John Mollicone’s Helly Hansen team has seized the lead after four races on the opening day of the J/24 Midwinter Championship in Miami, FL. Sailing with Geoff Becker, Tim Healy, Collin Leon and Gordon Borges, defending champion Mollicone notched three bullets plus a fifth to total 8 points thus far. Robby Brown’s USA799 also excelled in the 27-boat fleet, scoring all top three finishes for 10 points and second place. Travis Odenbach’s Honey Badger rests in third with 16 points. Under sunny skies and temperatures around 82 degrees at Coral Reef Yacht Club, winds started at 12 knots when Mollicone began the regatta with a victory, trailed by Odenbach and Brown. By race two, winds decreased to 6 knots, as Odenbach moved up to the top spot, with Brown and John Poulson’s Long Shot completing the top three. By the third contest, breezes rebounded to 8-10, as Mollicone took the win, followed by Peter Bream’s Team Tarheel and Brown. In the day’s final battle, Mollicone again bested the fleet, as Brown and Luis Olcese’s Scaramoush rounded out the upper trio in winds between 6-8 knots. Racing continues through Sunday. Photos are available on the J/24 Class Facebook page, and complete results (click here).