(Oakville, ONT)- This year’s J/27 North American Championship was the
best-attended regatta in decades, when fourteen boats ponied up to the
starting line for the first day of racing. The Oakville Yacht Squadron
in Oakville, Ontario (just west of Toronto) was a fantastic host,
managing to run nine races over the three day event! It was close
racing throughout and the top three was not determined until the final
race on the last day; a healthy sign for this classic class!In the end, Andrew Riem’s CURVED AIR sailed a consistent series, never falling out of the top three, to post just 14 pts net. Just five points back was Mike Seitz’s American team on NORTHERN SEITZ, finishing in second place with 19 pts net.
Despite posting a 1-2 in the last two races, it was not enough for last year’s winner, Bruce Scott’s WARPED PERCEPTION to punch higher on the podium, settling for third place two points back with 21 pts. Tied on points with Scott, but losing the tie-breaker, was Andre Beese’s MESSING ABOUT, settling for fourth place. In fifth was Jason Wilson’s TENACIOUS.
The
report from the “front lines” on the water comes from Andrew Riem’s
winning team on CURVED AIR: “It really is a whole bunch of little
things and a lot of great people pulling together to put on a regatta,
get a race off and a boat around the course. My Club Beer Can results
this year have been dismal compared to other years and I've been asking
myself those infamous soul searching question such as "Can I afford a
new set of sails?''.And then my regular crew showed up and we won our first One Design Regatta of the Year. The regulars were also with me for the NAs and we won that to. So at the risk of sounding like I'm making an Oscar's speech (and not disregarding the fact I drove the boat pretty well), it's my crew both onshore and offshore who made it possible. Tri, Tom, Cam & Carol put in a truly remarkable effort and I trust you all forgive me for the terrible things I said "in the heat of battle".
Sailing truly is both a team sport and a group activity and the Oakville Yacht Squadron & Bronte Harbour Yacht Club also stepped up in hosting a great event and providing exceptional racing and race management. My thanks also to them for making this all possible for another year; despite the disappointment of loosing some local boats this year and our numbers being down for the regatta the effort of this group has inspired me to do this again for at least one more year; we will be back as I hope you all will. Thank you all for participating and continuing to support the event.
Between now and then however there is New Orleans and the Mid Winters. Curved Air will be going for the triple crown of winning all the J/27 majors in 2015 and driving down the delta once our season finishes. Merlin and the six 27s that make up the NOLA Fleet at Southern Yacht Club are an equally amazing group; the fact I am towing my boat for 3 days and leaving it with them for the winter to "keep an eye on" speaks volumes as to their character and trust I have in them. I hope to see a whole lot more of you down in the Quarter come February. Fair Winds... Andrew” For nice J/27 North Americans YouTube sailing videos: Day 1/ Day 2/ Day 3 Sailing photo credits- Hilary Riem For more J/27 North American Championship sailing information
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