J/Sailing News
The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide
What a difference a week makes in late spring regards weather patterns. While the USA and Canada are still stuck in a messy pattern over North America, Eurasia had what amounted to a “glam” week of weather last weekend. Seemingly, most places had sun, lots of wind (some too much), and even “shorts & shades” temperatures! The Italians for sure had fun sailing on the Adriatic Sea where the second event in their summer long Italian J/70 Cup series took place off Ancona, on the eastern shoreline, south of Venice. Forty-five boats reveled in the breezy conditions. Then, off to their west, the famous PalmaVela Regatta took place off Palma, Mallorca, Spain, with a one-design fleet of J/80s and an ORC fleet that included a super-fast J/97E and well-sailed J/122. Literally sailing in the same waters was the first qualifying event for the SAILING Champions League raced in J/70s on the Bay of Palma, twenty-six teams from Russia to England, and Finland to Spain sailed in the four-day, sun-kissed, wind-blessed event. Then, further west, we find the RORC Vice Admirals Cup Regatta taking place off Cowes, England. Participating were one-design classes of J/70s, J/109s, J/111s and a Performance 40 IRC handicap fleet with a quite quick J/122E.Flying across the Atlantic to N.A., the first long offshore race of the season was sailed on Long Island Sound, a big fleet of boats from across the Northeast sailed in Larchmont Yacht Club’s Edlu Distance Race (a day race); sailing were sixteen J/models (J/44, J/30, J/111, J/109, J/121, J/120, J/92, J/42, J/105, J/124, J/100, J/88, J/112E, J/97E, & J/133)! Then, it was busy on the Pacific coast for two offshore races. In San Francisco, the Singlehanded Sailing Society hosted their annual Singlehanded Farallones Race; that mad dash out of San Francisco Bay, out into the big wide blue Pacific Ocean, around a harrowing clump of rocks known as the Farallones, then back inside the safety of the Bay. The J/105 and J/120 sailing the race did great- yet another sunny light to medium air race! Finally, one of the classic “feeder races” for the Swiftsure International Race and for a summer of great sailing on Seattle’s Puget Sound and further north was Corinthian YC of Portland’s Oregon Offshore Race. Starting off Astoria, Oregon, at opening of the Columbia River, the boats head north around Cape Flattery at the opening of the Juan de Fuca Strait, then head ESE to the finish at Victoria, British Columbia in Canada. Sailing fast were a J/121, J/42, and a trio of J/105s.
Thrills for Two, The Clever New J/99(Hamble, England)- According to Yachting World’s Pip Hare, “the J/99 is all thrills, no frills on board the versatile 32 foot offshore speedster.” She continued to explain her feelings and perspective in this in-depth test of the J/99 sailing in the Solent in southern England:
“We ghosted down the Hamble River under mainsail alone, the water slipping silently past our red hull in the grainy half-light of a winter morning. We’d hoisted the mainsail in our marina berth, then sailed out into the river, the engine left in tick-over for less than two minutes almost as a token gesture. I felt like a naughty kid, slipping out, while the rest of the world was still waking up; going to make some trouble.
I had come to test the new J/99, sailing double-handed with the British J/Boats importer J/U.K. on a chilly, blustery January morning. Within ten minutes our demure departure was all but forgotten as we came bursting out of Southampton Water, our senses assaulted from all angles by the bitter north wind and our 100m2 day-glo spinnaker. As the sun rose, everything about the day and this little powerhouse of a boat became bright, sharp and dynamic. I don’t know what the rest of the world was doing at 0800 on that January morning, but we were having a blast.
The eagerly awaited J/99 directly targets a growing demographic of sailors who enjoy the fantastic short-handed racing scene available all across Europe. Of the 50+ orders already confirmed, over half of the new owners intend to race short-handed and it was with this type of sailing in mind I arrived to make the test.
The new design incorporates some interesting changes for J/Boats, which bring the J/99 into line with its closest rivals in this area of the market. Gone is the retractable bowsprit and furling jib, which have been the stalwarts of J/Boat design for close to 20 years, making way for a beamier shape, a fixed bowsprit and a hank-on jib. It’s different, but despite the new features, this still remains resolutely ‘J’ in its appearance and feel.
