Wright claims 2008 De Luz Cup

DE LUZ — The De Luz Heights Yacht Club recently completed its 2008 racing season at Ross Lake.

The club was started in 1993 and has its weekly Saturday afternoon race season running from April through October around a one-mile course of the lake.

Each week as many as 11 sailors competitively race 10- to 14-foot sailboats in the afternoon breeze in hopes of accumulating enough points at the end of the season to win the cherished De Luz Cup, which is a tarnished chrome-plated champagne bowl that was bought at a swap meet in 1993. Names of its yearly recipients are etched in ink on a white tape label.

This year’s Yacht Master and Cup Winner is Howard Wright, who defeated the 11 yachtsmen by a large margin.

Club commodore Mike Manchor, last year’s Cup holder, presented Wright his award and enthusiastically acclaimed, “Wait ’til next year!”

The Yacht Club is also known for its annual New Year’s Eve Parade of Lights around the lake.