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A Rite of Spring… T
Annapolis Welcomes One Design Racers at the NOOD
o all competitors in the 2017 Helly Hansen Annapolis NOOD Regatta, welcome to Annapolis! At print time, 155 competitors in 16 one-design classes and two PHRF (North Sails Rally) classes were registered for the three-day regatta, May 5-7, presented by Sailing World and hosted at the Annapolis Yacht Club (AYC). As always at this time of year, the natives are restless. Pete Kassal and his crew on the J/24 Spaceman Spiff are anxious to get back on the race course. “I’ve raced the NOOD probably 10 times as a J/24 owner/ driver and six or seven more as a crew,” he says. “I first came to Annapolis to race in the NOOD Regatta when I lived in Newport, RI, in the late 1990s.” He moved to Annapolis and bought his J/24 13 years ago. “We’ve only won the NOOD once: 2016. We’ve won other events, but victory at the NOOD was especially sweet. We always have some stiff competition—other teams in the J/24 fleet have been racing at a national level for quite a while—so it’s nice to prevail on occasion!” Kassal’s crew, who will be racing together for the first time, will be made up of Aaron Zankel, Kent Bartlett, Chase Wood, and Duy Huynh. Follow us!
“The J/24, while being a 40-year old design, still brings out great competitors, and the boat is technical; we really have to work to get a fraction of a knot of boat speed advantage over our peers,” says Kassal. “I really enjoy one-design racing because all the boats are the same: it takes
Sagerholm says, “Aunt Jean has competed in every Annapolis NOOD regatta except 2002. We’ve won over 10 times... not really sure how many.” Sagerholm’s crew—Jerry and Joanne Christofel, Jim and Deb Sagerholm, Tim and Kristen Mangus, Doug Smith, and Merlin “Bubba” Suggs—will only do one weeknight race tune-up before getting back into the saddle this year. Lack of practice hasn’t hurt them yet. Carl Gitchell, who along with brother Scott owns the J/105 Tenacious, placed second in 2016 (Jim Konigsberg on Inigo took first). The brothers will be on the race course with Shannon Wilkins on bow, Scott Kirwin at the mast, and a few other as yet unconfirmed crew. This will be the Gitchells’ ##J/22s on the line in the 2016 event. Photo by Dan Phelps 15th NOOD in Annapolis, and although away all the other variables… It boils they’ve had many top five finishes, they’ve down to who consistently sails well— only won once, in 2015. strategy, tactics, boat speed, and boat “We really enjoy one-design racing handling. It really is a great combination because it emphasizes the combination of of a game of chess on the water while beboat handling, crew work, and tactics,” ing a team sport.” says Carl. “To win in this fleet, your boat Aunt Jean, Aunt Jean, Aunt Jean… handling has to be impeccable. Sail trim Chesapeake sailors might get tired of has to be adjusted in the puffs and lulls as hearing about this Annapolis-based J/35 well, as when the wind velocity changes team, but they sure do win a lot of races, three to four knots. Crew work at the including the 2016 NOOD. Skipper Jim mark roundings and gybes has to be spinsheet.com May 2017 79