With a mix of distance and around-the-buoy races, as well as single-race events and multi-race regattas, the qualifying races for 48° North’s Top 25 are a good representation of Pacific Northwest racing.
Scoring is on a percentage basis depending on the size of the class: 0% (did not finish) to 100% (first in class), where the event score = (finishers – position + 1) / finishers. Overall scores are an average of a boat’s best five finishes. There is no minimum number of races required to qualify. Multi-race events (like the South Sound Series) are scored as single events.
Everyone on this list sailed exceptionally well! It is always a privilege to present the list and offer our admiration and appreciation for those in the racing community who live it and love it, and sail so well.
There’s a chance the list will mix up a bit more next year. We are adding four new races to the qualifying list for 2020—an offshore race out of Oregon, an around-the-buoys regatta in British Columbia, a single-day mid-distance event in the central Sound, and a distance-and-buoy regatta in Seattle. Happy racing, and good luck to all sailors!
Here is the list of qualifying races for the Top 25 of 2020 (check 48north.com/sarc for more details on when and where to go racing):
• South Sound Sailing Society Southern Sound Series
• Corinthian Yacht Club Seattle Center Sound Series
• Sloop Tavern Yacht Club Blakely Rock Benefit Race
• West Vancouver Yacht Club Southern Straits Classic
• Seattle Yacht Club Tri-Island Series
• Corinthian Yacht Club Portland PNW Offshore
• Corinthian Yacht Club Seattle Puget Sound Spring Regatta
• Royal Victoria Yacht Club Swiftsure International Yacht Race
• Point Roberts Race Week
• Cowichan Bay SC Cow Bay Regatta
• Bellingham Yacht Club PITCH Regatta
• Corinthian Yacht Club Edmonds Foulweather Bluff Race
• Corinthian Yacht Club Seattle Puget Sound Sailing Championship
• Seattle Yacht Club Grand Prix Regatta
• Orcas Island Yacht Club/Friday Harbor SC Round the County Race
all photos courtesy of Jan Anderson
#1 More Jubilee
Skipper: Erik Kristen
Boat Type: J/105
Club: CYC Seattle
Score: 89.5%
This year, the #1 boat goes to the J/105 More Jubilee, skippered by Erik Kristen. The More Jubilee crew is well known among the 48° North audience, having taken the top spot for 2017, and finishing in the top five of this list each of the last four years. So how do they do it? Well, for starters, they’re terrific sailors! They sailed a lot, but still only scored at five qualifying events (some others in the top five had seven qualifying events, of which their top five finishes were scored). Ultimately, More Jubilee’s consistency was rewarded—they took first place in three-of-the-five events for which they were scored. When they weren’t on top of the podium they were nearly there. They sailed in two distance series and three buoy-racing regattas, taking wins in each format. They sailed very, very well. Congratulations!
#2 Different Drummer
Skipper: Charles Hill
Boat Type: Wauquiez Centurion 40s
Club: CYC Seattle
Score: 88.2%
#3 Absolutely
Skipper: Charlie Macaulay
Boat Type: Farr 39ML
Club: CYC Seattle
Score: 87.2%
#4 Rush
Skipper: Philip Dean
Boat Type: J/80
Club: Sloop Tavern YC
Score: 86.4%
#5 Jaded
Skipper: Chris Phoenix
Boat Type: J/105
Club: CYC Seattle
Score: 85.4%
#6 Insubordination
Skipper: Buckey Rezabek
Boat Type: J/105
Club: CYC Seattle
Score: 85.3%
#7 Lodos
Skipper: Tolga Cezik
Boat Type: J/109
Club: CYC Seattle / Sloop Tavern YC
Score: 85.2%
#8 Darkside
Skipper: Nicholas Leede
Boat Type: Schock 35
Club: Seattle YC
Score: 85%
#9 Elusive
Skipper: Jeff Whitney
Boat Type: C&C 115
Club: CYC Seattle
Score: 82.9%
#10 Tantivy
Skipper: Stuart Burnell
Boat Type: J/109
Club: CYC Seattle
Score: 78%
#11 Creative
Skipper: Al Hughes / Shauna Walgren
Boat Type: J/105
Club: CYC Seattle / Sloop Tavern YC
Score: 75.7%
#12 Dos
Skipper: Brad Butler
Boat Type: Sierra 26
Club: Port Madison YC
Score: 70.8%
#13 Madame Pele
Skipper: Tom Andrewes
Boat Type: Davidson 29
Club: Lopez Island YC
Score: 70%
#14 Elixir
Skipper: Megan Kogut
Boat Type: Aphrodite 101
Club: CYC Edmonds
Score: 68.1%
#15 Vitesse
Skipper: David Steffen
Boat Type: Beneteau First 36.7
Club: Bellingham YC
Score: 66.6%
#16 Anarchy
Skipper: Tom Ward
Boat Type: Flying Tiger 10M
Club: CYC Seattle
Score: 66.4%
#17 Taj Mahal
Skipper: David Schutte
Boat Type: J/80
Club: CYC Seattle
Score: 62.7%
#18 Hamachi
Skipper: Dougherty / Andrews
Boat Type: J/125
Club: CYC Seattle / Sloop Tavern YC
Score: 59.4%
#19 More Uff Da
Skipper: Benjamin Braden
Boat Type: Moore 24
Club: Port Madison YC
Score: 58%
#20 Crossfire
Skipper: Lou Bianco
Boat Type: Reichel/Pugh 55
Club: Sloop Tavern YC
Score: 56.4%
#21 Reckless
Skipper: John Sezer
Boat Type: J/80
Club: CYC Seattle
Score: 56.3%
#22 Crazy Ivan
Skipper: Bryan Rhodes
Boat Type: J/80
Club: CYC Seattle
Score: 55.1%
#23 Dash
Skipper: Stephanie Arnold
Boat Type: J/33
Club: Orcas Island YC
Score: 54.4%
#24 Eclipse
Skipper: Kirk Fraser
Boat Type: J/109
Club: CYC Seattle
Score: 53.4%
#23 Dash
Skipper: Iain Christenson
Boat Type: Flying Tiger 10M
Club: Seattle YC
Score: 53.2%
