Fall south-easterly winds provided perfect regatta conditions for over 75 boats and hundreds of sailors from the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC areas who participated in the Chesapeake Bay’s 2009 Hospice Cup on Saturday, September 26, off the mouth of the Severn River in the Chesapeake Bay. In addition to class trophies, the boats competed for several sponsored trophies that were awarded for both exceptional racing and special fundraising achievements. 2009 sailor fundraising brought in a record amount this year, with over $18,000 raised online alone.

Over 350 sailors, sponsors and hospice caregivers attended the post-regatta Shore Party at the Manresa on the Severn, helping to raise almost $200,000 through individual and corporate sponsor donations, along with the annual live-auction, that will help support hospices in the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC areas.

Cedric Lewis of Mirage, from Annapolis, MD, was the winner of multiple awards including the highest honor, 2009 Hospice Cup Trophy recognizing the skipper for sustained high performance across three racing years (2006 – 2009), and qualifying him to represent the Chesapeake Bay regatta in 2010 at the Hospice Regattas National Championship against representatives from each of the 26 other hospice regattas held this year nationwide.

The Hospice Cup Trophy, sponsored this year by Robinson International, is one of the several special trophies underwritten by companies or individual contributions to the hospices benefiting from the Hospice Cup event.

The crew of Mirage was also honored with one of the oldest sponsored trophies, the Running Tide Trophy, which recognizes overall fleet performance.

A third honor to Mirage was The Sajak Family Foundation Trophy, sponsored by the family foundation of 1999 Honorary Chairman Pat Sajak and his wife Lesly, for best performance in Cruising One-Design was presented.

The Hank Lawton Trophy, sponsored by Hospice of the Chesapeake in honor their top fundraiser – also known as “Mr. Hospice,” – was presented to Bill Walczak, of Cheap Red for Top Crew Fundraising and raised over $6,200.

The Club Fundraising Trophy, sponsored by Chuck and Cecelia Thompson, in honor of Charlette Jeunette, was presented for the third consecutive year to The Chesapeake Bay Sabre Association.

The Hospice Class is a special nonspinnaker class for sailors who usually cruise more and race less less. In 2009, it was once again the largest participating class – with 19 boats – which also hosted several hospice caregivers to race with them as a way to recognize what those caregivers do for so many.

During Hospice Cup XXVIII, Hospice Class entry Graciella skippered by Vern Penner of Annapolis, MD, with his crew of seasoned sailors was recognized with the Hospice Class first place honor. Penner and crew also won the Martin F. McCarthy Trophy, sponsored by family and friends in his memory, for best in Hospice Class.

Additional Hospice Class trophy winners included, 2nd place: Michael Turner aboard Running on MT; and 3rd place: Suzanne Miller and Vicki Saporta aboard Pleides.

The crew of Pleides was also awarded the Lovelace/Sniegon Memorial Trophy, sponsored by Bill and Rose Lovelace, in recognition of the best performing Hospice Class boat with a hospice caregiver aboard. The hospice caregiver aboard Pleides, Carolyn Casey, was awarded the Allan C. Westcott Trophy, sponsored by Bob and Cindi Gibson in memory of Bob’s sailing mentor who benefited well from Hospice care.

The Hal Kass Memorial Trophy, sponsored by Hospice Cup, Inc. honor of this long-time sponsor, recognizes the best in the PHRF Fleet was presented to Gary Beer aboard Sundance in PHRF A0.

The ARINC Trophy, for superior helmsmanship by a midshipman on a U.S. Naval Academy boat, was presented to Midshipman 3rd Class Chris Paulson aboard Allegiance.

Additional PHRF class winners include:
J-105 Class: 1st place, Cedric Lewis aboard Mirage; 2nd place Robert Reeves aboard A Train; 3rd place J. Corcoran aboard Hiawatha. (12 boats)

PHRF A0: 1st place, Gary Beer aboard Sundance; 2nd place, P. Ostberg/Todd Olds/Bud Dailey aboard Tsunami; 3rd place James Muldoon aboard Donnybrook. (5 boats)

PHRF A1: 1st place, Peter Gibbons-Neff aboard Upgrade; 2nd place, Ed Freitag aboard Downtime. (2 boats)

PHRF A2: 1st place, Tom Carrico aboard Air Mail; 2nd place Jerry Christofel aboard Aunt Jean; 3rd place Joan Crowley aboard Waterway. (3 boats)

PHRF A3: 1st place, Stephen Schaub aboard Contraire; 2nd place, Sean Gallagher aboard Ippon; 3rd place Bob Dymond aboard Gabrielle. (6 boats)

Cal 25: 1st place, Erik and Marty Lostrom aboard Krigare; 2nd place, Leo Surla aboard Harlequin; 3rd place, David Hoyt aboard Zephyr. (8 boats)

PHRF B: 1st place, Kenneth Koster aboard Redshift; 2nd place, Steve Schuh aboard Jubilee; 3rd place Chris Johnson aboard Dragonfly. (4 boats)

PHRF C: 1st place, Angelo Guarino aboard Bella Donna; 2nd place, Frederick Caison aboard Defiant; 3rd place Pat Nolan aboard Adventure. (4 boats)

PHRF N: 1st place, Julian Bigden aboard Mojo; 2nd place, Fariba Partawi aboard Bad Company; 3rd place Jim Mumper aboard Diamond in the Rough. (13 boats).