Two Laser-class sailboats cross the finish line close together on Monday, Sept. 1, to close out a weekend of sailboat races sponsored by the Coos Bay Yacht Club. Adult racers sailed on Saturday and Sunday, and the junior racers were out on Monday for the annual Labor Day Regatta on South Tenmile Lake in Lakeside. World Photo by Lou Sennick.

The successful completion of the Coos Bay Yacht Club’s 59th-annual Labor Day Regatta race capped a big summer for the club. Not only did the small, rural yacht club that operates on Tenmile Lakes host the regatta, it also hosted two other national events within a span of 30 days, largely with a cadre of volunteers.

“Rarely does it happen that we are called upon to host two national events in one year,” said yacht club Commodore Thad Vincent in an e-mail. “This was an unusual year in that our club hosted two national events and a Labor Day event.”

The yacht club put together national races for the San Juan 21 and Geary 18 boat classes earlier this summer.

The three-day Labor Day weekend event included four fleet classes — San Juan 21, Geary 18, MC Scow, Laser — and an Open event. Racers from Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Canada raced in whitecaps and wind gusts of up to 40 mph throughout the weekend.

Brian Gunnari took top honors in the San Juan 21 class, and Tom McAndrew took second while Jon Richards placed third.

In the Geary 18 class, Thad Vincent himself placed first, followed by Colin Jenkins and Mike Rodde in second and third, respectively.

Randy Lau won the MC Scow class, followed by McGowan (first name N/A) and Jim Moore.

Emily Vincent won the Laser class race, while Devon Biasca took second. R. Biasca (first name N/A) took third.

Only three racers took part in the open class.

For many members of the Coos Bay Yacht Club, the Labor Day event is the only race to which they can make it out. The club’s members are working folks: Thad Vincent said the membership includes construction workers, electricians, commerical fishermen, restaurant owners and workers, hospital and hospice workers and volunteers, school and city empolyees, musicians, artists, photographers, church members and volunteers, choir directors, and even a minister.

“It brings so many people together who work hard all week long,” said Vincent. “This gives them a chance to have fun and blow off steam in a healthy way in Oregon’s second largest recreational lake.”

All told, the club is ready to chalk the Labor Day race — and the summer — up as a resounding success.

“Fifty-nine years is a long time,” said Vincent. “And it must be good if it’s been going for that long.”

Results of the races are included in today’s CommunityScoreboard.