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DUTCHSAIL – JANSSEN DE JONG MIXED CONVINCINGLY TO FINAL WEEKEND

DUTCHSAIL – JANSSEN DE JONG GIRLS TO SILVER FLEET At the Youth Foiling Gold Cup on Lake Garda in Torbole, Italy, Team DutchSail – Janssen de Jong mixed convincingly qualified for the final days in the gold fleet. Cas van Dongen, Ismene Usman and Eliott Savelon top the standings after four days of qualifying and will battle this weekend with the numbers 2 to 6 for the win in this fourth and final regular stop of the 69F season. Team DutchSail – Janssen de Jong mixes better every match Team DutchSail – Janssen de Jong mixed secured themselves on Friday with again two wins of first place in the qualification classification of the Youth Foiling Gold Cup – Act 4. The team with Cas van Dongen, Ismene Usman and Eliott Savelon, who replaces the injured Scipio Houtman, had a somewhat difficult start to qualifying on Tuesday, but recovered on the successive days. In the end, the young Dutch team managed to win no less than 10 of its 16 matches. Schipper Cas van Dongen: “We are really growing as a team during this regatta. We get better every game. That's so cool. It is a real privilege to sail in these great conditions here on Lake Garda. We don't look at the end result yet, but really try to look at it from match to match and then we'll see how far we get." The injured Scipio Houtman, who has to watch his team in Italy, also has nothing but praise for the performance of Team DutchSail – Janssen de Jong mixed. Houtman: “Cas, Ismene and Eliott take another step every race and have an incredible learning curve. It's really cool to see from the outside how they really work together as a team, both on the shore and in the boat.” “Elliot's progression is impressive. It's really nice how he picks up everything and how well it all goes. Especially when you consider that including these last four days, it has only had fourteen days in the boat. I am very confident and very curious where this coming weekend will end.” Team DutchSail – Janssen de Jong girls to silver fleet The Team DutchSail – Janssen de Jong girls ultimately fall short for the best six and a place in the gold fleet on Friday. Svea Karsenbarg, Merle Louwinger, Julia van der Vaart and Femke van den Berg will still be in action in the silverfleet on Saturday. Julia van der Vaart reacted with mixed feelings after the qualifying series. Van der Vaart: “These conditions with relatively much wind are super cool but at the same time very difficult for us as a team. These are really conditions in which we still need to improve as a team. The level here is very high, so we can learn quickly from the other teams and grow every day. But unfortunately we eventually come up short for the final gold series and we have to settle for a place in the silver fleet.” Looking ahead to the silver fleet competitions on Saturday, Van der Vaart is optimistic. “We will undoubtedly learn a lot again and at least have a lot of fun. It's so cool to sail these boats and get a little better every day." Ticket for Grand Final at Americas Cup venue At stake is a spot at the Youth Foiling Gold Cup Grand Final this weekend. This will be sailed from 3 to 6 November in Barcelona. At the same location where the 37th Americas Cup will be sailed in 2024. To reach the Grand Final, Team DutchSail – Janssen de Jong mixed must be in the top two in the final standings at the end of the day on Sunday. General classification after qualifying 1. Team DutchSail – Janssen de Jong mixed, NED, 74.5 points 2. Okalys Youth Project, SUI, 73 points 3. Team Black Salmon Argentina, ARG, 72 points 4. Clean Sailors Youth Racing Team, ITA, 66 points 5. Team France, FRA, 58.5 points 6. CER – Ville de Genève, SUI, 56.5 points 7. Groupe Atlantic, FRA, 54.5 points 8. Team ID Voile, FRA, 42.5 points 9. Katana Sailing Team, SUI, 41 points 10. DutchSail – Janssen de Jong girls, NED, 36 points 11. San Francisco Flyers, USA, 30.5 points 12. RZNYS 69F Racing, NZL, 16 points Full results: https://69fsailing.com/yfgc-2022-act-4-torbole-results/

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ZEKE’S J70 TIPS TO THE PODIUM Lessons Learned at the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta – Marblehead

