Goals remain simple, yet important, for captain and crew of Ariel By Mike Moore For some, five hours on the open water sailing in the same direction would be more than enough. For Mark Aitken and his crew, it was just the beginning — and unfortunately, it was also the end. “Spreader failure,” Aitken said, summarizing the mechanical problem his yacht, Ariel, suffered in last year’s Bayview Mackinac Race, forcing a withdrawal from the event. “We were five hours in, just warming up, when everything went wrong. … It was a very disappointing time for me and the crew.” He and the crew are back, with a new spreader, a refreshed outlook and the goal of finishing the race they love so much. “Very excited to get back in the race,” Aitken, a Warren resident, said with a laugh. “After putting in months of work, lots of money, getting everyone and everything ready, and then to have to pull out that early, it was just devastating. We’re looking forward to getting back at it this time around.” The race, now in its 84th year, begins July 12 and launches from Port Huron and ends at Mackinac Island. Aitken and the crew of Ariel, a 1983 Tartan, are in the race for the third time. “I think we’re all very excited to get things going this season,” said crewman Philippe Roncier, a Ferndale resident originally from France. “I’m not a real emotional kind of person. Last year was very disappointing, but I think it’s something we all had to learn from.” While reaching the finish line may be the most obvious goal for Aitken, Roncier and the rest of the eight-person crew, enjoying their time on the water is still the most important thing. “We’ve got a great group that works really well together,” Roncier said. “We’re all looking forward to a good time.” “Fun is always the main objective,” Aitken said. “Sailing, especially at night … it’s a pretty cool time of the year that we get to enjoy. We’re really looking forward to it.” You can reach Sports Writer Mike Moore at mmoore@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1038. |
