August 31, 2022
By Roger Renaud
The Shark Class held their North American Championships August 26th – 28th in SW Ontario at the South Port Sailing Club in St. Clair Beach.
Shark superstar Greg Cockburn added this North American Championships to his long list of significant Regatta wins. He’s a 4-time World Champion, a 2-time North American Champion, and a Canadian Champion (June/2022). Greg sailed a loaner boat at this regatta because his boat, Eager for More, is being shipped to Austria to compete in the upcoming World Championships in September. This is Greg’s 42nd year sailing Sharks. This year's Worlds in Austria will be number 30 for him, and the 8th time he has participated in a European Worlds.
The Shark Fleet at the South Port Sailing Club started in the early 70’s. By 1979 they had a fleet of 8-12 for week-night racing. In 2005, South Port hosted the World Championships, where they had over 53 boats participating. Today they have a home fleet of 8 boats.
This is the earliest known Shark regatta flag of the SW Ontario region. You will find it hanging in the Salty Dog restaurant in the Town of Amherstburg Ontario (where the Detroit River flows into Lake Erie).
Boston/Doyle Sailmakers in Sarnia Ontario, have adopted the Shark Class as one of their focused one-design programs and over the past two seasons, a Shark fleet of 6 – 8 boats emerged from the enthusiasm. As one of the sponsors at this event, Boston/Doyle Sailmakers held a raffle for the participants, for a new 150 Genoa. Darcy Fuller of Windsor won the genoa raffle.
The Shark Class lost Sid Dakin earlier this year. Sid, another true legend in the Class, won 6 World Championship, the first 5 ever held from 1966-1970 followed by a remarkable sixth world title in 1999.
