The Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series – Annapolis was hosted by Annapolis Yacht Club on May 13-15. Jeff Todd and his teammates on the J/22 Hot Toddy have finished second in their class at the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series in Annapolis more times than they can, or care, to remember, but this weekend they finally broke the curse with a win in their 22-boat fleet. After sailing five races in extremely challenging conditions: light winds, strong currents and a talent-packed fleet of competitors, Todd and his crew prevailed with a consistent string of top-five finishes. “We are experienced Chesapeake Bay sailors, so we’re used to dealing with the conditions we had this weekend,” Todd said. “These are our normal sailing conditions, which may be frustrating for others, but we’re used to it.” Todd contributed his team’s success over the three-day regatta to good starts and boatspeed, but mainly to his team keeping their cool when things went wonky. “We were always in the hunt at the first weather mark and a couple of times we passed people on the run,” he says. “In the short, half-mile legs we had, we had to get a good start and stay ahead. We set the rig loose, the headstay loose and just tried to keep the boat moving and find the breeze. The boat needs power.” The J/22s and other classes racing closer to the entrance to the Severn River enjoyed more localized wind throughout the weekend. Mason Cook represented the Helly Hansen Junior Crew. Sandy Adzick’s Hot Ticket topped the Mixed Plus division. For comprehensive results, visit https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eid=14802.