Entries in the PHRF-handicapped Racing division ranged from a Cal 25 to a Beneteau 36.7, while the Cruising division spanned from a Catalina 30 to an O'Day 40. One-design classes with four boats each included J/35 and Melges 24.

The Racing and one-design classes fought it out on three successive windward-leeward contests of about 3.5 miles each, while the cruisers sailed a non-spinnaker "navigator's race" around government marks over a distance of just over 14 miles

Conditions were challenging, with reasonably steady southerly breeze at 12 to 15 opposing a flood current in the early portions of the event, growing to 18 as the tide went slack later in the afternoon, making for a wet regatta.

Competition in the Melges 24 class was very tight, though Lorie Stout and her Wild Child crew quickly rose to the top by acing the last two races. Sailing with Stout were former Olympian Liz Filter, Dina Kowalyshyn, and Barb Obert. Stout said that the team had never sailed together before, and had not sailed the boat previously, so without a pre-regatta practice session for her team on the boat, they had some learning to do during the first race - in which they finished second by a boat-length behind Nicole Weaver and her Tiburon team. Obviously, however, their combined learning curve was pretty short, given the results of the rest of the regatta.

"Chick regattas are always fun," Stout said. "Actually it was pretty close, and more a war of attrition. In the first race, we had to duck Nicole's stern at the finish. In the second, we were neck and neck with Gwen Gibson, who was really fast upwind."

Stout and Gibson were similarly close in the third race, until the final leg when Gibson had to perform penalty turns.

Winning the J/35 class, and with it the Roy Smith Memorial Trophy for the winner of the most competitive class, was the Aunt Jean team led by Joanne O'Hara. Sailing with her were Amy Teeling, Kristen Mangus, Sally Bowen, Lisa Taite, Capucin Pin, Diane Butler, Jeane Gaiennie, and racing novices Cyndy Hooper and Patri Welch.

"Everybody had the same problems," O'Hara said, "as crews that hadn't sailed together, and in jobs they don't normally do. But eight of the girls are experienced racers, and the other two were good sports who helped out where they could. We were very busy. It was a lot of fun."

The event raised about $10,000 for CASA, a non-profit organization which advocates for and support abused and neglected children to ensure their right to safe, stable and permanent homes. The top fund raising team was the Bump in the Night (J/30) crew led by Pam Morris in the Racing class, while top in-kind donations came from Karin Masci's Windependent crew in the J/35 division.

Women's Challenge Results

Racing (7 boats)

1. Spank Me (J/80), Chris Zillman, 2-1-1=4; 2. Wicked Wahini (J/24), Jeanne Langdon, 3-2-2=7; 3. Bump in the Night (J/30), Pam Morris, 1-3-4=8

Cruising (5 boats)

1. Buena Vida (C&C 110), Eunice Zachry Hill; 2. MADgic, Mary Anne DeGraw (O'Day 40); 3. Porvenir, Beth Perry (C&C 29)

J/35 (4 boats)

1. Aunt Jean, Joanne O'Hara, 1-1-2=4; 2. Bump in the Night, Ashley Haines, 2-2-1=5; 3. Windependent, Karin Masci, 3-3-3=9

Melges 24 (4 boats)

1. Wild Child, Lorie Stout, 2-1-1=4; 2. Tiburon, Nicole Weaver, 1-3-3=7; 3. USA 48, Gwen Gibson, 3-2-2=7