From the first moment I stepped into the cockpit, this boat struck me with its no-nonsense approach. Sail handling is simple, the cockpit clean and well laid-out, the helm dynamic and responsive. Just cruising down the river, the boat felt light and seemed to directly translate every puff of wind into increased speed. Compared to the Class 40s I have spent much of the last two years racing, the J/99 felt like a go-cart – a promising combination of agility and power.” Read the rest of her in-depth review of the J/99 on Yachting World here. For more J/99 Offshore Speedster sailboat information
J/121 Spring Tune-Up(Newport, RI)- For the second year in a row, J/Boats is hosting the J/121 Spring Tune-up Regatta at Newport Shipyard on the famous Newport Harbor. The event is open to all J/121s and is free. For any J/Sailors interested in checking out J/121s, please come on down to the docks and take a peek!
The schedule starts Friday, May 17th at 1230 hrs for the Welcome and check-in. Then, there will be on-the-water training on Narragansett Bay in the afternoon. Afterwards, there is a debrief session with munchies and refreshments.
On Saturday, there will be a skipper’s briefing at 0930 hrs and, thereafter, there is starting drills and short-course racing with on-the-water coaching until 1600 hrs. Again, a debrief with refreshments at Newport Shipyard will conclude the event. To learn more about the J/121 offshore speedster
Scottish Islands Peaks Race Preview
(Oban, Scotland)- This adventure race is for teams of sailors and “fell” runners (both youth and adult) and is held annually around the most beautiful parts of the west coast of Scotland.
The race starts in Oban (northwest of Glasgow) with a short hill run, and then the teams sail to Salen on the Isle of Mull, about 20.0nm south. After a run over Ben More on Mull, back to the boats and a sail to Craighouse on the Isle of Jura, about 45.0nm further south. After running the Paps, back aboard for the longest sail to the Isle of Arran, about 82.0nm to the south, then east. The last run is around the Goat Fell, then a short sail east over to Troon, about 17.0nm. The race takes 3 to 4 days in total. The sailing part is about 165.0nm, the running part covers about 60.0 miles and 11,500 feet of climbing.Each team consists of five (usually 2 runners and 3 sailors), and there is also an All-Rounders class for sailors that can run or runners that can sail, and a class for Youth (with the assistance of a few adults).
Background
The race has several objectives:
- one is to encourage sailors to appreciate fell running, for runners to appreciate sailing, and for both to enjoy what must be some of the best sailing and hill running in the world.
- another is to help to build the self-confidence of the youngsters sailing in the Youth Teams.
- Yet another is to raise funds for various good causes; but
- the main objective is to provide a challenging experience to sailors and runners who may be too busy to devote weeks to sailing the Atlantic or trekking in Tibet, but who still relish overcoming a challenge which is well beyond those normally encountered in our modern well-insulated lives.
Many teams return year after year for their annual battle against the elements over one of the most beautiful running and sailing courses in the world. Perhaps, part of its charm is that every year brings its own memorable scenes, whether it is getting ahead of your nearest rival by means of a ‘cunning plan’, racing neck and neck with another team under spinnaker, gliding quietly through the water as dawn breaks, or encountering numerous whales and dolphins. The mountains offer a wide variety of challenging terrain and the sailing is equally varied so that, coupled with un-rivaled views of mountains and sea, so that each year brings a totally unique team experience for everyone.
Although the race can be extremely competitive, for most people, it is not the thought of winning that brings them, but simply the pleasure of sailing and running in the company of a great crowd of like-minded people. We all love the hills and seas of the Scottish West Coast and the race is just an excuse for the annual jamboree when we can celebrate our good fortune at being able to experience this great adventure in these wonderful surroundings and in such good company.
The sole J/crew this year will be a Youth Team on the J/110 BLUE BIRD owned by Iain Loudon. The FETTES CHOCOLATES Company is their sponsor. The crew consists of Laurie Mill, Ben Rushton, Maggie Rait, Duncan Harrison, Ellie Marks, Fiona Rees, Louisa Letts, James Mackman, Hector Tomlyn, and Murray Wilson. They will collectively be taking on thirty-nine other teams in the event! For more Scottish Islands Peaks Race sailing information
Open House! See the NEW J/99 Offshore Speedster
Newport - Houston - San Francisco!
