{"id":1917,"date":"2020-08-18T03:50:31","date_gmt":"2020-08-18T03:50:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sailsporttalk.com\/?p=1917"},"modified":"2020-10-15T19:08:33","modified_gmt":"2020-10-15T19:08:33","slug":"kenny-read-knuckles-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sailsporttalk.com\/index.php\/2020\/08\/18\/kenny-read-knuckles-down\/","title":{"rendered":"Kenny Read knuckles down"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

North Sails President Ken Read is one of the world\u2019s most accomplished and celebrated sailors. He has twice won the US Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award and has nine World Championship titles. He joined North Sails in 1996 when the company acquired the sail-making business he\u2019d started with Dan Neri.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In twenty-plus years at North, Ken has mainly been on the selling side of the company while mixing in four sabbaticals; helming two of Dennis Conner\u2019s America\u2019s Cup programs and two PUMA Ocean Racing\u2019s Volvo Ocean Race campaigns.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2013, Ken returned to his business and sail-making roots as President of North Sails Group. He is still sailing actively, most recently making a name for himself in double handed events. Ken is an ambassador for the sport of sailing and serves as an NBC Sports color commentator for The America\u2019s Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/iframe>\n\n\n\nThis past weekend, Ken and teammate Suzy Leech won the Ida Lewis Distance Race in the Double Handed and Mixed Gender Classes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cThe 17-boat\u00a0Doublehanded Class<\/strong>, which sailed the 153 nm \u201cBlock Island Course\u201d, was won by the Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300\u00a0Alchemist<\/em>, sailed by Ken Read and Suzy Leech (Newport). This team also took first among three Mixed (Co-ed) Doublehanded crews. This category was included in a nod to a new such class at the 2024 Olympics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cIt was spectacular and hard,\u201d said Read, \u201cbut that\u2019s why we race,\u201d Read and Leech had to deal with an hourglass in their spinnaker at the start, taking it down to unwrap it and losing precious time. \u201cEveryone had their problems, but we just had the biggest one,\u201d said Read. \u201cWe recovered in one piece, which was important, since that was our only full-sized spinnaker and we could use it again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nOn the\u00a0final approach\u00a0to Buzzards Bay Tower, Read and Leech trailed by two miles behind the Figaro 3\u00a0Fearless<\/em>,\u00a0another Mixed Doublehanded entry\u00a0sailed by Jesse Fielding (Newport, R.I.) and Francesca Clapcich (Park City, Utah) of State Street Marathon Sailing Team. The\u00a0Alchemist<\/em>crew\u00a0got its break on the second long run to Block Island when they decided to break towards the coast\u00a0while\u00a0Fearless<\/em>\u00a0continued offshore. The move put them in more wind pressure and allowed\u00a0Alchemist<\/em>\u00a0to pass\u00a0Fearless<\/em>. \u201cWe were surprised as anybody,\u201d said Read, \u201cbecause if Fearless was going to have conditions that were theirs, this was it. Downwind their foils just must have lit up!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/EGW_9095.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1919\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/EGW_9095.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/EGW_9095.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/EGW_9095.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/EGW_9095.jpg?resize=1024%2C1536&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/EGW_9095.jpg?w=1365&ssl=1 1365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.northsails.com\/sailing\/en\/2020\/08\/doublehanded-debrief-live-with-ken-read\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/DJI_0013.jpg?resize=1024%2C575&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1921\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/DJI_0013-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C575&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/DJI_0013-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C168&ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/DJI_0013-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C431&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/DJI_0013-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C863&ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/DJI_0013-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1150&ssl=1 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Alchemist won the Doublehanded division (photo by Michele Almeida); Ken Read and Suzy Leech celebrate with Prosecco provided by sponsor Zardetto (photo courtesy North Sails\/Ellinor Walters)\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nYou\u2019re Invited: North Sails Double handed Debrief<\/strong> Webinar<\/strong> on Monday<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin<\/strong> North Sails President Ken Read live with special guests Suzy Leech and Brad Read as they debrief their summer of double handed sailing.<\/p>\n\n\n\nKen\u2019s year of double handed sailing kicked-off in February, a few weeks before we knew close-to-home, short-handed sailing would be so popular this summer. Luckily for Ken, talented crew and world-class competition are never hard to find in Newport, Rhode Island.<\/p>\n\n\n\nInspired by the growing double handed trend, Ken has been alternating races with his brother Brad and Suzy Leech. They\u2019ve been getting to know their boat Alchemist, a Sunfast 3300, and bonding as teammates. Putting in their miles on the Sunfast has brought them several successes, including winning the mixed gender and double-handed classes in the recent Ida Lewis Distance Race.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin the live webinar session on August 24<\/strong> at 3:00 pm ET:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-wordpress wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-north-sails\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/www.northsails.com\/sailing\/en\/2020\/08\/doublehanded-debrief-live-with-ken-read\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ida Lewis Distance Race\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CUy8pTgtTA4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/NorthSails_Bullet.png?resize=284%2C284&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1923\" width=\"284\" height=\"284\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/NorthSails_Bullet.png?w=729&ssl=1 729w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/NorthSails_Bullet.png?resize=300%2C300&ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/NorthSails_Bullet.png?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 284px) 100vw, 284px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<script>var clicky_site_ids = clicky_site_ids || []; clicky_site_ids.push(101272928);<\/script> \n<script async=\"\" src=\"\/\/static.getclicky.com\/js\"><\/script> \n<noscript><\/noscript><\/p>\n<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Clicky\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/in.getclicky.com\/101272928ns.gif?resize=1%2C1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<\/p><\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"North Sails President Ken Read is one of the world\u2019s most accomplished and celebrated sailors. He has twice won the US Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award and has nine World Championship titles. He joined North Sails in 1996 when the company acquired the sail-making business he\u2019d started with Dan Neri.\u00a0 In twenty-plus years at North, Ken has mainly been on the selling side of the company while mixing in four sabbaticals; helming two of Dennis Conner\u2019s America\u2019s Cup programs and two PUMA Ocean Racing\u2019s Volvo Ocean Race campaigns.\u00a0 In 2013, Ken returned to his business and sail-making roots as… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1918,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[122,223,3],"tags":[257,258,253,203,254,256,255,251,167,252],"class_list":["post-1917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-americas-cup","category-ida-lewis-yacht-club","category-the_show","tag-august-24","tag-dan-neri","tag-dennis-conner","tag-ida-lewis-distance-race","tag-nbc-sports","tag-suzy-leech","tag-the-americas-cup","tag-us-rolex-yachtsman-of-the-year","tag-volvo-ocean-race","tag-world-championship-north-sails-dennis-conner"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sailsporttalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01_vor120612_ross_0644-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C751&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sailsporttalk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sailsporttalk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sailsporttalk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sailsporttalk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sailsporttalk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1917"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/sailsporttalk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1917\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2106,"href":"https:\/\/sailsporttalk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1917\/revisions\/2106"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sailsporttalk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sailsporttalk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sailsporttalk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sailsporttalk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}