(Newport, RI)- An impressive lineup of J sailing talent will be
participating in the oldest regatta in America, with over a century and a
half’s worth of history and lots of family fun. For three days, yachts
sailing in IRC, J one-Design classes as well as a PHRF Cruiser-Racer
division will be hosted at New York Yacht Club’s Harbour Court and will
race on Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound. The leading brand by a
significant margin are the forty four J's (29%) sailing in the fleet of
153 boats.“Newport is a great place to sail and offers a very impressive nautical town steeped in tradition,” said Terry McLaughlin, the Canadian Olympic silver medalist, J/24 Canadian Champion, current J/105 owner and former America’s Cup skipper who will be at the helm of John Hele’s 42 footer (himself a past J/24 Canadian champion). “As well, the New York Yacht Club always does a bang-up job on and off the water. The event has a long history and a lot of competitive classes, so it attracts a wide range of boats and people. I’m a great proponent of one-design racing, because I like to cross the finish line and know immediately how we did,” said McLaughlin. McLaughlin & Hele and the rest of the fleet have been invited to kick off the event on Friday, June 14 with a separately scored 21nm Around the Island Race. The circumnavigation of Jamestown remains a favorite among racing sailors visiting Newport, and at stake in the IRC division is a Rolex Submariner watch, which will be presented to the overall winner during that evening’s festivities at Harbour Court.
Following Friday’s Around the Island Race competitors will split into four fleets with IRC and PHRF classes and one-design classes for J/111, J/105, J/80, J/70 for two days of racing over the weekend.
The J/111 class has a half-dozen boats participating and virtually all boats have podium silverware in their trophy rooms! No "one-trick ponies" in this group, all boats are well-sailed with good crews and it will be excellent one-design sailing. Recent Annapolis-Newport Race IRC Class winner, FIREBALL will be sailing with Kristen Berry leading the charge. Challenging them around the track will be Sedgwick Ward's BRAVO, Henry Brauer's FLEETWING, Dave Brodsky/ Fred Van Liew's ODYSSEY, Marty Roesch's VELOCITY and Doug Curtiss's WICKED 2.0. For more New York YC Annual Regatta sailing information
