J/Sailing News
The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide
The biggest sailing event held worldwide last week was the sixth J/70 World Championship, sponsored by DARWIN ESCAPES. Hosting was the Royal Torbay YC in Torquay, England for seventy-seven teams from twenty nations. The fleet enjoyed an amazingly diverse set of weather and wind conditions all week with the British putting their best foot forward- winning both Open and Corinthian divisions! More J/70 one-design racing was taking place across Europe in the form of national sailing leagues. The Danish J/70 Sailing League sailed their finale in Aarhus, Denmark; eighteen teams took place in the four event series. Then, the Swiss J/70 Sailing League held their second event in a four-part series at Urnersee, Switzerland; a dozen clubs enjoyed great sailing over the two-day event. Still further north, the Norwegian J/70 Sailing League held their finale at Trondhjems, Norway; fifteen clubs were participating all summer long. Then, over in Baiona, Spain along the coastline, Monte Real YC hosted the J/80 Trofeo Principe de Asturias for two dozen J/80 teams in their three-day regatta.Over in the Americas, there was a diverse set of regattas that took place mostly along the eastern seaboard. The 2019 edition of the J/105 North Americans was hosted by Corinthian YC in Marblehead, MA for eighteen teams from the USA and Canada in weather conditions ranging from near drifting (4 to 7 kts) flat water up to shifty, breezy 10-20 kts northeaster and monstrous breaking waves from Hurricane Dorian. Experiencing similar conditions just south of them near Cape Cod was the US Sailing Adult Championship- the Mallory Trophy. Beverly Yacht Club in Marion, MA hosted the event in a fleet of matched, one-design J/80 class sailboats for the thirteen teams representing their Regional Sailing Associations. South of them, the 15th annual “Ms. Race” was hosted by Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club in Atlantic Highlands, NJ; the event was a charity for abused women that is sailed each August- the fleet included winning women’s J/crews in a J/29, J/105, and J/120. Then, out in the Midwest, the Edgewater YC in Cleveland, OH held their final offshore race of the Cleveland Sailing Association season- the Cleveland Cup; a J/105 did quite well with a famous family crew!
J/99 & J/112E @ Fall Boat Shows!
(Newport, RI)- It is that time of year, again! Time to plan a visit to one of the exciting sailboat shows in either the USA or Europe. Featured in most of the shows are the race-winning cruiser-racers, such as the J/112E and the new J/99.
J/112E- the family cruiser that crushed the ORC & IRC Worlds and Europeans
With a spacious two-cabin accommodation plan and a comfortable, ergonomic cockpit, the all-new J/112E is as well suited for the annual cruise as she is sprinting to Mackinac Island or short-handing through rough weather. Versatility in sailboat design means not only a sailboat that can do many things, but also one that can do many of them well across a wide range of conditions, both fair and adverse.
The J/112E joins her sisterships, the J/97E and J/122E, as an exceptional upwind performer. V-shaped bow sections provide superior directional stability and reduced slamming in waves. Freeboard forward and topside flare help to keep the deck dry. A long waterline combined with a low vertical center of gravity results in a smooth, sea-kindly motion – more like that of a 40 footer. For more J/112E sailboat information.
J/99- the seriously fast, comfortable, offshore shorthanded speedsterMaking her Southampton, Newport, and Annapolis debuts, the J/99 is the newest addition to the J/Sport range, combining headroom and comfortable interior accommodation with the tiller-driven responsiveness of a sport boat. The sail and deck plan are optimized for easy handling with fewer crew, and incorporate the latest developments from the award-winning J/121 and the new Offshore Sailing World champion J/112E. The interior features twin aft cabins, a proper sit-down forward facing nav station, an L-shaped galley, and a private forward head with sail locker. Plus, the J/99 has been nominated for European Yacht of the Year Award. For more J/99 sailboat information.
Here are the various boat shows you can visit to catch up with the latest in the J/Boats line-up of offshore high-performance cruisers:
- Sep 12-15- Newport Boat Show- J/99- at Newport Yachting Center along Newport’s famous harbor-front. For more information.
- Sep 13-22- Southampton Boat Show- J/99 and J/112E- at Mayflower Park Marina in Southampton, England, on Stand M436 and M438. For more information.
