Evening star., 1949-07-24
Ray, District Skipper,
Ties for Point Lead
In Bay Comet Races
By MoIcoIm Lomborne, Jr.
Stos Stoff Correspondent

GIBSON ISLAND, Md. July %.
Bob Ray, Washington newcomer
to the fast Comet class. emerged
today as a potential champion for
the Chesapeake when he tied for
first spot in a doubleheader open
ing the class first territorial
championships here.
Sailing his aptly named Lucky
Strike with Larry Hufty as crew.
Ray won a first and third to give
him 34A points for the day.
Tim Malone. sailing Frantic
with James Dinkelman at the jib
sheets, took a third and a first
and thus evened the score with
the Potomac River sailor. Malone
halls. from Indian Landing Boat
Club on the Severn.
Gibson Twice Is Second.
Bob Gibson, dean of Comet
shippers on the Bay. brought his
Green Grypson of Miles River
Yacht Club across the finish line
in No. 2 position both times. This
gave him 81 points which means
Ray and Malone will have to stay
on their toes to keep ahead Of
the willy Eastern Shoreman. Glib
son has been sailing comets for 10
years and knows his way around,
Ray, a former Chesapeake 16S
skipper, has no illusions about
his chances of coming out ahead
His attitude when the races were
done today was one of caution.
But on the course, it was a diff
ferent matter. In the first race he
was over the line early, but lost
little time in moving up among
the leaders of the 18-boat fleet
On the second time around g.
mile Northumberland he and
Malone got a favoring slant of
wind and rounded the weather
mark in second and third spots,
with only Gibson ahead.
When only $50 yards from the
finish, Ray got another favoring
draft and. taking every advantage
of it, nosed out Gibson by 13 sec
onds. Malone followed in third.
In the afternoon race. Ray
started we'll back in the fleet. but
at the weather mark. he was Sec
ond around. with Malone just
ahead and Gibson close on his
stern. They remained in this po-
sition until the beat for the second
lap. Malone. who is sailing for
mer Potomac Comet once named
Frenzy, then had a commanding
lead and Ray had dropped back
to third. They finished in that
order.
Harvey Lekson, who led the
Comets in the Washington elimi-
nations earlier this summer. found
the light westerly not to his liking
and was in 7th spot on points.
Russell Parker. also of Washing
ton, was tied for ninth.
The top three shippers will
qualify for the class internationals
at Hyannis. Mass. September g.
10. The No. man will receive the
Pavana Bowl, presented by L. Cor
rim Strong of Washington and
Gibson Island.
First race Cfirst 10 places)-1. Lucky
Strike, Robert Ray. WASHINGTON; >, Green
Grypson. Bob Gibson, Miles River. Y. G;
;. Frantic, Tim Malone, Indian Landing
B. c.; 4. Trouble, George. Bardelman,
Corsica River 7. c.; s. Fools Cap. Tommy
Nelson, Gibson Island Y s: Z. Sleipner,
Lekson. Columbia Y. G.; s.. Maisie, Alex
Machine, Indian Landing; 9, sappho II,
Tom MacNemar, Indian Landing: 10,
Dorrie. Russell Parker. WASHINGTON.
Second race (irst 10)-1, Frantic: 2,
Green Grypson: 3, Lucky Strike; 4. Kate
II: 3, Sappho II: g. Maisie: Z, Williwink,
Bill straub. Potomac River 3; A.; s.
Sleipner: Fools Cap and Bob Robert. Jr.:
Miles River. finished in dead heat for 9th