J/111 International Class Association

08/29/2026

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Bravo Crowned 2026 J/111 North American Champion

Three-Race Finale Completes 10-Race Championship at Youngstown Yacht Club

YOUNGSTOWN, N.Y. — August 29, 2026 — After Friday’s weather conditions prevented racing, the 2026 J/111 North American Championship returned to Lake Ontario Saturday for a decisive final day. The Youngstown Yacht Club Race Committee, led by Principal Race Officer Chip Till, completed three races to bring the championship series to a full 10 races.

Fourteen teams departed the dock hoping to make up for the previous day’s lost racing, and Lake Ontario delivered. Conditions remained remarkably consistent, with a south-southwesterly breeze beginning around 9.2 knots and building to 10.9 knots for the final race of the championship.

“Lake Ontario gave us yet another day of champagne, Chamber of Commerce sailing conditions, and we were able to complete the final three races and finish the full 10-race championship series,” said Till. “The racing was incredibly tight—even at the weather mark—which was exciting to watch right through the final race.”

Race 8
Fireball, sailed by Bill & Jackie Baxter, opened the final day with the win, followed by Jeffrey Davis’ Shamrock and Peter Wagner’s Skeleton Key.
1. Fireball — Bill & Jackie Baxter
2. Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis
3. Skeleton Key — Peter Wagner

Race 9
Kevin & Seth Young’s Black Seal answered with the Race 9 victory. Bravo finished second, with Skeleton Key collecting another top-three finish.
1. Black Seal — Kevin & Seth Young
2. Bravo — Sedgwick/Andrew Ward
3. Skeleton Key — Peter Wagner

Race 10
With the breeze building for the final contest of the championship, Bravo closed the regatta emphatically with the Race 10 bullet. Chip’s Ahoy finished second and Spaceman Spiff took third.
1. Bravo — Sedgwick/Andrew Ward
2. Chip’s Ahoy — Chip Merlin
3. Spaceman Spiff — Rob Ruhlman

Bravo Captures the North American Championship

After 10 races, Bravo, sailed by Sedgwick and Andrew Ward, emerged as the 2026 J/111 North American Champion with 19 points, completing an impressive series that included three race victories and a 15-point advantage over the teams tied for second.

For Andrew Ward, the championship marked the culmination of years of work.
“This championship has been a long time coming for us. We’ve worked really hard for 14 years, learning how to sail and compete at this level, and to finally have all of that work pay off with a North American Championship is incredibly rewarding.”
— Andrew Ward, Bravo

Final Overall Standings — Top 10
1. Bravo — Sedgwick/Andrew Ward — 19 points
2. Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis — 34 points
3. Skeleton Key — Peter Wagner — 34 points
4. Black Seal — Kevin & Seth Young — 40 points
5. Fireball — Bill & Jackie Baxter — 41 points
6. Chip’s Ahoy — Chip Merlin — 42 points
7. Spaceman Spiff — Rob Ruhlman — 49 points
8. Moneypenny — Douglas Clarke — 53 points
9. Varuna — Abhijeet Lele — 83 points
10. Leading Edge — Tom Sutton — 83 points

Moneypenny Claims Corinthian Championship

Douglas Clarke’s Moneypenny finished eighth overall and captured the 2026 J/111 North American Corinthian Championship with 53 points. Leading Edge, sailed by Tom Sutton, finished second in the Corinthian fleet with 83 points, followed by Martin Zonnenberg’s Quickdraw with 89.

For Clarke, the Corinthian title represents one of the qualities that makes J/111 competition special—the opportunity for amateur sailors to measure themselves directly against professional teams.
"One of the special things about this class is that we get to race against professionals. There aren’t many sports where amateurs can compete directly against professionals, so to be competitive with them, win the Corinthian fleet, and even beat a professional team is incredibly rewarding. It tells you that you’re getting close. For those of us who go to work every day and come down here to sail for fun, that’s really what you’re striving for.”

