Doyle One Design is thrilled to have its customers bring on the 1,2 punch again in the J70 Class at Charleston Race Week. Pamela Rose and her team on Rosebud truly blossomed this past weekend, placing 2nd with all but one race in the top 5. Joel Ronning and his team on Catapult placed 1st with a total of six bullets. We were able to catch up with Catapult’s trimmer, Patrick Wilson, after the event. He described a combination of puffy shifty conditions and 5 plus feet of tide making a difficult, but fun racing environment. Patrick mentioned a few attributing elements that lead to Catapult’s victory:
“The flexibility of the Doyle Main and Jib combo to change gears quickly was a big factor to our success. Most days we saw a very wide range of breeze. On any single beat, 8-20 knots was not uncommon. Communication and teamwork, with the rapidly changing conditions working well together is a must. We have been lucky enough to have been together for a while and it’s beginning to show. I was born and raised in Charleston, so I think a little local knowledge never hurts. For me, it was pretty cool that our weather mark was usually set in the same area where I first took sailing lessons.”
Joel Ronning agrees, “Our team communication is the strongest I’ve ever seen on a boat. We’ve been clicking really well together.” Victor Diaz de Leon joined the team last year as tactician and Ronning has been impressed by the way he has blended in with bow man Chris Stocke, and trimmer, Patrick Wilson. Catapult is powered by Doyle Main M2 and Jib J8R.
Victor Diaz de Leon, tactician on Catapult added, “Charleston was a great event for us. Being able to go fast allowed us to keep our heads out of the boat and really focus on the wind-shifts and the current. We are very happy to come away with the win in a deep fleet with so many sailors that we respect and look up to.“
Driver and Owner Pamela Rose comments on Rosebud’s performance,“CRW was especially thrilling for me, as the competition was tough and the conditions very challenging. I was so impressed with the team: Lucas (Calabrese), Erik (Shampain), and Jud (Smith) worked non-stop on and off the boat to make us faster.” Pamela noted that Rosebud flew downwind. Rosebud used a new Doyle J8R in Charleston, but she this is the sixth regatta she has used her Doyle M2 Main and S10 Spin!Pamela mentioned, “Catapult and Relative Obscurity were training partners and I appreciate their support in helping my program advance during Charleston Race Week.”
