Glenn Darden wins J/22 North Americans

Glenn Darden’s Baby Doll, sailing with Willem Van Waay, Jackson Benvenutti, and Min Min Kelly, won the 2023 J/22 North American Championship held July 14-16 in Kingston, Ontario. Seven races were held for the 22 boats, with Darden’s team able to secure the title prior to the final race.

Only two points separated places two through four, with Travis Odenbach’s Honeybadger taking the silver position (24 points), one ahead of Mike Gemperline’s Defiance sailing J/22 hull #16. This year marks the 40-year anniversary of the J/22.

“There should never be a quiet moment on the boat; constant information was key from the front to the back,” shared Kelly.

Added Willem Van Waay, “We had a sit-down talk after sailing the first day. How can we improve our game? We talked for a good hour on how to communicate clearer, our game plan, the rig, who to cover. Every start before the five-minute, we already knew exactly where we were at, our plan, our numbers, where to go and where we’re tacking. That was a big gain for our group.”

Jackson Benvenutti confirmed, “Everyone was on the same page, asking the questions. Glenn lets us know when something needs to change. What would be better for you to know? Always being open and flowing with the communication, such as we might sail the boat a little different if we knew the rig was tight.”

Race details – Results – Photos