Lakefest News
LAKEFEST TROPHIES SPONSORED BY REJEX.COM
Denison, TX (April 1, 2012) – Regatta organizers proudly present the trophies for the 2012 Lakefest Regatta, Flotilla and Collegiate Challenge. Winners in each division will be awarded a silver plated victory bowl on a wooden pedestal. RejeX.com, this year’s trophy sponsor, is also providing a free bottle of RejeX® and a bottle of their new product Pro Wash RX in the skippers’ bags for the first 75 boats registered.
About RejeX: RejeX is a high-tech, thin-film polymer coating used instead of wax to protect and beautify vehicles of all kinds. Designed to provide the ultimate, high-release protective finish, this very thin film – less than a micron thick – prevents stains and adhesion of common contaminants such as exhaust, bugs, oil, tree sap, bird droppings, road grime, brake dust, etc. all while providing an amazing, long-lasting shine. RejeX your boat; wax the competition!
About Pro Wash RX: Pro Wash was developed to be the perfect cleaner to wash and shine all your vehicles. It is pH neutral, so it is very mild, while at the same time its super-concentrated, high detergency formula creates a thick, luxurient bath of bubbles to break up stains and gently lift away dirt. It is especially well suited for use on North Texas lakes like Texoma because it is biodegradeable and phosphate free (so it does not encourage algae growth).
For more information about RejeX, Pro Wash RX and the other outstanding products manufactured by Corrosion Technologies, please visit http://www.rejex.com
LAKEFEST FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES THE "BUY-A-RIDE; MAKE-A-WISH COME TRUE" PROGRAM
Denison, TX (March 27, 2012) – The Texoma Lakefest Foundation announces a unique opportunity to experience sailboat racing first hand – by actually being on a racing sailboat during the Lakefest Regatta.
In past years, Texoma Lakefest organizers have provided spectators with opportunities to view the racing from spectator boats. Although the spectator boats provided a grand vantage point from which to watch one portion of the race course, it was hard to see the whole course and truly experience what was happening in the race. This year, the Texoma Lakefest Foundation is providing an opportunity to experience racing on a sailboat during the regatta first-hand; by being on one of the boats. For a tax deductible donation of $500, the foundation will place the donor on one of the racing sailboats. No sailing experience is necessary, and very little effort is necessary during the races (unless, the donor would like to be part of the action).
To participate in "Buy-A-Ride; Make-A-Wish Come True," click here and select the “$500 – Buy A Ride; Make a Wish Come True” pledge amount. Someone from the Lakefest Foundation will follow-up with the donor regarding details.
LAKEFEST APPAREL LINE UNVEILED
Denison, TX (March 26, 2012) – The 2012 Texoma Lakefest theme, "Sailing to Make Wishes Come True," the creation of award-winning artist Katherine Long, was unveiled today on a variety of apparel items. A number of different colors will be available; from white, to gray, to safety green. Short sleeve and long sleeve T-shirts and sweatshirts will be on sale at Lakefest, with the proceeds going to the Make-A-Wish foundation of North Texas.
About Katherine Long – A graduate in fine arts from the University of North Texas, Miss Long uses her art to tell stories that evoke memories and questions what people encounter in their lives.
For more information, please visit www.katherinelong.net
THE POINT RESTAURANT NAMED OFFICIAL FOOD SUPPLIER AND ENTERTAINMENT VENUE FOR LAKEFEST 2012
The Texoma Lakefest organizers announced that The Point restaurant, at Grandpappy Point Marina, will host the Sailors Reception and dinner on Friday evening and the Shipwrecked Ball on Saturday.
The Friday fare will be burgers and brats, with all the fix’ins. Patrons will also get to enjoy dancing to the tunes from DJ Mike Hinton as he plays their requests.
On Saturday night at the Shipwrecked Ball, sailors will feast on good ol’ Texas barbeque featuring brisket and sausage, right from the Dreamland Texas smoker, with all the trimmings! Enjoy the tunes of Ben Shurr as he strums his twelve string guitar to the crowd’s favorites. After a hard day of sailing enjoy a massage and browse through the vast array of silent auction items. In addition to the nightly meals, The Point will be serving breakfast, as well as boxed lunches as options to the racers.
