Bellingham Yacht Club

Tateyama, Wednesday April 30, 2008 1600 – Wednesday was the first day of competition in Tateyama and the day began with opening ceremonies. The City of Tateyama has done a great job of putting this years race together, with full days of racing and activities for the Ambassadors.

Our Commodore has done a very nice job of serving as the Club statesman in talking with members of other clubs and teams. Terry also gave a very good and well received opening remark.

As the first club to host the Pacific Rim Challenge, we are given the honor of the first remarks.

Our skipper, Rich, spent much of the morning getting all the information on the course and details for the races. Today there was one practice race, then the first two races took place.

Our Mayor Dan Pike is well represented by Betsy who has networked with the Mayor of Tateyama as well as a Chancellor of the Prefecture.

Once all the opening ceremonies were finished, and the briefings complete, Team Bellingham headed off to the boats with hope, optimism and of course, one heck of a lot of sailing experience.

Once on board, Team Bellingham took no time in rigging the boat and hoisting the colors.

Joe did not race in the first race, however he did scope out the other teams and went to the course on the committee boat. He did race in the second race.

Of course, for those of us not racing, we did go to the sea wall and watch our team.

At the end of day two, Team Bellingham is in second place, behind our friends from the Royal Victoria Yacht Club. The skill of Team Bellingham is shown in the picture with us in front of the Russians during Race 2.

For the ambassadors, and the rest of us on shore, Tateyama has a series of activities for us, ranging from Calligraphy, Fan Dancing, Flower Arranging, Origami and other cultural activities.

dinghy-series-1-pitch-pole-2008_laser_overall.htm

We were all picked up at the Hotel this morning at 1000 by a bus that was arranged by the Tateyama Yacht Club. Interestingly the side of the bus had a WWU Alumni sticker, but no BYC sticker so Rich added one (with permission) to the door so now there is a bus cruising Japan with both a WWU Alumni sticker and a BYC sticker!

After leaving the Hotel, we went to the Airport and picked up the Russian team. We then took the two-hour ride to Tateyama where we met our host families. We also ran into the Canadian team, so it was a bit obligatory that after looking at the boats that everyone went for a beer before dispersing to their host families.

Tonight is the first night that we all are spending with our host families, and the Gargett’s have a wonderful family in a very traditional Japanese home. Their hosts, are Norihiro and Setsuko Nonaka.

They have four children, and their home also is a Church – Tenriko – Teachings of Divine Truth. Of the four children, only one is at home, their 16 year old, Teppei. Their other three children are Shyunsuke (22 at Weseda University), Keiji (19 at Yokohama-Kokurita University) and Yuri (21, she is in Nursing School.)

And now, the boats are ready, the water calls and the teams begin…..

Tuesday April 29, 0400 – The Planes have landed, the sailors are here. We all begin the journey to Tateyama together today, with the knowledge that we have a great group of sailors ready to take on the competitors. Several of our team met the Canadians at Narita Airport, and the Russians arrive on Tuesday morning. Tuesday evening we begin with opening ceremonies, and then it is a practice day on Wednesday.

Several of us did arrive a few days early, Betsy went north of Tokyo to explore, Mike, Denise and Marcus have been touring and John and Patti spent two days in Narita enjoying the 1070th birthday of the Naritasan Temple.

Dinghy Sailing 2008 Pitch Pole (Series 1) Results – Laser Class