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2014 Greens Creek Challenge
NCSU Sailpack Team Joins In
September 10, 2014

O
riental’s Greens Creek Challenge features one bridge and two creeks. The 2014 edition on September 6 drew 29 sailors in 23 boats who ran the course – twice – that started near Oriental’s harbor, ran under the Oriental bridge, up and down Greens Creek, then Smith Creek, then back under the bridge to the finish.

2014 Greens Creek
One challenge in the Greens Creek Challenge is the bridge. At left is the Nacra 5.2 with the overall winners, Ron and Trey Medlin of Wilmington. At right, a Laser sailed by Don Munn of Raleigh, who finished 3rd overall.

It’s a race for boats 20 feet and under and Sunfish predominated, but FJs were out there too, along with some Zumbas, a Laser, a Nacra, one Optimist and a NorseBoat.

2014 Greens Creek
Kara Wheeler, of Oriental, started NCSU a few weeks ago and was back home for the Greens Creek Challenge – along with 7 other members of the Sailpack, the Wolfpack sailing team. She took third place in the Sunfish division.

This 24-year old race and its collegial air – a competition but not hard-edged – had a college component this year as 8 members of the NC State sail team took part. The Sailpack this year includes three sailors with Oriental connections – freshmen Kara Wheeler and McKenna Marquart and sophomore Jackie Welles. For most though, it was their first time sailing in Oriental.

2014 Greens Creek
Greens Creek and some of the boats competing in Saturday’s race. The course started on the river side of the Oriental bridge, went under it, up Green’s Creek, up Smith’s Creek and back under the bridge to the river. (Photo: Carol Small)

Their coach, Dana Magliola said the team loved the race and the conditions. “It was great to see everyone out on the water on such a perfect day,” he said. Having wind to work with was another plus, said the coach, who noted that what wind they see at their Raleigh training lake, is often the kind that requires wearing foul weather gear.

“Our sailors are already talking about the next time, so it surely won’t be the last you see of the SailPack.” There is some preliminary talk of staging an intercollegiate regatta in Oriental in the spring.

2014 Greens Creek
One third of the NCSU sailing team and their coach, Dana Magliola, at right, after the race in Grace Evans’ yard. The coach says the team will likely be back for more racing, potentially even an intercollegiate regatta in the spring.
2014 Greens Creek
Mark Thompson and Annalise Kristofferson of the NCSU sailing squad. They won the FJ/420 division and took 4th overall. (Photo: Steve Marquart)
2014 Greens Creek
George Sechrist of Orieintal on winning first place in the Sunfish division and second overall. (TownDock judges also give him first place in the Patrick Stewart look-alike contest.)
2014 Greens Creek
The awards for this year’s Greens Creek Challenge. Nancy and Paul Welles organized the event as they have for years and as shown here, tabulated the results in the pursuit race

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2014 Greens Creek
The winning boat – overall – was Ron Medlin’s Nacra 5.2 It also had the youngest crew, with 8 year old Trey Medlin of Wilmington.
2014 Greens Creek
Ron and Trey Medlin of Wilmington at the awards presentation. Trey had already been presented a pack of Red Hots for being on the fastest boat.
2014 Greens Creek
Don Munn of Raleigh, who sailed his Laser to 3rd place overall.
2014 Greens Creek
Mark Thompson and Annalise Kristofferson of the NCSU team were 4th place overall and number 1 in the FJ/420 division.
2014 Greens Creek
Taking 5th overall and 2nd in the FJ/420 division were Caroline James and Alexis Edwards of Oriental.
2014 Greens Creek
George Midyette of Oriental, who took second in the Sunfish division.
2014 Greens Creek
Kara Wheeler of Oriental and a freshman at NCSU, where she is on the sailing team, took 3rd place in the Sunfish division.
2014 Greens Creek
Ian and Lillian Prince were 3rd in the FJ/420 division.

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2014 Greens Creek
The start and finish was on the river side of the bridge.(Photo: Carol Small)
2014 Greens Creek
12-year old Tyrese Branch, a Pamlico Middle School student who learned to sail this summer at Bow to Stern, and Eric Vahlbusch. They were sailing an FJ. (Photo: Steve Marquart)
2014 Greens Creek
Jack Bond and Joe Grimm of Oriental near the finish Saturday afternoon
2014 Greens Creek
Sunfish out from under the bridge. (Photo: Carol Small)
2014 Greens Creek
Lillian and Ian Prince finished 3rd in the 420 Division.

