2021 Hospice Turkey Shoot Race Results
Co- Chairman George Bott Presents "Hospice Hero Award" to Frannie Bernard
Ms. Frannie Bernard honored with the Hospice Hero Award
During the 2021 Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta dinner at Rappahannock Yachts on Sat. Oct. 2nd, George Bott, event co-chairman, presented Frannie Bernard, a long-time volunteer at these local regattas, the National Hospice Regatta Alliance “Hospice Hero Award,” for her sustained, exceptional service over 21 years.
The Alliance sponsors this award at the local and national levels, to recognize volunteers who best reflect the concept of volunteerism in its truest sense – serving as inspiration to others. Frannie’s efforts across the years have demonstrably strengthened this annual fund-raising event, as measured by time, money raised, and responsibilities assumed, Mr. Bott said.
As an example for all, for each years’ regatta, she starts early, requesting donations of food, drinks and other materiel from many donors, delivers and stores these, recruits and organizes teams of talented volunteers, then directs the placement of service tables and equipment to feed 350-400 sailors, family and guests.
Prior to arrival of the crowd on Friday’s welcoming cocktail party she is up before dawn each day managing and preparing the daily food menu, oversee breakfast for skippers and crew, serving dinner Saturday night, breakfast again on Sunday before the second race, then lunch Sunday afternoon while regatta results are awaited.
Through her years associated with this largest of the US hospice regattas, Frannie has significantly contributed, through her efforts, to raising several-hundred thousand dollars for local hospice agencies.
For many years, her parents and son Mike Langford were also integral to food prep and serving, with Mike as chief cook , 2012 – 2019.
Even though Frannie does not race, she has enjoyed all aspects of this regatta, especially cooking for the racers and crews and making many friends throughout the communities which support hospice and this regatta. We will nominate her as an entry to the national hospice hero competition where she may yet gain more recognition!
Congratulations Frances Clay Bernard, we really appreciate all your efforts!
Overall winner, Silver fox, Winn Schwab & Ed Richardson
Overall Second Place, Mad Hatter, Bob Fleck Overall Third Place, Ricochet, Richard Williams and family. Also winner of the Wobbly Compose award and the new Corinthian award presented by Ed Tillett.
Press Release: (Tom Wicks, RRYC)
Silver Fox Wins the 26th Annual Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta with Awards Dominated by Ricochet and The Richard Williams Family
Over the weekend of Oct. 1-3th, under sunny, blue skies and fluky winds (3-9 knots) on the Rappahannock River, the 26th annual Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta (HTSR), one of the largest sailboat races in the Bay returned to its traditional two-day race format. Held for the benefit of Hospice Support Services of the Northern Neck and Riverside Hospice, eligible boats must be mono hulls 18 ft or longer and be designs older than 20 years. This year’s 88 entries, ranged from “America’s smallest yachts”—the Typhoons-- to a 43 foot Mason. Photo 1.
Finding the stronger wind and avoiding slowing river currents were the keys to success both days according to Principal Race Officer(PRO) Jerry Latell and it was a challenge to set up fair courses for the racers on both days given the light and shifting winds. The first race, Saturday, was a traditional round-the-buoy race, with each division of similarly rated boats starting together. With Fleet A (faster boats) sailing an 8-mile course and Fleet B sailing a 5-mile course, 65 of the 73 boats that started managed to finish within the time limit. Sunday’s Pursuit race, where the slowest boats started first with fastest last, began with 8-9 kt winds and then dropped to under 3 on much of the course. For long while it looked like no boat would finish the race within the prescribed time limit. Luckily for the early starters the wind came in from the south in the last hour and carried 11 boats across the finish line before time expired.
The overall winner of the Virginia Spirit Trophy, was Silver Fox, a Santana 20 owned and sailed by Win Schwab and Ed Richardson of the Yankee Point Racing and Cruising Club. Compliments of the Tides Inn (tidesinn.com), Win and Ed also received a prize of a free room and slip there for the 2022 regatta. In addition, they will receive a plaque engraved with an image of their boat from AGA Correa and Sons. Photo 2, Ed Richardson, left and Win Schwab.
