Mac Challenge Chairman's Award

Mac Chairman’s Award

There are few adventures left in our world today that require us, as skippers, to demonstrate our ability to step forward and singlehandedly embrace the elements. Throughout time there have been many who have gone to sea, learned a lesson in humility and sailed again in an effort to cross a body of water and return to port unscathed. It takes a particular type of adventurer to embark on that particular journey year after year. It takes a skipper of rare determination to regularly pit his wits against the elements and return home more enlightened, more humble. It is our belief that these skippers should be recognized for their determination, dedication and endurance over the span of many years.

I’ve known for some time that as we add more challenges to the GLSS repertoire of events, it will be easier to achieve our current preset milestones at an accelerated rate. For instance: one could achieve the rank of 10 challenges completed in about four years. As I looked at the award I received for completing 20 challenges I realized how many years it took me to achieve that honor, and how proud I was of that accomplishment. I decided I wanted to find a way to recognize longevity in the solo Mac’s. I knew 25 years was certainly a milestone, but realized that in solo sailing, very few will repeatedly seek the adventure of the challenge and reach 25. I chose to add an additional goal. I chose 15 challenges as a significant but achievable goal. It is my pleasure to contribute an award that recognizes 15 and 25 Mac challenges completed. It is the Society’s pleasure to honor those who with dedicated determination, repeatedly pit themselves against the elements and endure.

From the 2006 Presentation

These are the skippers, a special breed of indomitable spirits who year after year, have returned to the adventure of the challenge.

Receiving their 15 Mac’s award, left to right: Robert Van Eck (16), Phil Rubright (17), Blair Arden (21), Dave Evans (18), Jim Douglas (21), Dick Lappin (24)
Dick Lappin received his 25 Mac’s completed award in 2007.

Detailed views of the Mac Challenge Chairman's Award