Classic Cool Seattle NOOD

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J/24, J/80 & J/105s Sailed Dozen+ Races!
(Seattle, WA)- Yes, it was an amazing fact.  Long known for its famous late spring monsoon season with next to no wind, the Pacific Northwest version of the Sperry Topsider NOOD regattas can also produce some spectacular sailing conditions with the mighty, snow-capped Cascades Mountain range in the background.  While perhaps not postcard perfect sailing conditions, the sailors didn't care (see J/24 team at right)!  Wind was all that mattered, not the wet & wild variety, but just good breezes; the type of conditions that permitted the PRO's on the various course to seriously crank out some fast turn-arounds and dozens of starts. For the J/24s that meant an exhausting sixteen races and for the J/80s and J/105s a dozen races!

As anticipated, some of the top local J/24 teams managed to sail solid, consistent series to lead the pack of eighteen J/24s-- the largest fleet at the regatta.  Scott Milne's TREMENDOUS SLOUCH fired plenty of finishes into the top three to secure the top spot with 56 pts.  Mike Johnson's PEARL closed rapidly on the leaders after a slow start, counting 1-1-1-2-1 for his last five races to snag second overall with 62 pts.  Mark Laura's and Craig Suhrbier's BABA LOUIE were sailing the roller-coaster version of the top two leaders, winning some races, getting top three's, then bombing a race or two.  Net, net, BABA LOUIE's veterans hung tough and fought off challenges from others down the ladder to get the bronze on the podium with 81 pts. Fourth was Brad Miller's HAIR OF THE DOG and fifth was Jeff Bond's JOYRIDE.

The J/80s saw two veterans dueling for the top prize in their fleet, Bill McKinnon's SKYE ROCKET and Dave Schutte's TAJ MAHAL. However, even after closing the last six races with three 1sts and three 2nds, the TAJ gang couldn't muster enough momentum to overcome their early deficit.  Consequently, SKYE ROCKET took the win with 21 pts with TAJ in second with 23 pts.  Third went to Bryan Rhodes's CRAZY IVAN with 33 pts.

What appeared to be the only "schooling" taking place at this regatta was the fact that Jerry Diercks's DELIRIUM team sailed deliriously well-- smacking their J/105 classmates with all finishes in the top three for 19 pts in 12 races.  Starting off with three bullets must've been a bit mind-numbing for their fellow J/105 sailors.  Nevertheless, taking a beating early but closing with a vengeance in the last six races as Erik Kristen's JUBILEE, snapping off four 1sts and two 3rd in the end to score 29 pts total to take a solid second overall.  Third was Eric Hopper's FREE BOWL OF SOUP, fresh off their most excellent performance in the Oregon Offshore Race.  The balance of the top five included Jim Geros's LAST TANGO in fourth and Lorenzo Migliorini's ALLEGRO VIVACE in fifth.   Sailing Photo credits- TimWilkes.com.  For more Sperry Topsider Seattle NOOD Regatta sailing information

MERLIN Wins Marblehead NOODs

(Marblehead, MA)- Overcoming a morning fog postponement, the sun prevailed over Massachusetts Bay to commence the second full-day of racing in Marblehead for the Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta. A very light breeze showed up on the Bay to spark racing from nearly every boat class.  At long last favorable winds arrived for the final day of the Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta resulting in the most action-packed day of the entire 123rd Annual Marblehead Race Week. With each class completing multiple final day races, thank goodness!

In the eleven boat J/24 class, it was the Denman/Smith team on AIRODOODLE that tools the top spot with an impressive 3-2-1-1-dns record to win with 7 net pts (after toss).  Second was Matt Herbster's HIGH FIVE with a very consistent 2-3-2-3-3 record for 10 pts.  Third was Ted Johnson's VITAMIN J.

