An interview with Steven Mikes on the 2025 J/80 North American Championship
by David Schmidt 3 Oct 2025 01:00 AEST
October 7-12, 2025
J/80 racecourse action on the waters of Lake Ponchatrain © Southern Yacht Club
In 1992, Rod Johnstone and the J/Boats team unveiled the J/80, a three-person trailerable raceboat that carries an asymmetrical kite and enough sailcloth to make it move in light airs, while also being a hoot to sail and race in heavier conditions. The 8.0-meter boat grew a solid following, and over the years more than 1,700 J/80s were built. Today, the boat is raced in about 30 fleets in about a dozen countries, with concentrations in North America, Europe, and China.
Not surprisingly, given the numbers involved, the class has long delivered great racing. Take, for example, the 2025 J/80 North American Championship (October 7-12), which is being hosted at the Southern Yacht Club, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and which will be contested on the waters of Lake Pontchartrain.
I checked in with Steven Mikes, who serves as regatta chair for this year's J/80 North American Championship, via email, to learn more about this exciting event.
Can you give us a quick update on the health and status of the J/80 class? Also, would you say the class is in a period of growth, stability, or an ebbing tide in terms of participation numbers?
The J/80 class is well-established but [it's a class] that is experiencing resurgence especially on Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans.
Our Fleet 16 was established only two years ago. We quickly grew from one or two handicap racers to a strong 11-boat one-design and handicap fleet with several female-owned boats.
Boats are very difficult to find. Recently, one was salvaged from the woods in Alabama, restored to race-ready, and will be competing at our North American Championship.
What kind of competition levels can one can expect to encounter at this year's J/80 North Americans? Are we talking about Corinthian crews, or professionals?
The fleet will be strong with perhaps just over twenty competitors. We are expecting about a half dozen or more competitors to have professional sailors on board.
The entire local fleet will be on the water competing, and we are almost exclusively Corinthian. Don't be surprised if you see some of our local fleet with nothing but Corinthians finish in the Top 5.
Weather-wise, what kind conditions can sailors expect to encounter on Lake Pontchartrain in early-to-mid October? What are the best-case and worst-case wind scenarios?
Many say that October is the absolute best time of the year to sail in New Orleans. The oppressive heat of summer has finally vacated, pop-up thunderstorms have vanished, and strong cold winds haven't arrived.
We usually have blue skies and very mild temperatures. The waters of Lake Pontchartrain are still warm making catching waves on the rail or working foredeck refreshing.
The best-case weather is modest 8-16 knot breeze from the south/southeast so the lake is flat and downwind runs are exhilarating. In my opinion, the worst-case is no wind or an early season strong northerly cold front (20-25 knots) that makes the lake extremely choppy.
Do you see local knowledge playing a big or small role in the regatta's outcome? Can you please explain?
I don't anticipate local knowledge coming too much into play. We have virtually no current whatsoever.
For an event like this, the RC will likely take us out to sea so there are no shoreside obstacles to take into account. Lake Pontchartrain is a pretty circular lake so there really aren't coves or shoreline variations to deal with.
The variable breezes can be fickle. Don't always trust Sailflow.
If you could offer one piece of advice to visiting (and local) sailors, what would it be?
My advise to our guests is to enjoy everything the area has to offer, but pace yourself. Four days of hardcore racing can be taxing on your body especially if you spent the evening waltzing down Bourbon Street with a world-famous Pat O'Briens' hurricane in your hand.
Also, don't miss the legendary sunsets from the Southern Yacht Club's 1849 bar!
Do you have any entries that you're eyeing for podium finishes? What about any dark horses who you think could prove to be fast, once the starting guns begin sounding?
As mentioned before, we have a very strong local fleet. Our top local teams have been Neaux Name and Joker. Just about everyone here has upped their game with extra practice and some professional coaching.
Even though I don't see him registered yet, rumor is North Sails' Jackson Benvenutti will be coming home from California to race. If so, look out!
What kind of evening entertainment do you and the other event organizers have planned?
As you would expect for a regatta being hosted in New Orleans, the social calendar is very well planned. Our skippers meeting and sailor's welcome will feature Po'boy Finger Sandwiches and Meat Pies; after-race dockside nibbles will include Boudin Balls and fried Catfish Fillets. We're hoping to keep our tiki bar open with some live acoustic music to set the mood.
Our Saturday evening competitor's dinner will include Crab Stuffed Artichoke Hearts, Gulf Fried Oysters, Mini Crab Cakes, Shrimp Cocktail, and Chicken and Tasso Pasta.
We will wrap up on Sunday with awards accompanied with our world-famous Chargrilled Oysters cooked on our 1849 Bar deck, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, and Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya.
Are we making you hungry?
Is there anything else that you'd like to add about this year's J/80 NAs, for the record?
This is the first time in quite a while that the J/80 North American Championship have come this far south, and our first time hosting.
We are overjoyed to have sailors visiting from the Northeast and Canada. I've already made a ton of new friends just by organizing this regatta. I only wish we could have attracted more boats to come visit us from Texas, Florida, and the rest of the Southeast, as they will truly be missing out on a first-class event not too far from home.
Finally, we hope the competitors enjoy our brand new, multi-million-dollar dry storage renovation. Construction was just completed a few weeks ago.