- Sep 18-23- Grand Pavois La Rochelle- J/99 and J/112E- at Port Des Minimes, La Rochelle, France on Pontoon 5 on the waterfront. For more information.
- Oct 10-14- Annapolis Sailboat Show- J/99, J/97E, J/70- at Annapolis Cityfront. For more information.
J/80 Fall Package Special- Order now!
(Newport, RI)- With over 1,600 boats now sailing in 30+ countries, the J/80 continues to set the world standard for keelboat one-design racing and leading-edge institutional sail training. And 2020 promises to be even more exciting in North America with the return of the J/80 World Championships to Newport, Rhode Island (Sept 28 – Oct 3). Newport hosted both the inaugural J/80 Worlds in 2001 and the epic 2010 J/80 Worlds. Class racing in North America is re-energized, and to celebrate, we’re pleased to announce the J/80 Fall Package:
- 2020 Model J/80 with standard specifications
- AG+ mast and boom
- Profurl R250 New Gen roller furling system
- Lewmar winches and Harken deck gear
- Triad Trailer - Galvanized, double-axle lift off trailer
- Companionway spinnaker bag.
- Safety Gear package – anchor, chain & rode, bucket, bilge pump, first aid kit, two fenders, two docklines.
British Sweep J/70 World Championships
(Torquay, Devon, England)- The Darwin Escapes 2019 J/70 World Championships, hosted by the Royal Torbay Yacht Club was the sixth edition of the J/70 Worlds and the first to take place in the United Kingdom. Seventy-seven teams from twenty different nations competed in 14 races over five days, deciding the Open (professional) and Corinthian (amateur) World Champions. The very talented fleet had representatives from Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States of America.
The wind speed, direction and sea state were in a constant state of flux, testing the raw talent of the competitors and the race committee led by PRO Stuart Childerley. With all 77 teams on one start line, and a tight windward-leeward course of under two miles, the racing was thrilling to the extreme.
Tor Bay delivered world-class racing conditions and the international fleet rose to the occasion. The fleet was extremely competitive, including numerous Olympic and World Champions from the sport of sailing. Both the professional and amateur J/70 World Champion winners went to the wire, only settled on the last leg of the final race!
2019 J/70 Open World Champions
EAT SLEEP J REPEAT (GBR) TEAM- Paul Ward, Charlie Cumbley, Ruairidh Scott, Mario Trindade.
Paul Ward’s EAT SLEEP J REPEAT became the first British team to win the Open J/70 World Championship, holding off a strong challenge from Joel Ronning (USA) racing CATAPULT, Pichu Torcida (ESP) racing NOTICIA, and Alberto Rossi (ITA) racing ENFANT TERRIBLE. Alberto’s daughter- Claudia Rossi (ITA)- racing PETITE TERRIBLE, was fourth and best Open Woman Helm in the championship.
2019 J/70 Corinthian World Champions
SOAK RACING (IRL) TEAM- Marshall King, Ian Wilson, Andrew Shorrock, Adam Brushett.
SOAK RACING won the J/70 Corinthian World Championship in dramatic style. In the last race, SOAK RACING was four places ahead of Doug Struth (GBR) racing DSP. A tie on points for the series was settled by countback, a single place after 14 races gave SOAK RACING the victory. Denis Cherevatenko (RUS) racing JOYFULL was third. Fiona Hampshire (GBR) racing ELIZABETH was best Corinthian Woman Helm in the championship.
The Royal Torbay Yacht Club organized a superb world championship, roundly applauded by all of the competitors. The event was led by Regatta Chairman Bob Penfold and volunteer members of the RTYC. A wonderful pageant for the Opening Ceremony set the scene. Chief Executive of Darwin Escapes Anthony Esse, and Key Yachting’s Marie-Claude Heys officially opened the regatta. Squadron 13, the RTYC junior sail training club, paraded the flags of the 20 countries participating at the championships, and Britannia Royal Naval College’s RN Volunteer Band entertained the crowd. Throughout the regatta the RTYC delivered a friendly and well-thought out occasion, which had taken years of planning. The Royal Torbay Yacht Club and their dedicated volunteer support produced a fantastic regatta. Stuart Childerley and the Race Management team received huge applause at the closing ceremony for providing high-quality racing in tricky conditions.
