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Jim Cunningham (USA) won the 2023 Coral Reef Cup, held March 17-19 in Miami, FL. The event, which attracted 46 teams, also counted as the Etchells North American Championship and the final chance for teams to race at the venue for the 2023 Etchells World Championship to be held April 16-21.
Following a four-event Winter Series held on Biscayne Bay which endured multiple abandonments due to weather, class meteorologist Chelsea Carlson of Sea-Tactics was pleased to see the venue return to form. “Finally really nice conditions in Miami,” she said. “Exactly what we are hoping for in April and good preparation for the teams. Friday we had a southeasterly at 11-14 knots, Saturday was a 6-11 knot southerly, and Sunday was northeast 10-15.”
At the end of Friday after 3 races, Steve Benjamin with his brand new Etchells, Stella Blue (USA 1427), was at the top of the podium with all top 10 finishes with George Francisco’s American Baby (USA 1454) just behind followed by the Winter Series Champion Jim Cunningham’s Lifted (USA 1504).
Saturday started with winds in the 8-12 knot range but then died to 5 knots, so the fifth race was postponed until the breeze filled back in. Once six races were completed, teams could throw out their worst race. Cunningham climbed to the top of the results on Saturday and continued to hold onto his momentum through Sunday becoming the new 2023 North American Champion.
Cunningham and crew Steve Hunt, Erik Shampain, and Serena Vilage are finally the brides not the bridesmaids after multiple recent second-place finishes – including the 2022 North Americans held at Shelter Harbor Yacht Club on Long Island…
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