NORTH SAILS NEWS Story Contributors: Zeke Horowitz ZEKE’S J70 TIPS TO THE PODIUM Lessons Learned at the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta – Marblehead Chris Howell As usual, the town of Marblehead pulled out all the stops for competitors to descend upon the quaint New England town for a weekend of racing in multiple one design classes. The J70 class showed up in full force with most of the top American teams including several class World Champions. At stake were two 2 qualification spots for the 2023 Worlds in St. Petersburg (1 open, 1 Corinthian) so the racing was as tight and competitive as ever. As crew for John Heaton on Empeiria, along with teammates Zach Mason and Will Felder, we were fortunate enough to come away with the Championship and a berth in next year’s Worlds. In addition, our North Sails teammates on Smokeshow, skippered by North Sails North American One Design Manager Allan Terhune with Paul Sevigni, North Sails Expert Chris Larson and Dave Hughes finished second, rounding out a weekend to celebrate for North Sails. Our team was successful at the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series Marblehead by relying on lessons we’ve learned over the past couple of years. Admittedly part of our success is due to having sailed together for over 2 years and there is really no substitute for being comfortable with and confident in one another – trust that comes with time. However, aside from our team experience, there were past lessons we drew from during this event that helped us stay fast in the wide range of conditions presented. The J70, due to its rig and hull dimensions, is a boat that has a very fine line between being underpowered and overpowered. The conditions in Marblehead exaggerated this characteristic as the wind range was constantly hovering on either side of this fine line. So it was imperative to adjust your sail and body trim to accommodate for either the lack of power or abundance of power since it was rare to have the rig tuned perfectly. Following are some of our tips that should help keep you fast through the transitions in your next race. Outhaul The outhaul is one of the controls that’s easiest to ‘set and forget!’ But it’s actually an incredibly important adjustment for your power package. Due to the high aspect ratio (tall and skinny) of the J70 mainsail, the outhaul affects a larger area than it does on a sail with a lower aspect ratio. So a quick ease of the outhaul will put a boost of power into your sail plan to give you something to hike against. Our team has learned to be very diligent with this adjustment when we are transitioning from hiking to bodies in. Zach is our jib trimmer and we try to leave him in the boat the longest so he has a view of the jib as long as possible. If he is in the boat, we leave the outhaul quite loose to power up the main and try to get him hiking. We’re desperate to get him hiking as more righting moment = more speed! At this setting there is probably 6-8 inches between the boom and the foot of the main. As soon as he’s able to get on the rail and start hiking, we pull the outhaul back on to flatten the main and reduce drag. Any time Zach moves in or out of the boat, we make the appropriate outhaul adjustment. Jib Foot/ Inhaul How much to inhaul the jib can feel like quite the moving target… and it is. Its important to set the weather sheet in the cleat in a place where the jib trimmer can play it by “banjoing” it on when we need more power and then easing it back when we want to flatten the bottom of the jib and open the leech. When set correctly, this can be done without adjusting the weather sheet in the cleat. Think about your jib lead and inhaul setting similar to how we set the outhaul as described above. In light air or chop, you want more power in the bottom of the jib which means you want more depth in the foot compared to when it’s windy or flat water. A good rule of thumb is to try to get the foot of the jib to contact the cabin house as much as possible to prevent air from jumping through the gap under the foot. If it’s windy, you’ll need to pull the lead back a bit to depower the sail in order to inhaul enough to bring the foot to the cabin house. If it’s light air, you’ll need to push the lead forward a bit in order to provide enough depth in the foot (power) when the foot is along the cabin house. A good range on the jib lead is between 6 – 7.5 holes showing between the front of the car and the forward most factory bolt in the jib track. Cunningham The cunningham tends to be neglected just like the outhaul. Most of the time it’s not the most critical adjustment to make but there is a time when it becomes your very best friend. We saw this condition on the second day of racing in Marblehead when the breeze ranged from about 8 knots in the lulls to upwards of 16-18 knots in the puffs. We all know it’s best to set your rig tension for the lulls and do your best to survive the puffs and that’s where the cunningham comes in. For most, if you’re caught with your rig too loose, your first move is to whale on the backstay to depower and keep the headstay tight. But the problem is that without adequate rig tension, the tight backstay will quickly invert or wash out the main sail leaving you with huge overbend wrinkles and that ‘inside out’ look. But your headstay is still unstable making the boat hard to sail. This is when you want to really whale on the cunningham. To be clear, I don’t mean to just take those luff wrinkles out, I mean WHALE on it! Loads of cunningham tension pulls the draft of the main forward, putting some shape back into the sail (un-inverting it). This then allows you to pull even more backstay on to control the headstay. Your leeward shrouds will be doing basketball sized loops – blowing in the wind, but your headstay will be controlled and you’ll still have shape in your mainsail – albeit a flat shape. Will sits all the way forward going upwind and he keeps the cunningham in his hand. If we hit a light spot, he eases the cunningham as I ease the backstay to power up the rig and then as the next puff hits, he trims it on as I trim on the backstay. Keep your eye on the inversion wrinkle that comes out of the clew and goes up to the inboard end of the bottom batten. When overpowered, you want to see this wrinkle only and use the cunningham to eliminate the wrinkles below/forward of it. More cunningham = ability to pull more backstay = more controlled headstay = FAST! Weight Placement The J70 likes to have the crew weight forward going upwind. In fact, in light air it’s difficult to get forward enough. Some teams have experimented with sending their forward-most crew just in front of the shrouds and it seems to be pretty quick when the breeze is very soft. It’s also important to know that fore/aft weight placement can help the boat with moding. All other things equal, pushing weight forward tells the boat to point while moving weight aft helps with a bow down mode. In light air, it’s also important to think about body drag through the air. Try to hide the bodies from the wind as much as possible by tucking up to the cabin house or to your teammate in front of you. Also think about how you can position your body to be as aerodynamic and small as possible. Instead of facing forward with your shoulders square to the breeze, scoot forward and rotate your shoulders so they’re more in line with the wind direction. Sounds insignificant but reducing drag is the name of the game, It seems like no matter how much we learn in the J70, we’ve never learned enough. It’s important to always be thinking critically and creatively about how to get faster. Keep the learning curve steep and watch your results improve! For more in depth information or for any specific questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to your J70 class North experts.

