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Valentine trophy finds a home in Clear Lake Aug 28, 2008 Mirror Reporter

A historic Valentine trophy will be proudly displayed in Clear Lake this year. Tommy Erickson, from Clear Lake, won the Inland Lake Yachting Association’s A Open Championship held Aug. 14-16 at Okoboji. He is shown here with second place winner, Steve Johnson from White Bear, Minn. The two-boat fleet owns beautiful trophies which date back to the early 1900s. Erickson skippered Chaos, Z-1, in the ILYA A Open Championship with a crew comprised of Taylor Zachar, Nathan Kotz, Brandon Conway, Marcus Lundberg, Derrick Johnson and Stuart Schurtz.

Hobie championship draws 108 competitors Sept 11, 2008 Mirror Reporter

    Todd Wilson points to the windmills dotting the landscape around Clear Lake as evidence that there is usually abundant wind here. But so far, competitors at the Hobie Cat North American Championships are skeptical.
   Usually windy Clear Lake has been uncharacteristically calm, not to mention cool, but sailors are making the best of it.
   “We had a tremendously successful weekend and I think the competitors and public are having a great time,” said Todd Wilson, chairman of the event. The first few days of the championship were devoted to youth and women’s divisions, based at the Clear Lake Yacht Club near downtown. “We had tons of people asking questions and intermixing with the competitors. I think they all enjoyed it.”
   Wilson said 54 boats and a total of 108 competitors are taking part in the event.
   “It’s a Who’s Who in sailing,” he said.
   And while the winds could be stronger, he said sailors are challenging themselves fine tuning their boats to adjust to the fluctuating winds.     Typically, sailors set their boats for the conditions in increments of 5 mph., he explained. As the winds have varied, their preparation skills are critical to their success.
   Monday, Sept. 8, the large Hobie Cats, known as Hobie 16s, began competing in Olympic type open races based from Clear Lake State Park. Chris Wessels and Mick Minette, both members of host Hobie Fleet10, are competing in the races.
   Clear Lake and Iowa were represented in the winners from the weekend events. Angie Wilson, of Clear Lake, was crew member for Chris Bradshaw, who placed second in the Hobie 16 women’s class. Jake Larson, of Storm Lake, Iowa was second in the Hobie 16 youth division.
   Bill Wilson, of Clear Lake, was in first place heading into Sunday’s final race day for Hobie 14s. However, misfortune struck in the second race as he hit a marker and finished ninth overall. His placement represents the highest Division 7 finish by a member of Fleet 10.
   The public is invited to watch racing action today (Wednesday, Sept. 10) aboard the Lady of the Lake. Event organizers are offering free cruises from noon to 4 p.m. Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is sponsoring the one hour cruise rides on a first-come, first to board basis. In case of inclement weather, the cruises will take place on Thursday, Sept. 11.
   On Friday, Sept. 12, an Awards Banquet will be held at the Surf Ballroom, followed by entertainment provided by Bob Dorr and the Blue Band from 8 p.m. to midnight. Admission is free to the public with a raffle ticket purchase, donation of a coat in good condition, or a sack full of non-perishable food for the Harvest Food Bank

