LIMESTONE, Maine — Unusually high winds did not derail thrills at the Blokart East Coast Championships.
The former Loring Air Force Base’s runways have quickly become popular destinations for land sailors, but this year marked the first time racers using Blokarts have held a regional championship there. Blokarts are named for their New Zealand manufacturer and are considered more lightweight to transport and ride than converted ice boats.
From Thursday to Saturday, 32 racers from the northeastern United States, Canada and as far away as California and Wisconsin set their sails, vying for the top spots in their classes. The races featured three classes: “silver” for beginners and “gold” for more seasoned racers. Gold included the “lightweight” and “heavyweight” divisions.
Each class logged in six races Thursday, with a mix of shorter and longer laps on the airport runways. Wind speeds were not as ideal Friday, reaching gusts of up to 35 mph, but there were still 15 races total.
“We were at our limit with 35,” said Dave Lussier, founder of New England Land Sailors, who hosted the Blokart East Coast Championships.
Conditions worsened on Saturday, with Aroostook under a wind advisory until 4 p.m. Wind gusts reached up to 50 miles per hour that afternoon, making races impossible even for seasoned pros, Lussier said. Only a few racers braved the weather Saturday to give spectators demonstrations and free rides on their karts.
In land sailing, racers are ranked based on who has the lowest total scores at the end of racing. During races, they are vying for the lowest number of points after they reach the finish line.
In the Gold Heavyweight class, Lussier, who is from Rhode Island, took first place, with a final score of 18 points. Fellow Rhode Island natives Chad Atkins and AJ Laurent took second and third place, respectively, with 30 and 31 points.
Bill Buchholz of Camden, who helped start land sailing regattas at Loring, placed first in Gold Lightweight, with 21 final points. B.B. Hredocik of Limestone snagged second place with 28 points and Steve Madden of Massachusetts scored third with 32.
Newcomers from Canada dominated most top rankings in Silver. Quebec native Josee Mayrand left with 18 points, followed by a tied second place. Blerina Berberi of Nova Scotia and Maine native Jim Turner both garnered 36 points. Samuel Lemay of Quebec placed third with 38.
Racers did not let Saturday’s bad weather spoil their fun. Many enjoyed food and pickleball, courtesy of Limestone Chamber of Commerce’s Octoberfest, and hung out in the racing pits to chat about their favorite sport.
For Berberi and her husband Kevin Tummers, the Blokart championships was their first time racing in and visiting Aroostook County.
In Nova Scotia, the couple has taught land sailing lessons to children and adults for the past three years, often sailing on a beach next to the Atlantic Ocean. They said that the sport is one of the safest, making it ideal for people of any age who want to learn.
Berberi and Tummers said that they plan to sail at Loring next year during annual regattas and races. They also will take part in next year’s world championship races in Wales.
“This is one of the best places in the world to sail,” Tummers said about Loring. “This sport is growing, and Maine is well poised to be part of that.”
