EDGEWATER PARK -- The Women's Regatta is growing in popularity at the annual Cleveland Race Week held at the Edgewater Yacht Club.
Fourteen teams made up entirely of female crews took to the water to race four miles across Lake Erie Tuesday evening.
Edgewater Yacht Club has been the hub of Cleveland Race Week for the past 31 years.
The event draws sailing enthusiasts of all ages and is held with the help of the Cleveland Sailing Association and the North Coast Women's Sailing Association.
The ten women who make up the team, First Tracks 3, all have a passion for sailing, but they come from different walks of life.
One is a stay-at-home mom, another a public defense attorney. There is also a substitute teacher and a public relations worker to round out the team.
The women sail aboard a 40-foot monohull boat.
It takes a lot of strength to trim the sails and chart the course, but Cathy Newpher says many of her teammates find it relaxing.
"Many of these women hold professional jobs. It's sort of therapy for people to get out and get away from a couple of hours," Newpher said.
Edgewater Yacht Club Commodore Connie Aguero says now is the perfect time to get involved, even for those without experience.
"The lake has come to life in the last week. Today's the first day of summer and the weather is beautiful in Cleveland," Aguero said.
The Edgewater Yacht Club and the North Coast Women's Sailing Associations have programs for beginners who wish to learn to sail.
Cleveland Race Week is holding events every day through Sunday, June 26. Click on the link under "Related Links" to the right of this story for information on races and other scheduled activities.
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