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Female athlete mentor programme proves a hit

Female athlete mentor programme proves a hit By Yachting New Zealand|August 13th, 2022|Categories: New Zealand|Tags: Women in Sailing|0 Comments It’s expected a new programme many of New Zealand’s top female sailors wished was in place when they were younger ensures long-term success on the international stage but also a greater connection within this country’s sailing network. Yachting New Zealand women’s sailing manager Jenny Armstrong introduced the women’s high performance mentor programme in December, pairing six top Olympic campaigners with 13 up-and-coming female sailors aged between 18 and 23. It’s an idea borne out of Armstrong’s own experiences having participated in High Performance Sport New Zealand’s Te Haipatanga initiative over the past 18 months when she was appointed a coach mentor of her own. Yachting New Zealand’s version has proved an instant hit, with mentors and mentees catching up at regular intervals. It emphasises females supporting females, greater connection within the New Zealand sailing landscape and fast tracking learning for this country’s next generation of high performance female sailors. “It’s going great,” Armstrong said. “It has been a great initiative to connect those in the New Zealand Sailing Team with those up-and-comers and to create more of a community downstream of the top sailors. “The mentors love it at as well. It was incredibly easy to get them on board and many of them wished there was something like this around when they were coming through. They are all really supportive to lend their time.” Alex Maloney & Oliva Hobbs Two-time Olympic medallist Polly Powrie is among the group of mentors but she is the only one not presently campaigning to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The rest of the group is made up of Jo Aleh, Molly Meech, Alex Maloney, Erica Dawson and Justina Kitchen, who have spent large blocks of their time this year in Europe. More like this 2022 Blokart Worlds racing in New Zealand in October Double success at 49er and 49erFX junior worlds Eight bells – Mark Paterson Elliot 5.9 Traveller Series #4 New Zealand Blue Water Championships returns with new offshore races Jo Aleh & Polly Powrie. Credit Pedro Martinez/Sailing Energy “One of the other benefits, which I probably didn’t realise when I set this programme up, is that a lot of the younger sailors are overseas with their mentors,” Armstrong said. “It’s created a relationship with someone they can lean on when they are overseas which might have taken longer to establish or might not have happened at all in the past when they were overseas.” MEDAL MOMENT: Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie celebrate with their gold medals at Weymouth. It’s proved extremely valuable for Annabelle Rennie-Younger, who earlier this year switched from sailing the ILCA 6 to the mixed 470 because of a troublesome back injury. She’s already enjoyed international success, finishing third with Andre Van Dam at the 470 Junior European Championships. “I have found the mentor programme really helpful throughout the year,” said Rennie-Younger, who has former Olympic silver medallist Alex Maloney as her mentor. “It made me realise how willing the successful women in our sport are to helping the younger once coming through and the depth of knowledge they have to pass on. Annabelle Rennie-Younger and Andre Van Dam claimed bronze at the recent 470 Junior European Championships. Photo: Osga Photo. “At the beginning of the year, I was switching class and it was really helpful to have Alex to talk to throughout the whole process. She was able to honestly tell me the positives and negatives of double-handed sailing and provided a really helpful insight to help me make the best decision for me.”

