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.
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