Svendsen’s Thursday Night races at Treasure Island Sailing Center got off to a roaring start with three races. Seventeen Vanguard 15s and eight Lasers showed up on the line. What initially looked like an easy, light air evening ended up being quite the windy night. “The conditions here are awesome. It’s flat water so you can plane upwind, then you pull up the board on the run and haul ass,” remarked Sarah Deeds, a racer who started in Vanguard 15s here when the San Francisco fleet originally formed.

The course, on the east side of Treasure Island in Clipper Cove, is tricky, but you can see the puffs come ripping down. Being on the right side of the puff or catching one downwind can result in passing or being passed. It’s like lake sailing with an attitude. “Thursday Night has been the best racing on the Bay,” says Matthew Sessions, series co-chair. “We like it here because there are no currents and it’s flat water. It’s a very sheltered place to sail. Last year we averaged 21 boats. Hopefully we will do better this year.”

The series runs every Thursday until September 4 and all V15s, Lasers and Laser Radials are invited. Go to http://vanguard15.org to check it out or sign up to be or get crew, then go to TI to try it for yourself.

The next Vanguard 15 event will be this Tuesday night, April 8, at TISC, when the team series gets underway: three-on-three coached team racing designed to prepare sailors for the U.S. Team Racing Championship. The Vanguard 15 fleet also has a four weekend championship series beginning April 27 at TISC.

For more info about local Laser racing, see www.technicalwizardry.com/d24laser/d24.htm.