Great Racing in the 75th Annual Stampede
by Tom Burden
“This boat is optimized for just these conditions,” said El Toro Stampede winner Gordie Nash. He was talking wind mostly 7 to 10 knots, providing fine sailing in tee-shirt weather in the 75th Annual Stampede, one of the oldest continuously-raced regattas on the West Coast.
Vickie Gilmour, using her Grand Banks 32, “Fats” and a crew of volunteers, put on a great regatta. By popular demand, the backwards in-the-harbor race was dropped, and instead a third “All Throwers” race was added. The now three-race series, with a sack of chicken manure as the winner’s trophy, included all 20 boats in the fleet, with five juniors lining up against the elders.
Vickie Gilmour, using her Grand Banks 32, “Fats” and a crew of volunteers, put on a great regatta. By popular demand, the backwards in-the-harbor race was dropped, and instead a third “All Throwers” race was added. The now three-race series, with a sack of chicken manure as the winner’s trophy, included all 20 boats in the fleet, with five juniors lining up against the elders.
True to the hallowed El Toro Stampede traditions, the fleet sailed out for two races before returning for a relaxing on shore lunch break. We completed All Throwers Race One in cool, overcast, semi-hiking conditions of 10-12 knots.
There were some returning long-time-no-see Toro racers out on the course, like Mark and Mary Marlett, John Walsh, Packy Davis sailing fast in his Smith wood boat, and Tim Armstrong narrowly avoiding a One Australia type glug, glug, glug situation in my 1973 wood Friendship Toro.
There were some returning long-time-no-see Toro racers out on the course, like Mark and Mary Marlett, John Walsh, Packy Davis sailing fast in his Smith wood boat, and Tim Armstrong narrowly avoiding a One Australia type glug, glug, glug situation in my 1973 wood Friendship Toro.
With his deck split open, daggerboard trunk opening up, thwart pulled loose from the hull, which was twisted horribly, Tim managed to finish the race (one place in front of me!) before limping back to base. Vickie the PRO generously loaned him her red Blood Vessel Toro, so he could finish the regatta in 7th place.
The fleet was divided into four weight divisions, with individual starts for each one, a race to the harbor with the finish line extending off A Dock. Weight Divisions are Flyweight up to 120lb., which was won by Jenna Englehart, Middleweight 121-150lb. with John Walsh on top, Heavyweight 151-180 lb. with Mark Marlett winning the biggest division, and Brahma Bulls, with Bob Hrubes quickest in the 181lb. and up division.
After lunch the sun was out, the temperature was warmer and the pressure lighter, as we sailed two more All Throwers races. I even managed to port-tack the whole fleet on one start, but even perennial Stampede winner Nick Nash could not overcome “Uncle Gordie.” The concluding Weight Division race back to A Dock featured the top two from each weight category, the Winners’ Bracket, and then the rest of us in the “cannon fodder” Losers’ Bracket.
The latest Stampede was, once again a unique and classic regatta!
The latest Stampede was, once again a unique and classic regatta!