Other overall winners were:
Second Place Overall, was Mad Hatter, an Olsen 911, sailed by Bob Fleck from Fishing Bay Yacht Club (FBYC) and a three time winner of the HTSR.Photo 3, Bob Fleck right with crew and family.
Third Place Overall, was won by Ricochet, (FBYC) a classic wooden 37 foot Atkins Ketch sailed by Richard Williams and family, including their dog.
The Corinthian Award, a new trophy for the best performing cruising boat which also displayed the highest standards of sportsmanship, sponsored by Ed Tillett (head of Waterway Guide Media), was also won by Ricochet and the Williams team. They also won the Wobbly Compass Award for the top finishing wooden boat. ! Photo 4, Richard Williams right, with family, dog and crew.
The John and Carole Jean McConnico, awarded to the Yacht Club or Marina based on the finishes of their top three boats was won by FBYC again this year in a close contest with RRYC.
And the Most Beautiful Boat Award, voted by observers on the Race Committee, was Joseph Roos classic Golden Era Petrel, Selkie who will also receive a plaque engraved with an image of their boat from AGA Correa and Sons.
And there were many notable accomplishments other than the ones cited above.
Division 1: First Dianthus, David Tabor; second, L’eaudanse (last year’s winner) sailed by Tim Scheid; third, Jim Raper’s Rhapsody,
Division 2: First, Victoria, Mark Maiocco; second, Crescendo, Ron Buchanan; third, Acadia, Larry Davis.
Division 3: First, Trilogy, Wayland Rennie (Wayland is a three time overall winner of the Turkey Shoot and 94 years old demonstrating that sailing is truly a lifelong pastime); second Catitude, Lew Thatcher; third Hippo, Ed Johnson.
Division 4: First Mad Hatter, Bob Fleck; second Goin’, Dennis Hannick; third High Hopes, Arabella Denvir.
Division 5: First, Eroica, Randy Alderks; second, Joie de Vie, Russ Seltzer; third White Hawk, Rob Brodsky.
Division 6: First, Andiamo, Ric Bergstrom; second, Grey Fox, Jim Engle and third Albatross, Robert Qualls.
Division 7: First Silver Fox, Win Schwab and Ed Richardson; second Roadrunner, Hans Lassen and third Thistledown, Bill McClure.
Division 8: First, Spirit, Samantha Van Saun; second, Life of Riley, Eddy Whichard and third, Selkie, Joe Roos.
Division 9: First, Ricochet, Richard Williams and family; second, Dolcefariente, Chuck Schaffner.
Division 10: First, Elizabeth, Brian Corrigan. Both Trick or Treat and Wayward Wind raced but retired.
Division 11: First, Friday’s Child, John Friday and family; second, Radio Flyer, Mike Kennedy/Tom Watkins and third, Mad Cow, John Congdon.
The racers were treated with a cocktail party on Friday evening with music by Rip Tide, breakfast both mornings, dinner on Saturday, and hot dogs and beer during the awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon.
At the awards ceremony PRO Tom Chapman thanked the many race committee members who help make this event work: Karl and Nancy Hamm who provide the Signal Boat, Vicky Foley, Carroll Schwab, Sue Spenser, George Kuper, Joe and Dee Dee Hotard, Gary Hooper, Hal Starke Jr, Ollen Richey, Ed Peake and Shaun Thaxter who leads the water taxi service as well as Kimberly Vail who leads the registration process.
And this regatta and campaign would not be the success it was without the generous donation of time, talent, services, money, gifts and awards of all the volunteers, participants, sailors and donors.
John and Carole Jean McConnico, the regatta founders, wish to thank everyone on the 2021 HTSR Committee and the support team members who helped make this regatta and campaign such a success.
Always a joint effort of the Rappahannock River Yacht Club (rryc.org), the Yankee Point Racing and Cruising Club (yprcc.org), Rappahannock Yachts (rappyachts.com), the Irvington and Lancaster County, VA community and Riverside and Northern Neck, VA Hospice Services, this regatta is the high point of this annual fund-raising campaign to benefit Hospice services and is a big success. Called a Turkey Shoot at its inception as it was then held the day after Thanksgiving, it was moved to early October to attract more racers due to warmer weather and separation from a major holiday. (turkeyshoot.org).