(Tampa, Florida)- This weekend marks the third and final “act” of the
Quantum J/70 Winter Series, hosted by Davis Island YC and sailed on
beautiful Tampa Bay. Will luck run out on Marty Kullman’s NEW WAVE, the
winner of the first two regattas? Or, will they sail lights-out again
and hammer home another convincing performance? One thing is for sure,
the competition in the last event has considerably heated up post-Key
West.Perhaps it is the crazy cold weather, multiple blizzards and “cottage fever” afflicting sailors in the Northern parts of America that has suddenly created a mass migration south? Who knows? But, with 51 boats registered, many top teams will now be in the hunt for the “pickle dishes” given out to the top five boats! Hopefully, the weather will cooperate. The weather forecast certainly looks promising, with 10-15 kts Northeast on Friday, veering East 6-10 kts Saturday, and veering further Southeast on Sunday at 5-9 kts.
Chasing Kullman’s NEW WAVE will be a hornet’s nest of good teams that have done well in Key West and the previous Quantum J/70 Winter Series events in December and January. Leading that charge may be Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT from Wayzata YC in Minnesota, as well as others like Allen Terhune on DAZZLER from Annapolis, MD; Rob Britts on HOT MESS from the local Davis Island YC; Cole Allsopp on MOXIE from Annapolis, MD; Will Welles on RASCAL from Newport, RI; Henry Brauer on SCAMP from Marblehead, MA; Dave Franzel on SPRING from Boston Sailing Center; Patrick Wilson on STAMPEDER from Charleston, SC; and Kris Werner on SUPERFECTA from Rochester, NY.
There are many new faces in the crowd that will certainly be a factor in the top ten, but it’s difficult to know how they will fair against these experienced class veterans. Perhaps Holly Graf’s brand new SPICE from Eastport YC will become “Super Spice Girl” and smoke the fleet!? Time will tell. For more Quantum J/70 Winter Series sailing information
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