Someone obviously loves me...SailRev got utterly hacked and had been down for 5 days. I'm still on the road, and this is my best synopsis of Leg 4.


Thanks to racer Lee Wicklund, I had the chance to follow the fleet from Surfside to Galveston for the 50 or so mile leg 4 of the Great Texas 300. We launched Lee’s Zodiac about 8 miles north of the start line, and set up to broadcast live updates to the Great Texas 300 Facebook Page. While driver Karl Brogger and I prepared to launch, a powerful thunderstorm rolled through and drenched our kit.

We set out through the San Luis pass, motored underneath the Bluewater bridge, and hit open water. The wind was patchy and light, and the sea was confused from the storm that was overhead. We could see huge squalls, and a lot of visible precipitation in cells all around us. It was quite a bumpy ride up to the start.


We reported positions via cell phone to our media colleague John Williams, who was on the beach broadcasting live to the Great Texas 300 Justin.tv channel. The light breeze and 2-3 foot wind chop, created a tough beach launch. The fleet leaders, John Casey on the Cirrus R and John Tomko aboard a C2, both got poor starts, while Lee Wicklund and David Cerdas of Team Chums and the Mike Rohrer and Chris Holt aboard Team Sailboat Shop, scored big! Team Chums and Team Sailboat Shop shot for the outside, and as things progressed, Chums wound up several miles ahead of the entire fleet. Meanwhile, south of these two leading teams, Tomko stayed on the beach in more pressure, and Casey headed for the outside. In a post-race interview, Casey told me, “We headed straight toward a big storm cell. We knew the wind direction would be favorable on the other side.” That type of epic tactical call is one of the reasons that Casey and his crew Dalton Tebow win so many events.

Casey and Tebow clear the surf and head offshore.


Tomko stays on the beach.


I followed the leaders northward, approximately 1 mile offshore. Tomko was on the inside, Casey on the outside and Team Chums and Saiboat Shop ahead but right in the middle. It was light and lumpy, and only occasionally would any team be trapping. On the outside approximately 5 miles, we saw the huge storm cell that Casey and Tebow were gunning for. We felt the first few drops of rain, and Team Chums doused and headed offshore. Casey was gaining on Team Chums, and Sailboat shop was falling back. Tomko was in toward the beach in light air, and falling back as well.

When the north edge of the cell hit the front three boats, we were nearest Casey and Tebow. The immediately double trapped, and shot off like a rocket. They passed Chums, and we didn’t see them again until just a few miles north of the finish at Galveston. Karl and I hid our electronics from the deluge, and didn’t update the FB page for about an hour. When we did reconnect, Dalton’s mom had inquired via FB what position her son and Casey were in. We were immediately able to post a pic of them off of the Galveston Pleasure Pier, and told here that they were at least 3 miles ahead of Team Chums in two.

Casey and Tebow


Lee and his crew David out ahead.


After 40 or so miles in choppy conditions aboard the Team Chums RIB, Karl and I were feeling beat up, and welcomed the lighter conditions off of Galveston. Casey and Tebow hit the beach way ahead and needing only 8 minutes to beat Tomko in the overall standings. Sailing an incredible race, Mike Rohrer and Chris Holt aboard Team Sailboat Shop finished a mere 31 minutes behind Casey, putting them solidly into 3rd place overall. Great sailing by Sailboat Shop aboard their older design Hobie Tiger! Just over a minute behind Team Sailboat Shop, Team Chums rolled onto the beach, followed 10 minutes later by Tomko.

Team Sailboat Shop


The Great Texas 300 is one of the most incredible sailing events that I’ve ever been to. It meshes Teaxs hospitality, hardcore racing, and old-school beach cat good times. If you do one big event each year, put this one on your calendar!

Post Race with JC and Dalton

[img]http://surfcityracing.smugmug.com/Boats/GT-300-2012/i-GMXdLsc/0/XL/IMG5569-XL.jpg[/img]

Karl and Dub talking smack!
[img]http://surfcityracing.smugmug.com/Boats/GT-300-2012/i-gnmZz3Z/0/XL/IMG5363-XL.jpg[/img]


Post race with Lee and David
[img]http://surfcityracing.smugmug.com/Boats/GT-300-2012/i-Q85RhGF/0/XL/IMG5349-XL.jpg[/img]

Chums congratulates Sailboat Shop for the great sailing.
[img]http://surfcityracing.smugmug.com/Boats/GT-300-2012/i-CfS3GFt/0/XL/IMG5376-XL.jpg[/img]

[img]http://surfcityracing.smugmug.com/Boats/GT-300-2012/i-jZBLnJw/0/XL/Screen-Shot-2012-06-19-at-XL.png[/img]