Welcome to Nicolaus California
2015 NAMBA Nationals
July 11
th
through the 18
th
Welcome to the Lake Minden Resort in Nicolaus, California for the 2015 NAMBA Nationals!
This historic little town is steeped in western history and was a major stopping point on the
Feather River during the California Gold Rush. We are just 24 miles from Sacramento and only
100 Miles from San Francisco and the Wine Country, so there is a lot of local beauty to enjoy
here. We are looking forward to a wonderful week with some very dear friends and the
opportunity to meet some new ones.
My beautiful wife Valerie has joined me again this year for her second national event. Last year
we enjoyed the hospitality of District 8 in Everett, WA and she got to see firsthand what makes
model boating such and huge part of my life. She
was introduced to the boaters and their wives and
now she is constantly asking me about all of
them. It really helps when you have the kind of
hospitality the folks in District 8 have.
A huge thank you to David Bestpitch and his team
for putting on the 2015 Nationals. It take so much
commitment and work to put on this event that I
have nothing but gratitude and respect for the
people who put them on. Please take a moment to
shake the hand of a District 9 member and thank
them for everything they do.
I was fortunate enough to win my first National
Championship in A Mod Tunnel last year thanks
to the brilliance and experience of Lenny Blake as
my Pit Man. This goes to prove you do not have to be the fastest boat on the water to win,
especially when you have someone of Lenny’s experience and skills coaching you. I also want to
offer a special thanks to Kelly Groul, Mike Hughes and Eric Bourlet for sharing their District 8
setup tips.
Valerie and I would love to meet you, so if you have a moment, please drop by my trailer and say
hi. We are planning a number of excursions to San Francisco and the Wine country, so if you
think you might want to join us, just let us know and we would be glad to have you.
Team Ed
David Santistevan
NAMBA 104 Director of IT
