadsheet with this information.
Finally, if there is any unique history that appertains to a specific trophy, like the story behind who gave the trophy, or like how the NA’s Third Place Trophy got so mangled, then make sure we hear that story, too.
Information and photos can be sent to:
trophyproject@lightningclass.org
On behalf of the ILCA LOYALS Project Team, thank you in advance for helping with this project.
Check out the current Trophies that are cataloged on the website Champions/Trophies | Meeting Update and Announcement -
The Annual Meeting of Members took place on Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time via a Virtual ZOOM Meeting. Actions taken: the 2024-2025 Proposed Slate of Officers was voted on and approved as published with the addition of Angelos Vasilas as VP of Greece.
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The next Governing Board Meeting will be held Thursday, October 10, 2024 at Noon, Eastern via a Virtual Meeting using the ZOOM Platform. District Commodores, Vice Presidents and the Executive committee will be emailed the invitation link prior to the meeting.
At this time no items have been submitted for vote.
If you would like to be added to the agenda or if you have something to share during either meeting, please send a request or short written report to Class Secretary Jeffers office@lightningclass.org or Class President at president@lightningclass.org by Monday, September 30th.
----------------- |  | Congratulations to the 2024 Lightning Youth World Champions - the Chilean Team of Rafaela Salvatore, Walter Malsch and Jorge Urzua. Gustavo Glimm, Fernando Menezes and Guilherme Menezes from Brazil finished second and Bobby Starck, Buck Rathbun and Adam Starck from the USA finished in 3rd. See the full Results on Yachtscoring
Twenty teams representing ten countries competed in Algarrobo Chile for the 2024 Lightning DVP Youth World Championship, July 23-27. Meet The Teams
This is the same venue which hosted sailing events at the 2023 Pan American Games. Five boats were sailing with two or more family members aboard and one is an all-family team. Five of the teams were sailing in the (PanAm) mixed configuration of two females and one male. In all 28% of the fleet was female and five were at the helm. It took many hands to put this regatta together and Past Lightning Class President, Victor Lobos did an excellent job in leading the local team of volunteers. A big Thank You to the entire Team!
| | An Outsider's Prospective - Joel Rathbun
This July, I found myself on the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chile in a RIB with David, Jody, Becky and Joe Starck – 45-degree water, fifteen-foot rolling waves that started 3000 miles away in Tahiti, wearing every piece of foul weather gear and ski clothes that I owned – how did I end up as a spectator at the 2024 Lightning World Youth Championships...
.... My eldest son Buck (18) in particular was bitten by the lightning bug and has been racing with Bobby and Adam Starck on the lightning circuit for the past two seasons. It has been through watching Buck that I came to appreciate a number of things that I believe makes the lightning class truly unique... Read the entire article
| | |  | Congratulations to:
Matti Aalto, Lauri Virtanen, Arttu Leppänen - European and Finnish Champions
Samppa Salminen, Tero Kotimäki, Heikki Nurmi - European Masters Champions
Kotka Yacht Club created an outstanding setting for both the European and Finnish Championships. Preparations began as early as autumn 2023, and the competition organization, assembled during the winter, did an excellent job with the goal of creating an event where participants could enjoy both the sailing on the water and the evening programs onshore. Spectators could easily follow the races from the Marina Café’s waterfront piers, where they could soak in the atmosphere through the visuals. Additionally, the starts were broadcast live and shared in the Lightning Sailing Finland group on Meta, bringing the race excitement directly to home viewers.
The opening ceremony was held in grand style at the Maritime Centre Vellamo, offering a magnificent venue to celebrate the start of the sailing event. The festive mood continued through the final day, with the award ceremony taking place in the prestigious Kotka Yacht Club pavilion. The competition saw participation from 18 crews, 17 from Finland and one from Greece. The Greek crew GRE 15319, comprising Nektarios Athanasiou, Sokratis Platanias, and George Arvalis, added an international flair to the event.
| | North American's Success!
The Buffalo Canoe Club and Fleet 12 hosted a fantastic week of sailing and on shore activities for 128 boats over the 9 day combined events of Women's, Junior and Masters and the Championship and President's Cup North American Championships - August 3-11, 2024.
Regatta Chair Debbie Probst, the organizing committee and the massive team of volunteers really made this regatta FUN from the minute you arrived. A big thank you to everyone who helped to organize the event and also to everyone who came to the BCC! | | |
Masters North American Championship - Jody Lutz, Jay Lutz, Jo Ann Fisher
Junior North American Championship - Bobby Starck, Buck Rathbun, Adam Starck
Women's North American Championship - Elizabeth Starck, Abbie Probst, Carly Starck
North American Championship - Championship Division -David Starck, Jason Lutz, Adam Starck
North American Championship - President's Cup - Jenna Probst, Maya Weber, Tess Weber
Watch for more reports and photo links coming soon!
|  | 32 boats competed at the Buffalo Canoe Club this weekend for the inaugural Lightning U32 Invitational Regatta #32forU32! The event welcomed nearly 100 young sailors current and new to the lightning class from across the country (and South America!) to experience the lightning class camaraderie and competitive sailing. |
 | Congratulations to Martin Cloos, Martina Perez Aguirre, and Franco Gentile for winning the event!
