Crystal Lake kicked off its Fourth of July Festivities with a patriotic flourish last weekend as a local crew captured back America`s Cup.
The America`s Cup-at least the Crystal Lake Park District`s version of it-is annually awarded to the winner of the Cardboard Cup Regatta, which as you might guess is open to corrugated craft only.
For the past several years, the cup has resided Down Under, as teams from New Zealand and Australia have outstroked local challengers. However, New Zealand`s Carl Thomas, last year`s winner, was unable to compete this year, setting the stage for a new champ.
After numerous heats, the finals came down to a battle between a 10-man longboat sponsored by Eaton Industries of Cary versus a two-man kayak from Canada. The final race was anti-climactic as the Canadians, perhaps waterlogged from a day of racing, were unable to leave the starting gate.
As usual, the competition featured a dazzling array of ingeniously constructed vessels, including the S.S. Beer, a giant floating beer bottle; a seaborne volcano that spouted lava and featured seven people in various states of Polynesian undress; and a boat sponsored by McDonald`s that looked like a giant Happy Meal.
Plenty of the ships were, in the name of one boat, ”Bottom Bound.” The U.S. Army-sponsored boat was shaped like a tank and floated about as well as a tank. Its spectacular sinking featured red and green smoke bombs.
A sister ship from the Navy fared no better, turning over and sinking in the first 30 seconds, perhaps destroying the Pentagon`s plan for an all-cardboard fleet.