The nineteen boat J/105 class had some classically close one-design racing.  Leading the charge were some new names at the top of the leader board.  Who's Charlie, Matt and Rick?  Oh boy.  Perhaps some good teams that have some college sailors aboard and simple know how to get around the race-track.  In the end, it was Charlie Garrard on MERLIN that dominated the proceedings with a 1-2-5-2 to take the 105s with 10 pts.  Next was Matt Pike on GOT Q! with a 2-3-1-9 for 15 pts.  They just narrowly edged out Rick Dexter's team on CIRCE'S CUP with an equally impressive 11-1-3-1 for 16 pts.  Rounding out the top five were Peter & Doug Morgan on STEELAWAY III with a 4-8-7-3 for 22 pts and a trio of gangsters aboard BLOWN AWAY (Jon, Mike, Robert) with a 3-11-6-4 for 24 pts to round out the top five.  Sailing Photo Credits- Lauren McKenney    For more Marblehead NOOD Sailing World information

J/24 TUNDRA ROSE Wins Seattle NOOD!

J/80 SKYE ROCKET & J/105  DELIRIUM Win Class(Seattle, WA)- When Seattle decides to put on a show weather-wise, she is a gorgeous place: Mountains abound, Puget Sound and Lake Union and Lake Washington provide ideal racecourses. Sure, it's dark and stormy here in the deepest months of winter, but in the summer, Seattle simply can't be beat. Case-in-point- this past weekend's Sperry Topsider NOOD regatta. While Sunday ended up being a rainy day of sailing (drum roll for the stereotypes), Friday and Saturday were the stuff of sailing legend-  perfect breeze, more sunshine than most Seattleites know how to handle, and enough psyched sailors to create a great event.

Showcasing three-consecutive days of top-tier sailing in various weather and water conditions, J/24 Skipper Mark Laura and his boat, TUNDRA ROSE, was declared top overall boat at the Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta in Seattle. As a reward for mastering the Puget Sound race course, Laura and crew won an invitation to compete in the Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Championship Regatta in the British Virgin Islands at the end of the season to compete aboard Sunsail 44S against the other overall winners in the 2012 series.

What may have earned Mark's team the top-billing for the regatta was the fact that the top four teams all finished within three points of one another after seven closely fought races.  Mark's team started off with a bomber race- a 9th- but managed to rattle off a string of four 3rds and two 5ths to win by only 1 pt with no first places-- that's consistency!  Tied for second were PEARL and TREMENDOUS SLOUCH- accounting for three 1sts in the event.  Winning the tie-break with two of those 1sts was TUNDRA ROSE sailed by Mike Johnson's team on PEARL, their 3-1-3-7-11-6-1 for 32 pts was enough to secure second place.  Third was Scott Milne on TREMENDOUS SLOUCH, sailing to a 2-7-1-10-2-8-2 for 32 pts to snatch third overall.  Fourth was SELF ABUSE (Harry Dursch) and fifth was R.Y.L.A.H. (John Mason).

The J/80 class had a tight, four boat fleet with well-sailed boats.  Just about all the boats won a race, indicative of how close the racing was overall.  And, there were no runaway winners.  Fun racing.  In the end, it was Bill McKinnon's SKYE ROCKET that won with just 19 pts.  Second was HEART ATTACK sailed by Joel Shapiro with 21 pts and third was David Schutte on TAJ MAJAL with 23 pts.

The J/105s also had good teams returning from last year and it was clear that a trio of boats were having a heckuva regatta.  Like their J/80 counterparts, in this case five races were won by different boats over nine races-- a pretty equitable distribution.  Making fewer mistakes than most was Jerry Diercks' DELIRIUM, amassing a 1-4-6-1-2-2-3-3-3-3 for 25 pts.  The fun-loving "Italians" aboard Lorenzo Migliorini's ALLEGRO VIVACE were leading after six races but maybe had too much fun on Saturday night?  In the end, their record of 4-5-2-2-1-1-1-7-4 for 27 pts fell just short of snagging gold, having to settle for silver on the podium.  Third was Doug Schenk's FREE BOWL OF SOUP with a 2-1-5-6-5-3-4-1-2 for 29 points, nearly overtaking their friends on the VIVACE.  Fourth was Jim Geros' LAST TANGO and fifth was Erik Kristen's JUBILEE.   Sailing photo credits- Jan Anderson     Sailing photo credits- Tim Wilkes.  For more Sperry Topsider Seattle NOOD Regatta sailing information

