Etchells North American Championship at Corinthian Yacht Club of Marblehead

Etchells North Americans at Marblehead © Bruce Durkee

Dramatic finish with just two points separating the podium

The 2024 Etchells North Americans wrapped up this past weekend in Marblehead, Massachusetts, with intense competition and tricky conditions testing both race officials and sailors. After three days of racing, the event culminated in a thrilling final race that determined the top three finishers, with just two points separating them.

The final day's winds were unpredictable, keeping PRO Shannon Bush, the Race Committee, and competitors on their toes. Despite the challenging conditions, the fleet managed to get in a fourth race, which proved to be decisive. John Dane, from Mississippi, and his crew aboard DanEgerous USA 1427 secured a bullet in the final race, narrowly edging out California native Jim Cunningham and his crew on Lifted USA 1504 by just one point. Luke Lawrence and his team on Cruel Jane 2.0 CAN 1501 claimed third place, also by a single point, making it one of the tightest finishes in recent memory.

Reflecting on the win, John Dane said, "The main contributing factor was my crew of Bill Hardesty and Eric Doyle. They were fantastic on the last day, picking the correct side to be on for the first beat. Going left early got us more wind and helped us have a nice lead at the first mark. Then, it was about staying with our competitors for the balance of the race. It was a great regatta, with four boats being within three points going into the last race."

In the Corinthian division, Fleet 4's own Ed Barker, sailing Magic Dragon USA 1071, emerged victorious, finishing 10th overall in the 31-boat fleet. He was followed by Andrew Cumming on Blackadder II CAN 1451 in second place and fellow Fleet 4 sailor Stein Skaane on Destiny USA 988 in third. Barker reflected on the achievement, saying, "Winning in your hometown is the best, particularly when you beat a few professionals along the way. Some great sailing conditions too. I share the joy with my teammates, James Pinder and Meehan Irose. Marblehead has such a special community, and we're fortunate to have regular Saturday racing and a growing fleet. We had 12 local boats on the line, including Tomas Hornos. Congrats to Stein Skaane on his first Etchells podium in his first regatta—quite the achievement!"

Etchells North Americans at Marblehead - photo © Bruce Durkee

Jim Cunningham, who finished second overall, praised the high level of competition, noting: "The regatta was full of excellent sailors from Olympians and America's Cup veterans to multiple World and Continental Champions. The fleet was relentless, with hard-fought battles on every leg of every race. Going into the final day, four boats were within three points of each other, making it anyone's regatta. In the end, the top three boats finished within two points of each other. You couldn't ask for a closer competition. Congratulations to John Dane, Bill Hardesty, and Eric Doyle on a well-earned victory. They flipped the script on us after we edged them out by one point at last month's US Nationals. This was such a fun regatta, and we can't wait to get back on the water."

The regatta faced its share of challenges, including strong gusts of over 30 knots on Day 2, which forced the Race Committee to cancel racing for the day. However, the fleet enjoyed excellent conditions on Day 1, with three races completed, and the final day allowed for one more, bringing the total to four races over three days.

Co-chairs, Michael Jobin and Paul McLaughlin want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all competitors, Etchells Class officers, Class Secretary Alli Bell, the Corinthian Yacht Club, PRO Shannon Bush and the Race Committee, Judges, and the many volunteers who made this event possible. They also like to give special recognition to Bruce Durkee, whose photography captured the essence of Marblehead's deep-rooted passion for sailing.

Looking ahead, Marblehead's Etchells fleet is gearing up for more action, and excited to welcome everyone back in 2025 for the New England Championships at the Boston Yacht Club.

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