2007 Lightning North Americans
Reports by Allan Terhune

The Lightning NA's ended last Friday with the team of Geoff Becker, Dan Rabin and Bill Ward winning by two points. My team of Katie Terhune, Sarah Paisely and myself were 2nd, with Jed Dodge of Upstate NY finishing 3rd. The series came down to the final race, and Geoff managed to hang on to a 6th on the final run to win the regatta. It was an exciting end to a great series. Rob Ruhlman won his first ever NA's race in race #5 and placed his best finish. He could not have been happier.

Class President Steve Davis fought off a hard charging Neal Fowler to win the Presidents Cup and new Lightning Sailor Mike Beaver won the Governors Cup.

SSA and EYC hosted a great event and the conditions in Annapolis could not have been better for a week of sailing.

North sails were 2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10 in the Championship fleet and won all 6 races.

North was also 1,2,3 in the Presidents Cup and 1,2,3 in the Governors Cup.

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2007 Lightning Worlds
Reports by Brian Hayes

The final day of the Lightning Worlds finally brought some breeze.. Kind of..

Friday capped off a strange week in the Sarconic Gulf off Pireaus, Greece with some fresh breeze, big shifts, huge lulls and just a general wackiness that had become common place in Greece. Jeff Linton, with his wife Amy and John Tihansky were able to string together the most consistent week and, even with a 21 in the final race was able to hold off Al Terhune with his wife Kate and Dave Perkowski to win the World Championship. In 3rd was Class President Steve Davis with Brian Hayes and Laura Jeffers followed in 4th by the Chilean team of Pablo Herman, Luis Herman and Claus Engel. Rounding out the top 5 was the team of Matt Fisher, Doug Nickel and Jared Drake.

Going into the final day Al Terhune led the championship, however, a huge right hand shift and winning the pin in race #7 proved to much of a hurdle to overcome as team Terhune's lead was swallowed by an 18th to Team Lintons 5th. Race #8 showed a switch as Alby and team ground their way to a 3rd while the Lintons were 21st. However a 9th and deciding race was not to be as the breeze died and the 3pm time limit came and went.

There were many great stories at this event for North Sails teams. There was also some heart break as the wind gods and on water judges played havoc with the final results. Some of the more notable stories:

• Bill Mauk and his team, fresh off winning the Masters Worlds, had an opening day 1,3 to lead the first day of the event. Team Mauk had what has to be the largest lead in a Worlds race in recent memory. They won race #2 by the better part of 1/2 leg!!

• Steve Davis, after a poor start, sailed very well. Steve and his team gained boats on every leg of every race (except for 2 legs) after the 1st mark. His 3rd place finish in the Worlds is the best for a standing class president in the history of the class.

• Rob Ruhlman, with his wife Abby and Dave Werley sailed brilliantly as well. Their top 5 overall was lost 4 boat-lengths from the finish of the final race when, in 5 knots of breeze, they were called for pumping. It's more likely either Rob or Dave were falling down in the boat rather than pumping but the on-the-water judges made the call and Team Ruhlman lost 3 boats doing their turn and their top 5 finish in the regatta. Nonetheless a great regatta for Rob.

• Top European Team was the young Greeks sailing 11811. The Vasilais, Priftis, Moghaddam team finished 8th. More amazing was they are just getting started. They are 23, 18 and 17 years old. I spoke with them at the awards and they were very happy with their new North Sails. They said "Mr. Brian, the sails are very fast!!". They should be very proud as they represented their country very well. And they won race #4!!

• Todd Wake, with his wife Kristine and Dan Moriarity were very fast all week. An OCS and some bad luck put them 9th overall but Friday, when the breeze was steadiest, they had a 1,2. Add to that their 2 boys, a sitter and parents in tow the Wakes were busy all week. A true sailing vacation.

• Canadian Peter Hall was defending his title in Greece. Sort of. Last Worlds were held in Greece in 1989 and Peter won. This time around, with Jay Deakin and Jamie Allan, Team Hall was 10th but also had a great Friday with a 3,1. At the end of race #8 the RC called Peter and his team over and pointed to the OCS board. Fearing they were over at the start they nervously approached only to be sprayed with champagne by the RC as winners of the last race of the championship. A fun moment for Peter (+ they got to sail in with the champagne!!)

North Facts:

North Sails were 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 and 22 of the top 24 (although the 25th place boat bought a set of North Sails at the end of the regatta!!)

8 different sailors won the 8 races and 7 of them used North Sails.

37 of the 48 teams used North Sails...

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2007 Lightning Dixie Districts
Reports by Greg Fisher

Congrats to Scott Anderson for his win at the competitive
Texas Lightning Districts last weekend!

