(Newport, RI)- The second half of the Rolex New York YC Race Week
features the J/109 North Americans. With eighteen J/109s signed up so
far, the turnout has only been exceeded at the class’s inaugural North
American championship in 2006, when 19 boats competed. “Race Week at Newport is a high profile event where race management is very good and the venue and racing area is truly spectacular,” said Rick Lyall, the 2009 J/109 North American champion, explaining that counting this 2012 championship, the J/109 Class will have held its North Americans at Race Week four times.
Lyall also noted that his STORM team will face stiff competition from three-time and defending North American Champion Ted Herlihy (South Dartmouth, Mass.), who will be skippering GUT FEELING, and Bill Sweetser (Annapolis, Md.), who has won the East Coast Championship three times aboard RUSH.
“Donald Filipelli (Amagansett, N.Y.) aboard CAMINOS has also been a very tough competitor the last few years. It's always a battle between the four of us for the podium,” said Lyall. “After that, who do we pay attention to? Everybody!"
“Winning a major regatta takes a lot of preparation for the boat and crew and a reasonable amount of luck. Even when you've done everything you can to have everything on the boat in order--a perfect bottom, new sails and a highly experienced crew-- it all can fall apart with one bad break. A bad start, a foul, an unlucky wind shift or even abandonment of a race where you are doing well can all make the difference between winning and finishing down the ranks. You can control preparation, but being lucky is an intangible.” At the conclusion of Race Week, Rolex timepieces will be awarded for the J/109 North American Champion! For more J/109 North Americans sailing information
