Congratulations to Keith Bennett who is the 2023 Catalina 22 National Champion and the Spinnaker Fleet Champion. Crewing for Keith was Doug Thome.
It was a very challenging week of racing as Keith's very good friend, and fellow Dixie Sailing Club member, Mickey Richardson took second place in the Gold Fleet (three points behind Keith). Chip Embrey took third place. Duane Hebdige (4th place), Randy Pawlowski (5th place) and Richard Gailey (6th place) duked it out all week long for top finishing positions.
Two-time National Champion Keith Bennett has been a long-time member of the Catalina 22 National Sailing Association and has participated in Catalina 22 National Championships for over 25 years. Throughout his Catalina 22 racing career, Keith has regularly traveled to dozens and dozens of very competitive events at the regional and national level, including the Catalina 22 Midwinters. It has been a long and steady climb to the top and Keith Bennett is clearly at the top of his game. Keith was in good hands with Doug Thome who has also crewed on at least eight or more Catalina 22 National Championship winning boats for nearly two decades.
Congratulations to the Dixie Sailing Club who dominated the Gold, Silver and Spinnaker fleets. The Dixie Sailing Club may need to add a new room to their club house to show case all their winning hardware from a long list of winning skippers!
Photographs by Eric Weist of Weist Photography.