2024 Etchells North Americans

The 2024 Etchells North American Championship attracted 31 teams on October 11-13 in Marblehead, MA. After four races, John Dane III edged out defending champion Jim Cunningham by one point, with Luke Lawrence two points back in third. Dane, with his crew Bill Hardesty and Eric Doyle (above), reversed the order from the 2024 US Nationals in which he lost to Cunningham by a point.

The regatta faced its share of challenges, including strong gusts of over 30 knots on Day 2, which forced the Race Committee to cancel racing for the day. However, the fleet enjoyed excellent conditions on Day 1, with three races completed. Going into day three, four boats were within three points of each other for the final race.

“The main contributing factor was my crew of Bill Hardesty and Eric Doyle,” shared Dane. “They were fantastic on the last day, picking the correct side to be on for the first beat. Going left early got us more wind and helped us have a nice lead at the first mark. Then, it was about staying with our competitors for the balance of the race.”

In the Corinthian division, Ed Barker emerged victorious, finishing 10th overall. He was followed by Andrew Cumming in second place and Stein Skaane in third.

“Winning in your hometown is the best, particularly when you beat a few professionals along the way,” noted Barker, who was joined by 11 local boats.

Details: https://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=16328