The fleet of 15 boats saw good winds and clear skies for this the 69^th Annual Mercury Regatta at Huntington Lake.  The three race regatta had different winners for each race, but in the end, it was consistency that won the regatta.  PRO Matt Jones used a class favorite race course with two up wind and two downwind legs to get things going.  John Ravizza with son Michael crewing broke out of the pack and lead all the way for a very decisive finish in the first race.  The afternoon race saw a little more wind and Randy Hecht with Scott Whitney crewing found it to his liking. Using an ‘at the pin’ start he crossed the fleet and never looked back.  However Hecht had a bad first race for a total of 12 points and Ravizza got fourth in the second race, for a total of 5 points, so at the end of the first day Ben Bradley with crew John Lisingby lead with very consistent two second place finishes, for 4 points.  Jim Bradley was standing at third with 8 points.

Sunday morning the fleet was ready for a showdown between Ravizza, who sports an incredible racing resume, and Ben Bradley who grew up in a Mercury family, but was new to leading a major regatta. The wind that morning was as shifty as ever for Huntington.  Ravizza choose a windward end start and Bradley decided on the leeward end.  Hecht, with incredible pointing ability, looked good off the line but after a few wind shifts the leaders consolidated and it turned into anybody’s race.  At the top mark, old timer, Jim Bradley with wife Kathy crewing rounded first but only by inches.  Ben Bradley was third and Ravizza was stuck in the middle of the fleet. On the leeward leg Chris Lanzafame with son Robert crewing took the lead but it was still anybody’s race with Mike Burch with Brendan Bradley crewing moving up of the left side and Andy Goodman with Elijah Sanford crewing moving up on the right.  Six boats converged on the bottom mark with Burch having a slight lead.  The beat back to the finish was a real battle but Burch held on to win. Randy Hecht’s 3^rd wasn’t enough to overcome Ben Bradley’s 4^th,  giving Ben the regatta. His name goes on the Bill Bradley trophy which is named after his grandfather who raced the first Mercury Huntington Lake Regatta 69 years ago.  John Ravizza clawed his way back up to 8^th to claim second place in the regatta. Silver Fleet first place was won by Andy Goodman.  His crew Elijah Sanford just happens to be the great grandson of Holden Sanford, who won the 1964 Mercury National Championship.

Much thanks to Lynn Baldwin for organizing the fleet dinner.  75 people, some old racers and many under 10 future racers, gathered to be the first function to experience the new lakeside party deck built by new Lakeshore owner Levon Nargizyan.  The venue was beautiful and the food was excellent.

It was a great regatta with great parties so don’t miss next year.