Lawrie Smith tops Etchells winter circuit

The 2024-25 Etchells Biscayne Bay Series concluded its 4-event schedule with the Midwinters East Regatta held February 14-16 in Miami, FL. Forty-seven teams competed in the eight races, with Andrew Macrae topping the event that had seven different winners.

Leading the season from start to finish was British sailor Lawrie Smith (above). The Olympian, America’s Cup skipper, and four-time Whitbread Round the World Race veteran teamed up with David Hughes, Ruairidh Scott, and Monica Morgan aboard Mila (GBR 1511), securing podium finishes in all four regattas—including a victory at the Sid Doren Memorial in January. Smith credited his success to an exceptional crew and “more good luck than bad luck.”

Smith noted that their biggest challenge was overcoming a tough start at Midwinters, where they had to recover from finishes of 16th and 17th. “When you look around, the boats have the same masts, sails, and setups. Off the line, the speeds are all very similar, so if you make one mistake, you’re out the back. All the top crews want to win in the Etchells because they know it’s the most competitive keelboat racing in the world.”

Just behind Smith in the overall standings was Midwinters winner Macrae on CruelJane 2.0 (CAN 1501). Macrae couldn’t pinpoint a single factor behind his team’s success but credited their long-standing program and steady improvements in consistency.

“It’s always such an asset to be able to tune with Jud Smith,” he shared. “We did that before Midwinters and really focused on our weaknesses—I think that paid off. We know we have an extremely fast boat with all the tools to win, and combined with Luke Lawrence’s natural skill and feel, plus how well we mesh as a team, I have really high hopes for us going forward.”

Third place overall went to Rick Merriman and Big E (USA 1453), who won the Florida State Championship and credits adjusting rig-tune setups resulting in improved boat speed to their incremental success. “We struggled initially with too much windward helm. Once we eliminated it, our boat speed came alive which enabled us to be competitive with the top of the fleet.”

Finishing atop the Corinthian podium and 4th overall was Andrew Lawson’s No Dramas (GBR 1490) with Graham Vials on helm and Bill Russell trimming. “Our goal was to compete strongly in the Open division, maintain consistency across every regatta, and secure the Corinthian title,” said Lawson. “We’ve had a great winter and really enjoyed the tight competition.”

Defending Biscayne Bay Series champion and Etchells Class President Jim Cunningham and his crew aboard Lifted (USA 1504) finished 5th overall.

More than 40 boats were consistently on the starting line with 57 boats from seven nations competing throughout the three-month winter series. Wrapping up his 15th season as series organizer, Jeff Nehms reflected on the challenges and successes of the 2025 series:

“The Winter Etchells Series tested our patience this season, with the wind gods giving us a strong start, followed by a stretch of light-air challenges, and then a fantastic finish with eight races. We’re grateful for the perseverance of our sailors and the dedication of our race committee volunteers, whose hard work ensured a great season on the water.”

The Winter Series was scored using each team’s top two results from the first three events plus their Midwinters score.

Series information – Notice of Series – Series results

2024-25 Etchells Biscayne Bay Series
December 7-8 – Louis Piana Cup
January 11-12 – Sidney Doren Memorial Regatta
February 1-2 – Florida State Championship
February 14-16 – Midwinters East Regatta