To the Winner Goes the Spoils
(Marblehead, MA- Sept 26-27)- SPOILSPORT, skippered by Stuart Challoner, bested 16 other boats to win the 2009 J-24 Northeast Regional Championship hosted by the Corinthian Yacht Club and J24 Fleet 28 of Marblehead, Massachusetts.
On the first day, strong northwest winds of 18 to 25 knots and choppy seas provided for challenging and fun conditions for a talented group of racers. Three races were held on Saturday with 1.2 mile windward/leeward legs. The first two races were four leg races with downwind finishes and the final race was a five leg race with an upwind finish. SPOILSPORT dominated the day with two seconds and a first. Wind shifts and current were very difficult to see on the water but obviously these folks saw something and made the upper right of the course work every time. Other notable competitors were Mike Ingham sailing a new Italian boat who finished the day with two firsts and a sixth and Will Welles sailing PARALOC who finished third on the day.
On Sunday, the fleet saw completely different conditions with a southwest wind of 6 to 12 knots with flat seas. Two five leg races were run in slightly shifty conditions from a west southwest breeze to a southerly sea breeze. Will Welles and team won the day impressively with a first and a third. In the second race they were over early and banged the left corner and perfectly picked up a 15 degree left shift to get back into the race. SPOILSPORT however sailed very conservatively, making sure to keep close to their competition, and posted a fourth and a second place to win the regatta.
The team of AL, skippered by Carter White and Mark Klein, having not place exceptionally well after the first day, dug themselves out of the cellar by posting a fifth and a first to finish fourth overall. Mike Ingham and team dropped to third after getting caught out to the right one too many times on Sunday.
