Youngest Ladies Race Champion in Folkboat History

She's 15, almost 16 scared to drive in a car with her mom, but she beat the pants off her on Saturday's "ladies race". Introducing the youngest ladies race champion in folkboat fleet history... Kate Andersen. So, we're standing on the dock shootin' the breeze and it occurred to me that young Kate might want to take a turn at the helm. I speak up and say, "are you racing in the ladies race?" She says no. I ask her if she wants to race my boat and she accepts... I think. Up to this point I've known Kate for years, but she hasn't really said much to me always hiding behind her mom. Well, enough already let's go race. Now she has to talk because we are racing together and she's driving my boat! I usually don't let too many people who don't talk to me much drive my boat, let alone someone without even a driver's licence! But this was the fun weekend, it didn't count for season and it was in the estuary and her dad Fred could fix anything she broke... why not?
Mike Goebel and I crewed for Kate and got her all pumped up and we left the dock. She was clearly a bit nervous, but she races FJ's and Lasers... really not all that different from folkboats... especially if you have two guys trimming and coaching who, well... know a little bit anyway. We start pretty even with everyone and pull away like magic, get her to the windward mark first and by the above picture... quite a bit. We held the lead the whole race and won in convincing fashion. There would be no contributing to the delinquency of Kate, although we tried... Gatorade would have to suffice.
After the race Leann tried to throw her in the water to celebrate her first win....
But they settled for along hug instead. Congratulations Kate! She still hardly said 6 words to me. At least now she has good reason to come to the awards dinner in November and my daughter has a new goal. Yes, I know she's only 13 months old, but if we start training now.....