Kerry Klingler’s Lifted Wins 2009 J/80

North American Championship

October 21-25, 2009
Seabrook, TX

Kerry Klingler continued his excellent run in the J/80 class by claiming the 2009 North American Championship hosted by the Lakewood Yacht Club on Galveston Bay in Texas. Klingler did not count a race outside of the top 5 and led the regatta from start to finish. The title is the former world champion’s third J/80 North American Championship in the past four years, and fourth overall.

   Klingler and team beat to windward en route to winning the J/80

   North Americans

 

The first day of the event featured a shifty 12-21 knot northerly and Klingler reveled in the conditions, notching a 1, 4, 1 to take an early lead. Day 2 started with a postponement until the seabreeze filled at 10 knots in the afternoon. The Lifted team sailed their throw out race (a 13th), but bounced back with a 5, 1 in the day’s other races to retain the lead. Two races were sailed on the final day in 10-16 knots and Klingler played it conservatively, posting a 4, 5 to win the event by one point over Terry Flynn and David Whalen. LYC member Doug Lynn, long time Klingler teammate, was also aboard Lifted for the event. Results