(Newport, RI)- Treat yourself to a visit to take a tour of the new boat that is taking over Europe by storm (50+ boats) and is turning heads everywhere it goes around the world! The new J/99 shorthanded offshore
speedster will have an Open House on Saturday, June 1st at three different locations nationwide- Newport, RI / Houston (Seabrook), TX / San Francisco (Alameda), CA.If you wish to see the J/99 firsthand, please fill out the online webform here to get an invitation and more details.
For more J/99 Shorthanded Offshore Speedster information
Regatta & Show Schedules:
May 17-18- J/121 Spring Tune-Up- Newport, RIMay 25- Spinnaker Cup Race- San Francisco, CA
May 27- Coastal Cup Race- Monterey, CA
May 30- Jun 2- Gran Prix Ecole de Navale- Brest, France
May 30- SoCal 300 Race- San Diego, CA
May 31- RORC North Sea Race- Cowes, England
May 31- Jun 2- Southern Bay Race Week- Hampton, VA
Jun 1- Delta Ditch Run- Richmond, CA
Jun 1-2- Cal Race Week- Marina del Rey, CA
Jun 1-2- Cedar Point One-Design Regatta- Cedar Point, CT
Jun 1-2- Skyway Colors Regatta- Chicago, IL
Jun 7-9- Helly Hansen Chicago NOOD Regatta- Chicago, IL
Jun 7-15- Rolex Giraglia Cup Regatta- St. Tropez, France
Jun 8- Bermuda One-Two Race- Newport, RI
Jun 8- Farallones Race- San Francisco, CA
Jun 8-9- Lady Liberty Cup J/24 Regatta- New York Harbor, NY
For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.
Spectacular PalmaVela Regatta
J/97E Dominates ORC Class, Big Battle in J/80s
(Palma Mallorca, Spain)- The first major offshore sailing event on the Mediterranean calendar took place this past weekend- the 16th edition of Sail Racing PalmaVela. Organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma, the regatta for 124 teams from 23 countries was held from the 8th to 12th of May. The sailors were treated to four spectacular days of sailing on the beautiful Bay of Palma.
In the ORC 2 Class, the Frenchman Olivier Parchet & Russian Andrey Kochnev’s joined forces on the J/122 NOISY OYSTER to take fifth place with a 4-3-5-5-4 record for 16 pts. Then, in the ORC 4 Class, Englishman Scott Beattie’s J/97E JUST THE JOB completely cleaned house, so to speak, sweeping the class with a record of all 1sts to count for 4 pts net!
Sailing nearly as dominating in the J/80 one-design class was Miquel Pujadas & Helena Alegre’s ATILA, they won counting six 1sts and two 2nds for 10 pts net! However, the big battle took place just behind them for the balance of the top five. In the end, it was Kristyn Gills’ COOPER RIGGING that placed second with 17.5 pts net, Jason Beaver’s NAUTIPAINTS was third with 24.5 pts net, 4th was Pablo Mellino’s Spanish crew on ALOJA with 27 pts net, and 5th was Andrew Cheetham’s British crew on CONFERMA with 34 pts net.
What was fascinating to observe in the lead up to the TP52 Super Series was how many of the top teams were led by former (and current) J/Owners and J/Sailing alumni. Here is the breakdown of top J/sailors dominating the TP52 class:
1st- Ed Baird (J/24 World Champion) steering Doug Devos’ QUANTUM RACING (J/44 Great Lakes Champion/ Chicago-Mac Race winners). The same team has included Terry Hutchinson as skipper/ tactician (J/24 World Champion and now spearheading the New York YC America’s Cup campaign).
2nd- Harm Muller Spreer’s PLATOON- from Germany- J/70s
3rd- Alberto Roemmer’s AZZURA- from Italy- J/24s
4th- Takashi Okura’s SLED- from Japan- J/24s in Japan and J/70s in the USA
6th- Hasso Plattner & daughter Kristina Plattner’s PHOENIX- from Germany- J/24, J/105, J/125
7th- Vladimir Liubomirov’s BRONENOSEC- from Russia with USA tactician Morgan Larson- J/24s
9th- Tony Langley’s GLADIATOR- UK- J/24s in England
Sailing photo credits- Nico Martinez. For more PalmaVela Regatta sailing information
NRV Tops SAILING Champions League- Qualifier I
(Palma de Mallorca, Spain)- Norddeutscher Regatta Verein from Germany took advantage of sensational sailing conditions in Palma de Mallorca to win the first of three qualifiers in season six of the SAILING Champions League. The top eight finishing clubs from Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Finland secured a place at the Final in St Moritz, Switzerland later this summer.
