LORNA WHITTELSEY REGATTA

Saturday, September 25 and Sunday, September 26

The last weekend in September, Indian Harbor hosts the annual Lorna Whittelsey Weekend Series for a weekend of women’s racing, dining, and socializing.  The event consists of a Saturday fleet race for the Lorna Whittelsey Women’s Regatta (LWWR) Perpetual Trophy, followed by awards at the event dinner, and Sunday morning distance race, followed by more awards and brunch!  All spectators and supporters are welcome to join the competitors for the dinner and brunch to celebrate women's sailing.

Schedule

Saturday, September 25, LWWR
0830  Check-in 
0900 Competitors briefing & boat draw
1030 First warning
1830 Prize giving and dinner
Sunday, September 26, LSDR
0900 Check-in 
0900 Competitors briefing & boat draw
1000 Warning signal
1300 Prize giving and brunch

 The Saturday LWWR is a qualifier for the YRALIS Women’s Trophy, the Andrea Watson Award, for the overall best performance in the women's regattas: The Queen’s Cup, Gillespie Regatta, Lorna Whittelsey Women’s Regatta, and Mendez Trophy.

History

Ladies, Let's Race

In our desire to promote friendly competition for women at the regional and national level, in 2014, then Rear Commodore Karin Nye inaugurated a women's sailing perpetual trophy honoring Lorna Whittelsey (Hibberd). Lorna won the US Women's Sailing Championship for the Adams Cup in 1927, 1928, 1930, 1931, and 1934 sailing under the Indian Harbor burgee. As a married adult, she sailed out of American Yacht Club and owned the red Ideal 18, that bears her name (see photo below).  The Lorna Whittelsey Women's Regatta consisted of a two-day fleet race in Ideal 18s with spinnakers.

At the Lorna Whittelsey Women's Regatta's inaugural event, the competitors were faced with an intense, early morning storm.  Upon returning from checking out the Captain Harbor conditions, Commodore Nye reassured the teams by stating, "Ladies, let's race!," which has become our mantra!  The 9 crews who joined Indian Harbor from American, Noroton, Old Greenwich, and Riverside Yacht Clubs were relieved to have the sun come out as soon as they sailed out of the mooring field.  Over the two days, 11 races were sailed and Lorna's son, David Hibberd join the Event Dinner with a wonderful reflection of his mom's love of the sport throughout her life.  The winner of the first LWWR was skipper Nicky Souter from Riverside/Australia.

In 2018, in an effort to accommodate the busy schedules of many of our competitors and foster further camaraderie, we changed the weekend to hold the LWWR as a one-day race on Saturday and implemented a new format for Ideal 18 sailors - a distance race for Sunday morning.  The Lorna Sunday Distance Race (LSDR) is a single race, similar to PHRF boat courses, and we encouraged competitors to sail with different clubs, bring family and friends, or add a third crew. The new weekend series brought 15 teams to compete.  At the event dinner, Commodore Nye unveiled the LWWR perpetual trophy that was awarded to Ginny Worcester (Black Rock YC) and Anne Munkenbeck (Norwalk YC).  For Sunday, the weather enabled the inaugural distance race to be around the Captain Harbor Islands with a 12--15 knot easterly.  Half the fleet raced with spinnakers, and Riverside's Elin Quinn and Coco Solsvig won the first LSDR.

The energy and spirit has continued over the years and the women sailors have welcomed teams from Black Rock, Cedar Point, Larchmont, Nantucket (Great Harbor), Norwalk, Seawanhaka Corintian, Stonington, and New Bedford Yacht Clubs and we hope the list continues to grow.

LWWR Results

2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014

About Lorna Whittelsey

David Hibberd - Reflections on his Mother
1934 LW and Bermuda Race
LW 1927 Article MA. Women's Championship
LW 1927 MA. Women's Championship
LW Yachting Nov. 1927
LW Photo
LW 1933 SYCE Cup Photo
LW 1934 Adams Cup Article
LW 1934 SYCE Cup Article
LW 1935 Adams Cup Article
LW 1935 Adams Cup Photo
LW 1935 Article
LW 1943 Mrs. Fred Hibberd and Family
LW and Commodore Frederick H. Hibberd May 1982
LW and Robert Hutton at AYC
LW AYC 1983 Centennial History
LW Circa 1975 Flying Spinnaker
LW Circa 1998
LW Windsurfing 1984
LW World of Yachting Article
LW obituary June 9, 2009