In the early days of competitive sailing on Tampa Bay, names such as Jordon, Mangold, Fleishman, Levinson, Parke, Morgan and Most won the races.
The next generation is grabbing an occasional tiller and showing us the way around a course. Jennings, Sherman, Krippendorf, Dudinsky, Hinkle and many others contribute to the sailing community.
Then came Allison Jolly, Ed Baird, Howard Miller, Rick Merriman, Doug Halsey, the Funsch brothers, John Jennings Jr. and coach Eric Bardes. Among them are Olympic gold winners, world-class match racers, professional sailors and pro coaches. Mark Mendelblatt was in the group with Dave Fagen, Brett Davis, Mitchell Rogers, Brad Funk and others.
Now, another batch of area sailors is going through the intensive training that college competition affords, tearing up the bay, learning and enjoying the use of the wind. Many of these youngsters are just returning from the huge Orange Bowl Regatta in Miami, the year-end event for Optimist Dinghies, 420s and Lasers.
This has been a season of highs and lows in the sport. Regattas were, on the whole, attended by about the same number as other years. No particular trends in boats were noted. Those who raced still race. Those who cruised still cruise, and those who never used their boats still don't:
Sailing lost some stalwarts this year. Wilson Barnes, Walter Most, Rich Gahn and Will Glenn had added to the flavor and fun.
We all are pulling for popular young sailor Olivia Cereolo as she battles cancer.
Wind was ample for the Isla del Sol race to Mexico. Many of the boats didn't make it across the Gulf. Ironically, that makes next year's event more compelling for several participants.
The Davis Island Thanksgiving Day Regatta had strong winds, as did the first day of the Laser District 13 Championship and Clearwater's Laser Midwinters.
On the other hand, the Laser Masters Gulf Coasts got in only two drifting races on a long weekend. The Tornado Nationals in Clearwater managed just two light-air events on a Sunday after having no competition Saturday.
There were several stellar performances by locals on the world sailing scene.
Baird made a return to the International Match Racing Circuit, winning an event over America's Cup competitors Russell Couts and James Spithill.
Zach Railey and his sister, Paige, have had a season of remarkable success in this country and Europe in Laser and Radial events, respectively.
Paige was recognized as U.S. Sailing's Female Athlete of the Year for the second straight time over national competition. She won the Kiel and Germany Raceweek Laser Radial class, and capped her year by capturing the International Sailing Federation World Championship in Portugal.
Paige has been nominated for the Rolex Sailor of the Year award.
Fagen is zipping around in his high-performance Olympic 49er, practicing for the Olympic Trials. He consistently is in the top three among the U.S. fleet of this difficult boat.
Robbie Daniel is on par with the top of the game in the Olympic Tornado Catamaran class, racing extensively in Europe and more recently in Clearwater.
With experienced crew member Keith Notary, a silver medalist, Daniel is honing his skills for the Trials.
Mendelblatt jumped off an America's Cup boat and into a Laser to win the Pre-Olympic regatta in Miami despite not racing the vessel enough to be on the U.S. Laser team.
Other victories in the class followed. Mendelblatt even won a larger boat match race in Europe over stiff international competition.
His years of practice have paid off in the impressive winning of the U.S. Olympic Trails in Laser and receiving U.S. Sailing's male sailor of the year honor for 2003.
It is gratifying to hear of the local success. But anyone who gets out on the bay and Gulf and enjoys a day of pushing water and bending wind is a winner in the sport.
