DOWNTOWN — After 12 years of competing in the North American Challenge Cup — one of the country's premier regattas for disabled sailors — Bridgeport's Bridget Bodo finally came out on top.
Bodo, who lost her leg in a motorcycle accident in 2003, competed on a three-person crew in the Sonar Division races that wrapped up earlier this week on Lake Michigan near Belmont Harbor.
"I’ve had a lot of second places, but this was my first first,” said Bodo.
She thanked her fellow sailors: Brian Peebles, of Cleveland, who is legally blind and was sailing in his first race, and William Howard, of Lake Forest.
"Our crew did an incredible job," said Bodo.
Now in its 24th year, the regatta was sponsored by the Chicago Yacht Club and the Judd Goldman adaptive sailing foundation. Twelve teams competed in a total of eight races on Saturday and Monday. Extreme winds canceled the competition on Sunday.
Bodo was ecstatic about taking first in the Sonar Division, in which disabled sailors compete with up to two able-bodied sailors on their teams. Her team had three first place finishes in eight races.
Patrick LoDuca, of Lakeview, who has spina bifida, led a team that took second overall with three first place finishes.
Other sailors came from as far as Victoria, Canada to compete.
Bodo said the conditions were ideal for the competition.
“Monday we had a major shift to left; we set the sail for a reach and just flew. There were two other boats next to us who seemed to have problems. ...
“The winds were real good both days; Saturday there was more chop to deal with.
“In the second race, we rounded the windward mark on the fourth leg. I pulled the tiller the wrong way and we spun around. We caught up to them [LoDuca] on the fifth leg. He tacked and pointed to the wind and his bow crossed the finish line two feet ahead of us."
Loop resident Zak Kordik was the crew for skipper Gary Pierce of Valparaiso, Ind., which came in third place in the Freedom 20 Division, which features teams of three people, two of whom must have disabilities.
“It was a bit tricky off land on Saturday,” said Kordick, a psychiatrist who lost use of his legs in a car accident. He said his duties included adjusting the sail while Pierce focused on the boat speed.
Monday "it was blowing real good. It would be up to 15-16 knots and then sometimes the winds died out. It started northeast and the second race it was northwest. It shifted so much you didn’t have to tack," Kordick said.
Chris Martin, who has spina bifida, has been an instructor with the Judd Goldman adaptive sailing program for seven years. He was paired with Kathy Reeves.
“The wind changes kept you on your toes; you had to be alert and that makes it fun,” said Martin, 72, who has been sailing for 60 years. He lives in Antigua in the winter and stays in Chicago during the summer.
“My partner is legally blind and had never competed in a race before. She was able to pick up a lot, she could sense the activity between the boats. There were good sailors on the other five boats.”
Several of those who competed over the weekend said they planned to sail in the Blind Sailing Worlds competition, which is being hosted by the Chicago Yacht Club on Sept. 8-13.
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