Seattle NOOD Sailing Preview

J/24, J/80 and J/105 One-Designs Sailing
(Seattle, WA)- The Emerald City as it's known in the Pacific Northwest is getting ready to host its annual spring sailing extravaganza, the Sperry Topsider Seattle NOOD Regatta, on the spectacular waters of Puget Sound.  With enormous snow-capped mountains in the background and lush green pine forests cascading down the slopes, the setting could not be more picturesque.  With a forecast of partly cloudy skies and light to moderate southerly winds, it gives hope to the "locals" who are used to sailing in one of the "wettest" metropolitan cities in the world (average 220 rain-days per year).  The sailors may yet have a beautiful weekend of sailing to start off the Seattle sailing season.  Even then, lousy weather, rain, fog, drizzle don't dampen the spirits of sailors in these parts, it's all just part of the laid-back, fun-loving atmosphere.

There is a strong contingent of J Sailors participating in the regatta in three one-design classes of J/24s, J/80s and J/105s.  In the fourteen boat J/24 class, some familiar names that have been near the top of the leader board over time will be present.  Amongst those contenders will be Scott Milne on TREMENDOUS SLOUCH, Mark Laura on TUNDRA ROSE, Richard Bustamante on HABANERO and Noel Morgan on JOSS.

In the J/80 class, it's a tougher call since most of the boats are well-sailed in a small fleet.  Nevertheless, past participants like Bryan Rhoes on CRAZY IVAN, David Schutte on TAJ MAJAL and Bill McKinnon on SKYE ROCKET will be in the hunt.  Perhaps they'll all have a bit of anxiety if HEART ATTACK sailed by Joel Shapiro beats them all!

The J/105s have a number of good teams returning from last year as well as some new additions.  Certainly looking for podium finishes based on past performance will be Lorenzo Migliorini's ALLEGRO VIVACE, Jim Geros' LAST TANGO, Doug Schenk's FREE BOWL OF SOUP and Jerry Diercks' DELIRIUM.  For more Sperry Topsider Seattle NOOD Regatta sailing information

St Petersburg NOOD Preview

(St Petersburg, FL)- This year's Sperry Topsider St Petersburg NOOD Regatta promises to have competitive fleets of J/24s and J/80s sailing on the waters of Tampa Bay.
Last February, Todd Fedyszyn turned a win in the J/24 class at the St Pete NOOD into a free charter in the British Virgin Islands.  On Feb. 17 to 19, on Tampa Bay, Fedyszyn will once again be aiming for that elusive overall championship. Standing in his way will be more than 100 other skippers, in 10 classes. But Fedyszyn won't have to look far to find some tough competition. The J/24 class, which will feature sixteen entries from as far away as Massachusetts and Illinois, is always one of the most hotly contested classes at each NOOD regatta stop. Local sailor David Mendelblatt is one to watch. As is Travis Odenbach from Webster, NY fresh off a highly competitive J/24 Midwinters the previous week also held on the capricious waters of Tampa Bay.

The J/80s have a good group of eight boats competing.  They will have to all contend with the "Middies" from the Naval Academy Sailing Squadron all competing in J/80s- a trio of sailors including Dave Manheimer on BEAR INSTINCT, Stephen Vincent on WILLY T and Jeff Jordan on EMOTIONAL RESCUE.

The warm weather and great sailing conditions on Tampa Bay are a big draw for out-of-state sailors, who usually make up over 50% of the fleet. In 2012 the regatta will feature sailors coming from as far away as New England, Michigan, and Ontario, Canada. The event also draws PHRF sailors, including Bill Terry's J/120 TAMPA GIRL sailing in PHRF 1.

Of note, the St Pete NOOD is welcoming aboard as Sapporo, the oldest beer brand in Japan, as the "official beer"-- since 1876 Sapporo has been a favorite among beer lovers for its crisp and clean taste and is the #1 selling Asian beer in the United States.   For more St Pete NOOD Regatta sailing information