JV Sailing	Two Chumbs
		Arteom Tisor and Porter Johnson at sailing school
John vratsinas	CLYC Parade
*For the Love of Sailing* June 8, 2008 Globe Gazette Senior members of the Clear Lake Yacht Club include (from left) Bill Nicholas, 78; Gil Bovard, 80; John Lundberg, 64; and Bill Osmundson, 79. The club was formed during 1935.(Globe Gazette photo by Dick Johnson) Years ago Gil Bovard edited the “Crow’s Nest,” the Clear Lake Yacht Club’s weekly newsletter. The “Old Crow” climbed into the symbolic nest to share racing successes, upcoming events and historical and hysterical observances, like this from July 1976: “Wind is a four-letter word — so is lack.”
Bovard, 80, is still known as “The Old Crow.” The “Crow’s Nest” continues, too, at www.clyciowa.com. Standby members like Bovard, Bill Nicholas, Bill Osmundson and John Lundberg stubbornly remain, as stubborn old sailors will do. “I still love it,” Bovard said. “I would be unhappy if I couldn’t see water. It’s been a good friend. ”“The nicest thing about sailing is what the experience teaches a person,” said Nicholas, 78. “It teaches self-reliance, it teaches awareness of the elements, it teaches competitive spirit. It becomes a way of life for anyone involved in it.” Nicholas has sailed since 1940 and looks strong as ever in an outdoorsy shirt and yachting cap. He and his wife, Mary Lou, started sailing “C” Scow boats (20-foot sailboats with single sails and a crew of two or three) around 1949. Bill was there in July 1953 when a boat flipped, sending Miss Iowa pageant candidates into the cold water, fancy dresses and all. He and his sons, Bill Jr., Greg and Jeff, once raced in the same “C” fleet. “It was bad when I could beat them,” Bill Sr. said. “It was even worse when I couldn’t beat them. That’s when I quit.” He and Mary Lou still summer each year on the popular lake. “When the leaves change, it’s magnificent,” Bill said. Osmundson started sailing in 1938 and got a boat and joined the Yacht Club during 1939. He raced until 1946, then crewed on “C” and “E” scows for about 10 years. He said members raced at night, rollerskated in the Bayside area and picnicked on the Island before World War II. Osmundson, 78, still gets out on the water when he can. “Sailing was just a fun thing to do,” he said. “There were some who were good, some who were average, and some who were less-than-average. And I would have been called a less-than-average sailor. About a B-plus, not an A.” LUNDBERG crewed during 1958 and has been racing his own boat since 1959. Now 64, he crews for his son, Mike, on a three-sail 28-foot “E” Scow. It takes three to four people to operate the vessel. Races, held on a posted course, last about an hour. The Lundbergs opened the 2008 season last weekend with three wins in three outings. “I just enjoy being out there on the water,” John Lundberg said. “It’s just relaxation for me. It blots out the rest of the world for me for a couple hours. You concentrate on the race, and that’s the only thing on your mind.” THE OLD CROW no longer has a sailboat. He does have a windsurfer (surfboard with a mast) and kayak. In summer he rises at 5:30 a.m. and kayaks about 5 miles daily. “I can’t describe how nice it is,” Bovard said. “It is absolutely glorious. There are so many little things that are going on. It’s just back to nature. “It’s a wonderful, wonderful way of life.”
Valentine trophy finds a home in Clear Lake Aug 28, 2008 Mirror Reporter A historic Valentine trophy will be proudly displayed in Clear Lake this year. Tommy Erickson, from Clear Lake, won the Inland Lake Yachting Association’s A Open Championship held Aug. 14-16 at Okoboji. He is shown here with second place winner, Steve Johnson from White Bear, Minn. The two-boat fleet owns beautiful trophies which date back to the early 1900s. Erickson skippered Chaos, Z-1, in the ILYA A Open Championship with a crew comprised of Taylor Zachar, Nathan Kotz, Brandon Conway, Marcus Lundberg, Derrick Johnson and Stuart Schurtz.
Hobie championship draws 108 competitors Sept 11, 2008 Mirror Reporter Todd Wilson points to the windmills dotting the landscape around Clear Lake as evidence that there is usually abundant wind here. But so far, competitors at the Hobie Cat North American Championships are skeptical. Usually windy Clear Lake has been uncharacteristically calm, not to mention cool, but sailors are making the best of it. “We had a tremendously successful weekend and I think the competitors and public are having a great time,” said Todd Wilson, chairman of the event. The first few days of the championship were devoted to youth and women’s divisions, based at the Clear Lake Yacht Club near downtown. “We had tons of people asking questions and intermixing with the competitors. I think they all enjoyed it.” Wilson said 54 boats and a total of 108 competitors are taking part in the event. “It’s a Who’s Who in sailing,” he said. And while the winds could be stronger, he said sailors are challenging themselves fine tuning their boats to adjust to the fluctuating winds. Typically, sailors set their boats for the conditions in increments of 5 mph., he explained. As the winds have varied, their preparation skills are critical to their success. Monday, Sept. 8, the large Hobie Cats, known as Hobie 16s, began competing in Olympic type open races based from Clear Lake State Park. Chris Wessels and Mick Minette, both members of host Hobie Fleet10, are competing in the races. Clear Lake and Iowa were represented in the winners from the weekend events. Angie Wilson, of Clear Lake, was crew member for Chris Bradshaw, who placed second in the Hobie 16 women’s class. Jake Larson, of Storm Lake, Iowa was second in the Hobie 16 youth division. Bill Wilson, of Clear Lake, was in first place heading into Sunday’s final race day for Hobie 14s. However, misfortune struck in the second race as he hit a marker and finished ninth overall. His placement represents the highest Division 7 finish by a member of Fleet 10. The public is invited to watch racing action today (Wednesday, Sept. 10) aboard the Lady of the Lake. Event organizers are offering free cruises from noon to 4 p.m. Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is sponsoring the one hour cruise rides on a first-come, first to board basis. In case of inclement weather, the cruises will take place on Thursday, Sept. 11. On Friday, Sept. 12, an Awards Banquet will be held at the Surf Ballroom, followed by entertainment provided by Bob Dorr and the Blue Band from 8 p.m. to midnight. Admission is free to the public with a raffle ticket purchase, donation of a coat in good condition, or a sack full of non-perishable food for the Harvest Food Bank










Got a picture you'd like to see here? Send Harry an e-mail with your picture in JPEG format to see it here! Special thanks for Pictures : Chris Wessels Sharon Schneider Mary Ellen Salinas (Swanson) Rick Brush Pete Vorhes Maragret Osmundson Denni Erickson

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