American YC Fall Regatta Update

ByStuart Johnstone
Sailboat with crew during a race.


Wired logo with a pixelated design.

(Rye, NY)- The 35th annual American Yacht Club Fall Regatta, virtually a J/Fest regatta for passionate J/Sailors, is taking place for two weekends in succession- September 27-28 and October 4-5. Of the 76 offshore keelboat teams sailing the regatta, 42 J/teams are representing 55.0% of the fleet. Racing is taking place in Western Long Island Sound just south of Rye, New York. After the first weekend, here is how it all went down in the various divisions.

ORC Division
In this dozen-boat fleet, Trevor Roach’s J/121 TOUCH OF GREY took a third place, just 45 seconds from 2nd place and a mere 46 seconds from first place!

PHRF 2 Division
This nine-boat fleet was contending with the brace of J/111s that usually predominate on the podium. True to form, Bill & Jackie Baxter’s J/111 FIREBALL took third place, while Abhijeet Lee’s J/111 VARUNA took 4th place.

PHRF 3 Division
Four J/44s and a J/46 comprised over half of this eight-boat fleet. June & Amanda Kendrick’s J/44 PALANTIR 5 took 2nd, Bill Ketcham’s J/44 MAXINE was 3rd, and Albrecht Goethe’s J/46 HAMBURG II took fourth place.

PHRF 4 Division
Leading a near sweep of the eight-boat fleet was Doug McKiege’s J/99 SAVE THE SOUND. Second was Bob Schwartz’s J/109 NORDLYS. Fourth was Ian Milward’s J/109 QUICKSILVER, and fifth was the Norton Junior Big Boat team on their J/109 3 CHEERS.

PHRF 5 Division- Non-spin Doublehanded
Winning this non-spinnaker doublehanded division was Erik Asgeirsson’s J/45 ACADIA.

PHRF 6 Division
This nine-boat fleet experienced a J/Team sweep of the podium. Winning was Matt Roleke & Trace Dittenhoffer’s J/33 CO-CONSPIRATOR, second was Damian Emery’s J/105 WARLOCK, and third was Don Dowd’s J/105 YOUNG AMERICAN.

PHRF 7 Division- J/100 class
Sailing as a non-spinnaker one-design class was a seven-boat fleet of J/100s. Winning was William Hennes’s LIBERTY, followed by Scott MacVicar & Brad Parish’s RESOLUTE in second and John & Corinne Forster’s SALTIRE in third position.

PHRF 8 Division
A classic J/30 (design #2 after the J/24) was still going strong on Long Island Sound! Getting a second place was Denis Lagarde’s MIDNIGHT RIDER- PMP STRATEGY.

AYC Fall Regatta results- October 4-5
https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/50455

AYC Coastal Races- September 27-28
https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/50486