North Sails were 1,2,4,5 overall!!!

Here's Scott's report:

"We sailed the Texas lightning districts this past weekend in light breeze and the occasional rain storm. The winds were from the east which normally mean really shifty winds that never settle in and this weekend was more of the same. On Saturday we got in three good races with plenty of lead changes. On Sunday morning we were greeted with a big line of thunderstorms and lots of rain. After an hour and a half delay we got in two close races in an up and down breeze with the regattas outcome in doubt until the very end. When it was decided our team of Baton Kennan and Amy Williams and myself won the regatta by two points over Clarke Newman and his team of Deanna Newman and Gavin Rudolph. North Sails were on 4 of the top five finishers".

1. Scott Anderson MF-2, JF-2, R-2
2. Clarke Newman MF-2, JF-2, R-2
3. Ralph billows
4. john wimble M5, 5a, R-2

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2007 Lightning Dixie Districts
Reports by Allan Terhune

This past weekend the Susquehanna Yacht Club, out side of York, PA, hosted the Dixie District Championships. 32 boats raced in the regatta, which was one of the largest Dixie Districts in recent memory, as this was the qualifier for the North Americans in Annapolis this summer. The entire team at SYC did an incredible job both on and off the water and the racing was fantastic. On Saturday, we were fortunate to have 4 races in a great 12-18 knot breeze that blew straight down the river. We could not have asked for more perfect conditions! SYC put on a huge pig roast and party for the fleet which were tired but rallied to party with the reggae band for quite some time! Unfortunately, we were left with no breeze on Sunday, but it did not tarnish a wonderful event. In the end, my team of my wife Katie, Dave Perkowski and myself were fortunate enough to win the event by 3 points over Neal Fowler. Both boats used North MF2, JF2 and R2 Sails. It was a great even for North as North Sails were 1,2,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 and on all but four of the boats in the entire fleet!

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2007 Lightning Pymatuning Spring Classic
Reports by Ched Proctor

This past weekend the folks at Pymatuning Lake in Jamestown Pennsylvania hosted the Lightning Spring Classic. 23 boats attended. On Saturday 4 races were held in a Northwest breeze that blew between 8 to 20. Saturday night the Trailer Trash Band led by Rob Ruhlman on Guitar led the entertainment. Sunday morning the wind was non existent and the committee decided to cancel the day's racing leaving the 4 races to count for the final score. Race winners included George Fisher, Dave Stark and Peter Hall all using North main and jibs. Final scores had your author ably assisted by North Sails' Jay Mueler and Matt Ayers in first with 15 points. The United States Pan Am team of Dave Stark, Bill Faude and Jody Swanson were second with 20 points. Both 1st and 2nd place finishers used North Sails' M5 main, 5A+ jib and R2 spinnakers.

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2007 Lightning No Gas Regatta
Reports by Al Terhune

2007 Lightning Doc Gilbert Potomac Cup
North sails 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10!!
Reports by Greg Fisher

30 boats sailed the 2007 Doc Gilbert regatta May 5/6 at Leeslyvania State Park near Alexandria, Va. There was a nice steady downpour to meet the sailors Saturday...but at least the breeze was blowing 8-12mph.

North sails were on all of the top 10 boats! I am quite proud to report that my wife JoAnn with crew Todd Johnson ( they sailed Todd's boat) and Katie Terhune ( Al's wife) dominated the regatta with a 1,2,2 and 9 points ahead of Jon Guth in second!

Sunday was a blow out and Todd Johnson and myself held a short impromptu informal chat with the group. All in all it was a great regatta in spite of the weather and the attendance is indicative of the healthy enthusiasm in the Dixie District! This upcoming weekend Al terhune will do a clinic at Havre de Grace. Sounds like 20 boats are already signed up! Don't miss it!!

Doc Gilbert complete results - click here.
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2007 Lightning Jackson Spring Fling
Reports by Scott Anderson

We had every kind of breeze. from 10mph to drifting conditions on Saturday and steady 15 on Sunday. We had great speed in the really light stuff by just watching the top batten angle never looking at our pointing. We also sailed one downwind leg with just the jib because it was easier to keep moving without the spinnaker. Larry Frost showed an extra gear in the breeze on Sunday winning both races. Below are the top 5 places.

1. Scott Anderson (fisher design)
2. Larry Frost (fisher)
3. Bill Baxter jr (fisher)
4. Tom Niles (fisher)
5 John Womble (proctor)

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2007 Lightning Southern Circuit
Congratulations #1 Ched Proctor!
Reports by Brian Hayes