2014 Greens Creek

George Midyette of Oriental took 2nd place in the Sunfish division. Next month, he’ll be competing in the Sunfish Worlds, happening at Camps SeaFarer and Seagull.

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2014 Greens Creek
Caroline James and Alexis Edwards on an FJ cross the finish line and take 2nd place in that division and 5th place overall.
2014 Greens Creek
Zipping in to view for its final pass under the bridge was the Nacra 5.2 sailed by Ron and 8 year old Trey Medlin of Wilmington. It was the fastest boat of the day. It also carried the youngest sailor in the race
2014 Greens Creek
George Sechrist, who won the Sunfish division, glides by Teach’s Point on his way from Greens to Smith Creek. George was the oldest sailor on the course.
2014 Greens Creek
Kara Wheeler on a Sunfish emerging from the bridge in the last hundred feet of the race.
2014 Greens Creek
Joe Bliss at the finish.
2014 Greens Creek
Emmie James of Oriental in the only Optimist boat in the race. She was also the youngest solo sailor in the race.(Photo: Carol Small)

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2014 Greens Creek
An NCSU sailing team at the bridge.
2014 Greens Creek
Once thru the bridge, boats point up Greens Creek. But the crew on the NCSU FJ Pompano had another challenge to contend with: too much water in the boat. They did an intentional dry roll to let the water spill out.
2014 Greens Creek
On the boat’s port side, a crew member worked as a counter force to right the FJ again.
2014 Greens Creek
2014 Greens Creek
2014 Greens Creek
Total time expired: 15 seconds. They were soon on their way..

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2014 Greens Creek
A confluence of vessels. The ODC Committee Boat, Emmie James in the only Opti in the race, NCSU sailing team members McKenna Marquart and James Stonecipher in a team FJ and at top, Joe Grimm of Oriental on a Sunfish. (Photo: Steve Marquart)
2014 Greens Creek
Part of the NCSU Wolfpack sail team, Mark Thompson and Annalisa Kristofferson. They finished first in the FJ/420 division.
2014 Greens Creek
George Midyette of Oriental in a Sunfish and Don Munn of Raleigh on a Laser pass the semi-permanent landmark of a downed tree at Teach’s Point.
2014 Greens Creek
Two NCSU seniors,Jillian Tucker of Jamestown, NC and Katherine Kristoffersen of Raleigh, on the FJ Cobia, at the finish.
2014 Greens Creek
Joe Grimm, often seen on his Sunfish off of the Oriental waterfront on Tuesday nights, passes the finish line in the Greens Creek Challenge.
2014 Greens Creek
FJ’s on their way. (Photo: Steve Marquart)

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2014 Greens Creek
Sunfish racer Charlie Garrett. (Photo: Steve Marquart)
2014 Greens Creek
Garrett cuts thru the water on his way to the finish..
2014 Greens Creek
Ned Albee surfs the Sunfish to the last mark.
2014 Greens Creek
There were a lot of Sunfish on Greens Creek but the Challenge also drew Zumas, a Laser, FJs and 420’s among others.
2014 Greens Creek
Bob Locarro and crew on the NorseBoat20.
2014 Greens Creek
Greens Creek Gothic. Nancy and Paul Welles who’ve organized the Greens Creek Challenge for years, pose with the chicken that is part of the race tradition. Paul placed it – floating and elevated on a stick – just off the race course. Don Munn retrieved it and for his troubles and for returning it to shore, he received a prize.

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2014 Greens Creek
Jim Sherwood takes a Zuma through the bridge.
2014 Greens Creek
Sam Scudder on a Zuma, with the creeks part of the race behind him, heads to the last mark..
2014 Greens Creek
The results of the 2014 Greens Creek Challenge.
2014 Greens Creek
Ben Bruno on the final stretch of the race Saturday afternoon finish.
2014 Greens Creek
McKenna Marquart – who taught sailing at Bow to Stern this summer – and fellow NCSU sail team member James Stonecipher head under the Oriental bridge. (Photo: Steve Marquart)
2014 Greens Creek
8 members of the NCSU Sailpack with two State alum, from left, Paul Welles and Don Munn. At right is coach Dana Magliola and his dog.
2014 Greens Creek
Sunfish on the river. (Photo: Carol Small)

Posted Wednesday September 10, 2014 by Melinda Penkava


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