J/Sailing News
The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide
This past week presented the sailing world with a variety of options for their sailing passions. For starters, out west in California, the San Francisco-based Bay Area Multihull Association (BAMA) hosted their annual Doublehanded Farallones Race. The race is notorious for never delivering what the most sophisticated weather prognosticators forecast, such has been the case for winds inside San Francisco Bay versus what is seen “outside” past the infamous “Potato Patch”; it is a 58.0nm race from the Golden Gate YC start line (remember the America’s Cup on 75 foot cats?), out around the Farallones Rocks to port, and return. This year’s race featured a “first ever” J/120 one-design class!South of those sailors doing the thrash around the Farallones Islands, the J/24s are enjoying nearly flawless (like never seen) sailing conditions in Valle de Bravo for their J/24 North American Championship, hosted by one of the most accommodating sailing clubs on the Planet Earth- the Club Nautico Valle de Bravo in Mexico. They have two days to go, follow the action below.
Meanwhile, off to the east in the Caribbean, their was another amazing host team for the British Virgin Islands Spring Regatta, the Nanny Cay Marina. Considering the absolute devastation they experienced from “the hurricanes”, it is a remarkable comeback story. This year, the BVI Spring Regatta enjoyed double-digit growth due in large part to their amazing determination to make it all happen.
Finally, off across the great Atlantic Ocean, we find the Warsash Sailing Club hosting yet another challenging weekend of sailing on Southampton Water and the infamous Solent for their HELLY HANSEN Warsash Spring Series for fleets of IRC boats and one-design classes of J/70s, J/88s, J/109s; as well as a unique J/Sprit Class!
J/Fest San Francisco Preview(San Francisco, CA)- The annual J/Fest San Francisco is hosting one-design fleets of J/70s, J/105s, and J/111s, hosted by St Francis Yacht Club and hosted on San Francisco Bay. Given the recent trends for weather patterns, the fleet is hoping for more traditional Bay area weather patterns, with some fog in the morning, but sunny out to the east over the valley to produce the classic westerly sea breezes for the weekend of sailing.
The largest one-design fleet by far is the J/105 class, with twenty-five boats participating off the San Francisco waterfront. A crowded starting line it will be for many of the top “locals” that have won various major events over time. Those J/crews include Adam Spiegel’s JAM SESSION, Jeff Littfin’s MOJO, Nicole Breault’s ARBITRAGE, Phil Laby’s GODOT, Rolf Kaiser’s DONKY JACK, Ryan Simmons’ BLACKHAWK, and Tim Russell’s NE*NE.
The J/111s will have tight racing by some of the top dogs in the Bay area, such as past J/111 World Champion Peter Wagner on SKELETON KEY, Dick Swanson’s BAD DOG, and Nesrin Basoz’s SWIFT NESS. Leaders of the eight-boat J/70 class may include Chris Kostanecki’s JENNIFER, Chris Snow & John Bridgen’s COOL STORY BRO, Pete Cameron’s KANGAROO JOCKEY, the trio on 1FA (Scott Sellers, Harrison Turner, Geoff McDonald), and Tracy & Christine Usher’s CHRISTINE ROBIN RACING. For more J/Fest San Francisco sailing information
Australia Boat Show Announcement- Debut of J/121 & J/112E!(Sydney, Australia)- The team at J/Boats Australia (Yachtspot) will be displaying at the Club Marine Sail Expo over the weekend of 27-28 April 2019. The Sail Expo is to be held at Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Newport, about 25km north of Sydney. Yachtspot will be exhibiting the J/121, J/112E and J/70. Also close by, Yachtspot will also have access to a J/97E and J/88 on another arm of the marina.
J/121 Australia Updates
The J/121 is Melbourne-based and will be sailing 600.0nm up the east coast in time for the show, and then venturing another 1,200.0nm up to the Whitsunday Islands in Queensland for some winter regatta racing at Hamilton Island Race Week. The beauty of the J/121 is that she is fully ocean-capable, so offers the thrills and adventure of not only ocean racing, but also the journey to get to the World’s most beautiful sailing locations.
