Etchells Biscayne Bay Winter Series 2025

Etchells Biscayne Bay Winter Series 2025 - Overall

by Kate Wilson Somers 20 Feb 2025 12:17 PST

Crew of 'Mila', series winners - Etchells Biscayne Bay Winter Series © BBYC

The 2025 Biscayne Bay Series concluded with the US East Coast Midwinters, held February 14-16, delivering an exciting finale with eight races—doubling the total number of races sailed in the previous three events combined. The finale highlighted the fierce competition within the Etchells fleet, with seven different winners across the eight races, underscoring the depth of talent.

The only competitor to claim two race wins was defending series champion and Etchells Class President Jim Cunningham and his crew aboard Lifted (USA 1504), who finished fifth overall in both the Midwinters and the Winter Series. Reflecting on the season, Cunningham acknowledged that the challenges and triumphs tested his crew's resilience but emphasized the strength and depth of the class, with more than 40 boats consistently on the starting line with 57 boats from seven nations competing throughout the three-month winter series.

'Mila', series winner of Etchells Biscayne Bay Winter Series during the Midwinters - photo © Maurice OConnell

Leading the season from start to finish was accomplished British sailor Lawrie Smith. The Olympian, America's Cup skipper, and four-time Whitbread Round the World Race veteran teamed up with David Hughes, Ruairidh Scott, and Monica Morgan aboard Mila (GBR 1511), securing podium finishes in all four regattas—including a victory at the Sid Doren Memorial in January. Smith credited his success to an exceptional crew and "more good luck than bad luck."

Smith noted that their biggest challenge was overcoming a tough start at Midwinters, where they had to recover from finishes of 16th and 17th. "When you look around, the boats have the same masts, sails, and setups. Off the line, the speeds are all very similar, so if you make one mistake, you're out the back. All the top crews want to win in the Etchells because they know it's the most competitive keelboat racing in the world."

Crew of 'Cruel Jane' - Etchells Biscayne Bay Winter Series - photo © Andrew Macrae

Just behind Smith in the overall standings was Midwinters winner Andrew Macrae of Canada's CruelJane 2.0 (CAN 1501). Macrae couldn't pinpoint a single factor behind his team's success but credited their long-standing program and steady improvements in consistency.

"It's always such an asset to be able to tune with Jud Smith. We did that before Midwinters and really focused on our weaknesses—I think that paid off. We know we have an extremely fast boat with all the tools to win, and combined with Luke Lawrence's natural skill and feel, plus how well we mesh as a team, I have really high hopes for us going forward."

'Cruel Jane' - Etchells Biscayne Bay Winter Series - photo © BBYC

Third place overall went to Rick Merriman and Big E (USA 1453), who won the Florida State Championship two weeks prior and credits adjusting rig-tune setups resulting in improved boat speed to their incremental success. "We struggled initially with too much windward helm. Once we eliminated it, our boat speed came alive which enabled us to be competitive with the top of the fleet."

Finishing atop the Corinthian podium and fourth overall was Andrew Lawson's No Dramas (GBR 1490) from the UK. He praised the level of competition in the fleet:

"Our goal was to compete strongly in the Open division, maintain consistency across every regatta, and secure the Corinthian title. We've had a great winter and really enjoyed the tight competition," Lawson said, thanking his crew—Graham Vials on helm and Bill Russell trimming—for their efforts.

Andrew Larson, corinthian winner - Etchells Biscayne Bay Winter Series - photo © BBYC

Wrapping up his 15th season as series organizer, Jeff Nehms reflected on the challenges and successes of the 2025 series:

"The Winter Etchells Series tested our patience this season, with the wind gods giving us a strong start, followed by a stretch of light-air challenges, and then a fantastic finish with eight races. We're grateful for the perseverance of our sailors and the dedication of our race committee volunteers, whose hard work ensured a great season on the water."

Since December, more than 55 teams have competed across the four events, solidifying the Etchells Winter Series in Miami as one of the most competitive and enduring traditions in the class.

Full Series Results:

The Winter Series was scored using each team's top two results from the first three events plus their Midwinters score. The final standings are as follows, or see a spreadsheet of all scores.