(Norfolk, VA)- Southern Bay Race Week is always the weekend after Memorial Day, so early season excitement runs high and preparation is key for the usual 90- 100+ boats that come to race on the Southern Chesapeake Bay. Regatta headquarters is Hampton Yacht Club in Hampton, VA, the event trademark is southern hospitality coupled with great racing for three days in the Hampton Roads area of the Chesapeake.
After two days of struggle to get in races in spite of cranky winds and threatening thunderstorms, Mother Nature bestowed a beautiful final day upon the racers of solid racing breezes and sunshine- life was good and competition intense. When all was said and done, J/Crew took six of the top spots in the 11 classes spread over 3 divisions.
Ian Hill from Chesapeake, VA / Hampton YC, brought his J/111 SITELLA in first in the PHRF SUPER A class.
In the PHRF A1 class, Craig Wright’s J/109 AFTERTHOUGHT, sailing out of Fishing Bay YC, took first convincingly by 5 points over the second place boat.
Ben Weeks & Michele Cochran on their J/29 RUMBLE from Yorktown, VA/ Hampton YC, were familiar faces on the podium as they picked up the first place for PHRF B1.
Taking third place in PHRF B2 Fleet was the J/30 COOL CHANCE skippered by Rusty Burshell.
Sailing in the PHRF C class and taking first place was Alan Bomar in his J/24 ROUNDABOUT from Ft Monroe, VA / Hampton YC.
The J/24 BLUE BUS, skippered by Christian Johnson from Virginia Beach, VA was winner of Cruising B fleet; he was sailing with a crew of his wife Morgan and 2 young sons ages 4 and 5 yrs old!
In the J/70 One-Design Division, Ron Gorman brought SURRENDER TO THE FLOW home first in class. Ron hails from Suffolk, VA/ Hampton YC. Filling out the rest of the podium was Steve Quiriconi’s HOTTY TODDY and Arielle Darrow’s HYC LADY VORTEXES all-women’s crew. All in all, it was an astonishing performance by J/Teams across the board. Congrats to all! For more Southern Bay Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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