Wurstfest has been a New Braunfels "Salute-to-Sausage" tradition since 1961. In 1968, the LCYC decided to have a Wurstfest of a different kind. The Wurstfest Regatta is the signature event of the year for the Lake Canyon Yacht Club, located in scenic hill country just west of New Braunfels, TX. Races are held over two weekends, with board boats and centerboards racing the first weekend, while keelboats and multi-hulls duel it out on the water the second weekend. Typically, 150-200 boats compete over the two-weekend event. Suffice to say, the competition, food, beer and camaraderie never lack. LCYC's Wurstfest 2014 was no different.
The forecast for keelboat weekend was variable winds on Saturday and a "no-blow" day for Sunday, so renowned sailor and Regatta PRO Mark Foster decided to get in as many races as possible on Saturday to ensure a good series for all who came from far and wide. It was looking dismal on Saturday until winds steadily built from a dead calm at sunrise to a surprising, but welcomed 18-20+ by late morning. This gave everyone the breeze needed for an exhilarating day, sailed on four different race courses set on Canyon Lake. True to form, PRO Foster, who happened to be on the Spinnaker and Sport Boat course, got off 6 races for the PHRF Spinnaker class.It was a long day of high winds racing. Among a field of six competitive starters in its class, Olson 30 Stella Ray owned by Ray Leubner, skippered by Buddy Byington and crewed by Hauke Rauschmann, Claudia Roeschmann, Patrico Chapa, Brett Jackson and Mark Cool put together a phenomenal series of 6 hard-sailed races ([3], 2, 1, 1, 1, 1) on Saturday to win their third Wurstfest PHRF Spinnaker Fleet title since Leubner bought hull #43 in 2012.Stella Ray races exclusively with a full inventory of Ullman sails, including Fiberpath main & jibs, and Air-x spinnaker.
