Al Lehman Wins Micro Magic National Championship

Mike Eades Finishes Fifth

Words and Photos By Al Lehman, Sr.

On Friday-Sunday, June 21-23, 14 skippers gathered at the Azura Model Yacht Club located at the Azura Winery in Paonia, CO for the Micro Magic National Championship Regatta. The skippers came from Colorado, Ohio, Florida, Texas and Arizona. WVRCM members Al Lehman and Mike Eades competed, and Al Stiewing was the Race Director. (Results below)

They ran 23 races, with morning wind normally starting from the SW, then dying around 10am, then switching to the NE around noon, with racing pausing in between. The wind sometimes got quite snarky (technical term).

Mike Eades says, "It was a great event with some excellent sailing from A to D rigs."

The small pond at the winery is well set up for RC sailing and is in a beautiful setting. The marks are permanent and aligned with the normal wind directions. The peninsula where the skippers stand offers a good view of the course and some skippers sit on chairs while racing.

The Azura Model Yacht Club has about 15 loaner Micro Magic boats and they offer people tasting wine a chance to sail the boats while enjoying a glass of wine. Quite the concept.

Saturday evening the winery hosted a dinner for the skippers and their companions with gifts for the skippers. A beautiful setting and wonderful hosts.

Al Lehman won the regatta, his third class championship. The owner of the winery presented Al with the winner’s bottle of wine. 

  Champion Al Lehman with parents Sandy and Al Sr. enjoying the wine at the regatta dinner.

The winery keeps this stock of loaner boats for people who come to taste the win.