Canadian Boats Swarm J80 Worlds
October 19, 2022
By Martin Rutter
11 of the 48 participants came from Canada
The 2022 J80 Worlds delivered some excellent top notch racing for the Canadian contingent who made the trip down to Sail Newport in Rhode Island, going head to head with the best J80 sailors in the world.
48 teams from 9 different countries including France, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, Canada, India, and from ten U.S. states competed in 2022.
Canada with its largest J80 Worlds contingent ever with 11 boats showing up to compete traveling from Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston, and Port Dover.
Photo: Keven Piper
The first day was AP over A (no racing) due to the extreme wind and sea state conditions as a result of the tail end of hurricane Fiona passing through the northeast. Days 2, 3 and 5 were raced in Narragansett Bay, with Day 4 out on the open ocean for four races. Ten races sailed overall. Winds for the first few days were well into the 20 knot+ range, dropping into the teens for the 3rd day with the 4th being very light and challenging due to the tidal current in the bay.
The racing was very competitive with several general recalls, and a few major collisions requiring some emergency overnight repairs to keep the boats in the competition.
Notable Canadian finishes:
Lifted (Christopher Hobbs) top Canadian boat finishing 13th overall including a 3rd place finish in race 8.
Innocent Bystander (David Doyle) Overall winner of the final day of racing with a 1st place finish.
Free Radical (Martin Rutter) top Canadian boat for the Corinthian fleet.
FINAL Results for Canadian boats
13. Lifted (Owner/Skipper: Christopher Hobbs)
16. Feisty (Owner/Skipper: Warren Flannery)
19. Sheets & Giggles (Owner/Skipper: John Vallee)
25. Innocent Bystander (Owner/Skipper: David Doyle)
32. Breakaway J (Owner/Skipper: Hugh McGugan)
33. Free Radical (Corinthian) (Owner/Skipper: Martin Rutter)
38. Puffin’ (Corinthian) (Owner/Skipper: Darin Sameshima)
39. Dolce Vita (Owner/Skipper: Mark Boerkamp)
40. Yachtsea (Corinthian) (Owner/Skipper: Max Clark, Aiden Belfrage)
44. Flyer (Corinthian) (Owner/Skipper: Edward Bilopavlovic)
47. Happy J (Corinthian) (Owner/Skipper: Janet Geisberger)
Port Dover crews with J-Boats’ president, Jeff Johnstone, in the middle