“Very very pleased, it has been hard work and we have a very good team. We have sailed well all year and this has been a tough week but a lot of fun. We were just a few metres from the finish when we realized we had probably won, we worked hard right up to the end, the Americans and the Spanish pushed us really hard, it was full on. There were plenty of tough moments, but that is why we came to Torbay, this is a tricky and challenging place to race. I would also like to thank everyone at Key Yachting and especially Paul Heys who I would love to have a pint with tonight, but sadly he is no longer with us.” Paul Ward (GBR) Eat Sleep J Repeat.
“Amazing, we have been trying to win this for six years, so it feels just amazing. Torbay has been exceptionally tricky, we have had great competition at a really well organized regatta, and it is great to come away with the win. Today’s racing was really exciting; we were 10 points behind DSP going into the last two races. We had an excellent Race 13 and then it was about staying with DSP and making sure there were not too many boats between us. It all came down to the last 100 metres, and we did just enough.” Ian Wilson (GBR) & Marshall King (IRL) Soak Racing.
USA
American teams have reigned supreme at the J/70 Worlds, with skippers from the United States winning the open title on four occasions, and a largely USA crew winning with Mexican skipper Julian Neckelmann in 2015. World Champion helms: Tim Healy (2014), Joel Ronning (2016), and Peter Duncan (2017), were all competing in Tor Bay. Joel Ronning's CATAPULT was runner-up in the Open Class at the Darwin Escapes 2019 J/70 World Championships. Catapult Bow 10 (USA 180) Crew: Joel Ronning / Victor Diaz De Leon / Christopher Stocke / Patrick Wilson.
ITA
Italian teams have totally dominated the European Championship, winning every year since 2014. Reigning J/70 European Champion, Claudia Rossi, and past European Champions; Alberto Rossi, Carlo Alberini, all from Italy, were all competing in Tor Bay.
Alberto Rossi's ENFANT TERRIBLE was fourth in the Open Class at the Darwin Escapes 2019 J/70 World Championships. Enfant Terrible Bow 71 (ITA 1256) crew: Alberto Rossi / Alberto Bolzan / Stefano RIzzi / Branco Bircin / Bianca Crugnola
ESP
Spanish teams racing in Tor Bay included the 2018 J/70 Worlds Corinthian Champion, Luis Bugallo’s MAR NATURA. Pichu Torcida’s Noticia was runner up for the Darwin Escapes 2019 J/70 World Championship Open Class. Noticia has a world-class crew, with eight J/80 World Championship wins between them.
The 2020 J/70 World Championships is scheduled for July 27 – August 02, hosted by the California Yacht Club, Marina Del Rey, California, USA. Follow the J/70 UK Fleet on Facebook here For more Darwin Escapes 2019 J/70 Worlds sailing world information.
GOOD TRADE Crowned J/105 N.A. Champion
(Marblehead, MA)- The 2019 J/105 North American Championship was sailed from September 5th to 8th off Marblehead, MA on the open waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. Hosting the event was Corinthian Yacht Club, along with title sponsor “The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board”. After eight races run on three of the four days of racing (one day lost due to Hurricane Dorian passing by offshore), it was Bruce Stone & Nicole Breault’s GOOD TRADE (with crew of Halsey Richartz- trim, Bill Higgins- bow, John Sahagian- mast, and Stu Johnstone- tactician) winning their second J/105 North American title. Here is how they managed to repeat their N.A. title.
Day One- Gorgeous fall weather
Eighteen teams from across the USA and Canada enjoyed spectacular early fall sailing conditions, with winds starting clear, cool from the Northeast, and saw winds shifting into the Southeast by late afternoon. The Corinthian YC PRO managed the conditions well, getting off three races in a breeze that persistently shifted right all day, as forecasted.
Leading the regatta after the first day was Bruce Stone and Nicole Breault’s GOOD TRADE from San Francisco, CA with a 2-2-1 record for 5 pts, in a no-throw out up to 12 race series. Second was Ken Horne’s FINAL FINAL crew from Houston, TX with a 3-1-6 tally for 10 pts. Third was hometown local hero Charlie Garrard’s MERLIN with a 6-4-3 scoreline for 13 pts. Rounding out the top five were Tim Russell’s NE*NE crew from San Francisco, CA with a 8-3-4 scoreline for 15 pts and Terry Michaelson’s Canadian team on THE USUAL SUSPECTS with a 1-8-8 score for 17 pts.
