This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
08/07/2013 12:00 AMThe winds blew, the sun baked, the skies darkened, and the 2013 Atlantic National Championship is now one for the record books. With 31 Atlantic sailboats hailing from South Carolina all the way to Maine competing for the national title, racing occurred off the shores of the Madison Beach Club on July 18-20. From Kolledgewidgewock Yacht Club in Blue Hill, Maine, Bill Barton is the 2013 Atlantic national champion.
Since 1981, Barton has crewed on various Atlantics in Blue Hill, Maine and he bought his Atlantic shortly after the 2008 Nationals. Barton's crew in Madison was comprised of Peter Smith, Peter Duncan, and Tom Blackwell.
Close behind in second place was skipper Scott Reichhelm and his crew from the Cedar Point Yacht Club, which was followed by Jeff Shay and his group from Niantic Bay Yacht Club in third place. Finishing in the top 10 overall with an eighth place was a local Madison Beach Club boat, Waypoint, skippered by Rory Coster with his crew of Rob Coster, Bryce Coster, and Grace Adams.
Participants included past class champions, U.S. Olympians, America's Cup sailors, collegiate All-Americans, and some legendary sailing rock stars. The Atlantic Class Association will celebrate its 85th Anniversary in 2014. John Rousmaniere, author of 29 books on sailing and yachting history, was on hand to interview past national champions, such as 1944 national champion Sharlie Barringer Perry, who was the only female skipper to win the national championship as Rousmaniere has been commissioned to write a book on the history of the class. Also in attendance was 1955 national champion David Noyes. Information courtesy of Barb Coster