J/70 US National Championship at Fort Worth Boat Club – Overall
by Julie & Christopher Howell, 10 Nov 15:08 PST
November 7–10, 2024
Eighteen teams competed at the Fort Worth Boat Club in Texas for the inaugural J/70 US National Championship from November 7-10. Stunning weather on the first day allowed for three races, but the weekend took a turn as light winds kept crews on land.
Thankfully, the warm southern hospitality kept spirits high throughout the weekend at the newly renovated club, culminating in the prize-giving on Sunday afternoon. James Murray’s Hestia, with Zeke Horowitz, Will Howard, and Steven Leuck, scored 2, 1, 2 for a total of just 5 points, earning the first plaque on the J/70 US National Championship trophy. Hestia was one of five boats in the One-Pro Division, achieving this distinction as well.
"When we set up our J/70 program, I aimed to adhere closely to the Corinthian spirit of the sport," Murray stated. "However, it’s a highly competitive Class, so to accelerate our learning, we opted for the one-pro model." He added, "We feel incredibly fortunate just to be out here sailing. Walking around the docks, you’re amidst multiple World Champions and Olympians. It’s an amazing Class. Our approach from day one has been simply to be grateful to be here, to share the starting line with these talented individuals, and to improve our sailing skills."
Completing the podium were Bruce Golison’s Midlife Crisis and Al Minella’s Level5, both finishing with 12 points. Ryan Cox’s DJ led the eight-boat Corinthian division. Marina Lamphier captained Beatmachine to clinch the Mixed Plus title.
Overall Results: (top five)
- Hestia, James Murray / Zeke Horowitz / Will Howard / Steven Leuck – 2 – 1 – 2; 5 pts
- Midlife Crisis, Bruce Golison / Erik Shampain / Steve Hunt / Jeff Reynolds – 1 – 7 – 4; 12 pts
- Level5, Al Minella / Marc Gauthier / John Wallace / Carlos Robles – 3 – 6 – 3; 12 pts
- Stampede, Bruno Pasquinelli / Patrick Wilson / Greiner Hobbs / River Paquin – 5 – 3 – 5; 13 pts
- Relative Obscurity, John Sommi / Victor Diaz de Leon / Willem Van Waay / Jud Smith – 4 – 2 – 9; 15 pts
Photos by Hannah Lee Noll can be found here, and full results are available here.