Interestingly, Clarke said his favorite day of the championship was the one on which no racing took place.
“My favorite day was actually yesterday. I thought the Race Committee was brilliant in how they handled the conditions. There was no wind, it wasn’t sailable, and rather than leave everyone baking out on the water waiting for something that might never develop, the PRO brought us back in. Then Adam Burns and Rick Lohr coordinated with John Kenny, CEO of Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours, who arranged to pick us up right at Youngstown Yacht Club. Suddenly we had about 80 sailors heading out together to take on the Whirlpool and the Devil’s Hole rapids. It turned a day with no racing into this incredible fleet team-building experience. We showed everybody a good time, and that was incredibly rewarding.”
— Douglas Clarke, Moneypenny

Youngstown Yacht Club Delivers On and Off the Water

The four-day championship tested competitors and race management alike. From delayed breeze on opening day, to four races completed Thursday, Friday’s abandonment and Saturday’s three-race finale, the Youngstown Yacht Club Race Committee capitalized on every available racing opportunity to complete a 10-race North American Championship.

The hospitality ashore proved equally memorable, with Youngstown Yacht Club members, volunteers and staff welcoming the J/111 fleet throughout the championship.

Till praised the entire organization for delivering an event worthy of national recognition.
“The Youngstown Yacht Club Race Committee team, shoreside staff and bar staff have been absolutely amazing throughout this championship. Youngstown Yacht Club truly knocked it out of the park. Hats off to everyone at YYC for delivering an exceptional event. In my opinion, they are absolutely deserving of a nomination for the St. Petersburg Yacht Club Trophy."
— Chip Till, Principal Race Officer

The St. Petersburg Yacht Club Trophy presented by US Sailing, recognizes outstanding race management at a major championship—not simply the work of the Principal Race Officer, but the collective effort behind successfully executing an event, including race committee operations, mark and signal boats, scoring, shoreside organization and volunteers.

The J/111 Class extends its sincere appreciation to Youngstown Yacht Club, PRO Chip Till and the entire Race Committee, the club’s members, volunteers, harbormaster, shoreside and hospitality teams for their commitment throughout the championship.

The 2026 J/111 North American Championship was made possible with the support of Youngstown Community Boating, Quantum Sails, Savoir Travel, and Dyneema.

Event website / results ➡ https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/50514

Vakaros live tracking ➡ https://player.vakaros.com/watch/oEpeslRbCGEtYkhCAyVB/J-111?live=true

📸 Tim Wilkes Photography ➡ https://www.timwilkes.com/searchlinksJ111NA26.html

🖊 Marlene Plumley

08/29/2026

Day two of the J11 North American Championship gave us perfect conditions for sailing. Four races were sailed in building breeze out of the west. Lots of lead changes and very tight racing. Two more days to go!

/111 International Class Association J/Boats, Newport, RI

08/29/2026

The J111 North American Championship is coming to a close. Very close racing. The final results came down to the last race. Congratulations, Bravo!

Tim Wilkes Photography J/Boats, Newport, RI

08/28/2026

J/111 North American Championship — Day 3
Racing Stalled as Lake Ontario Turns Off the Breeze

YOUNGSTOWN, N.Y. — August 28, 2026 — Day 3 of the J/111 North American Championship, hosted by Youngstown Yacht Club, became a waiting game as the breeze that greeted competitors early Friday morning disappeared before racing could begin.

The morning started with a northerly breeze and some optimism for another day on Lake Ontario. By the scheduled 1100 warning signal, however, the velocity had dropped below raceable conditions. The AP flag was displayed, and the 14-boat fleet returned to shore while Principal Race Officer Chip Till and the Race Committee waited to see whether developing land thermals would produce a sailable breeze.

Despite the wait, the anticipated breeze never materialized, leaving Thursday’s seven-race cumulative results as the current championship standings heading into the final scheduled day of racing.

Race 5 Protest Decision Reversed

Following Thursday’s racing, Shamrock (USA 136) protested Skeleton Key (USA 115) regarding a port-starboard incident in Race 5. The initial hearing resulted in Skeleton Key being disqualified (DSQ) from the race. Later Thursday evening, the hearing was reopened following the presentation of new evidence. After considering that evidence, the jury reversed its original decision and Skeleton Key was reinstated in Race 5.

The revised Race 5 results are:

1. Bravo — Sedgwick Ward
2. Skeleton Key — Peter Wagner
3. Moneypenny — Douglas Clarke
4. Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis
5. Chip’s Ahoy — Chip Merlin

The revised scoring has been incorporated into the championship’s cumulative standings.