Day Two- Blustery Nor’easter, Massive Waves
Friday morning dawned with grey scudding clouds, ENE winds in the 9 to 17 kts range, and massive cross-chop and ground swells from the ESE pushing up to 9 foot heights. The conditions were quite difficult for the helmsmen to steer, as on port tack the bows slammed into massive headwalls of water, while on starboard tack, the boats were being rocked sideways by the massive, often breaking seas, like palm trees waving in a full gale. Three more races were run, testing the crews and, in particular, the skippers.
Still leading by a greater margin of points was GOOD TRADE, after posting a 4-1-2 for the day to, they were repeat daily winners on points. Not far off the pace was the FINAL FINAL team with a tally of 2-2-5 to maintain their second spot and a good chance for the top of the podium on the final day. Jumping up into the third spot was Tim Russell’s NE*NE after posting two bullets and a 6th for the day.
Day Four- Light, Shifty NNW’er, Flat Water
Saturday’s racing was canceled on Friday afternoon due to the Hurricane Dorian forecasts showing even larger waves in the 10-18 foot range and gale force winds of 20-35 kts just offshore.
Sunday morning dawned with a spectacular fall day with bright blue skies, puffy white cotton ball clouds flying by overhead, and nice cool weather. The breeze forecast was less than rosy, as it was clear the rapidly receding Hurricane Dorian off to the ENE was not going to have sufficient power to maintain a strong NNW breeze of 8-13 kts. With a one-hour earlier starting time, the CYC PRO managed to run two races in a rapidly dying breeze. In fact, it was hard to set the course as the winds were fluctuating through a 40-degree arc and with 4 to 8 kts of breeze by the time the first race started.
With an amazing RC boat end start for the first race of the day, Horne’s FINAL FINAL crew started off in first and were never to be challenged again, simply sailing away from the fleet and winning by at least 500 yards over the 2nd place boat. Talk about throwing down the gauntlet, their performance had the GOOD TRADE team scrambling to stay in contention for the regatta. With yet another less than stellar start, the GOOD TRADE crew had to double-tack to clear the starting line in last place and work extra hard to stay in touch with the top third of the fleet by the first weather mark. Three legs later, and a bit of good fortune thrown in for good measure, the GOOD TRADE team pulled off a 5th place finish to now lead the regatta by only 2 pts. The Texans had the SF Bay Champions quaking in their boots, as the San Franciscans could visibly see how fast the Texans were in the light stuff.
The tension was electric going into the last race. Yet again, the two regatta leaders eyed each other like rabid dogs; circling with guns drawn and knives in their teeth, ready to do battle for the final match. After starting next to one another, literally, the FINAL FINAL team sped out from under GOOD TRADE, forcing them to tack off first. However, by the top mark, it was GOOD TRADE rounding 4th with FINAL FINAL in 5th. The ensuing downwind tactical duel was quite dramatic, as various race leaders like NE*NE, Charlie Garrard’s MERLIN from Marblehead, and Terry Michaelson’s THE USUAL SUSPECTS from Toronto all ended up in a massive clump at the leeward gate. Meanwhile, GOOD TRADE masterfully pulled off a quick double-gybe in less than 200 yards to round the leeward gate in first, headed to the favored left side of the course upwind. Meanwhile, FINAL FINAL rounded 6th after the melee at the bottom marks. In the end, GOOD TRADE sailed a good, conservative final beat and downwind run to secure the race win by 400 yards and take the 2019 J/105 North American Championship title with just 18 pts total.
Despite their final race travails, Horne’s FINAL FINAL team avoided the “down the mine shaft” score and held on to 6th to take the silver with 26 pts. Meanwhile, the drama continued to build behind them on the leaderboard. Leaping onto the podium in the bronze position was Charlie Garrard’s MERLIN team, by virtue of taking 2nd in the final race for a total of 29 pts. The biggest fall from grace was Russell’s NE*NE team, posting a 15th in the finale to drop down to fourth position with 41 pts. Rounding out the top five was Michaelson’s THE USUAL SUSPECTS with 54 pts.
