Reach Around Proves Victorious at J/70 NAs in Valle de Bravo
Overdue congratulations go to Annapolis sailor Thom Bowen for racing to victory the J/70 North American Championships over the weekend! The weeklong regatta was hosted by Club de Vela La Peña and the J/70 Mexican Class Association in Valle de Bravo, México, May 14-19.
From the J/70 Class Association website:
The daily leader of the J/70 North American Championship never changed over four days and 12 races. Bowen’s Reach Around commanded the 32-boat fleet and earned the privilege of returning to host Club de Vela La Peña in Valle de Bravo Mexico to watch the final race from ashore.
With crew Jacolyn Wetmore, Alec Anderson, and Bill Hardesty, Bowen won a third of the races and didn’t record a finish lower than eigth to end with 30 net points (discarding a DNC in race 12).
Fellow American Oivind Lorentzen’s Nine sailed a solid series, but settled for second place with 46 points.
Ander Belausteguigoitia’s Bandoola of Mexico took third place with 71 points. Winning the Corinthian division was Hector Guzman Gonzalez’s Escipion.
Picture perfect conditions again greeted competitors on Saturday with winds at 10-14 knots. Fernando Stephan Gutierrez seized the first win of the day, with Lorentzen and Diego Berho’s BBB behind him. Lorentzen concluded the Championship on a high note, followed by Chris Snow’s Mexigenics and Ignacio Perez’s Zaguero.
Top five results:
Reach Around, Thomas Bowen, USA - 4 -1 -2 -3 -8 -1 -1 -1 -2 -3 -4 -[34] ; 30
Nine, Oivind Lorentzen, USA - 5 -5 -9 -1 -1 -2 -8 -[22] -7 -5 -2 -1 ; 46
Bandoola, Ander Belausteguigoitia, MEX - 9 -8 -1 -[18] -3 -3 -4 -14 -4 -9 -12 -4 ; 71
815, Fernando Stephan Gutierrez, MEX - 6 -16 -4 -[25] -7 -7 -3 -16 -6 -1 -1 -16 ; 83
Mexigenics, Chris Snow, USA - 12 -6 -3 -2 -15 -[17] -12 -2 -13 -2 -14 -2 ; 83
Photos are available on the J/70 Class Facebook page, and complete J/70 NA results may be found here.
