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Getting wet half the fun of Lake Ellyn Cardboard Boat Regatta

The instant you and your crew realize there's no winning this boat race, you have two options.

You can coast across the finish line, avoid the cameras and lick your wounds on the shore.

Or, you can do what a group of young cheerleaders did a few years ago at the Lake Ellyn Cardboard Boat Regatta.

Knowing defeat was imminent, team members swallowed their pride, paddled out to the middle of the lake, confidently stood up in their homemade vessel and performed a rousing cheer before the boat began to take on water.

The latter route will win your craft the coveted title of S.S. Saturation, as it did the cheerleaders, who claimed the award recognizing the most spectacular sinking of the regatta.

“It's not always the end result, but the journey,” Mary Defiglia explains.

A serious sea captain may roll his eyes over that line, but Defiglia, assistant superintendent of special facilities at Glen Ellyn Park District, sees plenty of bonding time, not in the moments of maritime glory, but in the hundreds of hours some crews spend perfecting their boats before lifting anchor.

“It's an amazing sight to see what people can do with cardboard,” Defiglia said.

That sight returns to the neighborhood lake Saturday, July 2, a kickoff to Glen Ellyn's Fourth of July festivities.

Instead of the usual concessions, spectators can sample from food trucks that will roll into Lake Ellyn park. Proceeds from the fundraising picnic will go to the village's Fourth of July committee, a group of volunteers that will stage the parade and fireworks Monday.

Then, with your taco or grilled cheese in hand, marvel at the construction — some artful, some silly — of cardboard boats when races begin at noon.

“Some are extremely well built and others are just put together at the last minute,” Defiglia said. “But, overall, the craftsmanship has really improved over the years.”

If you're one of the procrastinators, the deadline to enter races is noon Friday, July 1. Crews of up to eight can set sail in three categories: youth (ages 9-17), adult (18 and older) and businesses and agencies. Registration is $40 to $50.

While the regatta invites sailors to dress in goofy costumes (and gives an award for that, too), the competition rules are serious. To build their boats, crews receive 20 sheets of corrugated cardboard from the park district and are banned from using epoxy glue, varnishes or fiberglass resin. And they can only tape the seams and joints, not the entire boat.

Before crews navigate a course marked by buoys, their boats will face a race-day inspection, with check-in from 9 to 11:15 a.m.

As many as 2,000 spectators are expected to watch from dry land while about two dozen boats attempt to conquer the course or surrender to Lake Ellyn's waters, Defiglia said.

Ah, yes, we're back to crews experiencing that wonderful sinking feeling.

“That's the really joy of the regatta,” Defiglia said.

  Crews can win awards for most spectacular sinking when the Lake Ellyn Cardboard Boat Regatta returns July 2. Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com/July 2013

Lake Ellyn Cardboard Boat Regatta

<b>When:</b> Food truck picnic runs from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; boat races start at noon Saturday, July 2

<b>Where:</b> Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road, Glen Ellyn

<b>Cost:</b> Free for spectators

<b>Info:</b> <a href="http://www.Gepark.org">Gepark.org</a>

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