Thirty J/22s got back to Championship racing at the J/22 Midwinter Championship hosted by Southern Yacht Club in New Orleans, LA. Conditions were breezy and bumpy on Lake Pontchartrain, testing some boats and equipment. Glenn Darden on Baby Doll mastered the shifts, winning two of three races and placing second in the other for 4 points and the early advantage. Travis Odenbach’s Honeybadger bounced back from being over early in race two, and added a pair of top three finishes for second place overall (14 points). Casey Lambert’s Blackburn Marine Racing stands three points back in third. Nine total races are planned through Sunday. Eager teams were greeted with a grey sky, and winds consistently in the mid-teens. Odenbach opened the regatta with a bullet, trailed by Darden and Benz Faget’s Fats. Darden earned his first victory in the next contest, ahead of Tommy Meric Jr.’s Carnival Time and Lambert. Following Darden in the day’s final match were Alexander Schwinn’s Tilt and Odenbach. Photos are available on the J/22 Class Facebook page, and complete results may be found at www.j22mw.com.