It was the first time the SAILING Champions League has visited the beautiful Mediterranean island of Mallorca, a mecca for grand prix sailing. Hosted by Club Nàutic S’Arenal, the sailors from 26 yacht clubs and 16 nations loved the stellar racing conditions along the waterfront. Racing off the beach front resorts gave spectators front row seats on the incredibly fast and tight competition that took place over four days.
Florian Haufe, who skippered Norddeutscher Regatta Verein to victory in the dreamy chamber of commerce sunny and breezy conditions, commented: “We just had four days with perfect sailing conditions, really close races and very tough competition. I have a great team to sail with. It was our goal to secure a place at the SAILNG Champions League Final in St Moritz this August and we made it!” Haufe’s NRV crew included David Heitzig, Miklas Meyer, and Dorian Heitzing.
The top eight finishing teams in Palma secured a place at the Final in St Moritz, Switzerland from 15 to 18 August 2019. The eight qualified clubs are:
- Norddeutscher Regatta Verein- Germany
- Club Nautique de Versoix- Switzerland
- Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub- Denmark
- Société Nautique de Genève- Switzerland
- Kaløvig Bådelaug- Denmark
- WSV Almere Centraal- The Netherlands
- Frederikshavn Sejlklub- Denmark
- Brändö Seglare- Finland
The Palma regatta was the first of three SAILING Champions League Qualifiers, with the second event due to be hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, from 23 to 26 May. A few weeks later it’s on to St Petersburg, Russia, from 4 to 7 July for the third and concluding Qualifier before the grand final in August.
SAP Sailing Analytics provided 24/7 statistics and data for sailors, fans, spectators and media like GPS tracking, real-time analysis, and a live leaderboard combined with 2D visualization. You can find all results here on the SAP Sailing Analytics site: http://scl2019-qualifier1.sapsailing.com!
Watch this fun, entertaining 2019 SAILING Champions League highlights video here on YouTube:
For more SAILING CHAMPIONS League sailing information
Great Sailing @ RORC Vice Admirals Cup
J/122E Wins, J/109s & J/111s Enjoy Tight Class Racing!
(Cowes, England)- The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s annual Vice Admiral’s Cup Regatta was sailed this past weekend on the every capricious Solent. The fleet was treated to a wide variety of weather conditions, cloudy to sunny, light to breezy, shifty to streaky, and, of course, lots and lots of current off Cowes! Here is how it all went down over the three-day event for the one-design classes of J/70s, J/109s, and J/111s.
Day One- Light Freaky Friday
The opening day served up light airs, with big shifts and wind reversals that challenged competitors and race officials alike. A quiet morning quickly gave way to an afternoon that started with fast-paced action on both course areas.
The first start was for the J/111 and J/109 classes in a very shifty southwesterly of 10-12 knots that created plenty of tactical challenges in a tight race with a short 0.8 mile windward leg. The fleet strongly favored the committee boat end of the line and the first start was abandoned with 40 seconds to go.
In the restart, the fleet was more spaced out, with Cornel Riklin's J/111 JITTERBUG closest to the pin end of the line. Both Simon Bamford's KESTREL and Joerg Sigg's LALLEKONIG appeared well placed mid-line, but the former was OCS.
It was an intense race for the J/111s, with two laps completed in only 35 minutes, and the first five boats finishing just 69 seconds apart. Joerg Sigg's Swiss LALLEKONIG took victory, 20 seconds ahead of Tony Mack's McFLY, with Cornel Riklin's JITTERBUG third.
Day Two- Strong, Shifty Saturday
The second day of racing delivered four short, sharp races that tested the 72 competing boats and hundreds of sailors over a wide range of conditions. It was day of intensely close racing in a very shifty north-northwesterly breeze of mostly 10-15 knots, but with a number of lighter spells and a brief squall that saw gusts above 20 knots.
“Today was really enjoyable, with great racing and good courses set in tricky conditions,” said Christopher Daniel- his J/122e JUNO was leading the Performance 40 class. “It was a big challenge to make sure we stayed in phase with the 20-25 degree wind shifts, but it was champagne sailing. We came ashore with big smiles.”
