(Kingston, ONT, Canada)- The world-famous CORK International Sailing
Week is playing host to the 2015 J/22 World Championship, held in
Kingston, Ontario and being sailed on the eastern end of Lake Ontario
until the end of the week. Forty-six teams participating from Canada
(15 boat), the Cayman Islands (three teams) and the USA (28 crews). Day One report
Chris Doyle of New York showed why he’s the reigning J/22 World Champion on the opening day of the regatta. Three races were completed in gorgeous Lake Ontario conditions. Doyle, sailing with Will Harris and Adam Burns, finished Monday with 10 points, after scoring a 4,4,2. Mike Marshall won the opening contest, then added a 5,10 for 16 points and second place. Brad Julian recovered from a 19 to earn two bullets for 21 points and third overall.
After an on-water postponement as the seabreeze settled in, the winds began at 6-8 knots but built to 8-12, as Marshall, Marvin Beckmann and Terry Flynn made up the top three in the opening battle. Race two saw the highest breeze at 12-17 with gusts in the low 20s. Behind Julian were Jeff Todd and Zeke Horowitz. The winds dropped to 13-15 in the day’s final duel, won again by Julian, as Doyle and Travis Odenbach took the next two spots.
Among
the regatta entrants are the recipients of the first ever US J/22 Class
Association scholarship boat, led by skipper Patrick Shanahan of Brown
University. Also racing is the Warrior Sailing Program, which introduces
active military and veterans with disabilities to sailing. Ed Norton is
helming USA1367Day Two report
The day before the Worlds started, Mike Marshall led a panel discussion focused on techniques for heavy breeze and waves. Tuesday, he and his crew of Todd Hiller and Luke Lawrence put those practices to good use in winds that began in the mid-teens and quickly built to a steady 19 knots with gusts into the 20s and 2-4 foot waves. Recording a 2,1,3, the Newport-based helmsman now posts a net score of 12 points in six races, able to discard a 10th from race three. Chris Doyle dropped to second place with 18 net points, and Jeff Todd moved up to third with 22.
Travis Odenbach opened the day with the race win, as Marshall placed second and Terry Flynn third. Flynn again followed Marshall in the middle contest, as Chris Gaffney made the top three. Flynn continued his solid day with a bullet in Tuesday’s final race, ahead of Zeke Horowitz and Marshall.
The 41 teams will enjoy dinner at Fort Henry in Kingston this evening, and racing continues through Thursday. For more J/22 World Championship sailing information
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