Sailing away in Sandusky

[toutembed=d403rs]SANDUSKY — Dozens of people flew and drove from across the country to Sandusky so they could partake in their favorite type of travel: sailing.Dozens of sailboats line up for the beginning of a race on Wednesday, June 28, 2017, in the Sandusky Bay. Earlier this week, the Sandusky Sailing Club hosted the 2017 Flying Scot North American Championship.The regatta, attracting 68 sailboats and more than 100 sailors, paid tribute to the Flying Scot sailboat, which, this year, marks the model's 60th anniversary.But the competition was more about banter between sailors than them butting heads on Sandusky Bay.After a failed maneuver Wednesday morning, Dave Rink works to right the capsized boat while Sean O'Donnell helps from the water during the Flying Scot National Championships. Rink and O'Donnell traveled from the Lake Norman Yacht club in North Carolina to compete throughout the week in Sandusky. "Sailing is lots of fun," said Steve France, a former commodore of the Sandusky Sailing Club. "Most sailors are really nice folks."Sailors even received some encouragement from Anna Tunnicliffe, a 2008 U.S. Olympic gold medalist in sailing. She was present at the Sandusky Sailing Club this past Sunday for a clinic.Almost 80 awards were doled out during the closing ceremonies, which took place Thursday morning. Those who won a race received a towel with "2017" embroidered on it.Westerville resident Stephanie Bahr prepares to race in the Flying Scot National Championship on Wednesday morning at the Sandusky Sailing Club marina. Just about everyone in attendance had a blast, including Jody Smith. Smith was among a group of 10 representing the Corinthian Sailing Club in Dallas, Texas. The contingent brought five Flying Scot sailboats to the regatta."Sailing brings us together," Smith said.The four-day competition, consisting of two races per day, presented some wind-related challenges for sailors, but that didn't make them worried or concerned.North Carolina residents Dave Rink and Sean O'Donnell recover after capsizing their boat during the Wednesday morning race for the Flying Scot National Championships in Sandusky. "It's the nationals" said Nina Cummings, who also hails from Texas.Nina's husband, Robert, restored a 40-year-old Flying Scot so the group's two youngest riders could sail as well.Two sailing partners tack their boat into the wind on a race course set up in the Sandusky Bay for the Flying Scot National Championships on Wednesday, June 28, 2017.A member of the Flying Scot Sailing Association and a chair member of this national regatta, Marty Sweterlitsch spoke about the importance of sailing clubs."These sailing clubs provide opportunities to enjoy the sport and teach a lot of children" Sweterlitsch said. "We just want to get people out and involved" Sweterlitsch said.For more information, including learning how to sail, visit sanduskysailingclub.com.[gallery]A competitor releases their a spinnaker sail to catch the wind while racing in the Sandusky Bay on Wednesday during the Flying Scot National Championships. Carol Claypool, of North Carolina, gathers her sails for Wednesday's Flying Scot National Championship race out of the Sandusky Sailing Club marina. Texas resident Robert Cummings gets help putting his sailboat in the water from Sandusky Sailing Club member Daryl Deering on Wednesday, June 28, 2017. A sailor heads out onto the water from the Sandusky Sailing Club marina on Thursday, June 28, 2017 for a Flying Scot National Championship race. Sailing partners from Westerville, Ohio, Marty Sweterlitsch and Stephanie Bahr warm up before a race in the Sandusky Bay for the Flying Scot National Championships on Wednesday, June 28, 2017.