The J/70 class joined the action for the first time on Saturday, with the fleet enthusiastic to get away. Five boats – Andrew Barraclough’s JENGA 8, David Atkinson’s RASCAL RACING, Patrick Liardet’s COSMIC, Doug Streuth’s DSP and Adam Munday’s OCEAN ROPE – were all called over at the start of the first race.
This left the way open for Paul Ward’s EAT SLEEP J REPEAT to pull out an impressive 10 length lead by the end of the first beat. He was followed by Charlie Thompson’s BRUTUS and “the comeback kids” on Liardet’s COSMIC, even though the latter also lost out through overstanding the first mark. In the end, Ward finished more than a minute ahead of Clive Bush’s DARCEY, while COSMIC took third just four seconds later.
DSP won the second race, but slipped down to 11th in the third race. The fourth and final race of the day saw Darcey take a commanding win, ahead of BRUTUS. In the tightest of finishes, Philip Rees’ BRYN took third place just three seconds later, and DSP fourth, seven seconds later.
The larger yachts sailed in a different course area, further east. The third race of the day saw fast-paced action in its closing stages as a shower swept across the race area. With the wind speed peaking beyond 20 knots the leaders powered to the finish in full planing mode.
The Performance 40 class raced for the first time today. Christopher Daniel’s J/122e JUNO rose to an early overall lead with a second place followed by two wins over the fast King 40s.
Tony Mack’s McFLY asserted near dominance in the J/111 fleet, taking two decisive wins and two second places. The winner of yesterday’s race, Joerg Sigg’s LALLEKONIG took a 30 percent points penalty for an infringement in race 3, and now lies one point behind McFLY in the overall standings.
Competition further down the fleet is equally strong in this class, with Chris Jones’ JOURNEYMAKER II on 14 points, and both Jan Van Berne’s RED HERRING and Cornel Riklin’s JITTERBUG on 15 points going into the final day.
Chris Preston’s J/109 JUBILEE started the day with back-to-back race wins, and took second in the next two. However, with a discard applied, Simon Perry’s JIRAFFE retained a single point advantage in the overall rankings. Mike Yates’ JAGO also notched up three podium finishes today, but slipped to sixth in the penultimate race and is eight points adrift in third overall.
Day 3- Simply Splendid Sunday
Summer sun returned for Sunday’s racing, with bright sun and rising temperatures, but initially without any wind. The committee boats left the dock when the beginnings of a southerly of 2-3 knots sprang up in the central Solent at 1030 hrs. Half an hour later, it had swung into the southeast and increased to 8 knots and the AP flags signaling the postponement came down at 1100.
The Performance 40 class went into the final day with a much tighter leaderboard- Chris Daniel's J/122E JUNO led the class, counting four points from three races, just one point ahead of a King 40.
At the start of the opening race two boats headed off to the right hand side of the course and rounded 1-2, closely followed by Daniel’s J/122E JUNO. By the end of the race, the JUNO team sailed impeccably, crossing the line first and saving her time on the fleet. JUNO took another decisive victory in the final race to win overall 10 points ahead the next boat.
At the start of the day, five boats were still in contention for a podium place in the J/111 fleet. A win in both of today's races sealed Tony Mack's class victory on McFLY, 6.5 points ahead of Sigg's LALLEKONIG. The three-way fight for third was resolved in favor of Chris Jones' JOURNEYMAKER II, thanks to his two second places.
Last year's J/109 class winner, Simon Perry's JIRAFFE went into the final day one point ahead of Chris Preston's JUBILEE. Both were neck and neck at the end of the first run of today's first race, with JUBILEE rounding the mark inside JIRAFFE. Both had been late to drop their spinnakers, which were still hoisted to the lower spreaders, as they turned up to windward. JUBILEE was quick to complete the drop, however JIRAFFE had a snag and had slipped to leeward and astern by the time it was sorted.
In a tight finish, that saw more than half the fleet cross the line in just 22 seconds, JIRAFFE recovered to lead by 12 seconds ahead of JUBILEE, with RNSA's JOLLY JACK TAR taking third place five seconds later and David Richard's JUMPING JELLYFISH fourth, just five seconds after that.
