J/70 US National Championship at Fort Worth Boat Club – Day 1
by Julie & Christopher Howell 8 Nov 14:36 PST
November 7–10, 2024
2024 J/70 US National Championship © Hannah Lee Noll
The inaugural J/70 US National Championship began Friday with 18 teams competing amidst difficult, shifting conditions on Eagle Mountain Lake in Fort Worth, Texas.
With overcast skies and a variable breeze measuring 10-15 knots plus stronger gusts, the environment proved challenging for teams. Under the guidance of Principal Race Officer Mark Foster, the fleet featured eight Corinthian teams, one Mixed-Plus team, and five One Pro teams.
At the close of the first day, the overall rankings saw James Murray’s Hestia leading the leaderboard with scores of 2,1,2, totaling just 5 points. They are also ahead in the One Pro Division alongside team members Zeke Horowitz, Will Howard, and Steven Leuck. Al Minella’s Level 5 and Bruno Pasquinelli’s Stampede are tied on points at 13, placing them second and third, respectively. Ryan Cox’s DJ tops the Corinthian category.
Race 1 set the stage, with Bruce Golison’s Midlife Crisis claiming first in a tightly contested race, followed by Murray’s Hestia and Minella’s Level 5. The momentum continued in Race 2, where Hestia took the win. John Sommi’s Relative Obscurity finished as runner-up, and Pasquinelli’s Stampede had a strong performance for third. The final race of the day, Race 3, was seized by John Gochberg’s USA551, with Hestia again securing second and Level 5 grabbing third.
Racing will continue through Sunday. Photos by Hannah Lee Noll can be accessed here, and full results can be found here.
