J/24 North American Championship at St. Petersburg Yacht Club, Florida - Day 1

J/24 North American Championship © Christopher Howell

The J/24 North American Championship got under way at St. Petersburg Yacht Club in Florida for 23 J/24s in perfect conditions. With only a mild chop and winds in the teens, three races were completed with lots of smiling faces as many teams are getting back to the waters following the winter break.

Tony Parker's Bangor Packet showed no rust in posting scores of 1,1,4 for 6 points and the day one advantage. Travis Odenbach's Honeybadger comprised a solid day for 9 points, as did Mike Ingham's USA5443 at 13 points. Leading the Corinthian division is Ted Wiedeke's Caramella.

Behind a frontal system that passed through the southeast on Thursday cancelling the practice race, the official start was postponed two hours on Friday morning for teams to reacquaint to Tampa Bay. Conditions turned out magnificent with breeze at 12-14 knots, cloudless skies and temperatures in the 70s. Parker's Bangor Packet set up his first of two bullets, followed initially by John Mollicone's American Garage and Paul Abdullah's Team Tarheel. Then by Odenbach's Honeybadger and Jasper van Vliet's Evil Twin. Ingham's USA5443 moved into the day's podium with a bullet in Friday's final battle, with Odenbach and Wiedeke fulfilling the top group.

Racing continues through Sunday. Complete results available here.