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Nathan Outteridge tacks over to…. A new SailGP team!

With the Japanese SailGP team officially ditched, that left guru helmsman Nathan Outteridge without a job in the high octane series. But it wasn’t long before he would be snapped up, and the lucky winners for this expertise are… The Swiss team! “Outteridge will step into the driver position during the Rockwool Denmark Sail Grand Prix in Copenhagen next weekend but emphasised that his ‘goal’ is to get Swiss driver Sebastien Schneiter ‘up to speed’. At 26, Schneiter became the youngest driver when Switzerland entered the league at the beginning of this season,” Nathan Outteridge, Switzerland SailGP Team, speaks with Stuart Bithell, wing trimmer of Switzerland SailGP Team, during a break in racing on Race Day 1 of the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Plymouth in Plymouth, England – photo © Jon Buckle/SailGP Outteridge said… “I’m just coming in to help as much as I can and really give Seb a platform to work with moving forward – it’s not like I’m going to take over the program and make it the ‘Nathan Outteridge Swiss team’, it’s still Seb’s team and it’s still his crew.” Such a humble guy!!! Outteridge is also part of Emirates Team New Zealand having joined in October 2021. He will play a significant role in the AC40 program, but we’re also hoping that he takes on a helming position – side by side with Pistol Pete Burling. Have a listen to the offical SailGP Podcast where Outteridge makes the announcement.

