Etchells North American Championship at Marblehead’s Corinthian Yacht Club
by Kate Somers 15 Oct 09:32 PDT
October 11-13, 2024
Etchells North Americans at Marblehead © Bruce Durkee
An exciting finish with only two points separating the medalists
The 2024 Etchells North Americans concluded last weekend in Marblehead, Massachusetts, where fierce competition and challenging conditions tested both the race officials and participants. After three days of racing, the event ended with an exhilarating final race that decided the top three positions, with a mere two points between them.
The final day brought unpredictable winds, keeping PRO Shannon Bush, the Race Committee, and the competitors alert. In spite of the difficult conditions, the fleet successfully completed a fourth race, which became crucial. John Dane from Mississippi, sailing DanEgerous USA 1427, clinched victory in the last race, narrowly surpassing Californian Jim Cunningham and his team on Lifted USA 1504 by just one point. Luke Lawrence and his crew on Cruel Jane 2.0 CAN 1501 secured third place, also by a single point, marking one of the closest finishes in recent years.
John Dane reflected on their success, stating, “The key factor was my crew, Bill Hardesty and Eric Doyle. They excelled on the final day, choosing the right side for the first beat. Going left early granted us better wind, giving us a nice lead at the first mark. Then it was about maintaining our position relative to the competition for the rest of the race. This regatta was fantastic, with four boats within three points going into the last race.”
In the Corinthian division, Ed Barker from Fleet 4, sailing Magic Dragon USA 1071, took home the victory, finishing 10th overall in the 31-boat fleet. He was followed by Andrew Cumming on Blackadder II CAN 1451 in second, with fellow Fleet 4 sailor Stein Skaane on Destiny USA 988 taking third place. Barker commented on his win, saying, “Winning in your hometown is the best, especially when you triumph over a few professionals. We also enjoyed great sailing conditions. I share this achievement with my teammates, James Pinder and Meehan Irose. Marblehead has such a special sailing community, and we’re fortunate to have regular Saturday races and a growing fleet, with 12 local boats competing, including Tomas Hornos. Congratulations to Stein Skaane on his first podium finish in his rookie Etchells regatta—what a remarkable feat!”
Jim Cunningham, who finished second overall, commended the high caliber of competitors, stating: “The regatta featured outstanding sailors, including Olympians and America’s Cup veterans, as well as multiple World and Continental Champions. The fleet was relentless, with fierce battles on every leg of each race. With four boats within three points on the final day, it was anyone’s regatta. Ultimately, the top three boats finished within two points of each other. You couldn’t ask for a closer competition. Kudos to John Dane, Bill Hardesty, and Eric Doyle on a well-deserved victory. They reversed the outcome from last month’s US Nationals where we had edged them out by one point. This regatta was incredibly enjoyable, and we can’t wait to hit the water again.”
The regatta encountered its share of challenges, including strong gusts over 30 knots on Day 2 that led the Race Committee to call off racing that day. However, the fleet experienced excellent conditions on Day 1, completing three races, and the final day allowed for one additional race, totaling four races over three days.
Co-chairs Michael Jobin and Paul McLaughlin wish to extend their sincere gratitude to all competitors, Etchells Class officials, 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 want to acknowledge Bruce Durkee, whose photography brilliantly captured Marblehead’s deep-seated love for sailing.
Looking forward, Marblehead’s Etchells fleet is gearing up for more activity and is eager to welcome everyone back in 2025 for the New England Championships at the Boston Yacht Club.
Overall Results:
Pos Bow No Sail No Yacht Name Skipper/Crew Club RRRR Pts
1 27 USA 1427 DanEgerous John Dane III PCYC 128 112
2 4 USA 1504 Lifted Jim Cunningham SFYC / NYYC / BRYC 251 513
3 1 CAN 1501 Cruel Jane 2 Luke Lawrence Ontario YS / Coral Reef YC / BYC / EYC 713 314
4 6 USA 1506 Oatmeal Peter Duncan American Yacht Club 542 112
5 19 USA 1419 Rebel Scott Kaufman SI / NYYC 897 226
6 93 GBR 1493 Vengeance David Huck Atlanta Yacht Club 384 1328
7 59 USA 959 AFRICA E Squad Jud Smith Eastern YC 931 1629
8 53 USA 1453 Big E Rick Merriman NYYC / SDYC 675 2240
9 46 BER 1467 Renegade David Vera GHSC 161 3942
10 71 USA 1071 Magic Dragon (Corinthian) Edmund Barker BYC 131 118 951
11 51 CAN 1451 Blackadder II (Corinthian) Andrew Cumming Royal Canadian Yacht Club 111 710 1654
12 60 USA 1060 Free Bird Ben Wilkinson Storm Trysail Club / Mystic River Mudheads DPI DPI DPI 255 4.3
13 37 GBR 1490 Tiburon Dirk Kneulman / Andrew Lawson Royal Thames YC 101 622 2856
14 16 USA 988 Destiny (Corinthian) Stein Skaane Eastern Yacht Club 231 513 1061
15 0 USA 1500 Marianne Peter E. Shumaker BAYVIEW YC 171 920 763
16 78 USA 1378 The Martian Marvin Beckmann Houston YC 142 314 1465
17 5 CAN 1305 It’s A(nother) Conspiracy (Corinthian) Adrian Hanley Oakville Yacht Squadron 211 423 1270
18 17 USA 1198 USA 1198 (Corinthian) David Esseks Shelter Island Yacht Club 296 152 171
19 68 USA 1368 Vertigo II Christopher Lanza Coral Reef Yacht Club 122 512 2978
20 77 USA 1177 Bob Daan Goedkoop Eastern Yacht Club 151 829 2082
21 97 USA 979 Jester (Corinthian) Jim Da Silva Eastern Yacht Club 252 025 1585
22 26 USA 1126 Jah Boat V (Corinthian) Ramsay Key Eastern 182 119 2886
23 98 USA 1398 Privateer (Corinthian) Michael Jobin Corinthian Yacht Club 221 228 2789
24 8 USA 1308 Peders Parade (Corinthian) Andrew Kingston Corinthian Yacht Club 282 916 1891
25 67 USA 11673 Monkeys (Corinthian) Seamus Hourihan Eastern Yacht Club 273 017 1791
26 21 USA 1221 Mustapha Dance Hugh Greville Boston Yacht Club 192 627 2496
27 88 USA 1388 ANNIE (Corinthian) Gary Gilbert NYYC 202 724 31102
28 12 USA 1012 GREY BULL (Corinthian) Brian Gibbs Jubilee Yacht Club 312 221 30104
29 28 USA 928 Menace (Corinthian) Mark Luckes Corinthian Yacht Club 262 431 23104
30 11 USA 1111 Fast Mermaid (Corinthian) Chloe Holder St Francis YC / New York YC 303 126 19106
31 79 USA 1078 Senior Moment (Corinthian) Don Brush LCYC 242 830 26108
