Clearwater, FL (February 17, 2022) – After the one day Midwinters on February 13, the 505 fleet took to the Gulf of Mexico today to begin the 2022 North Americans. In balmy temps under bright skies, PRO Donna Sue Marks and her Clearwater Community Sailing Center team ran the maximum daily set of 4 races in moderate breeze.
Midwinters champions, Olympians Stu McNay and Caleb Paine, continued their hot streak carding a 1-2-3-1 to lead the legend Howie Hamlin/ Jeff Nelson, with a gaudy stream of World Champs and assorted speedsters trailing behind.
With slightly shorter courses in the light to moderate breeze, the fleet generally arrived at the top mark in a huge clump, placing a premium on slicing and dicing onto the runs with huge opportunities for gain and loss throughout the race.
An iffy afternoon forecast tomorrow has pulled the first warning up to 10:00am, with a total of 12 races planned to run through February 20.
Source: scuttlebutt – https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2022/02/17/505-north-americans-gets-underway/