The Point overlooks beautiful Lake Texoma and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from April 19 thru October at Grandpappy Marina. Specializing in Texas barbeque, The Point serves a variety of wholesome casual cuisine. If diners come by boat, guest slips available at the Grandpappy Marina Gas Dock or come by car, with ample parking available.
About Ben Shurr – Influenced by Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Bruce Springsteen, Jason Boland, Marc Cohn and Max Stalling, Ben is an acoustic entertainer that enjoys making the audience think a little. Look for Ben’s first album later this year. For more information, please visit www.benshurr.com
LAKEFEST ORGANIZERS PRESENT THE 2012 LIMITEDEDITION LAKEFEST REGATTA SKIPPER BAGS
Denison, TX (March 13, 2012) – Earleir today, the Texoma Lakefest organizers unveiled the 2012 skippers bags, which will be given to the first 75 skippers who register for the Lakefest Regatta or Flotilla. Trophy sponsor RejeX.com is providing a free bottle of RejeX® and Pro Wash Rx for every skipper's bag. These products, coupled with the value of the embroidered bag, discounts and handy items from Harken, bring the value of the bags to well over $100. Register now to ensure you will receive one of these limited edition skipper bags.
HAMPTON INN & SUITES DENISON and COMFORT INN & SUITES
NAMED OFFICIAL HOTEL SPONSORS OF LAKEFEST 2012
Denison, TX (February 28, 2012) – The Texoma Lakefest Foundation is pleased to announce that Hampton Inn & Suites Denison and Comfort Inn & Suites Denison have partnered with Lakefest organizers to offer special rates to sailors and visitors attending Lakefest 2012.
These top rated hotels offer the newest and most luxurious accomodations in the area, and both offer racers a full, hot breakfast buffet! The hotels are also offering complimentary shuttle service to and from Lakefest Regatta to simplify logistics for attendees. Deluxe King or Deluxe 2 Queen rooms are available for $79 per night, and King Suites are available for $89-$99 per night. When making reservations, be sure to mention "Lakefest" for these preferred rates.
Normally, Lakefest organizers would have to budget thousands of dollars to house our Race Committee volunteers and students competing in the Lakefest Collegiate Challenge. Due to the generosity of Hampton Inn and Comfort Inn, the money that would normally go toward housing our Race Committee and the Collegiate Challenge students will now help fund wishes granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
Denison, TX (February 3, 2012) – Registrations for the 26th Annual Lakefest Regatta and Flotilla are NOW OPEN.
For the Regatta, view the Notice of Race and register here.
For the Flotilla,
view the Notice of Race and register here.
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EVERYTHING'S BIGGER IN TEXAS
by Ken Hurst, SAILING magazine
July, 2011
It might come as some surprise to sailors in other parts of the country, but there are big boats on the inland Lake Texoma. Big Texas-sized boats. Thirty to 40-footers. And lots of them.
Lake Texoma, which straddles the Texas-Oklahoma border, is the twelfth largest inland lake in the country at about 90,000 acres, with 580 miles of shoreline and distances greater than 25 miles between points of interest. With an average depth of over 30 feet and some spots up to 100 feet, it is home to the kinds of boats that you would normally see on coastal waters. [more].
TEXOMA LAKEFEST FOUNDATION PRESENTS RECORD DONATION TO
THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION® OF NORTH TEXAS
Denison, TX (June 11, 2011) – The Texoma Lakefest Foundation presented a donation on behalf of the Texoma Sailing Club and Grandpappy Point Marina to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas. The donation of $23,000 represented the third consecutive year of increasing donations to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas, and will be used to grant wishes to children in the Texoma region with life threatening medical conditions.
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MATCHMAKING, TEXAS STYLE
by Ken Hurst, SAILING WORLD magazine
July/August, 2011
Clubs everywhere are looking for ways to engage younger members, and down in Denison, Texas, a group of sailors has found a solution. In 2009, Texoma Sailing Club race captain Dave Long sat down with fellow racers Juan Mauri and J.D. Hill. They settled on a plan that capitalized on two resources they had in abundant supply; eager sailors at nearby institutions like Texas A&M University, University of Central Oklahoma, the University of Texas, and Texas A&M University at Galveston, and keepboat owners looking for crew. The result of their brainstorm, the Collegiate Challenge, connects college sailors with club members for the Lakefest Regatta [more].
