(Annapolis, MD)- Thirty-eight teams from across the United States and
Canada competed in this year’s J/22 North American Championships held at
the Annapolis YC in Annapolis, MD. Mike Marshall of Jamestown, Rhode
Island earned his first J/22 North American Championship with crew Mark
Sertl and Matt Gowell sailing BAD NEWS 2. BAD NEWS took advantage of a
discard in the fifth and final race to secure the championship with 12
points. Local teams rounded out the top three, as Chris Gaffney’s
CHASING WATERFALLS took second with 16 points and J.R. Maxwell’s SCOOBY
snared the bronze spot with 18 points. Four races were held on Sunday,
after light and fluky breeze allowed just one race over the first two
days of the championship, bringing the total number of races to five.
Marshall,
also the winner of the Annapolis NOOD two weeks ago, credited Gowell in
the middle and Sertl on the foredeck for getting him around the race
course while he focused on steering. Despite light air and strong
current, the team focused on the conditions where they were at any given
moment. “You made a decision that brought you to where you are, so you
just have to concentrate on that,” Marshall stated. “The Race Committee
did the best they could with the conditions they were given. It was
challenging and tough.” Marshall is relatively new to the J/22, having
just competed in last year’s Worlds and some local club racing.
Winds
at 8-10 knots greeted competitors on Sunday morning under sunny skies,
as local Jeff Todd’s HOT TODDY won the day’s first battle. Brad Julian’s
THREE DORIES.COM team followed in second, and Jonathan Phillips’
BRUISER in third. 2013 J/22 World Champion Allan Terhune on DAZZLER
dominated the next contest, with Gaffney and Marshall behind him. Chris
Doyle steered “THE JUG 4 1”to victory in Sunday’s third race, trailed by
Maxwell and Marshall, as winds decreased slightly. Terry Flynn’s TEJAS
closed the event with a victory. Next were Chris Wilson’s LIL’ PUFFY and
Jeffrey Love’s STAMPEDE.The top five after Marshall’s BAD NEWS 2 was Gaffney’s CHASING WATERFALLS in second with 16 pts, Maxwell’s SCOOBY in third with 18 pts, Wilson’s LIL’ PUFFY in fourth with 21 pts and Doyle’s “THE JUG 4 1” in fifth with 27 pts. Sailing photo credits- Susan Mikulski. For more J/22 North American Championship sailing information
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