In the course of our everyday lives, we hear or read about people in the sports world who have a dream and through hard work and determination, plus a lot of skill, turn that dream into a reality. We have such a person right here in Port Washington. Monika Dorman, whose age it would be impertinent to disclose, but suffice it to say she has grown children, has just completed the 2003 Blackburn Challenge, a 22 - plus mile, mostly open ocean race around Cape Ann in Gloucester, Massachusetts on Saturday, July 26. Just finishing this race would be quite an accomplishment, but Monika would never be satisfied with such mediocrity. She finished the race in 4 hours, 14 minutes, and 39 seconds, beating out the other 14 contestants in her division, all of whom were men. Unconfirmed reports indicate that Monika was the only woman to place first in a division - there were only three other women entered in the 166- boat regatta. She won a beautiful plaque for her efforts, which reads, "Blackburn Challenge 2002 First Place Sliding Seat Rowing Singles."

The idea to compete in this "marathon" event came to Monika when she and her husband, Neil, were sailing their Catalina 36 up near Boston and Monika recognized the area and remembered reading about the regatta, which is the longest race in the United States. Could it have been the challenge from the event information, which states, "unless you have solid experience in difficult conditions with the boat you plan to use, you should not enter this event" that motivated her to say, "I want to race around Cape Ann?" Monika, who is a regular rower here in Manhasset Bay, Hempstead Harbor and Long Island Sound, and who won the Head of the Charles Regatta in 2000, started training in earnest. With help from her husband, Neil, she outlined the racecourse on a chart of Cape Ann, and included magnetic bearings, which helped her change direction when needed. She attributes her win to sailing the course smartly, because "there was a man who was rowing faster than me, but didn't have the right course bearings, so I beat him." The hardest part of the race was not the open ocean with its strong winds, and high waves which obscured nearby boats, but the entrance to Gloucester Harbor at the breakwater, which was filled with pleasure boats with wakes from every direction. The race was "exciting, thrilling" but she is not sure she would do it again, although my "body feels wonderful." She attributes the lack of pain during the race and afterward to the phenomenal moulded seat she put in her shell, that was designed Frank Baretta, from Manhasset. According to Monika, "the seat is so well-designed that rowers in trans-Atlantic races use this seat."

The Blackburn Challenge, sponsored by the Cape Ann Rowing Club in association with the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center, limits it entrants to human power craft such as kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, and various rowing craft. The event both celebrates and helps to keep alive the story of Howard Blackburn's desperate mid-winter 1883 rowing of a small fishing dory from the Burgeo Bank fishing grounds to refuge on the south coast of Newfoundland. Blackburn and his dory-mate Thomas Welch had become separated from the Gloucester fishing schooner Grace L. Fears during a sudden squall and found themselves nearly sixty miles from the nearest land. Over the course of the ensuing five-day ordeal, Welch would give up and succumb to a merciful death, whereas Blackburn would allow his bare hands to freeze to the shape of the oars, and row until he reached land. Though Blackburn survived, he ultimately suffered the loss of most of his fingers and toes due to frostbite. In spite of his handicap, he later went on to twice sail solo across the Atlantic Ocean, earning himself the title "The Fingerless Navigator." His story is told in Joseph E. Garland's "Lone Voyager." More information on the Blackburn Challenge is available at www.blackburnchallenge.com

As one would expect in the middle of summer in an area known for its sailing, our bay has been a bevy of activity in the past few weeks. After a long stretch of rain, we have been blessed with wonderful winds for sailing, and this past weekend was no exception, with both Saturday and Sunday providing spectacular weather. Port Washington YC was Race Committee and provided the following information: On Saturday there were two races with wind from the west at 7-9 knots for the first race and shifting to the south at 10-14 knots for the second race. Top boats for the Sonar Fleet for both races on Saturday, July 26: (10 boats): 1. #375, Housemartin, Beth and Greg Danilek, 2. #396, Delight, Bob Kirtland, and 3. #451, Ping, Sue Miller/John Browning. The MBOs had seven boats on the starting line. First boats to finish: 1. #21, Blue Chip, Chip Allen/Einar Hakeland, 2. #9, Miss B Haven, Grace Allen/Ralph Heinzerling, and 3. #5. Escapade, Ned Baker/Dick Moore. In race 2 for the MBOs, the top boats were: 1. Blue Chip, 2. Miss B Haven, and 3. #3, Olin Express, Jack Antinori/Bob Prokop. On Sunday, RC ran one race for three fleets. Nine Sonars were out in good wind with gusts reported up to 25 knots. Top Sonars: 1. Housemartin, 2. #387, Serendipity, Allyn Salomon, and 3. Delight. Only two MBOs were out: 1. #12 (no name available) and 2. Miss B Haven. Results for the KODs (4 boats): 1. #7, Knick Knack, Arthur Kass, 2. #15. Dybbuk, Roy Israel, and 3. #3, Circe, Michael Silverman.

Two Sonar teams traveled to Marblehead, MA to compete in Sailing World's NOOD regatta last Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 25-27. Out of 43 boats, Jeff Shane on #652, Sounder, came in 10th and Jonathan Siener, on #487, Viento, crossed the line in 27th place. These two teams also competed in the Sonar NE Championships which were part of the NOOD regatta, but held only on Saturday and Sunday. The team on Sounder came in 10th with Viento's team finishing 27th for the Sonar NE Championship.

The Cow Bay Cruising Association (CBCA), known as Thirsty Thursday, has completed their eight-race Spring Summer Series. First, the results of the Race #8 held on Thursday, July 10th. Division I, Course J, 5.96 nm (6 boats): 1. Avalanche, Al Albrecht, 2. Grace, Gene Gold, and 3. Promise Kept, Sandy Lindebaum. Division II, Course J, 5.96 nm (5 boats): 1. Xcite, Yalcin Tarhan, 2. Tootsie, Ron Fink, and 3. Vision, Marc Epstein. Results for Division III, Course M, 3.22 nm (3 boats): 1. En Passant, Robert Ebenau, 2. Second Wind, Anthony Viola, and 3. Serenity, Jacques Blinbaum. Division IV, Course M, 3.22 nm (1 boat): N Joy Two, Israel Gerber. Catamaran Division, Course J, 5.96 nm (1 boat): Renegade, Andy Ledins. Top boats in the 8-race CBCA Spring-Summer Series. Boats must have sailed in four races or more to qualify. Division I: 1. Avalanche, 2. Promise Kept, and 3. Free Fall, Bill McFaul. Division II: 1. Tootsie, 2. Xcite, and 3. Vision. Division III: 1. En Passant, 2. Sundance, Joel Ziev, and 3. Second Wind. Divison IV: 1. Joy Two. Division V: 1. Renegade.

The Women's Racing Clinic (WRC) was out on the bay last Wednesday evening, July 23rd. Due to the threatening weather forecasts for lightening and storms, many of the women stayed indoors. But for the few who came out, there were two races. Hats off to these gusty ladies. Top boats for the evening: Race One (skipper/crew): 1. Aviva Pinto/Vivien Shiah, and 2. Cindy Jordan/Beth Danilek. Results of the 2nd race: 1. Cindy Jordan/Beth Danilek, and 2. Vivien Shiah/Aviva Pinto. A Knickerbocker team (names unavailable) took third.