Overall Standings — After 7 Races

With no racing completed Friday, the revised cumulative results from Thursday remain the current championship standings:

1. Bravo — Sedgwick Ward — 11 points
2. Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis — 20 points
3. Black Seal — Kevin & Seth Young — 24 points
4. Chip’s Ahoy — Chip Merlin — 24 points
5. Skeleton Key — Peter Wagner — 24 points

With just nine points separating first and second, and three teams tied at 24 points immediately behind them, the championship remains very much alive heading into the final scheduled day.

Honoring the Unsung Heroes of the J/111 Fleet

Championship racing may happen on the water, but getting a J/111 to the starting line—and keeping it there through a demanding week of racing—takes an enormous amount of work behind the scenes.

Today, we recognize some of the unsung heroes of the J/111 fleet: the boat captains. They’re the ones solving problems before most people know there is one, managing endless lists, keeping boats race-ready, and making sure their teams can concentrate on one thing when the warning signal sounds: racing.

A well-prepared race boat is rarely an accident. Somewhere behind it is a boat captain who made it happen.

Black Seal — Seth Young
Bravo — Ed Bahen
Chip’s Ahoy — Brian Malone
Fireball — Max Hutter
Quickdraw — Scott MacGregor
Shamrock — Kevin Meier
Skeleton Key — Keith “Panda” Love
Spaceman Spiff — Doug Moose

To the boat captains of the J/111 fleet: thank you for the hours nobody sees, the problems nobody hears about, and all the work that happens long before—and long after—the racing.

The J/111 North American Championship concludes Saturday at Youngstown Yacht Club, weather permitting.

The championship is hosted by Youngstown Yacht Club, with racing managed by PRO Chip Till and the Race Committee. The event is supported by sponsors Youngstown Community Boating, Quantum Sails, Savoir Travel, and Dyneema.

Event website / results ➡ https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/50514

Vakaros live tracking ➡ https://player.vakaros.com/watch/oEpeslRbCGEtYkhCAyVB/J-111?live=true

📸 Tim Wilkes Photography ➡ https://www.timwilkes.com/searchlinksJ111NA26.html

🖊 Marlene Plumley

08/27/2026

Four more races were completed Thursday at the J/111 North American Championship, hosted by Youngstown Yacht Club, bringing the Championship total to seven races after two days of competition. Lake Ontario delivered a consistent 8-knot breeze throughout the day with a gentle one-foot sea state. The breeze began around 250°, made a significant swing right for Race 5, then settled back to 280° for the final two races.

With Friday and Saturday’s forecasts looking increasingly challenging, Principal Race Officer Chip Till and the YYC Race Committee took advantage of the favorable conditions and completed an additional fourth race. “We’re keeping a close eye on Friday and Saturday’s weather, and with the possibility of losing Saturday entirely, I took a straw poll of the fleet and made the call to take advantage of what Lake Ontario was giving us today. We squeezed in that fourth race under absolutely spectacular conditions—true champagne, Chamber of Commerce sailing. When you have breeze like this, a great racecourse and a fleet that wants to keep racing, you don’t leave a good race on the table. It really doesn’t get much better than what we had out there today,” summarized Till.

Race Results
Race 4
Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis
Bravo — Sedgwick Ward
Chip's Ahoy — Chip Merlin

Race 5
Bravo — Sedgwick Ward
Moneypenny — Douglas Clarke (Corinthian)
Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis

Race 6
Black Seal — Kevin & Seth Young
Bravo — Sedgwick Ward
Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis

Race 7
Bravo — Sedgwick Ward
Skeleton Key — Peter Wagner
Spaceman Spiff — Rob Ruhlman

Overall Standings After Seven Races
Bravo — Sedgwick Ward — 11 points
Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis — 19 points
Black Seal — Kevin & Seth Young — 23 points
Chip's Ahoy — Chip Merlin — 23 points
Skeleton Key — Peter Wagner — 28 points

The day belonged to Sedgwick Ward and Bravo. With finishes of 2-1-2-1, Bravo put together an exceptionally consistent four-race scoreline and moved into the overall Championship lead. Ward was equally enthusiastic about both the conditions and getting four quality races on the scoreboard, saying, “It was a fantastic day. Before racing started, we talked about doing four races, and four races was perfect today. I’m glad we got as many races in as we did. The conditions were phenomenal—it was just perfect. It was a fantastic day.”

