(Harbor Springs, MI)- It was not the “Thrilla from Manila”, nor was it
the “The Rumble from the Jungle”, as many had anticipated for the clash
between two North American Champions, heavyweights in their hyper-tuned,
hyper-faired, super-boats. The betting was flying thick and strong
between the Americans (Bruce Stone’s GRYPHON) and the Canadians (the
McLaughlin/ Wilmer duo on MANDATE). However, the knock-down, drag’em’out
fight never materialized. It was simply a lopsided win all around,
nearly a “white-wash” of the fleet.After posting four-straight bullets in the first four races, the regatta was over according to MANDATE. Many teams were shell-shocked, psychologically decimated, people were seen walking around like zombies, mumbling tuning numbers in their nightmares.
In
the end, Terry McLaughlin and Rod Wilmer’s MANDATE, from the Royal
Canadian YC in Toronto, Ontario, went wire-to-wire to earn their
unprecedented third J/105 North American Championship title in five
years. Their team, including Sandy Andrews, Fraser Howell, Ian Howes and
Andrew McTavish, won seven of the 11 races and never finished out of
the top three. Their 16 points in the no-throw-out series were nine
better than Bruce Stone’s GRYPHON crew (St Francis YC in San Francisco,
CA and from Harbor Springs, MI) that tallied 25 points. Bill Zartler’s
DEJA VOODOO crew from Lakewood YC in Houston, TX took third place with
31 points. All three teams reigned over the top three in nearly every
race of the four-day Championship, hosted by Little Traverse Yacht Club
in Harbor Springs, MI.Congratulations to Clark Pellett’s SEALARK that won the combined award for the highest finish in the J/105 Cass in the Chicago Mackinac Race and the J/105 North American Championship.
Rounding out the top five overall were Jon Weglarz’ THE ASYLUM and Cynthia & Jim Best’s PHANTOM, fourth and fifth, respectively. For more J/105 North American Championship sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
|
