(l-r) Paul Bowen, Reichard Kahle, Chris Kakavas, John Bottensek, Gerry Cobley, Carl Olbrich

2008 27th Annual Century Cup Report

Elon University, Elon, NC

By: Cameron Hunt - RD

For the seventh year in a row the 16 Captains attending the Twenty-seventh Annual Century Cup Regatta held by The Piedmont Model Yacht Club at Elon, NC on June 7-8, 2008 were blessed with good weather and enough wind, though light at times, to race 24 heats.  The 2 fleet promotion relegation heat system was used.Each captain sailed in 2 seeding heats and at least 10 fleet heats. Their best finish in the seeding heats was carried forward and one additional throw out for the fleet heats was allowed.

Five captains registered bullets and eight scored second places.The top four captains at the end of Saturday’s sailing maintained their leads on Sunday with fifth changing from Saturday to Sunday.Finishing just out of the plaques was Allan Fernald in sixth place.

We had light and variable wind from the SW for most of the heats.The changing winds of Elon gave all points of sail as the boats traveled down the course.

The members of the Piedmont Model Yacht Club presented Paul Bowen a special achievement award plaque recognizing his “Meritorious support of the Piedmont Model Yacht Club and the Sport of Radio Controlled Sailing.”

Paul has been a member of the PMYC for many years and is always the first to volunteer when there is work to be done. It should be noted that Paul will be celebrating his 90th birthday this coming October and he still is able to launch and retrieve his EC12 Meter Yacht.

In the 27th Annual Century Cup Regatta, Paul was able to finish all the races in the most adverse conditions we’ve experienced the history of the club. The temperature hovered around 100 degrees and Paul soldiered on, offering to help others with their boats.

Thanks to all the skippers and wives for making this a fun event.Also a big thank you to Frank Angel for all his preliminary work, expertise, and acting as mark observer; to Linda Angel for being an excellent caterer, being in charge of lunch and putting up with “Uncle” Frank. Thanks to Dan Scudder for being the starter and Steve Carpenter for observing the mark.I also want to thank Chris Kakavas for setting and removing the marks from the pond, thereby saving a trip to the hospital for Frank and me.

All in all, the fleet was very close with only a few points separating some of the finishing positions as the scores below reflect.

Finish	Captain	Score	State
1.	Reichard Kahle	13	SC
2.	Chris Kakavas	33	NC
3.	John Bottensek	34	FL
4.	Gerry Cobley	39	NC
5.	Carl Olbrich	66	NC
6.	Allan Fernald	71	NC
7.	Bob Mersereau	73	NC
8.	Dick Gerry	74	SC
9.	Bob Szczepanski	81	NC
10.	Doug Hale	82	NC
11.	Skip Allen	84	GA
12.	Joe Phillips	85*	MD
13.	Dennis McInerney	90	SC
14.	John Amoroso	128	NC
15.	Paul Bowen	134	NC
16.	Don Tyson	146*	MD

* Did not sail Sunday

---

Last updated on