(Marblehead, MA)- The annual Storm Trysail Club Ted Hood Regatta taking
place from August 24th to 26th is normally a fun-loving, locally-based,
regatta for J/70s, J/105s, and a variety of PHRF handicap racing teams.
However, in 2018 the regatta has taken on a bit more significance since
the presence of forty-six J/70 teams is an outsized, enormous fleet
that is using the event as “practice” for the upcoming 2018 J/70 World
Championship being hosted by Eastern YC in late September. Not surprisingly, many of the top USA teams will be present in the huge J/70 class, hoping to test new sails, refine tuning for speed, and iron-out boat-handling techniques. Those teams range from Minnesota to Texas, from California to Massachusetts. From the West and South are crews like Jack Franco’s 3 BALL JT from Texas; Pat Toole’s 3 BIG DOGS from Santa Barbara, CA; Doug Strebel’s BLACK RIVER RACING from Dallas, TX; Mallory & Andrew Loe’s DIME from Seattle, WA; Glenn Darden’s HOSS from Ft Worth, TX; Jim Cunningham’s LIFTED from San Francisco, CA; Bruce Golison’s MIDLIFE CRISIS from Long Beach, CA; and Bruno Pasquinelli’s STAMPEDE from Dallas, TX. From the Midwest and East are leading crews such as John & Molly Baxter’s TEAM VINEYARD VINES from Riverside, CT; Jud Smith’s AFRICA from Marblehead, MA (a true “home-boy” in these parts); Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT from Excelsior, MN; John Heaton’s EMPEIRIA from Wilmette, IL; Tod Sackett’s FM from Cleveland, OH; Marty Kullman’s HYDRA from St Petersburg, FL; Ray & Jenn Wulff’s JOINT CUSTODY from Annapolis, MD; Bill Lynn’s KEY PLAYER from Marblehead, MA (another “home boy”); Tim Healey’s NEW ENGLAND ROPES from Newport, RI; Oivind Lorentzen’s NINE from Stamford, CT; John Brim’s RIMETTE from Fisher’s Island, NY; and Brian Keane’s SAVASANA from Beverly, MA.
Joining that rather formidable group of top USA J/70 teams from the R.O.W. is the famous Italian crew on MASCALZONE LATINO (Vincenzo Onorato) and Renato Faria’s team from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on TO NESSA.
Meanwhile, the J/105s are turning out in force with a strong showing of nearly a dozen boats. Notable class leaders include teams like Dave Nelson’s GOT QI from Hingham YC, Steve Hollis’ SIROCCO from Jubilee YC, and Mark Masur’s TWO FEATHERS from Ft Worth Boat Club in Texas.
A new feature for the event this year is the ORR-EZ class of nearly two-dozen boats. Featured among them are eight J/Crews that range from 24 ft to 43 ft! Those teams include Fred de Napoli’s J/124 ALLEGRO MALVAGIO, Tom Mager’s J/122 GIGI, Chris Zibailo’s J/112E DOPODOMANI, Ed Kaye’s J/111 PRAVDA, Gary Weisberg’s J/111 HEAT WAVE, and Dan Boyd’s J/109 WILD THING. For more Storm Trysail Ted Hood Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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