Steve Benjamin and his team sailed a very good race on the new boat Stella Blue to claim the2017 US Etchells Nationals.
There is always an apprehension when a sailor gets a new boat to race. He has butterflies in his stomach thinking about how the boat will perform and will it be able to match the performance of the previous boat. But, the Stella Blue did not show any signs of taking part in its first major race and helped Benjamin and his team to win the US Etchells National Championship of 2017.
This event was held as the inaugural event of the New York Yacht Club One-Design Regatta in Newport. The J/70 and the Melges 20 fleets also took part in this inaugural event in Newport. Benjamin and his team were a force during the three-day regatta event. They won 4 out of the 7 races and finished the series with a 17 point edge over second placed George Francisco. The third place went to Chris Larson, who finished just one point behind George.
Benjamin said that it was due to a very good team work that he was able to win the US Etchells championship. He showered heaps of praises on his team that included Mike Menninger, David Hughes, and Ian Liberty. He said that they had a very good camaraderie and chemistry between them. Their teamwork is growing and growing and they are expected to enjoy more success in the near future.
Michael and Benjamin have been sailing together for a long time. With the addition of David Hughes to the team in 2016, the team has gotten stronger. Benjamin has been in good form for the last 15 months and this is why he did not have any issues sailing on the new boat.