JUBILEE won the final race, but JIRAFFE took second, just 19 seconds ahead of John Smart's JUKEBOX. It was enough to seal overall victory for JIRAFFE by one point. A very consistent performance by JUMPING JELLYFISH, with an almost straight run of 4ths, secured third overall, one point ahead of JOLLY JACK TAR.
The J/70 class used the regatta as Round 3 of their 2019 UK J/70 Grand Slam Series. A win in both races today saw Paul Ward's EAT SLEEP J REPEAT cement overall victory ahead of Clive Bush's DARCEY, while reigning Grand Slam Champion, Doug Struth's DSP, was third. All races were decided by a minute or less, with race five going to Ward’s ESJR by just five seconds from DARCEY.
"This was the first time for the J/70s at the Vice Admiral's Cup and the race team did a great job for us, with six exciting races over two days," says Ward. "Onshore at the RORC clubhouse, we enjoyed catching up with the other classes over a few beers and a curry. Thanks to all of the team at RORC for a great event!” For more RORC Vice Admiral’s Cup sailing information
J/121 Wins Oregon Offshore Race!
J/105s Enjoy Bruising Class Battle to the Finish!
(Astoria, OR)- The 43rd Annual Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race, sponsored by Schooner Creek Boatworks, started on Thursday, May 9th, 2019 after a postponement that was waiting for the 5.5 kts ebb tide and current to begin to flow out of the Columbia River and over the infamous Columbia River Bar just offshore- a place notorious for massive standing waves and flipping over even the hardiest US Coast Guard Patrol boats! The timing was smart, since the weather was somewhat benign and all boats made it across the bar without any issues, just some of the usual cascades of water over the deck!
The 193-mile race started at 9:25am at Buoy 2 off the Columbia River entrance off Astoria, Oregon and finished at the entrance to Victoria, British Columbia harbor in Canada. After the start, everyone took off on starboard, heading offshore, apparently following the information gained at the skippers meeting. Wind was a light northeaster, blowing offshore at the start. As the race progressed it appeared the predicted northwest shift would hit the fleet overnight, then the teams would have to contend with light winds in the Straits of Juan de Fuca and avoiding adverse currents; the big decision being when to go for one shore over the other- USA to the south or Canada to the north while heading for the Victoria, BC harbor finish line.
As anticipated, leading the fleet out offshore the first night was David Raney’s RAGE; a huge, skinny like a rail, ULDB 70 footer. However, the pleasant surprise was that second boat overall was Scott Campbell's beautiful new J/121 RIVA and his merry bandits from Portland, Oregon; chasing RAGE hard all night and all day long on Friday keeping them in sight most of the time (giving away 30+ feet of waterline, too)!
The fleet enjoyed decent winds for most of the race and the hot angles were very much enjoyed by the J/121 RIVA. After rounding Cape Flattery at the northwestern tip of the Olympic Peninsula, RIVA and all other J/Teams sailed down to at least Clallam Bay on the USA side before making the “escape” across the Juan de Fuca Straits to the Canadian side to the north to play that shoreline into the finish at Victoria.
After waiting a few hours for other boats to finish, Campbell’s J/121 RIVA crew were ecstatic to find out they had won the Oregon Offshore, both PHRF A1 Class and PHRF Overall! Their corrected time for the race was 40 hrs 9 min 31 secs, enough to win by over an hour on the second place team (a 4.825 kts average). Third in PHRF A1 Class was the J/42 VELOCITY skippered by Thomas Keffer.
The Portland J/105 Fleet had a one-design start, producing a three-way battle between Dough Pihlaja’s ABSTRACT, Dennis Sibilla’s ESCAPE ARTIST, and of course, the trio on FREE BOWL OF SOUP (Doug Schenk, Eric Hopper, Matt Davis- their 6th time)! After the smoke and fog cleared on the race track, it was Pihlaja’s ABSTRACT that snagged PHRF A2/ J/105 Class honors, knocking off a three-time winner of the race- the “Soupers”- by over 2 hours. As a result, third was Sibilla’s ESCAPE ARTIST, just eight minutes behind the Soupers; indeed, it was a battle for the silver between those two boats to the very end. ABSTRACT’s “big move” was to continue way offshore on starboard tack until late midday on Friday over 20 hours after the start. The initial leaders- the Souper’s and Escaper’s- both tacked away at 6pm on Thursday and both dueled going up the shore, tacking on shifts headed to Cape Flattery, the first major turning point. 33 hours into the race, ABSTRACT rounded Cape Flattery at 7pm, just before sunset, with neither of their competitors in sight, and they continued on their merry way to the class win. Meanwhile, it was a complete “dust-up” behind them. It was not until 10pm did the Escaper’s lead the Souper’s around Cape Flattery. In the ensuing gybing duel to the finish with their A2 spinnakers flying all night, it took the Souper’s until 7:30am on Saturday morning to pass the Escaper’s, leading their exhausted friends into the finish line. Replay the entire race here to see how all the boats got around the race track.