Sailing videos:
Day 1- Thursday Sailing Day 2- Friday Sailing Day 3- Saturday Clubhouse J/105 Panel (Matt Arno, Nicole Breault, Stu Johnstone) Follow J/105 Class Facebook page For complete J/105 North American Championship results For more J/105 North American Championship sailing information
CBYRA Top US Sailing’s Mallory Trophy
(Marion, MA)– The thirteen teams representing their Regional Sailing Associations were challenged by the fast-paced action with varying conditions on Buzzards Bay over four days at the 2019 U.S. Adult Sailing Championship for the Mallory Trophy, hosted by the Beverly Yacht Club. This year’s “Mallory” proved to be a US Sailing National Championship to remember. After 48 total races including six races in Sunday’s Stage 3 Final, the winning team was determined by a tie-breaker!
John Loe (Highland Beach, Md.) and his team representing the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association (CBYRA) and the Annapolis Yacht Club earned the win on Sunday in a closely contested final round. The winning crew includes Jake Doyle (Annapolis, Md.), Jamie Gilman (Galveston, Texas), and Robbie Deane (Essex, Md.).
Loe and Trey Sheehan (Chagrin Falls, Ohio), of the Inter-Lake Yachting Association (I-LYA), each finished Sunday’s Stage 3 Final Round with 23 points over six races to place them in a tie atop the leaderboard. Loe earned the tie-breaker edge over Sheehan with their three first place finishes on Sunday over Sheehan’s one first place finish.
Crewing for Sheehan and the I-LYA this week was Brad Boston (Point Edward, Ontario, CAN), Curtis Florence (Ohio), and Tyler Black (Newport, R.I.).
The top eight teams started the Final Round with a point representing their Qualifying Place (QP).
This Championship was sailed using league racing, a fast and competitive format, featuring two flights with teams frequently rotating boats between races. Each team raced an equal number of races against the other competitors. Races were approximately 15 minutes in duration and race management ensured quick rotations with on-the-water judging.
Stage 1 included two rounds of racing for all 13 teams over Thursday and Friday (Day 1 and 2). Each team completed eight races per round with boat rotations. A total of 26 races were conducted over the first two rounds. Stage 1 determined the top four teams advancing to Sunday’s final Stage 3.
On Saturday, the Stage 2 Repechage round featured the remaining nine teams battling it out over six races to determine the next four teams, 5-8, advancing to Stage 3.
Strong winds with blustery conditions dominated the race course for most of Friday and Saturday, as remnants of Hurricane Dorian pushed north through the Atlantic Ocean. Teams raced in 15 to 20 knots with gusts in the 20s for most of Friday and Saturday. The breeze dropped considerably Saturday afternoon for the final two races of Stage 2. The wind was blowing in the low to mid-teens on Thursday.
John Loe (Chesapeake Bay YRA) commented on their winning efforts: “We were racing for my grandfather this week who is not feeling well. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it here. That’s who we were racing for and that’s why we are here.”
Trey Sheehan (Inter-Lakes YA) reflected on their silver-winning performance: “It was fantastic sailing this week and we had a great time. Race committee did a great job and the Beverly Yacht Club threw one heck of a party.”
Peter Levesque (Narragansett Bay YRA) had this to say about their bronze medal winning experience: “We approached every race like a new challenge in the variable, shifting conditions. The fleet was very tight. You could drop five places at any one of the marks. It was very hard to go the other direction.” For more US Adult Sailing Championship information
Lady J’s Loving 15th “Ms. Race”
(Atlantic Highlands, NJ)- Each August the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club in Atlantic Highlands N.J. host an annual charity event titled the "Ms. Race". The Ms. Race is the only "Women's Event" in the entire Sandy Hook/ Raritan Bay region and took place on August 17th. It raises money for the New Jersey based organization "180 Turning Lives Around", which assists victims and families affected by sexual and domestic abuse and violence.
For 2019, it was the 15th running of the Ms. Race and it featured a podium sweep by women J/Crews. The race is a PHRF event and features a Pursuit start to encourage participation by less experienced sailors and first timers.
As for the weather and sailing conditions, it turned out to be a great day with moderate breezes and close racing.
In the end, all positions were claimed by women J/Crews sailing various vintages from the J/Boats design team. First place went to Kim Sinatra on her J/29 SMOKIN J. Second place went to her mother- Ann Myer- on the J/105 MAGIC and claiming the bronze medal was Karen Harris on the J/120 CYGNI. Both Kim and Ann sail out of the Raritan Yacht Club in Perth Amboy New Jersey. For Ann, it was bitter sweet as she was last year’s winner!
