J/88 North Americans Witness HIWASSEE Eclipse!
(Annapolis, MD)- The 2025 J/88 North American Championship, hosted by the Annapolis Yacht Club, enjoyed very competitive racing for the dozen teams that sailed on the northern reaches of Chesapeake Bay. In the end, one team came ready to “play ball” and nearly ran the table with all bullets, an amazing achievement in the tough J/88 class. As a result, it was John Bell and Ray Wulff’s HIWASSEE that were crowned the 2025 J/88 North American Champions. Here is the summary from four days of racing by Annapolis YC PRO Dick Neville.
Racing began Thursday in strong conditions, with Race 1 featuring significant shifts. With MarkSetBots in use for the Championship, the Race Committee was able to square the course each leg after the first beat, ensuring fair racing despite the moving wind. The day wrapped with three races in solid breeze, where John Bell and Ray Wulff’s HIWASSEE dominated with three straight bullets.
Friday delivered lighter air and more tactical racing, with three additional races completed. Conditions proved challenging, and the two Chicago boats- Lindsey Duda’s SIN DUDAD and John & Jordan Leahey’s DUTCH- pushed HIWASSEE harder, though the Bell/Wulff team again finished the day on top.
Saturday began under postponement before two light-air races were completed. An ebb tide made for difficult choices as less current to the left battled more pressure to the right, frustrating tacticians across the fleet. SIN DUDA and HIWASSEE traded 1–2 finishes, leaving the series poised for a close finale.
Sunday’s forecast did not bring relief, with sunshine but only 3–5 knots from 010° over a lumpy sea state. With no signs of improvement, the Race Committee called racing and moved to an early awards ceremony.
The winning HIWASSWEE team was comprised of skipper Ray Wulff, John Bell, Quantum Sails PRO Scott Nixon, Dan Cameron, Jamie Gilman (coached by Stu J when living in Wilmette, IL), and starlet Ashley Love of video fame. That was quite a talented team, a bit like bringing a submachine gun to a knife fight!
The balance of the podium was comprised of two very talented Chicago teams. Taking the silver medal was Lindsey Duda’s SIN DUDA, with nearly as much talent as the winners. Lindsey’s team was comprised of Zac Hernandez, Tyler Woodworth, Kyle Vowels, Nathan Hollerbach, and Abie McLaughlin.
The bronze medal spot was decided by a tiebreaker at 30 pts each. Winning the bronze medal on the count back was John & Jordan Leahey’s DUTCH with crew of Kris Werner, Hunter Ratliff, Dan Burns, Mike Rusin, and Vincent Yannelli. Yet another very experienced team.
The balance of the top five included Dave Dennison’s PIRANHA from Wisconsin in fourth and Jack McGuire’s MI-2 from Annapolis in fifth place.
How competitive was this fleet for the 2025 J/88 NAs? Well, three past J/88 NA Champions finished 7th, 8th, and 9th- Iris Vogel’s DEVIATION, Andy Graff’s EXILE, and Chris & Liz Chadwick’s CHURCH KEY, respectively.
Corinthian Division
Six of the twelve teams qualified as Corinthian teams. Winning was Dennison’s PIRANHA team from Chicago with 30 pts, second was William Purdy’s WHIRLWIND from Long Island Sound with 35 pts, and taking third was Andy Graff’s EXILE team from Chicago with 43 pts.
The Annapolis Yacht Club thanks PRO Dick Neville, the Race Committee, shoreside staff, and the many volunteers for their dedication and professionalism throughout the event. Special appreciation goes to sponsors for their vital support:
– Quantum Sails – Title Sponsor
– North Point Yacht Sales
– Navy Stadium Parking
– LMND Hydration
The 2025 J/88 North American Championship highlighted the talent and sportsmanship of the J/88 Class, delivering three days of competitive racing and showcasing the fleet’s depth across both the overall and Corinthian divisions.
Sailing photo credits: Wilbur Keyworth Photography
https://www.keyworthphotography.com/Photos-By-Events/2025-Sailing-Events/2025-J88-DAY-2-edits
For more J/88 North American Championship sailing information
https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/17012