BY HAL MURRAY
Fleet Captain – Edenton Yacht Club
ALBEMARLE SOUND – The 2025 Albemarle Sound Sailing Association [ASSA] three-day regatta held Sept. 25-28 off the shore of the Albemarle Plantation has concluded with the Edenton Yacht Club bringing back home The Albemarle Challenge Cup.
Since 1985, the Albemarle Challenge Cup has been awarded to the club with the best four overall finishes.
Winning The Albemarle Challenge Cup this year is a particularly auspicious event as 2025
marks the 40th anniversary of the creation of the ASSA and the 50th anniversary of Edenton Yacht Club. It must be a particularly notable time for Gil Burroughs, as he was a founding member of both the ASSA and the Edenton Yacht Club.
Edenton Yacht Club had an excellent showing with five boats racing in the regatta: Ken
and Ruffin Attkisson on Lift Ticket, Gil Burroughs, Mark Burroughs, and Frederick Inglis on
Barbara Jean III, John Sams and Dan Bohl on Ember, Brian FitzSimons, Brian Donnelly, and
Wesley Varian on Cygnet, and Mike Burke, Rod Fears, and Hal Murray on Time Machine.
Ken and Ruffin in Lift Ticket took the second-place trophy in the “Fast-boat” class, a tough group of seven competitors from four clubs. John Sams and Dan Bohl tied for first place with Pelican from Roanoke Island Yacht Club in the C-class group, six boats from three clubs.
Weather is always the big unknown factor, and created some anxiety given the dual storms off the coast during the weekend of racing. The 18 boats and crews persevered and the race
committee got in six races over three days. Fortunately, the predictions for rain and wind
conditions were not very accurate. The three days of racing was held in rather light air at times with no rain.
No narrative of the 2025 ASSA Fall Regatta would be complete without recognizing Osprey
Yacht Club and Albemarle Plantation and Marina for their hospitality and co-hosting the long
weekend event, and the ASSA directors for their part in planning.