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Croaker Regatta 2014
Schools Of Sunfish & FJs On The Neuse
July 10, 2014

T
he same perfect weather that graced the 2014 Croakerfest also provided good winds for the Croaker Regatta on the Neuse River on Saturday. As breezy as the competition may have been — a few boats did tip over — one contestant came away with a place in the upcoming Sunfish Worlds competition.

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A sizeable school of Sunfish on the Neuse River waters off of Oriental’s shore. The Croaker festivities can be seen in the background. (Photo: Jiah Song)

Almost three dozen sailors took part in this small boat race. The numbers were a bit down from the year before. That’s because Camps Seagull and Seafarer, which usually bring a dozen or two sailors to the competition, had to evacuate the campers to Raleigh as Hurricane Arthur approached earlier in the week.

Still, the regatta went on and the sight of the adults and teens racing Sunfish and FJs and a 420, added to the backdrop for Croakerfest.

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Alexander Dean won the first place in the Sunfish competition and with it a slot in the upcoming Sunfish Worlds in October at Camps SeaGull and Seafarer. Dean, – who sailed solo — was joined by his daughters Jackie and Katherine when he was awarded the top medal.

For Alexander Dean of Raleigh, his first place finish in the Sunfish competition earned him a slot in the Sunfish World championship taking place in October just up the river at Camps Seagull and Seafarer.

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The view from Lou Mac Pier during the Croaker Regatta.

Dean is not a stranger to the Worlds. He says that he was a wild card participant at two earlier Sunfish Worlds, in Lewes, Delaware and St Pete. Asked what his strategy would be, he paused, and said, “ to keep the boat moving fast and figure out why the other boats” are moving faster.

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Sarah Parker, of Raleigh and Lillian Prince on a 420. They came in tops in the combined 420 and FJ competition. (Photo: Jiah Song)
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Margot and Natalie Sherman Jollis of Chapel Hill were the top FJ sailors. They were one of three pairs of sisters out sailing on Saturday.
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FJ’s in the Croaker Regatta. (Photo: Jiah Song)
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George Midyette, who came in fourth overall, but first among his cousins, Jack Bond and Ken Midyette. (Photo: Jiah Song)

Croakerfest 2014 Regatta Results can be downloaded, here.

Many more photos ahead.

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croaker regatta 2014
Joe Grimm of Oriental in the 2014 Croaker Regatta. (Photo: Jiah Song)
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Kara Wheeler who placed 7th overall in the Sunfish competition. (Photo: Jiah Song)
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Sunfish in the competition. Foreground, Jack Bond with Kara Wheeler and third place finisher Sonya Dean at right. (Photo: Jiah Song)
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Not just competitors but sisters, Emma Wheeler, left and Kara Wheeler. Kara edged past Emma for 7th place in the race (and was bestowed with a Sisters Division medal.) (Photo: Jiah Song)
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A scramble on a tack for the sister team of Margot and Natalie Sherman Jollis of Chapel Hill. They came in first among the FJ sailors. (Photo: Jiah Song)
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FJ boats in Saturday’s race. (Photo: Jiah Song)

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Alexis Edwards and Chris Lopez on the FJ with Sarah Parker and Lillian Prince’s 420 just behind. (Photo: Jiah Song)
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A cluster of FJ’s. (Photo: Jiah Song)
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FJ crew of Caroline James of Oriental and Ben Munn of Raleigh. (Photo: Jiah Song)
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Four Sunfish in formation. (Photo: Jian Song)
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Ken “Turtle” Midyette on his Sunfish. (Photo: Jiah Song)
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George Sechrist of Oriental took second place in the Sunfish race. The awards were given out on the lawn of Grace Evans’ home next to the Wildlife ramp.

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Sonya Dean of Raleigh, took third place. Several years earlier, she and her husband Alexander did tag team racing, taking turns watching their daughters so the other could sail in a small boat race in Oriental. This time, they competed in the same race.

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croaker regatta 2014
While the adults and Sunfish sailors competed on the river, younger sailors raced Optimists on Smith and Green creeks. Eli Thorn of Greenville took top honors among the Opti sailors. (Photo: Jiah Song)
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Emmie James of Oriental took second in the Optimist class.
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Fiona Bonner of Merritt and Cody Suggs of Ayden tied for third place.
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Sarah Parker and Lillian Prince of Raleigh sailed the 420 that competed with FJ and won that combined division.
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Second place among the FJ sailors went to the team of Alexis Edwards and Chris Lopez of Oriental.
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Caroline James was half of the crew on the FJ that finished third in the FJ fleet. Her crewmate Ben Munn was not at the awards ceremony on Grace Evans lawn.
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George Midyette of Oriental was fourth among the Sunfish sailors. He was awarded the special Cousins Award for finishing ahead of his two cousins, Ken “Turtle” Midyette and Jack Bond.
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Kara Wheeler of Oriental placed 7th among the Sunfish sailors. The medal she got was for the Sisters competition — she came in one place ahead of her older sister, Emma.

Posted Thursday July 10, 2014 by Melinda Penkava


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