Since it's inception in 2004, the Ms. Race has raised over $150,000 for the “180” organization and has been recognized for it's efforts. It continues to grow in stature every year for women of the region who race. In addition, the winner is also recognized as the NJYRA Women's Champion for the year. For 2019, it was dominated by the women's J/crews. Thanks for contribution from Bill Sabanski, AHYC Ms. Race PRO.
KDY SHARKS Win Danish J/70 Sailing League
(Aarhus, Denmark)- Eighteen teams participated in the intense finale of the Danish J/70 Sailing League in Aarhus, Denmark. In the end, it was the KDY SHARKS that won both the finale and the overall sailing league series.
The 4th event in Aarhus was intense and nerve-wracking and the podium was not determined until the last flight! Only one point separated first from third; that was the narrowest margin of victory, and the most intense finals, in the Danish Sailing League’s history. Winning was KDY SHARKS, while the balance of the podium was determined on a tie-breaker at 15 pts each! Winning that countback to take the silver medal were the Bandholm EAGLES with the Frederikshavn SEAHAWKS taking the bronze.
It was a record year for participation in the Danish J/70 Sailing League. The final event was held in collaboration with Sailing Aarhus Week and the surrounding clubs, Marselisborg and Kaløvig. It was the Aarhus International Sailing Sports Center that hosted the regatta, a fabulous facility that provided a great base for the regatta right on the waterfront… it was perfect for the spectators as the races often started and finished just a few meters off the sailing center.
KDY was under pressure in a tougher field
Skipper Henrik Jensen explained how the field in the Sailing Sports League is still rising and that, increasingly, it is getting harder to remain at the top of the field.
Henrik elaborated, “It has been an incredibly even and very close event, where many teams have had the opportunity to take a podium. This event also had an incredibly decisive significance in the overall result. The winning strategy, the winter training and the great experience of the team helped KDY win the gold. Everything was moving in our direction and even though we had several considerations about tactical sailing against our close competitors, we had to focus most on our own sailing.”
“New kids on the block” on the podium
“It's so crazy,” said skipper Bo Schülein. “There is no doubt that the sailors from Bandholm still think it is a bit unreal that they ended up taking silver in the overall position over Frederikshavn, Kaløvig and other club teams that dominated the 2019 season. We are so proud that a small club like Bandholm Sailing Club with only 35-40 members can sail against the country's absolute biggest clubs in the country. We still can't quite understand it!”
The champions kept the excitement to the last
With two 4th places over the season and an awful 5th place for this 4th event, it was the season's last flights that were crucial for the former masters from Frederikshavn SEAHAWKS. It started out really well for the team for the event in Aarhus with just 1sts and 2nds in the first five flights. From there, they had to struggle to hold on to the podium. They came close to winning, but ended up tied on points for second place, just one point down from the KDY SHARKS. Follow the Danish J/70 Sailing League on Facebook here For more Danish J/70 Sailing League information
OKOFEN Wins Trofeo Principe de Asturias
(Baiona, Spain)- A fleet of two-dozen J/80s sailed the 34th edition of the historic Prince of Asturias Trophy, hosted by the Monte Real Yacht Club and the Naval Military School, with the sponsorship from ABANCA. The sailing took place off Baiona, Spain and the fleet was blessed with beautiful weather and strong winds over the first two days of the three-day event.
Winning the J/80 SOLVENTIS Class was Javier de la Gándara’s OKOFEN. On the first day of racing, OKOFEN started the regatta in third place. However, the perfect sailing conditions on Saturday enabled OKOFEN’s fast team to score three bullets to leap to the top of the podium by the end of the day. Sunday dawned with little winds and after a three-hour postponement; the “AP over A” flag was flown, marking the cancellation of races and the end of the regatta. As a result, la Gándara’s OKOFEN was proclaimed the winner, followed by Diogo Costa’s MIUDO in second place and Cristina Gonzalez Cominges’ PAZO DE CEA in third position. All three teams hail from the host club- Monte Real YC.
