A sea of color added to the beauty of Flathead Lake as Somers hosted the 2011 Montana Cup regatta over the weekend.

This year’s competition attracted a total of 26 boats from Seattle, Helena, northern and central Idaho, the Dayton Yacht Harbour and the North Flathead Yacht Club in Somers, which was represented by 13 of those boats.

Competitors get up with the sun to ensure they can get the most out of the winds, which tend to be most prevalent on Flathead Lake during the morning hours and late in the evening. Boats are divided into three classes based on their model and subsequent speed abilities. Fleets run nearly simultaneously though their times are compared only within each class.

A committee of about a half dozen people sets up and officiates the two days of racing. They plot the course, pronounce the start and finish of each race and keep track of the boats’ times. Race fleets run nearly simultaneously, though their times are compared only within each class.

With winds cooperating throughout the weekend, the committee was able to get in six races on Saturday and three on Sunday for competitors.

The NFYC, which hosted the competition, was the overall victor and earned the honor of keeping The Cup, and will therefore also host next year’s race. The NFYC earned a total of 88 points while the Lake Pend Oreille Yacht Club was second with 34.

The A-fleet winner was the Eye Eye, with David Cohen from LPOYC at the helm. NFYC’s Pete Sauer and his crew took first place in the B-fleet with their boat B4G. Tim Rogge from NFYC took first place with his crew on the San Juan24.