For more Oregon Offshore Race sailing information
ENJOY 1.0 Wins Italy J/70 Cup Ancona
(Ancona, Italy)- The second leg of the Italian J/70 Cup Series was hosted by Marina Dorica on the Adriatic Sea on Italy’s eastern shore, a third down the coastline from Venice (east of Florence, NNE of Rome and west of Split, Croatia). Forty-five boats from eleven nations (Cyprus, Finland, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland) enjoyed great sailing for the first two days of the regatta, with the last day getting blown out by 30+ knot winds. Winning his first major regatta in the Italian J/70 Class was Carlo Tomelleri’s ENJOY 1.0 with crew of Alberto Taddei, Daniele De Luca and Umberto De Luca.
Saturday’s most amazing comeback, with a mind-blowing 3-2-1 tally, was one of Italy’s most famous sailors- Alberto Rossi's ENFANT TERRIBLE- ADRIA FERRIES. They jumped eleven spots on the leaderboard in one day into the silver medal position!
Needless to say, Alberto could not have been more pleased after starting off so slowly on the first day with a 21-13-11. In short, his team of Alberto Bolzan, Bianca Crugnola, Branko Brcin, and Stefano Rizzi sailed better, faster, smarter every race! Not a bad recipe for success! Olympic Silver Medallist- the Slovenian Branko Brcin- was calling tactics for Alberto.
Rossi commented, “It would have been nice to be able to compete in the last two races to arrive at a complete series of eight races and compete to the end. We love to sail in strong winds like we saw today. But, the Committee's choice to cancel was the best choice. In any case, Ancona proved to be an excellent regatta field, and the organization of the event by Marina Dorica was once again excellent. As a participant, I congratulate all organizers both at sea and on land. We have dispelled the myth that in the Adriatic there are not the right conditions to race!"
Completing the podium was J-CURVE, sailed by Mauro Roversi, with Manuel Weiller on tactics, and crew of Carlo Fracassoli, Federica Salva and Manuel Modena. The balance of the top five included two more top Italian crews. Fourth was MAGIC DAS skippered by Alessandro Zampori and fifth place went to Francesco Farneti, with the Olympian from Marche Filippo Maria Baldassari on board.
In the Corinthian rankings, it was Gianfranco Noè’s WHITEHAWK team (Emanuele Noe, Giuliano Chiandussi, Irene Giorgini, & Maurizio Planine) that took the crown. They were followed by WHY NOT #SLAM sailed by Alessio Zucchi and the Russian team on M-SAILING- Andrey Malygin. Italian J/70 Cup entry list Italian J/70 Cup results For more Italian J/70 Cup Ancona sailing information
Fast & Furious Edlu Distance Race
(Larchmont, NY)- Larchmont Yacht Club kicked off it summer offshore sailing season this past weekend with their famous “sprint”- the Edlu Race. First sailed in 1956, it has long been a classic tune-up race for the Block Island Race and Block Island Race Week. Following the race is their classic party, it is one of the “must-do” events on western Long Island Sound. In some respects, one could say it is the “race to the party” for most teams!
The event has two courses for different types of sailors. The Spinnaker course is 32.0nm from the Larchmont Breakwater to Gong 11B off Eaton's Neck and back. The Non-Spinnaker course is approximately 20.0nm.
In the nine-boat IRC Class Len Sitar’s J/44 VAMP from Storm Trysail Club took fourth place.