In addition to rewarding the winners of the respective categories, during the trophy ceremony the club also awarded the Mary Woodward Trophy for the best J/80 of the season- the happy recipient was Javier de la Gándara’s OKOFEN! For more J/80 Trofeo Principe de Asturias sailing information
MOSS Tops Norwegian J/70 League @ Trondhjems
Åsgårdstrand Seilforening Crowned Season Champion
(Trondhjems, Norway)- Fifteen teams participated in the 2019 Norwegian J/70 Sailing League, with the season ending finale taking place in Trondhjems, Norway. The first three events took place in Oslo, Hanko, and Arendal. Trondhjems Sailing Association hosted the finale.
Trondhjems Winners- the Bordal family of Per Christian, Marie, Herman, and Henrik sailing for Moss Seilforening.
Åsgårdstrand Seilforening managed to survive the fourth and final regatta of the 2019 Norwegian J/70 Sailing League to take the overall title. It was a close battle in the finale, as Åsgårdstrand could not finish worse than 4th, with Tønsberg Seilforening winning the event, as they would lose the tie-breaker based on first places.
By winning the last race, Åsgårdstrand secured fourth place for the regatta and the season championship. Tønsberg ended up in third place for the regatta and, consequently, earned the silver overall. Then, BI Athletics Seiling finished 5th in the regatta, taking third overall.
Family teams stole the show
However, another team stole the show in Trondheim. For Moss Seilforening, four Bordal family members represented the club- father Per Christian Bordal, Secretary General of the Norwegian Sailing Association, and his children Marie, Henrik and Herman Bordal. Most importantly, they sailed “lights out” for the entire event, handily winning the regatta against all the top sailing clubs and world-class talent in Norway.
“It was beyond all expectations, and we probably didn't think twice about it. It went so well for us! We just tried to make it as easy as possible and sail our own races. Marie skippered, Henrik was trimming and Herman was mainsheet/ tactician. The only thing I did was manage,” laughed Per Christian Bordal.
And, keeping it simple is often the best. Because, by winning the final event, Moss Seilforening qualified for the elite series again in 2020.
“Trondhjems Sailing Association was a great host for the final round of the sailing sports league. It was sunny and demanding wind conditions, we got many flights, and there were many people and a lot that happened on land in connection with the event. Among other things, "Passion for Ocean" had its big festival for the first time in Trondheim in our immediate vicinity. So, I think it was a nice ending to this year's league season,” commented Magnus Hedemark of SailLogic, the organization managing the league. For more Norwegian J/70 Sailing League information
SN Geneve Top Swiss J/70 Sailing League Act II
(Urnersee, Switzerland)- The Urnersee lived up to its reputation as a windy sailing area. With up to 15 kt winds, there was great sailing for the dozen sailing club teams in the second of four events in the Swiss Sailing Super League.
Two days of perfect sailing conditions with wind and sunshine enabled the Swiss J/70 Sailing Superleague to enjoy racing at the highest level. The Société Nautique de Genève team dominated the second round of the sailing league season. The Geneva team won six of their nine races! The duel for second place was won by the Regattaclub Oberhofen over Yachtclub Bielersee.
On Saturday, the sunny weather ensured that at noon, the famous Seglermekka am Urnersee thermal breezes built into a sailable breeze. Punctually, at 1 pm the first start took place. With 4 straight victories, the Geneva team set the foundation for the overall victory. With constant top places, the Yachtclub Bielersee team with Damian Suri, Andreas Ringli, Chantal Suri and Mahe Ratte showed that they were in top form and good for a podium finish.
As undisputed winners of this event, Nicolas Anklin, Bryan Mettraux, Mathieu Fischer and Alexis Mégevand bring the SN Geneva Trophy to Geneva. With this victory, the Geneva also took the lead in the league overall ranking after two events. Taking second in the regatta was Regattaclub Oberhofen and third was YC Bielersee. Next event- Zurich! For more Swiss J/70 Sailing League information
J/105 wins Cleveland Cup
(Cleveland, OH)- Edgewater Yacht Club hosted their final offshore race of the Cleveland Sailing Association season- The Cleveland Cup. The J/105 FALL LINE, skippered by Chip Schaffner, took an early lead and extended against the rest of the J/105 Fleet and PHRF overall to take home the trophy for four-peat!
The win also secured the 2019 Boat of the Year Award for Schaffner’s FALL LINE. Counting towards their overall series win and BOTY Award was winning both the Funday Pursuit Race and the Green Islands Race. Thanks for this contribution from our cheerleader for #MoreKidsOnSailboats- Brett Langolf from the J/34 KNEE DEEP.
