A day at the wacky races

Alex Coolman

The 65th annual Flight of the Lasers took place Sunday afternoon.

The event is a roughly seven-mile race through Newport Harbor in

laser-class sailboats.

“It was moderate wind and very nice and sunny,” said Seymour Beek, the

event’s chairman. “I think everybody had a good time.”

Although the event attracts excellent small-boat sailors, it also

tends to appeal to people who enjoy the wacky element in the race, Beek

said. The awards given out reflect the split between serious competition

and lighthearted diversion.

Taking home the “Adversity in the Face of Danger” award was Hannah

Dean, who continued sailing when her brother Nathan fell out of the boat

near the finish line.

“She sailed across the finish with him hanging onto the stern,” Beek

said.

RESULTS

Top 10 finishers

1. Allan Coutts

2. Argyle Campbell

3. Scott Barnard

4. Carter Ford

5. Matt Tingler

6. Nathan Dunham

7. Ryan Mulvania

8. Jamie DeWolf

9. Ed Kimball

10. Philip Thompson

Oldest

Roy Woolsey (83)

Pete Gantz (80)

First Married Couple

Curtis and Michele Drever

First Girl

Heidi Hall

First Parent/Child Team

Buddy and Addison Richley

Youngest Girl

Amanda Barker (10)

Youngest Boy

Matt Richley (9)

Adversity in the Face of Danger

Hannah Dean

Source: The Newport Harbor Yacht Club and Seymour Beek