J/70 US National Championship at Fort Worth Boat Club - Day 1
by Julie & Christopher Howell 8 Nov 2024 14:36 PST
November 7–10, 2024
2024 J/70 US National Championship © Hannah Lee Noll
The first annual J/70 US National Championship kicked off Friday with 18 teams battling through challenging, shifty conditions on Eagle Mountain Lake in Fort Worth, Texas.
Overcast skies and a puffy, unpredictable breeze ranging from 10-15 knots with higher gusts created a complex environment that tested teams. Led by Principal Race Officer Mark Foster, the fleet includes eight Corinthian teams, one Mixed-Plus team and five One Pro teams.
As the first day concluded, the overall standings positioned James Murray's Hestia at the top of the leaderboard with scores of 2,1,2 for only 5 points. They also lead the One Pro Division, with team of Zeke Horowitz, Will Howard and Steven Leuck. Al Minella's Level 5 and Bruno Pasquinelli's Stampede are tied at 13 points for second and third, respectively. Ryan Cox's DJ leads the Corinthian category.
Race 1 set the tone with Bruce Golison's Midlife Crisis taking first place in a closely contested battle, followed by Murray's Hestia and Minella's Level 5. The excitement continued in Race 2, where Hestia emerged victorious. John Sommi's Relative Obscurity was runner-up, with Pasquinelli's Stampede finishing strong in third. The final race of the day, Race 3, was won by John Gochberg's USA551, with Hestia taking another second and Level 5 claiming third.
Competition continues through Sunday. Photos from Hannah Lee Noll are available here, and complete results may be found here.