28 Sailboats Compete at Wilderness Bay
Cedarville's Foxy Lady Takes First in Regional Ensign Regatta

Five Ensigns in fierce competition race through Wilderness Bay at the 2008 Ensign Class Region V Championship Regatta Saturday, July 12. Three vessels have rounded a marker and are readying their spinnakers to catch more wind and sail ahead. The fourth boat (hidden) is rounding the mark. The fifth is crossing behind the others and quickly approaching the mark. Pictured (from left) are Beelzebub, sailed by Skipper Ron Spainhour; Second Wind, sailed by Skipper Mark Birkmeier; Foxy Lady, sailed by Skipper Tom LaBelle, and Amaizin' Blue, sailed by Skipper Jason Beecher. Hidden is Breezie Weezie, sailed by Skipper Dave Parlin. (Photograph by Tom Richards)

Frank and Tom LaBelle, a local father-and-son team in Foxy Lady, earned championship honors at the annual Ensign Class Sailing Regatta at the Les Cheneaux Islands Friday, July 11, through Saturday, July 12. The event attracted 28 boats from five states for a seven-race series in Wilderness Bay near Hessel. The 23-foot Ensign is the most popular sailboat in the Les Cheneaux Islands, with 64 area boats comprising host Fleet 31, the largest Ensign fleet in the country.

Ensigns race through Wilderness Bay in the Les Cheneaux Islands, during the 2008 Ensign Class Region V Championship Regatta in Hessel Saturday, July 12. (Photograph by George West)

Foxy Lady, skippered by Cedarville's Tom LaBelle and owned by his father and crew member Frank LaBelle, won the championship in an extremely close competition.

There has never been a closer finish in an Ensign regional event, according to event cochairman Dave Parlin.

The LaBelles, two-time national Ensign champions and three-time regional winners, edged out Pegasus of Wayzata, Minnesota, in a tie-breaker. Both boats scored three first-place finishes, with Foxy Lady being crowned champion by virtue of having one more second-place finish than Pegasus. Third place went to Zeke Durica of Dunedin, Florida, sailing Gotta Wanta.

This was the second time that the Ensign Regional competition has been held in Les Cheneaux. Ensign fleets from five states were represented in the field of 28 sailboats, which organizers believe to be the largest number of boats ever to compete in an Ensign regional event. In addition to many boats from Michigan, boats and crews traveled from Alabama, Florida, Minnesota, and Ohio to compete. Joel VerPlank, national commodore of the Ensign fleet, trailered his boat from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and recorded a fourth-place finish.

In a maritime family feud, Borealis, sailed by John Birkmeier, pulls just ahead of Second Wind, sailed by his cousin, Mark Birkmeier, Saturday, July 12, at the 2008 Ensign Class Region V Championship Regatta in Hessel. (Photograph by Tom Richards)

Approximately 120 crew members enjoyed excellent sailing weather both Friday and Saturday, with especially strong winds for the later races Friday. Spectacular sunny blue skies Saturday attracted many spectator boats to witness the exciting finish of the seventh and final race, said Kip Horsburgh of the Ensign race committee.

Local boats from the Les Cheneaux Yacht Club earned eight of the top 10 spots. Mr. Parlin's boat, Breezie Weezie, took sixth place, and cousins John Birkmeier, with the Borealis, and Mark Birkmeier of Second Wind finished ninth and 10th, respectively. Other local top-10 finishers included Rob Dendel with Waterdog, and Todd Snyder with Tecumseh.

Five Ensigns in fierce competition race through Wilderness Bay at the 2008 Ensign Class Region V Championship Regatta Saturday, July 12. Three vessels have rounded a marker and are readying their spinnakers to catch more wind and sail ahead. The fourth boat (hidden) is rounding the mark. The fifth is crossing behind the others and quickly approaching the mark. Pictured (from left) are Beelzebub, sailed by Skipper Ron Spainhour; Second Wind, sailed by Skipper Mark Birkmeier; Foxy Lady, sailed by Skipper Tom LaBelle, and Amaizin' Blue, sailed by Skipper Jason Beecher. Hidden is Breezie Weezie, sailed by Skipper Dave Parlin. (Photograph by Tom Richards)

More than 200 people, including boat crews many event volunteers, participated in weekend events. Mr. Parlin and Tom LaBelle co-chaired the event. Dick and Sheelagh Knapp headed the race committee. A volunteer group of more than 35 people, and several local businesses, contributed services to support the event. The social highlight of the weekend was the Awards Banquet at the Les Cheneaux Yacht Club Saturday night, where the top seven finishers received plaques.

Racing through Wilderness Bay (at front) is Pegasus, sailed by Skipper Travis Van Neste of Wayzata, Minnesota. The vessel took second place at the 2008 Ensign Class V Region Championship Regatta in Hessel Saturday, July 12. Behind Pegasus is first place winner Foxy Lady, sailed by Skipper Tom LaBelle. (Photograph by Tom Richards)

The top 10 finishing skippers, vessels, and home ports, are as follows:

1. Tom LaBelle, Foxy Lady, Cedarville

2. Travis Van Neste, Pegasus, Wayzata, Minnesota

3. Zeke Durica, Gotta Wanta, Hessel

4. Joel VerPlank, Green Dolphin, Muscle Shoals, Alabama

5. Eric Seaborg, Eh?, Marquette

6. Dave Parlin, Breezie Weezie, Cedarville

7. Rob Dendel, Water Dog, Cedarville

8. Todd Snyder, Tecumseh, Cedarville

9. John Birkmeier, Borealis, Cedarville

10. Mark Birkmeier, Second Wind, Cedarville

Complete race results, action photos by Fleet 31 sailor Tom Richards, and additional information regarding the local Ensign fleet can be found at www.lescheneauxensignclass. com.