Sports Highlights

By Don Lyons - August 30, 2007

Naushon or bust

Thirteen boats reported for the annual Tarpaulin Cove Rendezvous (Naushon) race, Sunday, a warm overcast morning with a light southwest wind. The wind died down soon after the start of the race and the boats struggled to reach red nun 4 at West Chop, the only mark on the course.

After rounding the nun the fleet beat to windward up Vineyard Sound, most staying inside Middle Ground shoal to pick up the west-setting current.

In the B division the winner was Raven, a Nonesuch sailed by Art and Caroline Spengler, Second was Dan Culkin in Magic Time followed by (3) Tom and Laurie Welch in Eastaway, (4) Jim Pringle in Myfanwy, (5) Alan Wilson in High Tide and (6) Mike Farrington, a guest, in Orion.

First in the A division was Roger Becker in Gloria. Jerry Goodale was second in Stormalong. Then came (3) Phil Hale in Mischief, (4) John Amabile in Solitude, (5) Michael Loberg in Masquerade. Don Rappaport in Arion did not finish.

In last Thursday's harbor race, Brian Roberts beat all in the Hinckley, Starfish. Mary Worrell was second and Phil Hale, third. Also sailed (4) Roger Becker, (5) Jerry Goodale, (6) Charley Felder, (7) Mike Oliviera, (8) Dan Culkin, (9) Ernie Mendenhall and Kathy Logue, (10) Alan Wilson. Swallows and Amazon did not finish.

The Tankard Memorial

The annual George V. Tankard Memorial NAACP 5K road race and one-mile fun run, sponsored by the Dukes County Savings Bank, will be held Saturday, September 15 - the fun run at 9:30 am and the 5K at 10 am start from the Wesley Hotel, Oak Bluffs.

Early registration, Friday from 7 to 9 pm, is $15. Day of race registration is $20. Racing wheelchairs are allowed, Baby strollers, skateboads, rollerblades, and bicycles are not.

Register on line at www.tankardmemorialroadrace.com.

For more information, call Roger Wey at 508-693-7887.

Opera overture

The 13th annual Hurricane Fodder Feeder Race, preceding the Nantucket Opera House Cup race on August 18, saw five boats start the race in 25- to 30-knot northwest winds. Boats included a 28-foot yawl and a 65-foot schooner.

First to finish was the schooner Juno from Vineyard Haven in 2:43, skippered by Robert Soros.

In corrected times, first was Phra Luang, the 42-foot gaff schooner from Vineyard Haven sailed by Jeff Robinson, in 2:39:23.

In corrected times, second and third were Juno in 3:03:21 and Black Rose at 3:08:38.

Mission accomplished

Monday, several dozen friends and admirers gathered on the Mann dock jutting into Edgartown harbor, a block from the On Time Ferry to greet and congratulate Brian Mann and Jim Turner, a couple of seasonal Edgartonian mariners, on the completion of their circumnavigation of the Island, with a difference. Their Island-circling odyssey included exploration of every salt water cove, creek, culvert, harbor, pond, inlet, stream, and lagoon. It took 44 hours of kayaking spread over 11 days to complete the 167-mile adventure.

The intrepid paddlers discovered things about the Island they had not known before - the culvert that makes passage possible between Squibnocket and Menemsha Ponds, for instance.

Their only brush with trouble occurred at the new Norton Point Cut where the surf drove them on shore, rolled their boats and threatened to claim the kayaks by pulling them out to sea. Fortunately. five fishermen nearby saw their plight, and waded in to help them pull their kayaks up the beach. "We weren't concerned for ourselves," Mr. Turner said, "We were okay, but we thought we might lose our boats. We were just lucky the fishermen were there."

What's next for the daring duo? Who knows? But it would be a challenge to explore the Elizabeth Islands in the same way they did the Vineyard and challenge is a word that lifts their eyebrows.

Bridge heads

Ten - count 'em - ten tables were in play at the M.V. Bridge Club session Saturday at the Tisbury senior center.

Shining at north-south were Barbra Besse and Robert Henry, Yvonne Cooper and Dave Selin, Clara Hargrave and Stanley Segal, Jean and Lionel McMurren.

At east-west the winning hands were played by Carol and Larry Kurlander, Claudia Bowser and Tillie Foster, Regina McDonough and Betty Morris, Mildred Henderson and Gussie Jenkins.

Disc golf

Dwight Kaeka led the pro division from the expert tees, shooting 61, followed by Jake Gifford (64) and John Tate (65). In the Amateur 1 division Danny Kaeka led with a round of 65. Jim Sharp and Junior Brazil were second and third. At Am2, Rick Gore's 72 was better than Dave Heigh's 78 or Scott Fischman's 85.

Whalers visit

The Nantucket vs. Martha's Vineyard summer soccer game is a hoary tradition that had lapsed in recent years, Happily it was revived Saturday at Veterans Park as visitors from the other island made the trip to the Vineyard only to be dominated by their hosts and sent back to Nantucket with memories of a 2-1 loss. Actually, the game was not as close as the score might indicate. The Vineyard team was dominant throughout the contest and the Whalers single goal was something of a fluke, almost an own goal. The game had a distinct United Nations flavor with players from more than a dozen countries on the field.

Duncan Pickard officiated as referee.

High school sports

The high school fall sports season begins today, Thursday, August 30, with the golf team at Seekonk. Tuesday the team is host to Wareham.

Also Tuesday, the varsity and jayvee field hockey teams open their seasons at Old Rochester.

Wednesday signals the start of boys soccer at Nauset. The girls soccer opener is Friday, Sept. 7, here, versus Seekonk.

The first varsity football game is Friday, Sept. 7, at home with visiting Old Rochester. The first jayvee football game is at Carver, September 15,

The Cross Country season starts both for boys and girls at Diman Voke, Sept. 18.

Library race date set

The annual 5K road race and round-the-block fun run, benefit of the Vineyard Haven Library, will be Sunday, Sept. 9. The Fun Run begins at 9:45 am. The 5K, to the Chop and back, is 15 minutes later.