Saturday, February 15, 2014

Wells Fargo J/22 Midwinters Preview

J/22s sailing upwind (New Orleans, LA)- The gracious hosts at Southern YC are looking forward to hosting their first Wells Fargo Advisors J/22 Midwinters since that infamous hurricane that decimated the Gulf Coast shoreline a few years back.  With a spectacular new facility, the J/22 sailors can expect the red-carpet treatment from one of the world’s best corps of volunteers anywhere.

For the February 14th to 16th weekend, an optimistic, near-perfect weather forecast has been ordered up by the local Lake Ponchartrain Chamber of Commerce for the twenty-six J/22 teams.  Sunny and clear all week-end long, Friday’s sailing may have 10-15 kts SW breezes veering to NNE at 5-10 kts on Saturday with perhaps a lightish day on Sunday of 5-8 kts from the southerly quadrants.

Several leading J/22 teams are participating with championship pedigree, including local hotshot Benz Faget sailing the infamous FATS, Terry Flynn aboard TEJAS from Ft Worth Boat Club in Texas, the brothers Doyle from Youngstown, NY (Chris sailing THE JUG 4 1 and Kevin on MO’MONEY), Alan Terhune on DAZZLER from Annapolis YC (current World Champion), and Chris Princing skippering PIGS IN SPACE from Tawas Bay YC in Michigan.  Long distance traveler award must surely go to Ron Harris on JAZZ coming “in from the cold”, and across the border, from Hudson Heights in Quebec, Canada!  Such a competitive fleet promises great sailing and, as usual, there will be surprising scorelines at the end of this regatta!  For more J/22 Midwinters sailing information