The top six of the PHRF Spinnaker 1 division was packed with J/teams. Second was Bill & Jackie Baxter’s J/111 FIREBALL, fourth was John Greifzu’s J/109 GROWTH SPURT, fifth was Cory Eaves’ J/109 FREEDOM, and sixth was William Ingraham’s J/124 TENEBRAE.
Winning the PHRF Spinnaker II division was “the kids” racing the J/105 YOUNG AMERICAN 324. Third was the J/100 TEXAS ROSE sailed by William Komaroff. Fifth and sixth were two J/88s; Paul Strauch’s ANDIAMO and Iris Vogel’s DEVIATION YCC.
In the PHRF Spinnaker III 3 Division, Paul Zinger’s J/30 ZINGER snagged the bronze medal.
The eight-boat PHRF Doublehanded Division was a J/Tour’de’force’ on the podium. Winning was Abhijeet Lee’s J/111 VARUNA, followed in third place by Jon Yoder & Bill Gassman’s J/100 BLACKCOMB.
The six-boat PHRF Plus-One Spinnaker I Division was won by Ron Richman’s J/133 ANTIDOTE, followed by Sarah & Josh Reisberg’s J/120 ABILYN in second. Rounding out the top five were Arthur Hanlon’s J/112E DAUNTLESS in fourth and Steven Levy’s J/121 EAGLE in fifth position.
The half-dozen boats sailing in PHRF Plus-One Spinnaker II Division saw Todd Aven’s famous J/92 THIN MAN take the silver, followed by Tim Mount’s J/97E VESPER elevating the bronze medal around their necks.
The Edlu Short Course Racing Non-spinnaker division was the short, fast race. In that sprint, Charles A. Taus’ J/33 SIRIUS took the bronze, followed Kurt Locher’s J/42 ATALANTA in fourth place. Sailing photo credits- Howie McMichael For more Larchmont YC Edlu Distance Race sailing information
Lovely Singlehanded Farallones Race
(San Francisco, CA)- It is not often that one can use the term “benign” or “lovely” when one thinks of sailing out past the Golden Gate Bridge, into the teeth of big Pacific storm swells that often break massively on the notorious “Potato Patch”, a giant shoal offshore or the Farallones “rocks”. However, the 2019 edition of the Singlehanded Sailing Society’s Singlehanded Farallones Race was in fact “lovely” and, as one sailor described it, “easily one of the most pleasant sails out and back that I can remember; even southeast Farallones Rock was looking benign!”
Ex-J/92 racer Robert Johnston went on to say, “on the return inbound to San Francisco Bay, it was all about keeping the apparent wind on the beam. I wasn't sure I could do it in the 7-10 kts TWS we had coming back - sailing the rhumbline put TWA at least 150. I flew an old J/105 kite and was able to keep AWA at 100-120 and sail straight from the island back to the Gate. Of course, the lighter ULDBs cleaned up in that stuff.”
In the PHRF Spin 5 Class, skipper of the J/105 VUJA STAR- Chris Kim- excitedly hopped onto the podium for the bronze, just 2 minutes shy on corrected time from taking the silver. Meanwhile, while Tracy Rogers’ J/120 HOKULANI took 4th and fellow 120 owner- Sean Mulvihill- placed 5th, just over 6 minutes back on corrected handicap time. For more Singlehanded Farallones Race sailing information
J/Community
What friends, alumni, and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide
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* The J/70 JEDI was doing its thing racing at The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club’s weekend series on Pittwater Bay, Sydney, Australia. Top speed 19.2 knots! Loving it!
https://www.facebook.com/jboatsaustralia/videos/2050658271670496/
* The J/125 HAMACHI and her delivery crew had some fun taking their recent trip down the California coastline- lots of sun, wind, and big Pacific swell to surf along on. Here is their drone video- check it out!
They commented, “here is some Mavic Air drone video of our awesome 360 nm delivery down the California coast from Richmond YC to the California YC in Marina Del Rey. The video taken about 25 miles off of Morrow Bay in 18-20 kts of wind with Hamachi doing 14-16 kts of boat speed. Hamachi covered 240 nm in a 24 hour period between Point Sur and the Channel Islands. Make sure to watch this 4K video on a large screen!
This was only the second time we've attempted to fly the drone from Hamachi. We were pretty excited to get it back on board, as you will see here, because we had no idea if we could in these conditions... Enjoy!” https://youtu.be/shx0tMgh8IA Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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