J/105 Narragansett Bay Championship Event #3
(Wickford, RI)- The final race of the West Passage Regatta marked the end of the Narragansett Bay Championship as well. With good breezes both days, the eighteen boat J/105 fleet enjoyed great racing on the northern part of Narragansett Bay sailing just off the Quonset Naval Air Station. The strong southwest thermal breezes were shiftier than normal and made it difficult even for the local sailors to divine the best tactics and strategies all weekend long. Congratulations to the Wickford YC for conducting an excellent event, with eight races run in two days- four per day!Damian Emery has been on a roll recently. After slowly getting started in the SailNewport Regatta back in June, Damian's ECLIPSE team took the New York YC Race Week in J/105s and has now "sealed the deal" to not only win the Wickford Regatta (1-2-5-4-1-1-2-1) but win the first Narragansett Bay Championship as well. Well done mates! Second was Fred Darlington on TONTO with a great series, sailing to a 5-3-1-2-3-2-5-2 record. After a strong start and leading after the first day, it appeared the wheels fell off the shopping trolley of Bruce Stone's POWER PLAY-- starting with a 2-1-2-1 score, then fading to a DSQ-4-9-5 record on Sunday to finish third. Class leaders Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes on KINCSEM sailed consistently to finish fourth, just two points clear of Andrew Kennedy's BAT IV who finished fifth. BAT IV came on strong on Sunday with a 2-3-1-3 record, but it wasn't enough to crack the top three and get the podium finish.
In the end, Damian's ECLIPSE team were ecstatic to have earned a brand new NORTH SAILS VMG J/105 Asymmetric Spinnaker as part of the spoils for winning the regatta. With a big, cheshire cat grin, Damian was heard remarking, "this will only make us go faster next time!" That may, or may not, be good news for their competitors! For more J/105 Wickford Regatta and sailing info.