2024.08.17  We have new faces at the top of the Wayfarer Canadians totem pole in 2024 after this year's event, hosted in generally light airs July 27-28 by the Mississauga SC. In an exciting series, Ross Thompson and son, Eric (above), of the host club beat out clubmate veterans, Mike Duncan and wife, Marg, in the final race to confirm their first ever major Wayfarer title. In the process of taking Gold, the Thompsons snagged one of Hans Gottschling's treasured Wayfarer tote bags (red) and took the Gillespie Award as best parent-child team (explanation above) while the Duncans (Silver medallists below) won the Sweet Award pictured above as best male-female team.

Not to overlook the Double Daves from North Bay, Dave Hansman and Dave Richardson in Beowulf who were still very much in the title hunt going into the last race, counting 10 points just back of the Thompsons (8 points) and the Duncans (9 points). But alas, their 4th place in the finale behind both boats they had to defeat meant that they had to settle for Bronze.


Congratulations to Conestoga's Jan d'Ailly who sailed to Most Improved honours with grandson, Theo Hegedus, after winning race 2 and thereafter being a consistent threat to the top three for the first time. 7th-seeded Jan and Theo beat their seeded position by an impressive three places. Well done, gentlemen!  Meanwhile, top-seeded Leo Van Kampen also out of Conestoga SC, had to line up an emergency replacement crew for wife, Joanne, whose arthritic knee was acting up. With Paul DiCiccio filling in as  crew (below), Leo sailed his new Mark 4, Leo started his series with a promising 3rd but fell off after that and ended up series 5th.


Yet another Conestoga SC team, Scott Ramsay and Les Sherratt (above left and right), the Most Improved team at the previous week's North Americans on Humber Bay, continued to impress in Nehalennia as they bettered their 8th seed by two spots. Scott and Les actually ended in a points tie at 30-with the Toronto Sailing & Canoe Club duo of Kit Wallace and George Waller (below), each scoring 4-5-6-7-8 finishes so that the tie-breaker had to go to "who beat whom" in the last series race that both sailed: Scott 7th, Kit 10th.


Able to race only the second day and doing a masterful job of it was former MSC stalwart now retired to Peterborough and its sailing club was Rob Wierdsma (above left) who snagged our much appreciated photographer, Sen Zhou (above right) as crew. Thus on Sunday  we lost our photographer but gained a 14th boat on the line. Rob and Sen were an instant success as they placed a sparkling 5-2-1 in Sunday's three races. Another new team out of MSC followed as Serge Toropov (below right) teamed up with Mark Bruni in Mark and Paul Taylor's W7673 for 9th overall while winning the trophy as Best Rookies of the Nationals.

Another MSC father-son team rounded out the Nationals top ten as our new CWA Trophy Secretary, John Koetsier, teamed up with Max (above) to place series 10th and beat his 11th seed by one spot. Next up was the 9th-seeded longtime Mississauga Sailing Club pillar, Gary McIlroy who combined with Marc Dorval in his CL16 (below) for 11th overall.


It was a new look for MSC's 12th-place as seeded Dave and Jillian Haight (above) who had said good-bye to their long-time Abbott Mk 1 friend, W4606, formerly of Dwight and Pat Aplevich note, as they acquired W11222 Soundcheck? which they raced in this regatta. The Haights look happy with their acquisition from the departing Pughs, David and Anne above.  Rounding out the standings were Toronto Sailing's Bob Stevenson with Dirk Townsend (below)  and a new MSC mk4 team, Neil Trevail and Michael Schmidt (no pic) who sailed Sunday only.


Thank You, Mississauga sailors!!  As always we owe a great debt of gratitude to all of the MSC members, especially our Race Committee, who gave up their weekend for us.

From: Ross Thompson <mailto:RossT1967@outlook.com>
Date: July 28, 2024 at 8:01:31?PM EDT
Subject: Results for Wayfarer Canadians
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We had a 14 boat fleet, and some very close racing - only one CL 16. The first race was thrown out due to the race committee not properly shortening the course. Some racers stopped racing and some didn't, so the race could not count. 

The winds were light to medium both days. Luckily the winds filled in early on Sunday and we were able to sail three races in light air. Rob Wierdsma was not able to race on Saturday but sailed with our photographer, Sen Zhou, as crew on Sunday and had a fantastic showing, coming in 1st in one of the races. I will send photos as soon as I receive them.

Overall, Ross and Eric Thompson came 1st. Mike and Marg Duncan 2nd and North Bay's Dave Hansman and Dave Richardson came 3rd. Jan D'Ailly was most improved. He was seeded 7th and came 4th. Serge Toropov was best Rookie, Ross and Eric won best Parent/Offspring while Mike and Marg were best Male/Female crew.