Also, on display will be the J/112E from the Elegance range, the epitome of ‘performance cruiser’ design for comfort, style and speed.Plus the inimitable J/70, with representatives from the J/70 Australian Class Association on-hand to chat through why they love the J/70 and the benefits this International one-design class can bring to sailors from all ranges of experience, from beginning racers to the most experienced world-class Olympic Medallist. For more information, please contact Ray Entwistle- ph- +61 2 9997 7158/ email- info@yachtspot.com.au Follow J/Boats Australia (Yachtspot) on Facebook here
New England J/Fest Announcement(Newport, RI)- The third annual New England J/Fest Regatta is being hosted by Sail Newport the weekend of August 9-11th 2019. This is the third New England J/Fest Regatta limited exclusively to J/Boat owners and crews with racing and social events scheduled throughout the weekend.
This event capitalizes on the very successful 2017 event and similar successful J/Fest Regattas held in other US regions where participation exceeded seventy boats. Event organizers anticipate more than seventy boats at the starting line for the 2019 New England J/Fest. Expected one‐design classes include J/22, J/24, J/30, J/70, J/80, J/88, J/105, J/109, J/121. The 2019 event will also include a class for J/Cruisers.
Narragansett Bay is considered a special “home waters” venue for the New England J/Fest as many of the sailboats were locally built in Rhode Island. Once again, Sail Newport has been selected to host the 2019 J/Fest Regatta. Sail Newport has an active racing program that includes a fleet of club owned J/22’s and counts numerous J/Boat owners as many of their most active members. Sail Newport is a State of Rhode Island resource that provides strong support for sailing and has the facilities to successfully host an event of this caliber. The shore side activities for the 2019 J/Fest will be held at the Sail Newport gorgeous new facilities located at Fort Adams. J/Fest Registration is currently open.Information regarding the regatta including logistics, mooring availability, social event signup and hotel accommodations are all located on the J/Fest New England regatta website: http://www.jfestnewengland.com.
THE Easter J/24 Regatta Preview
(Columbia, SC)- Sailed in J/24s since 1987, THE Easter Regatta has been one of the world’s most popular and enduring J/24 events. It offers an excellent mix of shore side events and world-class competition. Whether your’s is an amateur team attending your first regatta or a professional team contending for the top prize, you will find something that impels you to return year after year!
The Columbia Sailing Club offers first-class facilities. Everyone will appreciate the new Bath House at the beach and camping area, especially the campers! Their “never-leave-the-club” option offers free camping (first-come, first-served), meals every day, and parties galore! The beautiful peninsula and gorgeous beach provides an unparalleled camping experience.
Most importantly, the down-home southern hospitality ties everything together. This is the tradition that competitors have come to know and love.
Answering that “call to duty” for J/24 sailors are at least thirteen teams from across the cosmos of the J/24 universe. Notable characters include such teams like Mike Palazzo’s JO MAMMA from Charleston YC; Steve Wood’s TASMANIAN DEVIL from Sail Newport, RI; Paul Abdullah’s TEAM TARHEEL from Jacksonville, FL; Corey Huseby’s BORK! BORK! BORK! from St Paul, MN; Rob Baldwin’s PIG from Central, SC; and Crisp McDonald’s LEVEL PELICAN from Charleston, SC. Follow the J/24 Easter Regatta on Facebook For more J/24 Easter Regatta sailing information
Regatta & Show Schedules:
Mar 17- Apr 28- Warsash Spring Series- Warsash, EnglandApr 6-7- J/Fest San Francisco- San Francisco, CA
Apr 9-14- J/22 World Sailing Nations Cup- San Francisco, CA
Apr 11-14- Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC
Apr 13-14- Irish J/24 Westerns- Lough Re, Ireland
Apr 14-20- Les Voiles de Saint-Barth Regatta- Gustavia, St. Barth
Apr 18-22- SPI Ouest France Regatta- La Trinite sur Mer, France
Apr 20-21- J/22 Van Uden Ecco Regatta- Stellendam, Netherlands
Apr 26-28- Newport to Ensenada Race- Newport Beach, CA
Apr 27-28- American YC Spring Series- Rye, NY
Apr 28- May 3- Antigua Sailing Week- English Harbour, Antigua
May 3-5- Annapolis NOOD Regatta- Annapolis, MD
May 3-5- Yachting Cup Regatta- San Diego, CA
May 4-10- J/24 European Championship- Patras, Greece
May 4- RORC Cervantes Cup Race- Cowes, England
May 9-12- SAILING Champions League- Palma Mallorca, Spain
May 10-12- Grand Prix de St Cast- St Cast, France
May 10-12- RORC Vice Admiral’s Cup- Cowes, England
For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.