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Addictive

Addictive We’ve yet to meet the sailor who has raced the historic Bacardi Cup on the glorious waters of Biscayne Bay who did not want to go back again... and again and again If you are looking for some world class, warm climate winter racing, with palm trees, blue skies, azure waters, epic après-sail and where you can rub shoulders with the world’s best, then get the Bacardi Cup and Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta in Miami, USA, 5-11 March 2023 in your calendar. Bacardi’s involvement with sailing stretches back almost 100 years, sealed since 1927 when the brand partnered with the Star Class in Havana, Cuba for the first ever Bacardi Cup. Even back then, the popularity of the Star Class and Bacardi brand meant the Bacardi Cup was destined for success. Today, nine decades after its foundation, sailors the world over still aspire to participate in the Bacardi Cup, celebrate the regatta’s glorious history and secure their names on the prestigious trophies. From the outset, Bacardi has proudly set the standards for running outstanding racing and impressive socials. The Bacardi Cup has expanded in recent years to include other competitive one-design sports boats, racing the Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta. The 2023 programme kicks off on 5 March 2023 for the Star Class at the Bacardi Cup, with the sports boats joining the competition from 9 March 2023, wrapping up with one almighty prizegiving and party on Saturday 11 March 2023. Main picture: the Star Class has been racing in this event for almost a century, ever since the first edition of the Bacardi Cup in 1927 Miami’s Biscayne Bay in midwinter offers stunning palmfronded sailing conditions that in a week will present both a joy and a challenge to all sailors. The weather ranges from the normal warm subtropical southerlies to the occasional sharp, cold blast of northerly breeze from a passing cold front to remind everyone it’s still March. Regardless, the clear waters of the bay are always inviting and it’s a short commute out and back to the race areas. The fleet line-up is world class and whether you are a legend of the sport or a weekend enthusiast you are guaranteed phenomenal racing. There are few better venues in the world than Miami in spring, as the essential ingredients of warm weather, reliable breeze, camaraderie and exceptional hospitality ensure teams flock to enjoy the Bacardi Cup and Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta. The joy on faces says it all and Bacardi is well aware of the event’s potency, so year on year the mission for excellence continues. Back on dry land after a thrilling day on the water, sailors are invited to relax, unwind and soak up the renowned hospitality. With typical Bacardi flair, the free-flowing complimentary cocktails, food and music boost the fun factor and up the tempo for the party animals. Attracting a diverse cast of teams from around the world, the event regularly hosts more than 500 sailors from 20+ nations who come to compete against an array of talent and heroes, and to be part of this unique event in Miami. Uniting generations, the Bacardi Cup is like no other event combining six world class race days of pure drama and spectacle, followed by a party atmosphere ashore. The regatta remains a landmark event for the Bacardi Rum brand and for the Bacardi family. Despite its relaxed atmosphere and nostalgia, the Bacardi Cup is known for its twists and turns as numerous sailing legends, Olympians, Star world champions and Bacardi Cup champions aplenty fight it out. It is no easy ride, and there is every chance the world’s best will find themselves overhauled by amateur teams and weekend warriors. Staking your place on the leaderboard is never assured and the challenge for victory remains as tough today as the first edition back in 1927. Above: the Bacardi Cup has expanded its scope in recent years and now includes large fleets of sports boats, including a strong showing of J/70s, alongside the original Star Class regatta.Below: this year’s winners, Bruno Prada (left) with the Tito Bacardi Trophy and Mateus Kusznierewicz with the legendary Bacardi Cup itself The event has never made compromises as it brings together the world’s best all round sailors in a battle for the Bacardi Cup and Tito Bacardi Cup trophies. Since 1927, 45 different skippers have claimed the elusive Bacardi Cup trophy. As well as the overall trophies, whatever your age there is a prize category for you, with awards presented to the winners in the Masters (skippers aged 50-59), Grand Masters (skippers aged 60 and above), and Exalted Grand Masters (skippers aged 70 and above). With deep respect for the traditions of the Star Class, sailors face the challenge of one endurance race per day, and the zero-weight limit rule ensures the event remains accessible to all crew combinations. Back-to-back 2022 and 2021 Bacardi Cup champion, Mateusz Kusznierewicz from Poland sums up why he, along with so many others, head to Miami year after year, saying: ‘It’s a brand. It’s a tradition. It’s a fantastic place. It’s a perfect time of the year. It’s great people. It’s this magic taste and feeling you have. Once you taste it, you want it again.’ Celebrating 100 years in 2027, the Bacardi Cup will no doubt continue to lead the sport into the future and retain its role as a unique international sailing tradition. Progressing from the global popularity of the annual Bacardi Cup, it became a natural evolution to embrace other high-performance classes and the Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta was born. The Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta offers racing for the J/70, Melges 24, Viper 640 and VX-One sports boats, who prefer a short course style of racing, with multiple races held per day and only three scheduled race days overlapping a weekend. With an added pre-race day for boat setup and a practice session, this is a popular and wellproven format. Hugely popular, the J/70 has been on the starting line in Miami since the first fleet was created. High-performance but stable enough for the whole family, the class features a huge depth of talent. The Invitational Regatta is a staple for the fast and furious Melges 24 style of racing and the event is used as a USA national ranking event as well as settling the final score for the Bacardi Winter Series. The Viper 640 is a relatively simple boat to sail and easy to set up for the crew of three or four. Newbies pick up the nuances of the boat easily and the sailing experience is sure to put a smile on your face, whether amateur or pro. Simple, fast and fun is the mantra for the VX One, which offers crews of two or three, from junior to advanced a thrilling and sporty sail. The Bacardi Cup and Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta are open to all – anyone who wants to take part is welcome. The Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta title may include ‘invitational’, but that only refers to the ‘invited’ classes competing, as the event is open to teams from around the world. The organisers make it easy to just turn up and race. Venue logistics are super-organised, with careful planning of where to park boats, trailers and people on what can be a compact and crowded waterfront. There is no better feeling than knowing there is an organised and secure process to handle your boat, your trailer and your crew so that you can focus on why you’re there: to sail well and have fun. The organisers and host clubs coordinate short and long-term storage options for the hundreds of boats that visit to race throughout their busy winter season, including prior to and during the Bacardi Cup events – at the Winter Series regattas for the Melges 24 and J/70 classes held over 16-18 December 2022 and 26-29 January 2023. Above: fast and furious competition in a world class fleet draws the cream of Melges 24 teams from around the world.Below: with typical Bacardi flair, the free-flowing cocktails boost the fun factor Charter boats are available and there are on-site support and coaching options. A wide range of accommodation choices are nearby, as well as an event accommodation partner to handle teams’ requirements. Even for family and friends who are not racing, there is plenty to do and see in nearby Coconut Grove and Miami is just a short journey. The host clubs along the waterfront throw open their doors, with the race village set up at the central venue of the Coral Reef Yacht Club. It is evident that the event team and Bacardi are focused on ensuring a world class and enjoyable event for sailors, race officials and everyone involved. No wonder, year in year out, so many head to Miami for the finest winter sailing anyone can find on earth and superb parties! Bacardi doesn’t make commitments by half-measures, it is all in. The company has been focused on not only creating a desirable brand, but its patronage has supported sailing events to evolve and be different. The Bacardi Cup and Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta are almost the stuff of dreams. Who wouldn’t want to be in Miami in the winter warmth and sun, racing on clear waters, set against a palm tree waterfront and dramatic city skyline? These events are amongst the world’s most prestigious regattas and whether you are standing on the podium or not, you really will enjoy every moment. The Bacardi magic is open for everyone to be part of. There’s no dream too big – and the world’s best continue to dream of victory in Miami. The 2023 Bacardi Cup and Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta should be on everyone’s calendar for the coming winter season. Click here for more information on The 2023 Bacardi Cup and Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta »

