J/70 Quantum Winter Series Preview

Midwinters in St Petersburg!
(Tampa, Florida)- This coming weekend marks the beginning of the 2015/2016 Quantum J/70 Winter Series that will be hosted by the Davis Island YC in Tampa, Florida. There are 51 entries for the series with a majority of the teams sailing in the Corinthians Class! Many new faces will be attending the three act event that are based on the following dates:

• Dec 12-13- Quantum J/70 Winter Series I- Tampa, FL
• Jan 9-10- Quantum J/70 Winter Series II- Tampa, FL
• Feb 6-7- Quantum J/70 Winter Series III- Tampa, FL

Many teams that have competed in the first two Quantum J/70 Winter Series are returning for more action on the northern part of Tampa Bay- a venue that can promise everything from flat water, sunny, warm and light southwesterly winds to nuking weather conditions when massive cold fronts pass through with chilly temperatures and grey, steely skies, but the hottest action sailing can offer when the breeze howls out of the northwest blowing 15-25 kts.

In the “Open” division, both Open and Corinthian teams compete for class honors.  In the Open group are new teams like John Baxter’s VINEYARD VINES from New York YC, Rick Schaffer from Fort Worth Boat Club and Laura and Leif Sigmond sailing NORBOY NORGIRL from Chicago YC.  Joining them will be a number of class veterans that include Holly Graf’s SPICE from Annapolis, Tom Bowen’s REACH AROUND from Virginia, John Brim’s RIMETTE from Long Island Sound, Jud Smith’s AFRICA from Eastern YC in Marblehead (current J/70 North American Champion), Will Welles SCAMP from Mount Desert Island SC, Jody Lutz & Doug Strebel’s BLACK RIVER RACING from Houston, Al Terhune’s DAZZLER from Annapolis, Bruno Pasquinelli’s STAMPEDE from Fort Worth, Joel Ronning’s CATAPAULT from Minnesota, and Mike Sudofsky’s CARLOS from Buzzards Bay.

The “Corinthians” division has the majority of the fleet with 27 boats competing.  Leading that contingent may be local hotshot Rob Britts sailing HOT MESS (a past winner of the Quantum J/70 Winter Series).  He will be hard-pressed for division honors by teams like Chuck Millican’s Bermuda crew on ELUSIVE; Jack Lord’s HEY JUDE team from Corinthian YC of Cape May, New Jersey; Joe Pawlowski’s PERFECT TEN from Youngstown YC; Mark Foster’s NO-PRO from Corpus Christi YC in Texas; Todd Jenner’s TEA DANCE SNAKE from Baltimore, MD; John Arendshorst’s 20/20 from Macatawa Bay YC in Michigan; Brian Elliot’s B-SQUARED from Sayville YC; Alex Meleny’s TRUCKIN from Vineyard Haven YC on Martha’s Vineyard; and Brandon Flack’s TORQEEDO from Stonington, CT.

Many of these teams will also be sailing the Quantum Key West Race Week in the third week of January as well as the J/70 Midwinter Championship hosted by St. Petersburg YC in St Petersburg, FL from February 25th to 28th, 2016- learn more about sailing the J/70 Midwinters here.   For more J/70 sailboat information