Regatta Set for Friday

This year's Laser Regatta will kick off on Friday, Aug. 19, at the Fort Peck Marina. The festivities will begin with a dryland presentation on the water practices, followed by dinner. The races begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday and will be held close to the dam, weather permitting.

The organizers are aiming to have around 30 races starting Saturday and concluding with the final race at 2:30 p.m. The target course time is about 30 minutes each. John Cormack, a race officer from Alberta, Canada, has aided the club with supplying race supplies and boats and also recruited some experienced racers from north of the border.

This year marks the third year for the Laser Regatta and by all accounts, it has been picking up steam. The entries increased from seven for the last two years up to 14 for this year's event. If you are interested in seeing what it is like to sail on Fort Peck before the races, organizer Rafe Sigmunstad has uploaded several videos on YouTube, just search "Fort Peck Sailing."

As the race grows in size, there is also an increased need for help with race management and/or helping on a signal or safety boat. If you're interested in getting involved in the race or the sailing club, contact Rafe Sigmundstad at 406-263-2468 or Julie Burke at 406-939-0280.