Sports Highlights

By Don Lyons - August 31, 2006

Chappy man medals at Nationals

Speaking of prize-winning kayakers, Rick Floyd of Chappaquiddick and Warren, Vermont, won a silver medal in the open touring kayak (17' to 20') division at the US Canoe Assn. Marathon Kayaking National Championships, Saturday, August 12. The race was held on the Peshtigo River in Wisconsin over a 15-mile course.

Rick also won a gold medal at the New England Canoe and Kayak Championships on the Connecticut River at Westmoreland, N.H., August 5, a 12-mile course, and took the gold at the New York State Championships, July 15, another 12-mile race, on the Mohawk River.

Presently, Rick is in third place overall in the New England Canoe & Kayak Assn. flat-water season series.

The season concludes with a series of five races in September and October.

Rick's sponsors include West Side Boat Shop, Maui Jim, Garmin, Sandcastle Realty, and Vermont Morning hot cereal.

Family feud

Plymouth State University (N.H.) has announced its fall team captains. Kelsey MacDonald, now a senior, is one of two co-captains of the women's soccer team.

Kelsey's sister, Taylor, a freshman, will be playing for a league rival, Eastern Connecticut State. After playing all summer in the MV Football League, both should be in great shape for their season openers.

The Red Coats

According to Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, "the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton." Eton brings its football (aka soccer) teams, varsity and jayvee, to the Vineyard for tussles with Coach Bob Hammond's MVRHS teams on the high school playing fields this Saturday. Kickoff is at 10 am.

The very next day powerhouse E.O. Smith High School from Connecticut comes to scrimmage with the Islanders at 12 noon.

Bridge port

Jocelyn and Duncan Walton took the most tricks at the Bridge Club of M.V. tables - ten of them - Saturday morning at the Tisbury senior center. Rosemary Taylor and Irene Gaines were runners up. Joan and Bill Green and Bea Brown and Alice Childs were third and fourth.

At east-west, Gerry Jones and Charity Randolph showed more finesse than (2) Barbara Besse and Eleanor Hughes, (3) Norma Kilson and Claudia Bowser, and (4) Liz Clanton and Marilyn Elliott.

Upcoming

Island Country Club Tennis hosts the All Island Championships, a benefit for Hospice of MV, this weekend, Friday to Sunday. Multiple locations will be used but finals on Sunday will be at the Island Inn courts.

The Rod & Gun Club's annual championship pistol shoot has been rescheduled from Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, Sept. 2 to same time, Sept 9. Call Bob DeLisle with questions: 508-221-0902.

The 9th annual 5K Run/Walk for the Vineyard Haven Public Library will be Sunday, Sept. 10, beginning at 10 am. A half-mile fun run precedes the 5K at 9:45 am.

Pre-race registration at needtorun.com is $15. Race day registration is $20. Registration for Fun Run is $5.

T-shirts are free to all pre-registrants and on race day as far as they will go.

The 5th annual NAACP 5K road race and one-mile fun run, the George V. Tankard Jr. Memorial, will be run Saturday, Sept 16, starting at the Wesley Hotel, Oak Bluffs, at 10 am. The mile fun run begins at 9:30 am. Pre-race registration is $15: race day registration $20; T-shirts come with registration.

Call Roger Wey, 693-7887, with questions.

Register for one or more of seven MV Youth Hockey programs for kids 3 to 14 years old at MV Arena, September 11, 12, and 13. Fees begin at $200. Scholarships available. Try-out times: travel mites 5 pm, Squirts 6 pm, Bantams & PeeWees: 7 pm. See mvyouthhockey.com or call 693-3137 or call Deborah Hammett, parent coordinator, 508-693-8104.

The Challenge

The 19th annual Martha's Vineyard Challenge, a benefit for MV Community Services, is scheduled to shove off at 10 am, Saturday, Sept. 2, or Sunday if the weather so dictates.

Kayaks, windsurfers, rowboats, canoes, gigs, sailboats - are all welcome. Challenge founder Nevin Sayre says "anyone who can sail, paddle, or row any distance from 4 to 40 miles is welcome."

All participants will start and finish in front of the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club.

For more information, see www.mvchallenge.com.

True value

Shirley's Hardware claimed the Vineyard Football Assn. championship title by first qualifying for the finals by winning the B division, then outscoring the Atlantic Football Club in the final game, Tuesday, 2-1.

Lucas Brewer scored Shirley's first goal, a header off a laser-like pass from Franklin Pierce. Nica Cuba tied the score with a seeing-eye goal after missing one by inches, bouncing the ball off the crossbar. Late in the second period, Mauricio DeOliveira found the back of the net with Shirley's winning goal.

This was the first year that the team that had the best win/loss record in the first half of the summer season, also emerged as winner of the second season, obviating a playoff.

Jared Jernegan was coach of the Shirley's Hardware champions.

HHSA triangulates harbor

Jeff Craig sailed Rosa Parks, a catboat, to victory last Thursday in the Holmes Hole Sailing Assn. weekly weekday triangular race in Vineyard Haven harbor. The first leg was a broad reach on the starboard tack, the second a beat to windward, and the third a beam reach on the port tack.

Phil Hale was second in Alerion and Roger Becker third in Gloria. Then came (4) Don Cohan in Summertime (5) Kathy Logue in Rocinante III, (6) Michael Loberg in Masquerade, (7) John and Lisa Stout in Isabella, (8) Jerry Goodale in Stormalong (9) Dan Culkin in Magic Time, (10) Mike Oliveira in Hero, (11) John Amabile in Solitude and (12) Fair Dinkum. Sara B retired.

The same triangle was the course for Sunday's two HHSA races, sailed twice around. Winds were 10-12 knots on a cloudy morning. B division winners were John and Lisa Stout in Isabella, followed by (2) Alan Wilson in Sara B, (3) Dan Culkin in Magic Time, and (4) Tom and Laurie Welch in Eastaway.

The A division was led by Phil Hale in Mischief. Indian Summer and Jerry Coe were second. Third was Roger Becker in Gloria, trailed by (4) Jerry Goodale, (5) Don Rappaport, (6) John Amabile, (7) Brian Roberts, (8) Michael Loberg, and (9) Tony Dilorenzo.

The weather deteriorated for the afternoon race with winds decreasing to 5 to 10 knots, a shade south of southeast. Eleven boats posted for the 2 pm start around the familiar triangle.

Jerry Coe was first in the A division and Phil Hale was not far behind. Art Spielvogel was third, leading (4) Roger Becker, (5) Michael Loberg, (6) John Amabile, (7) Jerry Goodale, and (8) Frank Sutula.

The Stouts finished ahead of Dan Culkin in the B division. Alan Wilson and Sara B retired.

The summer racing series continues with a harbor race tonight and concludes with the Tarpaulin Cove Rendezvous Race, Sunday.

The annual Moffett Race will be sailed Saturday, Sept. 9. All entries must be in by Sept 1.