CABLE ONE RENEWS LAKEFEST SPONSORSHIP, TV COMMERCIAL
Denison, TX (April 11, 2011) – Good corporate citizens of Sherman and Denison continue to step forward and show their support for the 25th annual Lakefest regatta. Most recently Cable ONE stepped up to provide pro-bono airtime of a Lakefest commercial that will be transmitted throughout the Sherman / Denison area. Cable ONE is an operator of cable systems that serves approximately 720,000 customers in 19 states with cable television, telephone and high-speed Internet service.
TEXOMA LAKEFEST REGATTA RAISES $20,000 FOR MAKE-A-WISH
Herald Democrat
Sherman, TX (July 6, 2010) – For the past 24 years, the community minded sailors of the Texoma Sailing Club have hosted the Texoma Lakefest Regatta. The Regatta, held each April at Grandpappy Point Marina on Lake Texoma, was the first charity regatta in the United States. The mission of the regatta is to hold world class sail boat racing to raise money to benefit children's charities in the Texoma area [more].
CONGRATULATIONS TEXOMA SAILING CLUB ON ANOTHER GREAT YEAR!
The Texoma Sailing Club presents a check representing the proceeds from the 2010 Texoma Lakefest Regatta to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas. The donation will grant wishes to children in the Texoma region with life threatening medical conditions.
Front row from left: Chuck Flanagan of the Texoma Lakefest Foundation, Erin Michel and Claire Christensen of the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas, and Grandpappy Point Marina General Manager Jason Cottingame.
LAKEFEST GATHERS CROWD DESPITE DREARY WEATHER (video here)
by Heather Sahr KXII-TV First 12 News
Denison, TX (April 15, 2010) – Nearly a quarter century old charity event is taking place at Lake Texoma this weekend and participants aren't letting a little rainy weather get in the way of their plans.
Last year, the Texoma Lakefest Regatta changed their charity recipient to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas. Hundreds gathered at Grandpappy Point to take part in the event. Weather was a little better for the first day of the competition but captains, skippers and first mates say what's most important is what's at the heart of this event, a fund raiser for children with life threatening medical conditions.
A few boaters sat out Saturday as the clouds hung overhead. "We decided it was to icky to go out there and do it, we're fair weather sailors and today wasn't fair weather," Boat Captain, Steve Parry, said. Although boaters like Parry didn't take part in Saturday's race, they still gathered at the marina to watch the competition from a distance.
"Texoma's so big that we can set up and run very good quality races," said Primary Race Officer Wayne Coulon. "We usually have good wind. Out on the west coast, we don't get wind until about noon. Here, we've got it all the time."
This year marked the 24th regatta on Lake Texoma. Funds raised have gone to multiple local charities in the past, but last year the competition began donating to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The partnership began after the commodore for the Texoma Sailing Club saw a touching photo.
"I happened to see one of their annual reports, and there was a little boy on there steering a sailboat and it just wrenched your heart so I was like, yea this would be a great fit," Commodore, J.D. Hill, said.
Parry says purpose of the event shines through despite the weather and his team enjoyed the event on land today. They're proud of their victories from Fridays race. "We got fourth in one race and fifth in the other. Well there's fifty boats out there but there's not fifty boats in our group so I would say there were about four or five in our group and that's about how we did," Parry, said.
Today's events concluded at the Regatta Pavilion for the Shipwrecked Ball. There's still a chance to catch the tale end of the weekend long celebration. Sunday afternoon awards will be handed out by the Make a Wish Foundation of North Texas.
