Wilmer/McLaughlin Team Maintain Slim Advantage at J/105 North American Champions

Five races are now in the books, and just three points separate the top three teams at the J/105 North American Championship hosted by Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Rod Wilmer and Terry McLaughlin on Mandate notched a pair of seconds in Saturday’s races to total 10 points overall, heading into the final day of competition on Sunday. Knocking on the door are Rick Goebel’s Sanity (12 points) and Peter Hall’s Jamaica Me Crazy (13 points). No races occurred Friday due to lack of wind, but Saturday brought 4-8 knots under cloudless skies and temperatures in the high 70s on Lake Ontario. Competition was unable to get underway until mid-afternoon when Hall mastered the conditions, with Wilmer/McLaughlin and Goebel close behind. Goebel moved up to the top spot in the day’s other battle, as Wilmer and McLaughlin kept hold on second, and Hall dropped to third. Twenty-seven teams are competing from Bermuda, Canada and the United States. Racing concludes Sunday. Photos from Tim Wilkes, as well as complete results are available at