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35th annual Aspen Yacht Club Regatta sets sail

Aspen Times Staff Report

The Aspen Yacht Club’s 35th annual Sailing Regatta returns to Ruedi Reservoir this weekend.

And unlike last year – a half-empty, half-full situation due to the drought – the reservoir is nearly full for Saturday and Sunday’s races.

“We’ve got good water, the weather’s warm – the only thing we need is wind this weekend,” said race chairman Margot Pendleton of the Aspen Yacht Club. “And we’ve had good wind all spring, so it should be great sailing.”



Featuring several divisions (Laser, Fireball, Ultimate 20, J22, PHRF, Portsmouth and Santana 20s), the racing begins at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday. Spectators are invited to attend, and Pendleton said there may be opportunities for adventurous types to find crew spots aboard boats for the races.

Pendleton said 35 to 40 boats typically turn out for the Regatta each year. Last year’s drought, however, might mean fewer participants this year.




“Turnouts are down around the state this year,” she said. “I think last year really put a damper on sailing around the West, but we’re still hopeful for a good turnout.

“Last year we had the Regatta about the same time of year, and we barely got it off,” Pendleton continued. “We had to launch boats at the government ramps because our ramp was just about out of the water. And about a week after the Regatta, most of the keel boats had to pull out and that was about it for the summer.

“I even drove up earlier in the spring and the government ramp, I’d say there was probably 25 or 30 feet of mud before the level of the ramp. So to see Ruedi just about filled up, it’s absolutely amazing.”

The Aspen Yacht Club hosts weekly races on Sundays at noon, “and, again, we’re always looking for crew,” Pendleton said.

Call Pendleton at 925-6972 or 379-5776 for further information about the Regatta or the Aspen Yacht Club.