2019 J70 North American Championship at Edgewater Yacht Club - Day 2
by Julie & Christopher Howell 26 Sep 14:15 PDT
23-29 September 2019
There were gray skies on Lake Erie this morning until the sun peeked out for the second day of the J/70 North American Championship at Edgewater Yacht Club in Cleveland, OH. In a NW breeze from 15-20 knots, gusts in the high 20s and monster waves, teams completed two full-on races.
Following a Redress hearing, Oivind Lorentzen’s Nine kept a slight grip on their lead with 8.3 points (2.3, 3 on the day). It looked as though Joel Ronning’s Catapult had moved into first, however they hold second place with 9 points (3,1 on Thursday). Team Vineyard Vines, led by John and Molly Baxter, fell to third with two fives, now with 12 points. John Brim’s Rimette took a bullet for the day’s first race, bringing them to fourth overall at 13 points. Following one tick behind them is Bruce Golison’s Midlife Crisis. Martin Johnsson’s Aquaholiks maintained his lead in the Corinthian Division.
Ronning, who won the day’s final contest, said, “Worlds’ swells were very vertical while the swells here are wide and further apart, which led to an amazing downwind. You felt like you were on a cliff floating above the wave sometimes looking 7 feet down. It was a cool experience.” Rosebud’s Pamela Rose said she is excited to be one of two women skippers at the Championship, “Very exciting, very similar conditions from the Worlds’ experience in 2018. It was exhilarating racing; we clocked 20 going downwind.”
Racing continues through Saturday. Current results here.