(Lake Winnipesaukee, NH)- A tradition in the USA J/80 class for years
has been the J/80 Jamboree on beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee in New
Hampshire! Incredibly, this year’s event was the 27th Annual J-Jamboree.
This long-standing event traditionally produces excellent winds, great
race administration, many races and an outstanding social program. This
year’s annual event promised no less. With three days of racing and the
J-Jamboree Dinner on Saturday evening at the new Dave Adams Memorial
Sailing Center, the participants were blessed with the best any fleet
can offer to its members.This year the weather Gods were having a troubling time living up to the promised forecasts. While J/80 Fleet #1 (members of the Lake Winnipesaukee Sailing Association) did everything imaginable to take care of the lakes version of Captain Neptune (paying homage with boxes of wine, sacrificial daffodils and so forth), nothing quite seemed to work. In the end, the fleet was blessed with an awesome six (yes SIX) races on Saturday in beautiful, sunny, breezy weather while Sunday was simply lost to no wind but pretty skies.
Sailing like a man possessed after a disappointing third in the first race, Les Beckwith and crew on FKA smoked the fleet with four 1sts and a 2nd to win the regatta with 9 pts. Holding up the local pride and showing that they, too, know how to sail J/80s fast was the duo of Jeff Kirchhoff & Kevin Hayes on MORE GOSTASA taking two 1sts, two 2nds and a 3rd in their scoreline to solidify a solid second place with 15 pts. Third in the event was Casey Nickerson on ARGO III with two 2nds and two 3rds in his tally for 21 pts. Fun and games for all! Apparently, the Saturday evening festivities remained in the “legendary status”. For more J/80 Jamboree sailing information
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