DATE: Friday, April 18, 1997                TAG: 9704160128

SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS     PAGE: 09   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: EDITOR'S NOTES 
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   53 lines

BARNACLE SAILBOAT RACING SERIES IS SET TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK

The Portsmouth Boat Club kicks off its Elizabeth River Barnacle Sailboat Races next Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m. A skipper's meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at First Presbyterian Church, 515 Court St.

The Barnacle Series are open to all cruising sailboats rated under the Performance Handicap Rating Fleet though no rating certificate is required to compete. The fleet will be divided into a racing class and a cruising class. No spinnakers are permitted.

Additional spring series races are scheduled for May 9, May 16, June 13 and June 27. All will start at 6:30 p.m. in Crawford Bay. Modified Cock Island Race courses will be used. All races finish at the Portsmouth Seawall by 9 p.m. with a raft-up and post-race party at Portside.

Races will be conducted using the new 1997-2000 Racing Rules of Sailing. The new rules will be discussed at the skipper's meeting, which is mandatory for those who will race the entire series. Occasional racers are strongly encouraged to attend. Race courses and other sailing instructions will also be distributed.

The fee for the entire series is $15. A fall series will also be sailed, costing $15. Participants can register for both series for $25. Individual races are free and require no advance registration.

To register or for more information, call 393-2400.

TIDES MEETING: The Tidewater Boosters Club will hold its next monthly meeting April 30 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hits in the Park restaurant at Harbor Park. The guest speaker will be Norfolk Tides manager Rick Dempsey. For more information, call 393-7504.

HOOP CAMP: The Paul Webb Converse All-Star Basketball Camp for boys and girls ages 7-17 will hold five sessions from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday as follows: June 16-20 at Cape Henry Collegiate School; June 23-27 at Salem High; July 7-11 at Oscar Smith High; July 28-Aug. 1 at Western Branch High and Aug. 4-8 at Cape Henry. For more information, call 464-4561.

WALK-A-THON: United Cerebral Palsy of Southeastern Virginia will hold its third annual walk-a-thon on Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk. Scooby Doo and Yogi Bear from King's Dominion are the Honorary Walk Marshals and parking at the zoo is free. Participants who raise $50 or more will receive an official walk-a-thon t-shirt. For more information, call 497-7474.

RUNNING NEWS: The Virginia Fast Start Track Club will hold an AAU-sanctioned invitational meet from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 10 at Christopher Newport University. The meet is for boys and girls ages 5-18. A $4 fee - $5 per relay team - is required at registration from 6:30-8:30 a.m. Proof of age is also required. For more information, call 479-5471.

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