35% of the fleet were first time Lightning sailors! 10 sailors returned after 3+ years away from a regatta.
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 | The weekend consisted of a welcome cocktail party, on-shore lightning clinic, racing, regatta dinner, beach games, raffles prizes, and awards. Everyone left the weekend with new friends and excitement for their next lightning event. The Lightning Class looks forward to making this an annual event!
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Duck Challenge - Trevor Prior, Sharon Slieker-Jay, Daniel Rau
Brotz Regatta - Ian Beckley, Sophie Lusry, Tina Dombrowski
U32 Inaugural Regatta - Martin Cloos, Franco Gentile, Martina Perez Aguirre
European & Finnish Nationals - Matti Aalto, Lauri Virtanen, Arttu Leppänen
Masters European Championship - Samppa Salminen, Tero Kotimäki, Heikki Nurmi
North American Championship - Championship Division -David Starck, Jason Lutz, Adam Starck
North American Championship - President's Cup - Jenna Probst, Maya Weber, Tess Weber
Masters North American Championship - Jody Lutz, Jay Lutz, Jo Ann Fisher
Junior North American Championship - Bobby Starck, Buck Rathbun, Adam Starck
Women's North American Championship - Elizabeth Starck, Abbie Probst, Carly Starck
Carolina YC Regatta Wrightsville- Ron Medlin, Isaac Kuykendall, Ashlyn Park
Carolina YC Regatta Charleston - Ryan Davidson, Jo Ann Fisher, Madeline Baldridge
Higgins Lake Regatta - Matt Morin, Kevin Morin, Marcie Morin
Wilmette Harbor Inaugural Regatta - Craig Pomeroy, Erika Carne, Liv Lampone
Youth World Championship - CHI - Rafaela Salvatore, Walter Malsch, Jorge Urzua
Please be sure to submit your results with CREW NAMES to the Class Office via EMAIL office@lightningclass.org . If you have a short summary and a few photos even better!
If your regatta isn't listed here - be sure to add the event to the ILCA Event Calendar and send in results after the regatta!
| Upcoming Regattas:
Click on the event for more info or
If you need help listing your 2024 events please contact Laura in the Class Office. |
Come join us on Bow Lake in beautiful Strafford, NH for a day of fun, friends, food and racing. First race at Noon in the middle of the lake and after racing appetizers, taco dinner and awards at Ned and Karen's house. Be there!
Enjoy a great weekend on the Susquehanna River! Winds are normally consistent this time of year.
Come to our 80th Annual Regatta to help us remember and celebrate “The Bruin” and add to the list of Brunisms – “Good enough for who it’s for.” “We were down at the bar having a few martins when......” How you doin’ Bruce? ........ Average, a little below.” and many more!
This is a beautiful time of the year to be sailing on Barnegat Bay and we hope you will consider attending this fun 1-day event!!
Central NY in the Fall - nothing better!
A fun multi-class event with long time Lightning participation, sailed on the Potomac River in waters in the District of Columbia, where the Anacostia river joins the Potomac.
Please come to the Barebones Regatta in Mansfield Ohio.
One Day Regatta - All are welcome!
Come join Skaneateles Country Club, Fleet 1 on beautiful Skaneateles Lake. To encourage participation awards will be include those for best finish by a Classic boat as well as that with a wood mast, in addition for overall awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
Premier East Coast fall regatta with great sailing, off water events and camaraderie
Wonderful sailing venue. It's easy to put it in, a short distance out to the race course, competent race committee, & a fun après sailing party.
The crown jewel of the autumn racing circuit. Great racing, legendary hospitality, local housing for all, plus lots of boats! Once referred to by Bill Faude as the finest fall regatta in which you will ever sail. Come see why it remains one of the ILCA most enduring regattas. Thirty-four boats in 2023.
Last Lightning Regatta of the year in New England. Weather always plays a part in the fun!
We need at least five boats to register in order to have a Lightning start. Please share that you are planning to attend on the Who's Coming page.
14th Annual - Fantastic Weekend in Charleston! Clinic on Friday, Racing Sat/Sun
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Tune up for the South American Championships!
Includes a Master's Winter Championship and first Part of the Southern Circuit.
Final stop of the 2025 Southern Circuit!
| International Lightning Class Association
Laura Jeffers, Executive Secretary
(727) 942-7969 | |