In the Corinthian standings, Moneypenny, sailed by Douglas Clarke, continues to lead the all-amateur division. Top three:
Moneypenny — Douglas Clarke
Leading Edge — Tom Sutton
Quickdraw — Martin Zonnenberg

With seven races now on the scoreboard, attention turns to Mother Nature for the remaining two days of the Championship. Weather-permitting, it is the intention of the Race Committee to run two races on Friday and one on Saturday.

The J/111 North American Championship is hosted by Youngstown Yacht Club, with racing managed by PRO Chip Till and the Youngstown Yacht Club Race Committee. A sincere thank-you goes to the Race Committee, volunteers and shoreside teams whose work makes Championship racing possible. This Championship is proudly supported by Youngstown Community Boating, Quantum Sails, Savoir Travel, and Dyneema.

Event website / results ➡ https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/50514

Vakaros live tracking ➡ https://player.vakaros.com/watch/oEpeslRbCGEtYkhCAyVB/J-111?live=true

📸 Tim Wilkes Photography ➡ https://www.timwilkes.com/searchlinksJ111NA26.html

🖊 Marlene Plumley

08/26/2026

After a patient start ashore, the 2026 J/111 North American Championship officially got underway Wednesday at Youngstown Yacht Club, with three races completed for the 14-team fleet.

The morning began under AP ashore while the Race Committee waited for conditions to develop. AP was lifted at 1:15 p.m. and the fleet headed to the racecourse, where conditions settled into a remarkably consistent ENE breeze around 10–11 knots with a 75° course heading and gentle 1–2 foot seas. Racing began at 2:30 p.m., allowing Principal Race Officer Chip Till and the Youngstown Yacht Club Race Committee to complete three races before wrapping up a productive opening day.

“Patience ended up being the key to today’s racing,” said PRO Chip Till. “Once a very nice ENE breeze filled in, it was an epic 3-race day on Lake Ontario to kick off the championship.”

Race Results
Race 1
1. Fireball — Bill & Jackie Baxter
2. Chip's Ahoy — Chip Merlin
3. Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis

Race 2
1. Black Seal — Kevin & Seth Young
2. Chip's Ahoy — Chip Merlin
3. Bravo — Sedgwick Ward

Race 3
1. Black Seal — Kevin & Seth Young
2. Bravo — Sedgwick Ward
3. Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis

Overall Standings — After 3 Races
1. Black Seal — Kevin & Seth Young — 6 points
2. Chip's Ahoy — Chip Merlin — 9 points
3. Bravo — Sedgwick Ward — 12 points
4. Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis — 12 points
5. Fireball — Bill & Jackie Baxter — 14 points

With back-to-back bullets in Races 2 and 3, Black Seal emerged from opening day with a three-point advantage over Chip's Ahoy, while Bravo and Shamrock sit tied at 12 points.

“It was a great day of racing,” said Kevin Young of Black Seal. “The Race Committee did an outstanding job, the competition throughout the fleet was strong, and the conditions gave us some really enjoyable sailing. Great race management, great competition and, overall, just a fantastic day on the water.”

Corinthian Standings — After 3 Races
1. Moneypenny — Douglas Clarke — 20 points
2. Quickdraw — Martin Zonnenberg — 27 points
3. Leading Edge — Tom Sutton — 31 points

With three races successfully completed on opening day, the Championship is underway with three more days of racing ahead. Youngstown Yacht Club extends its appreciation to PRO Chip Till, the Race Committee, event volunteers and shoreside team for their efforts both on and off the water.

The Championship also recognizes the support of Youngstown Community Boating, Quantum Sails, Savoir Travel, and Dyneema, whose sponsorship helps make the J/111 North American Championship possible.

🖊 Marlene Plumley
📸 Tim Wilkes Photography

Event website / results ➡ https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/50514

08/26/2026

Keep track of your favorite teams live via Vakaros RaceSense through Saturday at the J/111 North American Championship

08/26/2026

08/26/2026

05/26/2026

Hold on tight! The J/111 North American Championship is just around the corner!

Youngstown Yacht Club J111 - Fleet 1, Great Lakes Tim Wilkes Photography J/Boats, Newport, RI