Leadership hosted its 6th annual end-of-year boat regatta in the dive pool at lunch on May 23. The contest featured 4 teams who constructed their own boats using cardboard and duct tape.

Sophomores Vaughn Luthringer and Kelly Robles were the last pair to remain afloat and were declared the champions. “It was the most fun that we won 2 seconds after we started,” said Luthringer, referring to the fact that half of the other teams’ boats sank only seconds into the race.

Senior leadership officers Ethan Sauerberg and Paul Gannett organized this year’s race. Gannett said a lot of publicity was required to recruit participants, and they used the prizes to entice more people to enter. “It’s quite a legacy to win the boat regatta. You get your name engraved on a plaque, year-long bragging rights, and a hefty amount of dollar store candy,” he said.

Cloudy weather made conditions less than ideal. Gannett said, “I would say this year was a great success, despite the weather.”

Juniors Will Grubbs and Nathan Links took 2nd place in their raft named “The Charla” in tribute to their English teacher, Charla Powell. It was in Powell’s class that the pair initially decided to participate in the contest. “Me and Nathan were in English class and then the leadership announcer came in and announced the boat regatta, and we kinda just looked at each other like, ‘Wanna do that?’ ‘Sure,'” said Grubbs.

“On Sunday, I went around the Rheem shopping center and just grabbed as much cardboard as I could find, and then yesterday, Nathan came over to my house and we built the frame and duct taped everything, and we spent the whole day making the raft,” Grubbs explained. He and Links wore wet suits during the competition.

Although he did not emerge victorious, Grubbs enjoyed the experience. “Didn’t really worry about the competition as much as just having fun,” he said.

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