Neff/Brauer Win J/105 North Americans

(Marblehead, MA)- For the forty-two J/105 teams that participated in this year's J/105 North Americans, it will certainly be one of the most memorable regattas sailed in a long time.  For starters, the combination of the fabulous facilities and gracious hosts at Eastern YC meant that all J/105 sailors and guests were treated like kings and queens.  Toss in the addition of Ken Legler as the PRO and you had a recipe for great on-shore festivities as well as fantastic race management.  Furthermore, the weather cooperated with four distinct days of sailing, each offering the highly-competitive J/105 teams a different challenge to overcome.  For many local sailors, however, it will be most remembered for the highly atypical "Marblehead conditions"-- go left early, then right late in the typical summer sea-breeze day-- it was anything but that!

Nevertheless, "locals" Henry Brauer and Stewart Neff on SCIMITAR were victorious on their home turf to win one of the most competitive J/105 NA's in years. With crew Stuart Johnstone, Julia Langford, Will Walters and Steve Cucchiaro, SCIMITAR never scored worse than a 16 in the 11-race series, including three bullets and two runner-up tallies. With a total score of 68 points, the team finished 13 points ahead of its closest competition in the 42-boat fleet (a high average of 6th!). Brian Keane, J/105 Midwinter champion for the past three years on SAVASANA, followed SCIMITAR with 81 points, then Texan Bill Lakenmacher on RADIANCE with 86 points (averages of nearly 8th to place in the top three!). Conditions on the final day of the four-day event allowed two more races in breeze starting at 6-8 knots ESE, building to 8-12 kts from the SSW with a few 20-30 degree shifts for good measure. The top 10 were: Henry Brauer/Stewart Neff, SCIMITAR (68 points), Brian Keane, SAVASANA (81), Bill Lakenmacher, RADIANCE (86), Joerg Esdorn/Duncan Hennes, KINCSEM (104), Ken Colburn, GHOST (112), Damian Emery, ECLIPSE (121), Bruce Stone/Julian Croxall, JOUSTER (135), Kevin Grainger, GUMPTION 3 (146), Bernard Girod, ROCK & ROLL (158), and Matthew Pike, GOT QI (161).

Starting on the first day, Brauer/Neff on SCIMITAR held a narrow lead over Brian Keane on SAVASANA. SCIMITAR started the event brilliantly with a 2-1-4-10 for a total of 17 points. SAVASANA's second in the last race brought them to 18 points after previous scores of 4-9-3. Bill Lakenmacher on RADIANCE rounded out the top three with 31 points. Conditions were gorgeous, the winds started at 8-12 knots from the SW and built into the teens in the afternoon out of the WNW. It was shifty, streaky and blustery with plenty of sunshine.

By the second day, the Brauer/Neff team on SCIMITAR narrowly maintained their lead, scoring a 16th in Friday's first race but rebounded with a first in the day's only other race to finish with 34 points.  Brian Keane's SAVASANA trailed by a mere one point, after finishing with an 11-6 tally. In third place was Ken Colburn on GHOST (52 points). Damian Emery on ECLIPSE won the day with first and second place tallies, respectively. Racing was delayed until 1:20 p.m. as the breeze filled in at about 6 knots from the SE, perhaps the only day where "going left" paid-- exactly the formula employed by Damian on ECLIPSE, starting at the port end and hitting the left corner both times!

Team SCIMITAR dramatically opened-up their lead on day 3, scoring a 10-1-2 in Saturday's three races, winning the day for the second time.  The local SCIMITAR team headed into the final day of the regatta with 47 points, 20 pts ahead of Brian Keane's SAVASANA. Texan Bill Lakenmacher moved up to third, and had 70 points after solid results of 1-2-11. The fourth and fifth place positions were only separated by two points. Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes on KINCSEM registered 86 points, and Ken Colburn's GHOST was just two points back. Racing was delayed less than an hour as the breeze settled in at 6-8 knots producing another SE/SW day that produced enormous wind streaks, shifty breezes and enormous anxiety for the tacticians on the top ten teams.

The last day dawned overcast with mild mist and light winds, not enough to start the fleet on time for the final, dramatic battles to determine the leader-board.  Just before noon, a weather system gradient wind filled in from the south at 4-6 knots and PRO Ken Legler sent off the fleet on a double windward-leeward course.  Under overcast skies, Damian Emery's team on ECLIPSE again won the day (the only other team to win the day aside from the winners Team SCIMITAR) with a stunning 1-3 tally.  Going into the last race, Keane's SAVASANA had to overcome a first race 12th to overcome a 5 pt deficit to Lackenmacher's RADIANCE who was now lying in second overall.  For the 11th and final race of the regatta, the fleet started out in the light SSW wind of 5-7 knots, but two-thirds up the first windward leg in a 5-leg, finish to weather race, the wind shifted 30 degrees right and increased to 10-14 knots!  Perhaps sailing one of their best races in the series, Keane's SAVASANA fought off the challenge from RADIANCE to get a 2nd and secure second overall.  Team SCIMITAR managed to "salvage victory from the jaws of defeat"-- recovering after another "bleacher-seat" starting position and rounding the first weather mark in 29th place, the SCIMITAR team went into over-drive and simply flew back through the fleet in dramatic fashion with good tactics and boat-speed to finish 14th, assuring them of a 13 point victory margin.  Sailing photo credits- http://www.PhotoBoat.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/j105ca  For more J/105 North American sailing information. br />