Mother nature delivered superb conditions for the seven J109s that attended the Third Annual Fleet 10 Fall Classic hosted by Stamford Yacht Club (Stamford, CT). On Saturday, October 16, a warm southerly breeze of 15-25 knots allowed the Race Committee to bang out four races. The boats that honed their skills at AYC Fall Series were fast out of the gate. In Race 1, Growth Spurt was first at the windward mark, but Incendiary was close behind. The two boats traded crosses around the course and Incendiary squeezed out the win right at the finish. Zig Zag was third. Race 2 saw Emoticon jump out to the lead and take the bullet. Then, in Race 3, Big Boat found its stride and put a first on the board. In Race 4, Emoticon solidified its Day 1 lead with another bullet. Throughout the day, the breeze was consistent, but many gains were made by keeping the speed up while working the boat through 2–3-foot swells.
After the first day, the results could not have been tighter at the top. Emoticon and Growth Spurt each had 10 points, with Emoticon ahead in the tie breaker with two firsts. Incendiary and Big Boat were tied with 11 points each.
A cold front moved through the area overnight and fall arrived in Stamford. On Sunday, October 17, the breeze shifted to the WNW but had a lot of punch, ranging from 13-28 knots. After missing Races 3 and 4, Zig Zag came out flying in the big breeze, winning Race 5 by a large margin. Growth Spurt was second and Incendiary was third.
At the conclusion of Race 5, the sustained wind climbed above 25 knots and the Race Committee decided it was time for the fleet to take a lunch break. About 30 minutes later, Race 6 started. As with any NW breeze in Stamford, big shifts challenged boats to pick a side and stay in phase. That is exactly what Growth Spurt was able to do in the sixth and final race, posting its first bullet of the regatta. Incendiary was just behind them in second.
On the podium were Growth Spurt (13 points), Incendiary (16 points), and Emoticon (18 points).
All of the boats enjoyed the hospitality of Stamford Yacht Club. After sailing, the teams received complimentary Carlsberg beer and warm food. The outdoor fire pits and couches were an excellent venue for sharing the war stories of the day.
J109 Results (One Design – 7 Boats)
1. Growth Spurt, USA261, John Greifzu, Jr. – 2 – 2 – 3 – 3 – 2 – 1 ; 13
2. Incendiary, USA168, Trevor Roach – 1 – 4 – 2 – 4 – 3 – 2 ; 16
3. Emoticon, USA200, Jonathan Rechtschaffer – 4 – 1 – 4 – 1 – 4 – 4 ; 18
4. Big Boat, USA360, Bud Rogers – 5 – 3 – 1 – 2 – 5 – 3 ; 19
5. Zig Zag, USA37, Bengt & Marie Johansson – 3 – 5 – 8/RET – 8/DNC – 1 – 5 ; 30
6. Joyride, USA52418, Greg Imbruce – 6 – 6 – 5 – 5 – 6 – 7 ; 35
7. Strider, USA332, Daniel Corcoran – 7 – 7 – 6 – 6 – 7 – 6 ; 39

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