(New Orleans, LA)- The spectacular Southern YC, located on the lovely
waters of Lake Ponchartrain just east of New Orleans’ famous French
Quarter, will be hosting the 2017 J/22 Midwinter Championship from March
23 to 26th. Thirty-three boats are registered for the event, hailing
from across America and at least nine states from across Middle America
to the East Coast. Many of the top dogs in the class will be on hand
for another crack at being declared this year’s Midwinter Champion.As usual, the posse from New York state are quite intimidating as they field crews that have won just about every major championship in the world of J/22s. This year’s rag tag gang of pirates intent on looting any silverware not bolted down in New Orleans include Peter Doyle & Jack Huebschmann on ESCAPE, Jessica Oswalt sailing MUSKRAT LOVE, Travis Odenbach’s SEA BAGS SAILNG TEAM, Chris Doyle’s THE JUG 4 1, and Adam Masters’ TRAINWRECK.
The local boys & girls (themselves all likely descendant of real pirates like the Johnstone family’s relative- the notorious Frenchman Jean Lafitte) will be intent on preserving their civic pride and obligations to keep the Midwinter crown (and silver) in NOLA! That contingent includes Zak Fanberg’s WILD TCHOUPITOULAS, Rick Heausler’s FAST COMPANY, Matt Jordan’s RACINE, Chip Carpenter’s WIZARD, Billy Marchaj’s WHISTLING IN THE WIND III, Chris Wientjes’ USA 754, Louise Bienvenu’s USA 320, Debbie Grimm’s CAYENNE, Tommy Meric’s USA 1024, and Dwight J Leblanc III’s WAVEMAKER (true Naw’leens royalty!).
Not to be outdone by their southern brothers, or northern haymakers, the “they make’em much bigger in Tejas” cast of cowboys will include notable rock stars like Terry Flynn’s TEJAS from League City, Mark Foster’s PRESSURE DROP from Corpus Christi YC, Keith Zars’ VOODOO BABY from San Antonio, Kevin Orff’s TRES LOCOS from League City, and two more Houstoner’s- Dov Kivlovitz and Anne Lee’s HELMS-A-LEE.
The enormous Annapolis fleet is noticeably absent, with just Zeke Horowitz’s UNCLE FLUFFY making the trip south from sunny Naptown. And, the same is true for the Lake Minnetonka monster fleet in Minnesota; perhaps they got frozen into a ginormous snow drift. Nevertheless, it looks like four Mini-tonker’s are headed south to enjoy good’ole Southern hospitality, grits, shrimp, cajun and stuff and hopefully, not receiving beaded necklaces for showin’ inappropriate stuff on Bourbon Street! That quartet includes Cris Cox’s HOT TUNA, Matt Thompson’s UNDERDOG, Mike Schmid’s EN FUEGO, and Kurt Taken-Holtze’s TURN DOWN FOR WHAT?! No doubt, the 30+ crews will find a way to have a fun time downtown, if not on the water this coming weekend! For more J/22 Midwinter Championship sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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