J/Teams crush SORC Sailor's Choice Race

SORC Sailor's Choice Race © SORC Sailing

The first of the SORC's "Islands in the Stream Series" took place this past weekend- the Sailor's Choice Race. J/Teams swept the top two spots of the podium in the ORC Overall Division.

The SORC Islands in the Stream Series consists of four races. Here is the schedule:

2024

November 21st- Sailors Choice Race
December 6th- Wirth Munroe Ocean Race

2025

January 9th- Ft. Lauderdale- Key West Race
February. 20th- Nassau Cup Ocean Race

The Sailor's Choice race course has the boats crisscrossing the infamous Gulf Stream from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas Bank and back. This 168.0nm race gives the teams the choice of which way to go around the three marks! The principal course goes from the Ft Lauderdale sea buoy start across the Gulf Stream to Great Isaac Light, down the Bahamas Bank to the Ocean Cay mark, then to the Miami Sea Buoy, and then to the finish at Fort Lauderdale sea buoy.

It was a rough race with plenty of breezes ranging into the 30 kts range from the north as a huge front passed across the region. Over half the fleet dropped out due to the insane sea conditions in the swiftly-moving northerly current of the Gulf Stream. It's a notorious weather scenario with big winds against a 6+ kts flowing current creating massive 8 to 12 ft breaking waves with no "backs" to them... truly boat-breaking, crew-breaking kind of stuff! Nevertheless, J/Teams that completed reveled in the conditions.

ORC Overall Division

Winning the race was long-time J/Boats sailor Trey Sheehan on his TP52 HOOLIGAN RACING. J/sailors would recognize that name since Trey and his fun-loving, raucous crew have been sailing J's for over 40 years, starting in the J/24 days in Cleveland, OH. His entire J/70 crew from HOOLIGAN RACING was aboard!

Taking the silver medal was Andrew Clark's bright red J/122 ZIG ZAG and bringing it home to earn the bronze medal was the Detroit/ Lake St. Claire team on Chris Saxtons J/125 VORTICES!

ORC 1 Division

Taking the silver medal in this fleet was Saxton's J/125 VORTICES.

ORC 2 Division

Winning this fleet was Clark's J/122 ZIG ZAG.

For more SORC Sailors Choice Race sailing information www.sorcsailing.org