The Oswego Yacht Club hosted the 128th annual Lake Yacht Racing Association Regatta (LYRA) the first week of August. The last time Oswego hosted the entire event was in 1928. It is believed that LYRA is the oldest association of yacht clubs in North America.
The LYRA regatta was a tourism draw for the city of Oswego and also a way to show sailors on the lake what Oswego has to offer as a city and sailing destination. The regatta drew over sixty participants from non OYC clubs. Over twenty Canadian participants, came from Toronto, Bellville, Port Credit, Kingston, Bellville and Collins Bay. US participation was from Youngstown, Wilson, Rochester, Sodus Bay, Selkirk, Henderson Harbor and Chaumont.
Four J/30's sailing in a PHRF Division rating competed at 136 with Brendan Benson sailing "Blaze" to Overall PHRF Champion - 36 boats, Dan Mather's "Crusader" was 5th Overall and Chuck Dolinski's "Cariad" 9th . Cannan Leonard's "Velocity Girl" did not qualify for overall as they did not compete in all races.
The first race of the event was a 38 mile feeder race from Henderson Harbor, NY to Oswego, NY. The race was an up wind battle in fifteen to twenty knots of wind. In the 11 boat PHRF Division "Blaze" was first, "Velocity Girl" was third "Crusader" was fourth.
The seventy-three mile overnight Freeman Cup race sponsored by the Steele Law Firm started in ten knots of southerly winds at 5pm and featured a 3.5 mile beat. After rounding the buoy they headed on a spinnaker reach northeast to the Gallo Island Buoy. As the sunset the sailors were treated to a crystal clear night and a full moon for an amazing night of sailing. The wind increased slightly as the fleet rounded the buoy as they headed back to windward on a 15 mile beat. From there it was a 22 mile reach back to Oswego. Blaze lead to the windward mark and out to the Gallo Buoy, Crusader rounded the reach mark boat lengths ahead of Blaze and held them off thru the night and early morning finishing ahead by only 30 seconds. In PHRF 2 Crusader was 4th and Blaxe 5th.
In the three days of Course racing the 4 - J/30's sailed PHRF B with a Catalina 38, Kirby 36,C&C 35 MK 2 and a J/29. After eight races Blaze was 1st, Crusader 2nd, Velocity Girl 3rd and Cariad 7th.
Other Lake Ontario J/30 Results
Oswego Hospice - 3 J/30's - PHRF 1 (8 boats) - 8 metre, Rboat, J/33, Chaser 29 - J/30 Blaze 2nd, Crusader 4th
EYC - Collins Bay, Ont - 2 J/30's -
SAIL Oswego - 4 J/30's - PHRF 2 (7boats) - Soverel 27, soling, Advance 36 - J/30 Blaze 1st, Crusader 2nd , Smokin Deal 4th, Cariad 6th Overall 30 boats only beaten by J/24's
Jefferson County Hospice - 8 Phrf Boats - Blaze 1st
Rochester Hospice - Blaze 2nd in PHRF 2
