(Annapolis, Maryland)- The upcoming Helly Hansen Annapolis NOOD regatta
hosted by Annapolis YC in Annapolis, MD is seeing an excellent turnout,
with strong growth over last year’s event. Of the fleet of 206 boats
registered, there are 159 J’s (77% of the fleet) sailing in nine
one-design classes (J/22, J/24, J/70, J/80, J/30, J/35, J/105, J/109 and
J/111. In short, the Annapolis NOOD has become a de facto J/Fest for
the Chesapeake Bay and very class has talented teams in their mix.The fleet will have to deal with a less than thrilling forecast for the three days of sailing. While Friday may have some sprinkles and 6-10 kt easterlies with the passing of a weak Low, Saturday morning at least looks promising with nice breezes out of the northeast starting in the 10-20 kts range and diminishing and veering as the day goes on- a fairly typical scenario. Sunday looks like a roll of the dice, with winds starting northwest but shifting east, then back west in the 4-7 kts range. Perhaps a few offerings to old man Neptune may be in store each day to improve those odds!
Starting off with the J/22s, the 21-boat class has teams from New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Rhode Island and New Jersey. Leading teams include Mike Marshall’s BAD NEWS, Jeff Todd’s HOT TODDY, top woman sailor Sandy Adzick skippering HOT TICKET, Brad Julian on JULIAN ASSOCIATES, Terry Flynn (recent Midwinters Champion) on RUG BURN from Houston, and Chris Doyle’s THE JUG 4 1 from Youngstown.
The venerable J/24 class has seven boats sailing with Ron Medlin’s BASH, Pat Fitzgerald’s RUSH HOUR, Pete Kassal’s SPACEMAN SPIFF and Mark Rivera’s THE J-TEAM.
Continuing
to set attendance records is the extraordinarily popular J/70. With 59
boats scheduled to be on the starting line, there will be little room
for error amongst the fleet leaders as it appears that it will be just
one starting line for this hyperkinetic group of sailors. Many of the
top teams from the Midwinters, Bacardi Miami Sailing Week and the recent
Charleston Race Week will be in attendance. The mighty AFRICA will
have Will Stocke from Martha’s Vineyard racing her this time (she got
3rd in Charleston); Mauricio Santa Cruz’s BRUSCHETTA from Rio de Janeiro
YC in Brazil (5x J/24 World Champion); Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT for
Wayzata YC Minnesota; Allan Terhune’s DAZZLER from Annapolis YC; Julian
Fernandez Neckelmann’s FLOJITO Y COOPERANDO from Valle de Bravo, Mexico
(recent Charleston winner with Etchells 22 World Champion Bill Hardesty
on tactics); current World Champion Tim Healy sailing HELLY HANSEN from
Newport, RI; Jen & Ray Wulff sailing JOINT CUSTODY from Annapolis;
Cole Allsopp skippering MOXIE from Annapolis; Dan & Gannon Troutman
aboard PIED PIPER from Fishing Bay YC; Will Welles on RASCAL from
Newport, RI; Peter Vessella skippering RUNNING WILD from St Francis YC
in San Francisco; John Aras’ hot local team on SCHOOL’S OUT; Peter
McChesney driving SUM TING WONG from Annapolis; Alex Meleny cruisin’ on
TRUCKIN’ from Martha’s Vineyard, MA; Henry Filter on WILD CHILD from
Eastport; and finally he who needs no introduction- Terry Hutchinson
sailing USA 419 (recent ROLEX Yachtsman of the Year sailing with his
daughter and Taylor Canfield- World Match Racing Champion).Top Corinthians J/70 teams are likely to include MUSE led by Joe Bardenheier from Boston, MA; Bryan Cameron & Brian Elliott on B-SQUARED from Sayville YC; Holly Graf skippering SPICE from Eastport YC; and Brandon Flack & family electrifying the world on TORQEEDO from Stonington, CT.
With one of their strongest turnouts in recent months, the 25 boat J/80 fleet will have spirited racing with many class leaders showing up on the starting line, some of whom also sailed Charleston Race Week two weeks ago. Some of those fun-loving sailors are Nizar Abuzeni’s ARROW from St Croix Sailing Club in the US Virgin Islands; Bill Blank’s BLIND SQUIRREL from Eastport; Gary Panariello’s COURAGEOUS from New York; Bert Carp’s ELEVEN from Annapolis; Ken Mangano’s MANGO and Mike Hobson’s MELTEMI from Eastport; Bill & Shannon Lockwood’s SHENANIGANS from Keyport YC in New Jersey; and David Andril’s VAYU from Annapolis.
Moving on to the “big boat” world, we see the classic J/30 cruiser-racer continues to enjoy a resurgence. The ten-boat fleet has a number of passionate enthusiasts that sees some beautifully re-conditioned boats sporting new paint jobs, gloss varnished interiors and fast new sails. Teams that have participated and sailed well in past NOODs include George Watson’s AVITA, Bob Rutsch & Mike Costello’s BEPOP, Pam Morris’ BUMP, Ron Anderson’s INSATIABLE and Rob Lundahl’s RAG DOLL.
Like their 30-foot colleagues, the popular 35-36 foot category has all four major J designs sailing- J/35, J/105, J/109 and J/111. The eight-boat J/35 fleet continues to attract their loyal following as well. Famous boats include AUNT JEAN with the duo of Jim Sagerholm and Jerry Christofel leading the charge. Sure to give them fits will be Maury Neibur’s BUMP IN THE NIGHT, Peter Schiedt’s MAGGIE, Charles Kohlerman’s MEDICINE MAN and the MASCI & McGONIGLE duet on WINDEPENDENT.
With 18 boats, the J/105 fleet continues its long-term love affair with Chesapeake Bay sailors. Familiar names that have led the Annapolis fleet over time include Andrew Kennedy’s BAT IV, Collin Jones’ CHESSIE, Jim Konigsberg’s INIGO, Don Santa’s SANTAS REIGN DEAR, Chuck Lawrence’s FROYA, and Carl & Scott Gitchell’s TENACIOUS. Talented visiting teams include Jim Macdonald’s DISTANT PASSION from the Royal Bermuda YC in Bermuda and Josh Richline’s VELOCE from Corpus Christi YC in Texas.
The modest but highly talented J/109 fleet includes North American Champion Bill Sweetser sailing the famous RUSH with an Annapolis YC team. Their chief battle will likely be with Bob Schwartz’s NORDLYS visiting from Manhasset Bay YC from Long Island, New York and Francis Albert’s RESOLUTE.
Continuing their migration north that will ultimately end up in Newport, Rhode Island for the J/111 World Championship are the migratory J/111 sailors. Two of the top three teams from Charleston Race Week are participating- George Gamble’s MY SHARONA from Pensacola YC in Florida and local hotshots Marty Roesch on VELOCITY from Annapolis YC. Several teams have undergone significant enhancements to their programs and could easily upset their duel, including Robert Stein’s KINETIC from Charleston, SC; Dave McCreight’s appropriately named DARK HORSE from Annapolis YC; Gary Weisberg’s HEAT WAVE from Marblehead, MA; and Tony Culotta’s CUORE DI LEONE from Baltimore, MD. Follow your favorite teams at HELLY HANSEN Annapolis NOOD Regatta here
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