Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI (1888PressRelease)
March 31, 2008 - Hosted at: Wayzata Yacht Club, Lake Minnetonka, MN
Minnetonka, Minn.—Fleet #1 is proud to announce that the 2008 J/24 North American Championship will be held on Lake Minnetonka, September 8 – 12, 2008. This is the 30th anniversary of the event and the Wayzata Yacht Club is gearing up to make this an exceptional celebration with spirited racing.
J/24 Fleet #1, founded in 1977 by John Gjerde, invites J/24 sailors from throughout North America to join them in this exciting regatta. Lake Minnetonka—with 14,000 acres of water, 120 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth averaging 40 feet to as much as 113 feet—is well known for windy fall days, competitive sailboat racing and spectacular vistas.
“We are excited to be hosting the 30th J/24 North American Championship,” says Tim Oelschlager, district governor. “The J/22 North American Championship was held here in 2006. Nearly 60 sailboats on the starting line from across North America proved the success of the regatta.”
“Challenging wind shifts and strong fall breeze make Lake Minnetonka the perfect setting for racing J/24s,” explains Oelschlager. “Fleet #1 has thrived since 1977 and is home to some of the leading competitors including John Dennis, Billy Allen and Chad Olness. One of the first boats off the production line—007—still races competitively at the top of the fleet.”
The entry fee includes exhilarating racing as well as food, entertainment and beverages throughout the regatta. Early sponsors include Kattack, The Print Shop and Commerce Label, Inc. For information on sponsorship opportunities, registration and event details, visit http://www.j24northamericans.com/sail.
The Wayzata Yacht Club and the neighboring Minnetonka Yacht Club have a strong one-design mentality and Lake Minnetonka has a long history of highly competitive sailboat racing. These two core attributes helped create the first J/24 fleet. J/24 Fleet #1 is still thriving and is one of the most competitive fleets in the upper Midwest. To learn more about the history of the J/24 Fleet #1, visit www.j24northamericans.com/sail.
