J/27 Midwinters Team Overview(New Orleans, LA)- From March 2nd to 5th, the “northernmost Caribbean yacht club in the world”- New Orleans Yacht Club- will host the Mardis Gras Race Week, presented by Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company. A range of one-design classes and PHRF handicap classes are participating over the weekend on the insanely shifty and choppy Lake Ponchartrain. The event also counts as the J/27 Midwinter Championship.
A half-dozen boats are participating in the J/27 Midwinters, with teams representing both the USA and Canada. The top crews from Southern YC include Clark Thompson and Stephan Burnick’s OBLIDIOBLIDA, Merlin Wilson’s ALEGRE and Aaron & Wilson LaGraize’s POCKET ROCKET. The Canadian contingent fleeing south from Arctic weather conditions north of the border is led by Maddy Beese’s CAN 99 from the Oakville Yacht Squadron on Lake Ontario.
In the other one-design classes, it looks to be Chip Carpenter’s WIZARD from Southern YC is topping the J/22 division and Mark Yancey’s RC AND THE MOON PIES will be battling Troy Cruthirds’ JUS MAGIC for J/24 class honors.
In the PHRF handicap world for offshore keelboats, Benrud Burton’s J/111 ZYDECO will have their hands full taking on well-sailed crews on a Swan 42, B32 and Salona 380. For more Mardis Gras Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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