(Key West, FL)- This year's Key West Race Week has another strong showing of J's across all three race courses. With nearly 130 boats participating, the 45 J's represent the largest brand at the event for at least the tenth year running, with 35% of the keelboat fleet. The large J one-design classes include the J/80s (16 boats) and the J/105s (15 boats). Also stronger this year are a half-dozen J/24s sailing one-design in PHRF 3 class!
Leading the charge amongst the big boats will be the J/122 GAMBLER in IRC Class 2, sailed by Peter Cunningham, a long-time J owner and J/22 sailor from the Cayman Islands Sailing Club. Giving them a run for the money will be a familiar name to long-time J sailors, Jim Bishop racing his fast J/44 WHITE GOLD.
In the PHRF Class 1 division, it will be strong competition amongst a trio of well-sailed J's-- the new J/111 KONTIKI V sailed by the SAIL magazine Best Around Buoys team led by Jim Sminchak from Lakeside YC in Cleveland, OH; the spectacular graphics and colors of 2010 Block Island Race Week winning team on the J/124 WICKED, skippered by Doug Curtiss from New Bedford YC in South Dartmouth, MA and having aboard designers Rod and Alan Johnstone; and the North American and Key West Race Week champion J/109 RUSH, very well sailed by Bill Sweetser and crew from Annapolis YC in Annapolis, MD.
The
J/95s will have their first one-design type competition at this year's
Race Week. A trio of them have showed up from across North America.
The long-distance award surely must be Terry McKenna from Prince Edward
Island, Canada sailing FINN. Also sailing will be Trudie Ficks from
Cudjoe Key, F on SEVENTH HEAVEN and Ed Palm from Grosse Pointe Woods,
MI/ Naples. FL sailing USA 18. Perhaps the most heart-warming and surprising growth is the participation of the J/24s in this year's event. Six of them are sailing, 3 from the Keys fleet and 3 from Newport, RI! Amazing. They will certainly have a lot of fun and building on the heritage of the J/24 being the original inspiration for Key West Race Week back in 1978!
The J/80s have a solid turnout with a number of very strong teams. Sure to factor into the leader board will be past World Champion Glenn Darden on EL TIGRE, regional champions Chris Bulger on GOOSE and Jeff Brown on J/WORLD SAN DIEGO. Sure to factor into the scrum will be the Spanish team TEC with Konstantin Jacoby sailing Jay Lutz's World Champion boat as well as Bruno Pasquinelli on TIAMO.
Finally, the J/105s are enjoying a competitive renaissance with several top teams headed south for more fun in the sun. The competition amongst this fleet of fifteen boats will be as tough as any North American Championship. Leading the charge after several years absence will be four-times Key West 105 champion Tom Coates on MASQUERADE. Fellow Key West Champion Brian Keane on SAVASANA will be giving Tom a run for the money, as will Block Island Champion and 105 East Coast Champion Damian Emery on ECLIPSE, Chuck Millican and Dave Brining from Bermuda racing ELUSIVE, Ken Colburn on GHOST, Travis Weisleder on LUCKY DOG, 105 Class President Bernie Girod on ROCK & ROLL and Bill Zartler on SOLARIS. Let the games begin, that will be a tough class to win. For more Key West Race Week sailing information