Gorgeous BVI Spring Regatta
Silver for Leading J/Teams!
(Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI)- The sailors that participated in the 2019 BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival could not have enjoyed a better long weekend of sailing in the sunny Caribbean in the British Virgin Islands. Hosted by the Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club and sailed out of the spectacular Nanny Cay Marine, the various members of the J/Tribe enjoyed racing the 48th edition of the regatta with 60-plus boats.
The Race week schedule included the traditional Round Tortola Race for the Nanny Cay Cup, followed by Scrub Island Invitational on day two of racing in the Sailing Festival. Then, three great days of racing followed for the 48th BVI Spring Regatta.
Like they have so many times before, the J/122s enjoyed more racing success in the Caribbean. This time, in CSA Racing 2 class, it was Tony Mack’s J/122 TEAM McFLY/ EL OCASO that took the silver with a 3-2-1-3-4 for 13 pts.
In the CSA Racing 3 class, there was more silver to be garnered, this time by Mackenzie Bryan’s J/100 BAD GIRL taking the silver medal with a 1-1-2-2-4 for 10 pts. Fifth in class was Mike Feierbend’s J/24 BRAVISSIMO with a 5-6-3-3-5 for 22 pts.
Finally, in the CSA Performance Cruising, fourth place went to Kieran Duck’s J/120-mod ESCAPED AUSSIES~ JAGUAR with a consistent 4-4-4-5-4 for 21 pts. For more BVI Spring Regatta sailing information
J/24 North American Champs Update
(Valle de Bravo, Mexico)- The 2019 J/24 North American Championship is being hosted by Club Nautico Valle de Bravo on their gorgeous lake in Valle de Bravo, Mexico. The twenty-seven boat fleet consists of USA, French and Mexican teams from across the top fleets in the respective countries.
Day One- Flawless Weather
The sailors reveled in flawless conditions in the first day of racing. Winds started at 10-12 knots and increased to 12-16, with occasional higher gusts.
Under cloudless skies on the picturesque lake in the mountains of Mexico, current J/24 World Champion Will Welles skippered BRUSCHETTA won the first race. Trailing him in race one was American Mark Laura on BABA LOUIE and Mexican Kenneth Porter’s “S”. Welles again won the next race, followed by Mexican Javier Velasquez on TRINQUETE with Laura’s BABA LOUIE in third. Velasquez earned the final victory of the day, as American Tony Parker on BANGOR PACKET and Welles comprised the top three.
At the conclusion of the day’s racing, at the top of the leaderboard sat Welles’ BRUSCHETTA with scores of 1-1-3 for 5 pts. The balance of the podium was locked in a tie at 10 points: Velasquez’s TRINQUETE had a 7-2-1 while Laura’s BABA LOUIE posted a 2-3-5.
Day Two- More Gorgeous Sailing
It was yet another gorgeous day in Valle de Bravo! And, it was yet another day atop the leaderboard for Welles’
BRUSCHETTA. With boat owner Aroldo de Rienzo aboard as well as Rich Bowen, John McCabe and PJ Schaffer, Bruschetta lodged scores of 1-5-1 on Wednesday. Now able to discard the fifth in race five, Welles has a net score of 7 points in six races (winning four of them to date) of the planned 10-race series.
Parker’s BANGOR PACKET benefited from a solid day to jump into second place overall, after recording a 3-1-3 for 14 net points. Porter’s “S” moved into third place with 19 points.
Following a brief postponement while the breeze came in, racing got underway in winds of 8-10 knots, which increased to 10-14 kts with puffs in the high teens. Welles earned his third bullet of the Championship in Wednesday’s initial contest, trailed by Porter and Parker. Then it was Parker’s turn for line honors, his best finish of the series, while Laura and Ramon Benitez’s DE COLORES followed. Leading the fleet back to the docks after the third race of the day were Welles, Porter and Parker. For more J/24 North American Championship sailing information
J/120s Duel @ Doublehanded Farallones
(San Francisco, CA)- Sixty-three boats registered to start the 2019 edition of the infamous Doublehanded Farallones Race, hosted by the Bay Area Multihull Association (BAMA). This year, most of the top boats completed the picturesque, iconoclastic 58.0nm race between 9 to 10+ hours elapsed time (a not so fast average of ~ 5.8 kts to ~ 6.4 kts).
