J/111 North American Championship at Chicago Yacht Club - Day 1
by Rachelle Treiber 16 Aug 2013 07:00 BST
14-18 August 2013
Local racers top fleet after light, shifty start to the J/111 North American Championship
Chicago's 'Lucky Dubie' smokes the fleet
Fourteen boats squared off today for the J/111's first-ever North American Championship, with Chicago's Len Siegal jumping out to a slim lead after two races. Many competitors had never raced against one another on the water before; the design was launched less than two years ago.
A surprise offshore breeze treated the fleet to a great first race, with wind decreasing throughout the morning; Verve Cup champion Henry Brauer and FLEETWING led around the course only to see Rich Lehman's Harbor Springs, Michigan-based WIND CZAR come from third to pass on the final leg. Chicago Yacht Club's Siegal snuck in to second as the wind faded.
After an hour of calms, a light lake breeze filled from the Southeast, and Dubie's commitment to the right side of the course worked out; they led around the top mark, lost the lead, then regained it, passing George Miz's IMPULSE for the race win. WIND CZAR stayed consistent with a third place.
With a full three days of racing remaining before the inaugural J/111 North American Champion is crowned, it's a testament to the parity in the fleet that eight of 14 boats posted top-five finishes in the first two races. As Jack Slattery (tactician on IMPULSE) commented afterwards, "It was like a game of 'Chutes & Ladders' on the Charles River in Boston! The boats point so high upwind tacking through 75 degrees, that one little puff with 5-8 degrees of lift and 2-3 kts of wind sent you almost straight upwind!"
For more information on the J/111 North Americans, please see the event page here.
Full photo galleries are available here.