NO SIBLING RIVALRY AMONG SAILORS
Denison, TX (April 12, 2010) – Dallas and Ft. Worth... Two great cities with plenty of crosstown rivalries. One of the best parts about working for a great cause like the Texoma Lakefest Foundations and the Make-A-Wish® Foundation is that it brings out the best in people. Almost all North Texas yacht clubs are involved in Lakefest to some degree, but our crosstown "rivals" from Ft. Worth really stepped up this year to demonstrate the very best qualities in sailors and in sportsmanship. Not only are they sending three boats to compete in Lakefest this year, but many FWBC members can be found scattered throughout Lakefest crews. They're also bringing in a fairly large contingent to participate in the spectator fleet. One anonymous sponsor, a doctor from FWBC, when making a generous donation merely requested we make the following acknowledgement:
"The Fort Worth Boat Club salutes Texoma Sailing Club and the Lakefest Regatta participants for their community generosity."
FUN FOR EVERYONE: TEXOMA SAILING CLUB ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF "LEISURE FLEET"
Denison, TX (February 19, 2010) – Spread the word … Lakefest will offer a racing division for boats equipped with roller furling mainsails. Times change, designs evolve, and so will the Lakefest Regatta. Many boat owners with cruising boats equipped with roller-furling mainsails have shied away from racing due to the lack of large, well-trained crews and the comparative performance difference between standard mainsails and roller furling mainsails. To give cruising boat skippers a fun and level the playing field, Lakefest is offering cruising boats with roller furling mainsails their own fleet. On the registration form, this fleet will be marked as “leisure fleet". Awards, scoring, and handicapping will be identical to other divisions and fleets. This will provide great and fair competition in a fun and less intense format.
TEXOMA LAKEFEST REGATTA ANNOUNCES FORMATION
OF A 20-FOOT SPORT BOAT FLEET
Denison, TX (February 17, 2010) – The Texoma Lakefest Foundation and the Texoma Sailing Club are pleased to announce the formation of a twenty-foot sport boat fleet for this year’s Lakefest Regatta to be held April 16-18, 2010. This fleet is being formed to encourage boats from the fastest-growing segment of sailing to participate in the region’s premier sailing event.
Classes expected to participate include the i550, Laser SB3, Melges 20, Open 5.7, Rocket 22, Ultimate 20 and Viper 640. All boats are required to sail in their one-design configuration.
Appropriate handicaps will be assigned, and all boats will participate as a single fleet. If one participating design has five or more entries, they will be scored as a one-design fleet in addition to being scored in the overall mixed-fleet results. view complete press release
LAKEFEST IS NOW ON FACEBOOK
Denison, TX (January 11, 2010) – Texoma Lakefest Regatta is now on Facebook. Please become a fan of Lakefest and help us promote this great and worthy event to all your sailing friends. We want to see 100 boats on the starting line in 2010, and with your help, we might just be able to get there. This year, there will be spectator boats for your friends and family to come out, watch and cheer you to victory, and Saturday night's Shipwreck Ball dinner and party is open to everyone. More party details to follow soon...
CONGRATULATIONS TEXOMA SAILING CLUB!
Texoma Lakefest Foundation board members present proceeds from the 2009 Texoma Lakefest Regatta to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas
From left: TSC Race Captain Chuck Flanagan, David Burrage of the Burrage Law Firm, Grandpappy Point Marina General Manager Jason Cottingame, Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas Development Officer Megan O'Brien, Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas President Barry Smink, and TSC Vice Commodore J.D. Hill, Jr.
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LAKE TEXOMA RACING
Red River Interrupted
by Kimball Livingston, SAIL Magazine
March, 2009
Off the bow I could see Oklahoma. I looked over the stern, and yonder was Texas. Around me whitecaps were building on a special lake that splits the difference between two be-all, end-all rivals, and the name of that body of water says it all. Texoma [more].
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Thank You, Race Committee
by Kimball Livingston, SAIL Magazine
April 23, 2008
On the north coast of Texas, you can see all the way to Oklahoma. But what I carried away from Lakefest on Lake Texoma was a renewed appreciation for the volunteers who make sailboat racing possible [more].
Texoma Lakefest Regatta - Annual Charity Event Raises Funds for Special Needs Children
by Andi Hunt, Associated Content, Inc.
February 21, 2008
Texoma Lakefest Regatta is in its' 22nd year in April 2008 and known throughout the U.S. as the Grand Dame of sailboat racing. The charity event has raised more than $1.5 million for special needs children throughout Grayson County, making it one of the top charitable regattas in the nation [more].
For more information, please visit www.texomasailing.org and www.northtexaswish.org