Going for it were seven J/crews from various Bay area sailing clubs and most all of them completed the circuit out and around the foreboding Farallones Island and rocks.
For the first time in recent memory, there was a “big boat” one-design class. The PHRF 3 Class was comprised of entirely J/120s. Winning that “mano’a’mano” battle by just five minutes was Sean & Jeff Mulvihill’s JAMANA in 8:49:14. Taking the silver was Mike O’Callaghan & John Verdoa’s PEREGRINE in 8:54:13. Then about ten minutes behind them taking the bronze was Timo Bruck & Elaine Scott’s TWIST in 9:14:26. Rounding out the top five were Ludovic Milin & Philippe Jamotte’s SAETTA and Bridgitt Ahern & Gilles Combrisson’s ALCHERA in 4th and 5th, respectively.
Commented the winning skipper Sean Mulvihill from JAMANA, “a strong J/120 fleet enjoyed having its own division. JAMANI and SAETTA were over early in very light wind at the start, taking 6-8 minutes to re-cross. PEREGRINE had a perfect start, but were caught in a wind hole mid-bay. JAMANI and PEREGRINE traded the lead several times during the race, but JAMANI prevailed at the finish! An exciting race overall for all J/120 crews!”
Then, in PHRF 5 Class, taking second was Chris Kim & Carl Plant’s J/105 VUJA STAR in 9:29:04, about 45 minutes elapsed behind the lead J/120. Fourth in class was Jim Hopp & Chris Cartwright’s J/88 WHITE SHADOW. For SF BAMA Doublehanded Farallones entries and race results For more SF-BAMA Doublehanded Farallones Race sailing information
Warsash Spring Series- Weekend II Report(Warsash, England)- The second weekend is now on the books for the Warsash Sailing Club’s famous HELLY HANSEN Warsash Spring Series. The fleet was blessed, again, with good enough conditions to get in one more race for the IRC handicap fleets and three more for the J/70s.
In the IRC 2 Class, now sitting in 2nd is Simon Perry’s J/111 JIRAFFE with a 1-2-3 for 6 pts, just one shy of first place overall. And, hanging on to 4th is Chris Burleigh’s J/109 JYBE TALKIN with a 6-5-8 for 19 pts.
Meanwhile, in the IRC 3 Class, having not raced the third race, sliding down to 4th overall is David Greenhalgh’s J/92 J’RONIMO.
The hotly contested fleet of J/70s have now sailed nine races. Sitting comfortably in 1st is Paul Ward’s EAT SLEEP J REPEAT with mostly 1sts and 2nds for 12 pts net. 2nd is Graham Clapp’s JEEPSTER with 39 pts, having not sailed the last three races. 3rd is Phil Chandler’s BLACKJAX with 43 pts. 4th Doug Struth’s DSP with 51 pts, having missed the 2nd weekend of races. And, 5th Martin Dent’s JELVIS with 53 pts, having missed the 1st and 3rd weekend of races.To date, the J/88s have three races. Leading is Gavin Howe’s TIGRIS with all bullets for 3 pts. 2nd Richard Cooper’s JONGLEUR with a 3-2-3 for 8 pts. 3rd Kirsty & David Apthorp’s J-DREAM with a 4-3-4 for 11 pts. Then, rounding out the top five is Dianne & Dirk Van Beek’s SABRIEL JR and Tim Tolcher’s RAGING BULL, in 4th & 5th, respectively.
The J/109s also have three races on the books. Winning handily is Simon Perry’s JIRAFFE with all bullets for 3 pts. 2nd is Chris Burleigh’s JYBE TALKIN with a 2-2-3 for 7 pts. 3rd is Rob Cotterill’s MOJO RISIN with 30 pts. And, the balance of the top five are, 4th Bill Stock’s JENGU and 5th Chris Preston’s JUBILEE.
The all-encompassing J/Sprit division is dominated by J/88s. They hold all top three spots; 1st is Howe’s TIGRIS, 2nd Apthorp’s J-DREAM, and 3rd Cooper’s JONGLEUR. For more HELLY HANSEN Warsash Spring Series sailing information
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