Proctor wins Lightning North Americans

Published on July 28th, 2018

San Diego, CA (July 28, 2018) – After an intense 10 race series and nail-biting final two races, the Connecticut based team of Ched Proctor, Charlie Proctor, and Meredith Killion were crowned 2018 Lightning North American Champions. This was not Proctor’s first victory, but rather, his fifth, after having claimed this championship in 1993, 1994, 2000, and 2011. Proctor is also the reigning Lightning Class Master world champion.

Marvin Beckmann, who had led by 5 points entering the day, fell to second, three points back of Proctor. His team of Meredith Ryan, the Lightning reigning Youth World Champion, and Jimmy Barnash, 2015 Class World Champion, hung tight with Proctor throughout the entire regatta. Todd Wake, Kristine Wake, and Doug Wake, finished a close third.

In race nine of the series and the first of today, Ched Proctor found an early lead by playing the middle left of the course, and eventually led at the windward mark. He was followed closely by Julio Velez and Kiko Quintero, both of Ecuador. By the second windward mark, Proctor had found a sizeable lead, but was chased to the bottom of the course by teams Wake and Velez.

Heading into the final race, team Proctor led team Beckmann by only one point, but owned the tiebreaker. The two teams were in the top group off of the line and remained tightly locked to each other around the course. They rounded the leeward mark in third and fourth place. A tacking battle ensued, and both teams dropped to the low teens. Julio Velez pounced on this opportunity and grew his lead to a sizeable margin. Proctor slipped around Beckmann as the two tacked up the right side, and crossed the line in twelfth place to secure victory.