Quantum Key West Race Week 2016 got off to a rousing start on the City of Key West Day with strong winds welcoming the 133 boats in 12 classes, and organizers getting in three races on all three divisions. Sailors from 16 countries took to the azure waters off the southernmost point of the United States and found ideal conditions–northeast winds that exceeded 20 knots for Race 1 and diminished slightly for the subsequent starts when the sun broke through and brought out the seas so famous in Key West. It was a bumpy day on the water with three to four foot waves rolling through the course areas, giving a challenge for all teams. In the J/70 fleet, Carlo Alberini (Pesaro, Italy) and the Calvi Network crew picked up where they left off last year, posting a pair of bullets and taking third in the other race. Calvi Network captured class honors at Quantum Key West 2015 and earned Boat of the Week honors as a result. Tim Healy and his team on Helly Hansen got the gun in Race 3 to move into second place, five points astern of Calvi Network and just one ahead of Flojito Y Cooperando (Julian Fernandez Neckelman, Mexico City). It is no surprise to see those three boats atop the leader board since they finished 1-2-3 at the J/70 World Championship. “It was a great day on the water. I’m glad we got three races in, real happy the race committee decided to do that,” said Healy, whose team overcame a broken spinnaker halyard. “It was breezy and really bumpy, a lot more than I remember. We’re pleased with how we did on the first day.” And the Corinthian Boat of the Day winner was Luis Bugallo’s J/70 Marnatura from Vigo, Spain, on the strength of earning a 13-12-13 scorecard today in the 54-boat class. Photos are available on the J/70 Facebook page, and complete results may be found at http://www.yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=1390.