A riveting single race on Sunday, December 17 determined the leaderboard for Bacardi Winter Series Event 1. The overcast sky that lingered from Saturday gave way to clearing skies on Sunday, with a westerly breeze exceeding 20 knots and gusts up to 30 knots on Biscayne Bay. Once again, the vagaries of the weather played havoc with the schedule, disrupting the Race Committee’s initial hope for three back-to-back races. A one-hour postponement ashore and no let-up in the weather conditions led the committee to opt for a single race. Very Odd with David Jannetti at the helm won the race by around one minute over the 21-boat fleet, with Daniel Goldberg’s Bazinga in second and Bryce Kalow’s Superior 2 finishing third. “We were very happy to get out on the water, even if it was only one race. I have a terrific team,” commented Jannetti. “We had a great race with three amazing teammates. Travis Odenbach on the bow, Andy Horton who is tactician and got us up the course quickly, and Willem Van Waay trimming who did a superb job. So, a total team effort.” Reflecting on the key to their success, he continued, “I think we figured out a way that, even though it didn’t feel so great going up through the chop, Willem was able to get us into a groove and Andy was able to look up the course and pick the right side. So, one race and you have to have a lot of luck and it just happened to be on our side today!” The team’s lead over the rest of the fleet saw Jannetti saying post-race, “We were pretty happy! I guess we won by a few boat lengths, but then we have the next event and the next event after that, so we’re not getting too crazy on a one race win! Even if it is one race, it means a lot to me. It is nice to race against everybody here.” The team finished sixth at this event last year and wrapped up the 2023 Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta with a sixth, so have their sights set higher in 2024. Initially planning to race only Event 1 and BCIR, Jannetti added, “We are getting a bit itchy now, so we will be here for the second Winter Series as well!” The top J/70 Corinthian team was Scott Weakley’s Canadian team on REX in 14th overall.
J/70 Final Top 5 results:
- David Jannetti / Travis Odenbach / Willem Van Waay / Andy Horton (USA 1513)
- Daniel Goldberg / Tomas Hornos / Kristen Berry / Goncalo Ribeiro (USA 84)
- Bryce Kalow / Ian Coleman / Alec Kalow / Chris Stocke (USA 216)
- Trey Sheehan / Reed Balridge / Brad Boston / Curtis Florence (USA 389)
- Aaron Drury / Brian Johansen / Ian Hunter / Telmo Basterra / Orrin Star (CAN 771)
The post-race Bacardi party and prize giving were celebrated at Shake-A-Leg Miami. The next event on the program is Bacardi Winter Series Event 2 from January 26-28, followed by the concluding event of the series: the Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta from March 6-9. Miami, renowned for its unique blend of world-class racing and vibrant social atmosphere, combined with Bacardi hosting its renowned daily happy hours, entertainment and music makes the perfect backdrop.
Text Credit: Luissa Smith
Photo Credits: Hannah Lee Noll
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