Sailing

For more than 50 years, Wabamun Sailing Club members have enjoyed friendly on-the-water competition with regular weekend racing and a number of special races that celebrate special events and outstanding Club sailors. A variety of dinghies and catamarans are represented on the water so the Portsmouth Handicap System is used to calculate scoring results. Rules are applied as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing and races are run according to the Club Racing Sailing Instructions.

Members take turns volunteering to run races. Scheduled Club racing starts in mid-May and wraps up on Thanksgiving weekend.

Scoring results are tabulated weekly, posted in the clubhouse and on the website. A variety of awards are presented at the Commodore’s Awards in November. Awards are presented for monthly standings, overall annual results and special awards for categories such as Most Improved Sailor, Most Deserving Crew and even a Crash and Burn award for the most spectacular capsize.

Weekend Racing

Three Open Class races are scheduled for the Saturday Series racing starting at 2 pm. Four Open Class races are scheduled for the Sunday Series and racing starts at 10 am, except for the final  Sundays of the sailing season (after the long weekend). These races will begin at 11 am. All scoring is tabulated weekly and counts towards monthly and annual awards.

Friday Night Fun Racing

Friday Night Fun Racing starts in June at 7 pm. These races are designed to take advantage of our lovely long summer evenings and encourage sailor skill development in a fun-filled setting.

Summer Solstice

The longest daylight of summer is celebrated on the Saturday evening nearest to the Summer Solstice. The Summer Solstice starts at 7 pm and the format will be posted on the official notice board in front of the Clubhouse. Scoring results count towards monthly and annual awards.

Long Distance Pursuit Race

The Long Distance Pursuit Race was first run in 2009. Sailors race to and from a specified destination (often Coal Point) rather than the normal wind oriented triangle-sausage race course. In this pursuit styled start starting groups are determined by using a boat’s Portsmouth handicap number. Each group’s start is spaced out from the next by a predetermined time with the slowest boats starting first and leading the way. It is up to the later starting boats to catch them from behind in the race to the finish.

The Long Distance Race begins at noon and the format will be posted on the official notice board in front of the Clubhouse. Scoring results count towards monthly and annual awards.

Memorial Cup and Anniversary Cup

Two special races take place on the Saturday morning of the Commodore’s Sailpast. The Memorial Cup honours members who are no longer with us and the Anniversary Cup celebrates the Club’s longevity. Special awards are presented as part of the Commodore’s Sailpast ceremony.

The races start at 10 am and the format for the Hagen-Visman Memorial Cup and the Anniversary Cup will be posted on the official notice board in front of the Clubhouse. Scoring results count towards monthly and annual awards.

Dick Harper Ancient Mariner

The Dick Harper Ancient Mariner celebrates a long-standing club member who in the later years of his life personified the Ancient Mariner. A special award is presented for these races. The Ancient Mariner begins at 10 am and the format will be posted on the official notice board in front of the Clubhouse. Scoring results count towards monthly and annual awards.

Cheriton Eastward Ho! Race

Ross and Muriel Cheriton, founding members of the Club, first sponsored this event in 1984. This race is staged on the eastern portion of the lake and starts at 2 pm. The race format will be posted on the official notice board in front of the Clubhouse. Scoring results count towards monthly and annual awards.

Rum Barrel Regatta

The final sailing Saturday at the Club encourages the brave-of-heart to take to the race course for the Rum Barrel Regatta. Racing starts at 10 am and the format will be posted on the official notice board in front of the Clubhouse. A special Rum Barrel award is presented. Scoring results count towards monthly and annual awards.

Thanksgiving Regatta

The sailing season is wrapped up on Thanksgiving Sunday with racing that starts at 10 am. After the races wetsuit- and -dry suited members remove the boats and piers from the lake while a team of volunteers cook up the best Thanksgiving Dinner around. Racing starts at 10 am and the format will be posted on the official notice board in front of the Clubhouse. Scoring results count towards monthly and annual awards.