WILDCAT Wins Storm-tossed Series(Westport, CT)- For the 2018 edition of the J/30 North American Championship, it will go down as one of the wildest events on record in the long history of the class that started back in 1983. Nine boats braved the weekend event hosted by Cedar Point Yacht Club in Westport, CT. The fleet enjoyed somewhat benign conditions on Saturday, but the tables turned quite dramatically on Sunday as a menacing front swung through producing big breezes, rain, and hail just west of the race course area.
After eight races, Russ Atkinson’s J/30 WILDCAT won the event based on their blistering record on the first day, posting a 1-2-1-1 on Saturday followed by a 2-2-4-2 in the big breeze Sunday to take the event with 11 pts net (after a discard). The balance of the podium was determined by a thrilling tie-breaker between Steve Buzbee’s famously fast BLUE MEANIE and Carl Sherter’s equally notorious FAT CITY; each team finished with 16 pts net, the countback going in favor to Buzbee’s BLUE MEANIE to take the silver. The balance of the top five included Seth Shepard IV’s DOW JONES in 4th and Sumner Parker’s BLUE JACKET in 5th. Sailing photo credits- Daniel Forster. For more J/30 North American Championship sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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