• "Lake Champlain Racing Conference"

Lake Champlain Racing Conference

Pass the Hemlock Please

e need to face the inevitable, LCRC is dying. Some say it died years ago and those of us still here didn't recognize it while others mount their blinders and charge full steam ahead as if nothing has changed. Either way, the fun is gone.

It's demise has not gone unattended. We've changed dates, added new races, changed lengths of races, sponsored bigger parties, eliminated races, replaced races, reduced entrance requirements, sponsored newsletters, made countless phone calls, encouraged new comers, decreased the number of races, added trophies - both serious and fun, eliminated a boring banquet, removed and added classes all in the name of finding a solution to our sinking fleet.

Evolution is an important part of history; those who recognize it survive and those who deny it will, without exception, parish. The "Mames" and "Brandywines" of the 70's gave way to the "Peregrines" and "Mohawks" of the 80's, who now face the same dilemma against newer and more modern boats. Imagine the fuss if someone brought a Mumm 30 or 36 onto the lake! (Remember when Tim McKegney showed up with the Kiwi 35? PHRF gave it a rating of "0".)

It is time for new leadership and a new direction.

Our legacy should be that we kept the beast alive longer than it deserved.

The question is what, if anything, will fill this void?

by Mark Gardner