2023 Season Schedule and Winter Meeting Minutes

[Nathan Cunningham]

Hello NELD sailors!

To those of you not in attendance for our winter meeting last month, please get caught up with the minutes and schedule attached to this email. Below is the list of scheduled events which count towards the NE District Circuit Championship for this season (including TWO new ocean regattas). Looks like a great season of sailing is ahead!

NELD Circuit regattas:

• June 3-4, 2023 - NE District Championship / MBBC Spring Regatta, Malletts Bay Boat Club, Colchester, VT
• June 18, 2023 - First Ever (Annual?) Duxbury Lightning Regatta, Duxbury Bay Maritime School, Duxbury, MA! Let's get a great showing to kickstart more Lightning racing in the South Shore!
• July 28-30, 2023 - Marblehead Race Week / Helly Hansen Sailing World Series, Corinthian Yacht Club, Marblehead, MA! Another chance to showcase Lightnings on a big stage!
• August 19, 2023 - Squam Lake One Day Regatta / District WJMs, Squam Lakes Association, Holderness, NH. See below for recently-adopted qualification exceptions (in addition to normal ILCA qualifications) for NE WJM:
• Women: mixed+ format (2+ females on board) OR female skipper (preferred)
• Juniors: average age of 20 for a team of 3 OR Junior (U20) skipper (preferred)
• Masters: three-generation family team w/ skipper age 55+
• September 16-17, 2023 - Lake Massabesic Annual Regatta, Massabesic Yacht Club, Auburn, NH
  
• September 23, 2023 - Bow Lake Ed Hinds Memorial One Day Regatta, Bow Lake, Strafford, NH
• September 30-October 1, 2023 - MBBC Leaf Peeper, Malletts Bay Boat Club, Colchester, VT

The thing I love most about sailing Lightnings in New England is getting to see everyone at their respective home venues, and I'm excited to add two new locations to the mix for this season. Let's all make the effort to get boats and people to the Duxbury and Marblehead regattas in addition to the regular circuit. I'm personally looking forward to racing in all of these events and finally taking the District Circuit Championship trophy from Bob Shapiro.

See below for other major ILCA regattas taking place this year (these events will not count towards the NE District Circuit Championship):

• June 17-18 - CT/RI District Championship, Cedar Point Yacht Club, Westport, CT
• July 21-23 - Atlantic Coast Championship, Hampton Yacht Club, Hampton, VA
• August 1-4 - North American WJMs, Metedeconk River Yacht Club, Brick Township, NJ
• August 5-11 - North American Championship, Toms River Yacht Club, Toms River, NJ
• November 23-27 - World Masters / South American Championships, Club Naval de Castillo Grande, Cartegena, Colombia
• November 27-December 3 - World Championship, Club Naval de Castillo Grande, Cartegena, Colombia

Last year I got to compete at the ACCs and NAs alongside several other New England boats. Traveling to these regattas was incredibly fun, especially with friends! I can't express enough how much there is to learn at major regattas in addition to our normal events, and the top sailors in the Class are always willing to share what they know. Let's continue to travel and show the strength of New England Lightning sailing!

I also want to note that for 2024, the NE and CT/RI districts are working on a joint Championship regatta tentatively hosted at the Hingham Yacht Club in Hingham, MA. More info to come.

See you on the water,

Nathan Cunningham

NELD Secretary

Squam Lake Lightning Fleet 332

"Appa" 15121 & "Lightning MacQueen" 14360