(Tampa, FL)- After an excellent start in the first series in early
January, the second installment of the Quantum J/70 Winter Series will
be held at Davis Island YC in Tampa, FL from February 7th to 9th. This
next step in the series promises even greater and more varied
competition with a strong turnout of forty-two boats. Will Juddie Smith
on AFRICA continue to lead the standings after this weekend? Will Rob
Britts’ promising experience at the J/70 Midwinters, winning the
Corinthians Division aboard HOT MESS, lead into a repeat performance
against a variety of “wannabes” to the throne? In both cases, new teams
rapidly ascending the learning curve will ensure it’s not going to be
easy.The weather forecast looks promising, albeit “lightish”, despite the fact that a seemingly endless stream of “Alberta Clippers” or “Polar Vortex’s” are punishing the American Heartland and East Coast. How many people have heard of “thunder snow” or “snow-nados”?? We got’em all this winter in America— seems ‘ole Mother Earth is acting a bit cantankerous these days, perhaps she’ll toss in a few more degrees of magnetic variation for good measure to confuse all tacticians even more!
Guaranteeing
the Smith’s AFRICA tough sledding this time around in the Open Division
will be top teams like Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT, Henry Brauer’s SCAMP,
Martie Kullman’s TOUCH2PLAY, Dan Cheresh’s EXTREME, Bennet Greenwald’s
PERSEVERANCE, Kerry & Casey Klingler’s MENACE and Mark Ploch’s SUGAR
DADDY (one of the top locals having sailed out of Tampa Bay and
Clearwater for decades). The Corinthians will surely be seeing some “new kids on the block” vying for supremacy. Though Britts may be the favored local, don’t be surprised if you see some wily’ole veterans like Tony Parker (of BANGOR PACKET J/24 fame) or John Brim (of big boat RIM fame) grab the brass ring. Then again, the likes of Brandon Flack sailing TORQEEDO, Blake Kimbrough skippering NOSTALGIA or Noel Clinard driving LOONATICTU cannot be taken lightly to finish “in the chocolates”. Sailing photo credits- Onne Vanderwal Photography. For more Quantum J/70 Winter Series sailing information
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