The second annual Cocktail Class Wooden Boat Racing Association (CCWBRA) Camp David Cup Race started off the Cocktail Racing season in the Mid-Atlantic Region on June 18 in beautiful, clear, cool, but windy conditions. As predicted, a dry cold front passage the night before dissipated the previous day’s searing 95-degree heat in exchange for 15-mph north-northwest winds gusting to 25 mph.
Freeman Creek, located on the Sassafras River, the site of Dave Cantera’s Camp David, is oriented north and south, so the wind created chop deep into the creek. Despite less-than-optimal conditions, 11 racers from as far away as Florida thrashed 11 boats and each other in four classes for a shot at the Camp David Cup. The cup is a perpetual trophy awarded to the overall winner of the regatta with points for all first, second, and third place finishes, encouraging entries in multiple classes. Last year, Frank Cantera and John Rigdon won.
Most of the morning was devoted to the first tech inspections of the year and racers sorting out boats that had been idle since last year, while racers and organizers alike watched to see if the wind would moderate. Lunch was included in the registration, and everyone chowed down on pulled pork with all the trimmings. As luck would have it, the wind did not diminish but did veer to the west-northwest which reduced the chop on the course to an acceptable but still bone jarring level. First race off was the Tohatsu 6-hp, the most populous class of the day.
Post ’79 Mixed, the second largest class, went off next with two preliminary heats and a final. Ray Crowley of Florida battled Lou Linden of Baltimore in the second preliminary heat taking one win while Linden took the other two sprints. Linden sparred with Benji Cantera and Frank Cantera, finally winning all three sprints to take home the blue ribbon for the first time while the Cantera brothers took second and third. In addition to racing in several classes, Benji Cantera was also the official race director for this event, with Captain Peter Urbani calling in an audible from Utah due to some airline cancellations.
Frank Cantera won the 8-hp Mixed Class and took third in the Post ‘79 Mixed and Tohatsu 6-hp Mixed Classes to claim sole title to the Camp David Cup this year! The awards were given out after yet another wonderful complimentary meal, this time baked rockfish caught out of the Bay the day before by the Canteras themselves. Throughout the day there was time to look over the Cantera’s museum quality collections of antique outboards and outboard racing and P.T. Boat ephemera as well as a 55-foot 1950 Trumpy motor yacht and a 62-foot 1926 Elco cruiser. All in all, a great way to kick off the Cocktail Racing season on the Chesapeake. Special thanks to Lena Cantera for hosting the wonderful luncheon and dinner.
Next up: (Nationals just happened August 20 in Rock Hall, MD), the Kent Island Regatta September 10, Tennessee Cup September 17, and Oktoberfest October 15 at Safe Harbor Great Oak Landing in Chestertown, MD. Learn more at ccwbra.com.
CCWBRA Camp David 2022 Results:
Tohatsu 6-hp Mixed
1. Keith Carew, 35 Stoli
2. Annaliesse Cantera, 114 Rolling Thyme
3. Frank Cantera, 28 Swamp Rocket
6-hp Late Classic Mixed
1. Jack Pettigrew, 82 Havin’ Fun
2. Annaliesse Cantera, 53 Smokin’ Loon
3. Ray Crowley, 37 Chaser
6-hp Post ’79 Mixed
1. Lou Linden, 66 Mrs. Smirnoff
2. Benji Cantera, 100 Haul Pass
3. Frank Cantera, 115 Ball Breaker
8-hp Mixed
1. Frank Cantera, 350 Shrimp Cocktail
2. Benji Cantera, 28 Swamp Rocket
3. Ray Crowley, 37 Chaser
Overall Camp David Cup Winner
Frank Cantera – One (hard fought) 1st place and two 3rd place wins
Runners Up (Tie) – Benji Cantera and Annaliesse Cantera
Recap By Benji Cantera, Lou Linden, and Kimberly Shubert. Photos courtesy of Dave and Lena Cantera