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Taylors and Team Widnalls Tops at Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Marblehead

Taylors and Team Widnalls Tops at Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Marblehead The Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series scores a perfect weekend to pile on some scores for the season ending regatta. By dreed July 31, 2022 Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on pinterest Share on email Final Results Nat and Jim Taylor, winners of the Cressy Trophy at the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series at Marblehead Race Week. Paul Todd/Outside Images The Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series at Marblehead Race Week, it’s been said, is a regatta of mental endurance. With four days of races and no discards, every race and every point counts. There can be no quit until the final leg is sailed, especially in the waters off Marblehead Harbor where the local sailors know that the wind and weather conditions are never the same from one day to the next. And no lead is ever safe. “It can be a marathon, and when you finish four days you do feel like you’ve done a lot,” said Jim Taylor, of Marblehead. With his son Nat on the helm of their Rhodes 19 Jabberwok, the Taylors won the highly competitive 21-boat fleet and the coveted Cressy Trophy, awarded to the winner of the regatta’s most competitive fleet. The father and son team on Jabberwock started their regatta on Thursday with respectable finishes of 5-11-5, and that 11th, said Jim Taylor, was their worst result over 11 races. “We had to recover from an OCS (over the starting line early) and that was our one double-digit result,” Taylor said. “We probably sailed the best on Friday, which was a wild day with big windshifts and dramatic changes in the wind speed. We sailed those conditions really, really well. That was about as well as I have ever sailed in those conditions, which are usually really frustrating for me.” On Saturday, the wind piped up, which favored Taylor and his son, which are on the heavier side weightwise. “Peak winds were in the high teens and we were just plain faster,” he said. “With two Taylor butts over the rail we were fast and were able to just sail away.” The father and son duo have been sailing the Rhodes 19 together for nearly 10 years, but the elder Taylor won Marblehead Race Week in the 1980s. “It was a completely different thing back then, and the talent level is nowhere near where it is right now,” he said. “It’s very high with college sailors joining the fleet and the one thing we like about the boats is that they are all pretty much equally slow, which keeps the racing close. If you do it right you gain a few lengths here and there, but that’s about it.” Chris Howes and Bart Snow on the Town Class “Believe it or Knot” winners at the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series in Marblehead. Paul Todd/Outside Images On the same racecourse, the local Town Class, which continues to grow in numbers every year to an impressive 20 entries at the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta, was equally competitive over three days of racing, and in the end, local sailmaker Chris Howes with Town Class stalwart Bart Snow topped the fleet on the final day—by only 1 point over the crew of Bill Heffernan and Larry Brown, of Needham, Mass. “This fleet has gotten so much more competitive over the past few years,” said Howes, the 2021 Town Class National Champion who only joined the class five years ago. “Everyone’s coming along and there are better sailors, so it’s getting harder and harder.” Howes, a sailmaker, says his new sails helped him in the weekend’s windy conditions, and his goal going into the regatta was to be relaxed, have fun, and be consistent. This approach was working until the first race on the final day when he realized after the start that his boat’s centerboard was in the wrong position. “We lost four boats immediately,” he said, “and we went from being first with an 8-point lead to being down by 1 point.” In the final race, however, Howes and Snow maintained their focus, kept tabs on the boats they needed to beat and finished second, which was just enough to secure the win and the class’s perpetual trophy. With nearly 140 entries across 10 classes, there were plenty more close battles across the fleet, and especially so in the J/70 division, which had two 2023 J/70 World Championship qualifying berths to play for: one for a pro team and one for an all-amateur squad. The latter was bagged by locals Charlie Pendleton, Jim Raisides, Abi Borggaard and Wade Waddell on Bad Hombres after a roller coaster of a regatta. They struggled on Friday, recorded their best results on Saturday, and then almost lost it all on the final day. John Heaton’s J/70 Empeiria, winner of the J/70 fleet at the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta in Marblehead. Paul Todd/Outside Images “On Friday, we had our worst ever day at Race Week,” Raisides said, “but it speaks to the resiliency of the team that we went out and there on Saturday and had three top-10 finishes and were the third boat overall for the day—that shows a good team.” The foursome on Bad Hombres were OCS in the first race of the final day, had to return to the start and managed to climb back to score a 20 in the 30-boat fleet. With only one race remaining, they put their disappointment behind them and focused on getting back the points they’d given up. “Our whole thing was to just keep playing forward and working for points,” Raisides said. Scoring an impressive 11th in the final race was enough to win the berth by a slim 2 points. The other world-championship berth went to John Heaton’s team on Empeiria, the top J/70 of the weekend, which stunned the fleet on Saturday by winning all three races. Charlie Garrard’s J/105 Merlin rounds the leeward mark en route to a win in the J/105 class at the 2022 Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series in Marblehead. Paul Todd/Outside Images “It was a beautiful regatta, with epic conditions for Marblehead,” said Heaton, whose team of Zeke Horowitz, Zach Mason and Will Felder mastered the changing winds that spanned from south to west, to light and strong, especially on Saturday. “A lot of it is due to the guys, and that the boat is set up so I can drive it without intervention,” Heaton said. “I was just driving and the whole time the crew was talking about where the wind was, the clouds and the shifts. We had good starts and good speed, but these guys were banging the shifts perfectly. It was a proud day for me to watch the team click so well together.” Bill Widnall (second from right) and members of his crew on the IOD Javelin, Challengers for the Helly Hansen Sailing World Caribbean Championship. Paul Todd/Outside Images Other class winners were: Ege Özgül in the ILCA 7, Max Dressel in the ILCA 6, Tomas Hornos’ Destiny in the Etchells, Charlie Garrard’s Merlin in the J/105, Marek Zaleski’s Team Z in the Viper 640, Diane Reid’s Ellementary in the L30s, and Bill Widnall’s Javelin in the IOD class. Widnall and crew, which won all but one of its seven races, also earned the regatta’s overall title and a berth at the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series Championship with Sunsail in the British Virgin Islands in October.

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ProRegatta Yacht Club

DUTCHSAIL – JANSSEN DE JONG MIXED CONVINCINGLY TO FINAL WEEKEND

ZEKE’S J70 TIPS TO THE PODIUM Lessons Learned at the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta – Marblehead

Female athlete mentor programme proves a hit

Nathan Outteridge tacks over to…. A new SailGP team!

Addictive

Taylors and Team Widnalls Tops at Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Marblehead

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