Marblehead NOOD

With a storm front moving through Massachusetts Bay Sunday afternoon, the conditions between Saturday and Sunday of the Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta in Marblehead could not have been more different. As the first guns sounded, the rain started to fall and by the third leg of the J/105 fleet’s first race the combination of light air and building chop kept many of the lead boats from making significant gains up the course. “It made the course very challenging going upwind,” said J/105 overall winner Ric Dexter. “Our fleet was extremely close, all three top boats were within one point of each other. Fred deNapoli in the second place boat, and Two Feathers [third place] from Dallas are all fantastic competition and inspirational sailors.” Dexter and his crew aboard Circe’s Cup not only won the J/105 class but also the Wilmington Trust leader spinnaker, a new award added to this year’s Marblehead NOOD.