North Sails NEWS

Story Contributors: Brian Hayes, Ched Proctor, Nick Turney

LIGHTNING DESIGNS CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE CIRCUIT

Amazing Consistency at Winter Championship, Deep South and Southern Circuit Overall

David Starck, Jenna Probst, Tom Starck, winners of the 2021 Winter Championship, Deep South and Southern Circuit Overall 📸  Courtesy St. Pete Yacht Club / Corey Hall

For over 40 years the North Sails Lightning team has supported the Lightning Class and Lightning sailors by not only delivering designs that have dominated circuits all over the world but with a commitment to education, class volunteerism and client service that is second to none.

After a year without much Lightning sailing, we saw great enthusiasm and excitement as the teams started showing up for the Winter Championship in St. Pete and Savannah Deep South. North experts Brian Hayes, Ched Proctor and Nick Turney were in attendance supporting the event and clients.

The North Sails fast designs have, again, prevailed in both events and here are the numbers:

Winter Championship

David Starck showed amazing consistency in very tricky Tampa Bay conditions to win the 2021 Lightning Winter championship. Racking up consistent top-four finishes, and without winning a race, team Starck bested current Youth World Champion Jeff Hayden and his team by nine points.

Nine races were completed over 4 days with 6 different teams winning a race. Team Hayden won 3 and teams using North won 8 of the 9 races. 22 of the 24 teams were powered by North. North-powered teams finished 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

Jeff Hayden, Mateo Rodriguez and Hannah Sellers, second place at the Winter Championship 📸  Courtesy St. Pete Yacht Club / Corey Hall

Savannah Deep South Regatta

After the great warm-up in St. Pete, David Starck and his team did it again, finishing consistently in the top 5 in all of the 4 races in Savannah. Teams powered by North again dominated the event finishing 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. David, Jenna and Tom were crowned the 2021 Lightning Southern Circuit winners.

Bill Faude, Ched Proctor (checking the shape of the mainsail) and Amy Simonsen 📸  Courtesy St. Pete Yacht Club / Corey Hall

 

Tito Gonzalez, Diego Natho and Alberto Gonzalez Jr. sailed a great event in St Pete with two bullets 📸  Courtesy St. Pete Yacht Club / Corey Hall

 

North Sails Nick Turney and Antonio Rojas concentrated on the race course. 📸  Courtesy St. Pete Yacht Club / Corey Hall

 

Tanner Probst, Debbie Probst and Dominique Wright, 5th place in St. Pete. 📸  Courtesy St. Pete Yacht Club / Corey Hall

Story Contributors

Lightning Designs Continue to Dominate the Circuit headshot
Brian Hayes

One Design Expert — Steelpointe Harbor, Connecticut

Brian has been a sailmaker at North for over 30 years. Starting out in handwork and layout he spent his early career in the Big Boat area sailing One Tonners and J35's amongst other offshore boats. In 1993 he transitioned...

Lightning Designs Continue to Dominate the Circuit headshot
Ched Proctor

One Design Expert, Sail Designer — Steelpointe Harbor, Connecticut

Ched Proctor started racing one design sailboats at Scituate Harbor Yacht Club on the south shore of MA when he was 10 and hasn’t stopped. He has worked at North Sails in Wisconsin, Melbourne, Australia (where he and John Bertrand...

Lightning Designs Continue to Dominate the Circuit headshot
Nick Turney

Cleveland Area Representative, One Design Expert, Sail Expert — Detroit, Michigan

Nick Turney grew up sailing in Toledo, Ohio, sailing out of North Cape Yacht Club. He continued through the Jr. Sailing program racing FJs, 420s, Lasers and Thistles. As a young sailor, Nick had the opportunity to race with several...

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