J/105s and J/35s Round Out the ’19 Regatta Calendar

Linda Ambrose, Regatta Manager

The Race Committee wrapped up their weekend regatta schedule after serving on nine out of the last 10 weekends, including two weekends where the Club put two Committees on the water for two separate events. The fall championships for two long standing one design fleets took place over the weekend with the J/105s competing in the Chesapeake Bay Championship and the J/35s for their Mid-Atlantic Championship. PRO Steve Kling and his signal boat crew headed out to a location approximately .5NM from R2 and kicked racing off on time with the J/35s at 1105. With the breeze steady out of the NE ranging in strength from 5-10kts, the RC knocked out three races for both fleets, with only the J/105s starting under the Z flag for the final race of the day, and sent them ashore to put their boats away and head to the Sailing Center for the competitors party.

Sunday morning’s forecast was bleak with a strong system moving in from the south and predictions of gusts over 30kts, but the signal boat posted their intended location in hopes of getting at least one more race on the board. After anchor down at 0950, the Committee kept up with constant updates from the Leeward and Windward mark boat teams who reported sustained high 20s and gusts in the mid 30’s. The radar showed a large patch of yellow and red heading from west to east with stronger sustained breeze, so the RC made the decision to hoist N over A at 1024 and head to the harbor. A big shout out to the three NASS J/105s who came alongside to check in with the RC before heading back to the Academy as at the time they were the only three boats in the vicinity of the race area!



At the top of the podium for the 2nd year in a row in the J/105 fleet, Cedric Lewis & Fredrik Salvesen and their team on Mirage. In 2nd place, visiting from the Bay on the West Coast, Bruce Stone and Nicole Breault on Good Trade and in 3rd place, past AYC Junior Sailor AJ Libby on Doghouse. Lilla Salvesen from Mirage was awarded the Steve Gale Memorial Trophy. This is a perpetual trophy awarded to the bowman of the winning J/105 in the J/105 Regatta held in the fall at AYC. Gale was a long time bowman in the J/105 fleet and passed away in 2010.



In the J/35s, Aunt Jean was at the top of the podium followed by Bruce Artman’s T-Bone and local Fleet Captain, Roger Lant on Abientot. Full results are available on Yachtscoring.

See more photos on our Racing Photos page.