(Newport, RI)- The upcoming Rolex NYYC Race Week promises to be a fun
event for the thirty-six J/Teams participating in the regatta,
representing about 44% of the total fleet of 82 sailing off Newport. J
sailors will be racing one-design in J/109s, J/105s and J/111s while
others are sailing in IRC handicap class.The J/109s will be hosting their 2012 J/109 North Americans and with eighteen teams sailing the competition is sure to be tough. There are familiar names amongst the entries that may be factors on the overall leader board, featured amongst them are former champions like Ted Herlihy's GUT FEELING from South Darmouth, MA, Bill Sweetser's RUSH from Annapolis, MD and Rick Lyall's STORM from Wilton, CT. Challenging them will be teams like David Rosow's LOKI, Don Filippelli's CAMINOS, and Rob Salk's & John Sahagian's PICANTE, the top "local" Newport boat that sails often on Narragansett Bay.
The J/111s will be having their first one-design event in New England, with six boats participating. Dave & Mary Ellen Tortorello's PARTNERSHIP, Doug Curtiss' WICKED 2.0, Henry Brauer's FLEETWING, Sedgwick Ward's BRAVO, Rod Johnstone's JAZZ and Paul Strauch's ANDIAMO will surely have a great time racing while simultaneously learning how to get their boats going ever faster. By way of example, lots of dock chatter regarding tuning/sailing tips during the recent Block Island Race Week saw a number of teams sailing there improve their performance considerably over the course of the week. It should prove to be an exciting three days of sailing for these teams.
The J/105s are having their top New England event and the nine teams represented include amongst their ranks a number of past 105 champions, including some familiar names like Kevin Grainger on GUMPTION34, Nelson Weiderman on KIMA and Joerg Esdorn & Duncan Hennes on KINCSEM. This trio alone are highly competitive and it looks like there may be some new teams sailing that may upset the proverbial "pecking order" at the top of the fleet.
Sailing in IRC Class are some of the most competitive J/Teams on J/122s and J/44s. In the J/122s will be the Rolex New York YC Annual Regatta winner Mike Bruno on WINGS; a new J/122 owner from Annapolis, Don Shea, will be racing DOLPHIN and George and Carol Shaw from Denver, Colorado will be sailing TUMBLEWEED. Amongst the J/44s, Jim Bishop will be racing his IRC-optimized J/43.5 (sawed-off transom with carbon rig and modded keel) called WHITE GOLD and Bill Ketcham will be sailing his standard J/44 MAXINE. For more New York YC Race Week sailing information