Regatta & Show Schedules:
Sep 12-15- Rolex Big Boat Series- San Francisco, CA
Sep 13-15- German J/80 Championship- Glucksburg, Germany
Sep 13-15- Dutch J/22 Championship- Medemblik, The Netherlands
Sep 14-15- IRC Doublehanded Championship- Cowes, England
Sep 19-22- J/30 North American Championship- New Orleans, LA
Sep 22-29- J/70 North American Championship- Cleveland, OH
Sep 27-29- Canadian J/105 Championship- Toronto, ONT, Canada
Sep 28-29- J/Fest San Diego- San Diego, CA
Oct 11-13- China Coast Race Week- Hong Kong, China
Oct 11-12- J/80 Copa de Espana- Coruna, Spain
Oct 17-20- J/88 North American Championship- Rye, New York
Oct 18-20- J/105 Masters Regatta- San Diego, CA
Oct 19-26- J/24 World Championship- Coconut Grove, FL
Oct 19- Rolex Middle Sea Race- Gzira, Malta
Oct 25-27- J/24 East Coast Championship- Annapolis, MD
Oct 25-27- J/Fest Southwest- Lakewood, TX
Oct 25-27- J/105 Lipton Cup Regatta- San Diego, CA
Nov 1-4- French J/80 Championship- La Rochelle, France
For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.
J/80 North American Championship Preview
(Lake Winnipesaukee, NH)- The Lake Winnipesaukee Sailing Association is hosting the 2019 J/80 North American Championship on their beautiful lake in central New Hampshire. A strong turnout of twenty-three boats will be sailing from September 18th to 22nd, with boats coming from all over New England, Seattle, Annapolis, Texas, and even Canada.
Amongst the regatta leaders should be teams like Henry Tomlinson’s AEGIR, Brian Gibbs’ BLIND FAITH, Alex Kraus’ COOL J, Les Beckwith’s FKA, Ken Colburn’s GHOST, Tom & Jenn Kopp’s KOPP-OUT, Kevin Hayes & Jeff Kirchoff’s MORE GOSTOSA, John Vallee’s SHEETS & GIGGLES (CAN), Bill & Shannon Lockwood’s SHENANIGANS, and Ramzi Bannura’s STACKED DECK. For more J/80 North American Championship sailing information
J/Community
What friends, alumni, and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide
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J/24 Team: Josh Toso, Marty Gallagher, Elisa Schneider, Beau DeLapouyade, Valerie Bucholtz
What Makes Sailing So Special- Josh Toso's Reflections from J/24 Nationals
A week before the start of J/24 Nationals I was presented with the opportunity to hop on a crew for the regatta. A buddy of mine, whom I have sailed against for many years and a couple times on his J/24, was in dire need of crew as his had bailed and he was contemplating just bagging the event altogether. Having not raced in a major regatta in over 3 years, although I grew up racing and campaigning J/24s through high school, college and into my late 20s and early 30s, I jumped at this chance to get back in the saddle again. Our final result was not exactly what we had hoped for, finishing around mid-fleet, however just being at the event, I was reminded how absolutely amazing the sport of sailing truly is and how special the J/24 class is. There are certain things that differentiate our sport and set it apart from almost every other, and those virtues were on full display this late August weekend in Rochester, NY.
New Friends become Old Friends
Because my driver’s entire crew had bailed, we ended up scrambling to fill out our crew. I was slated to trim the genoa upwind and the spinnaker downwind, but we still needed to find a bow, mast and middle/tactician. As we turned our sights to the crew-boards, we were able to secure three women to complete our crew. Not only were these three women from completely different parts of the country (Florida, Upstate New York, and Montana) and all different ages (20s, 30s and 40s), but they had also never met each other and never met my driver or myself. In fact, the first time we all met each other was on Thursday afternoon for the practice race and we didn’t even meet our mast girl until Friday morning, about 2 hours before the first warning signal of the regatta. Our expectation was that it would probably take quite a bit of time for us to get to know each other and become a cohesive crew, working in tandem to get the boat around the racetrack as fast as possible. However, what we experienced was five people operating completely in sync with almost flawless crew work, right from the get-go. We were even asked multiple times at the after-racing parties how long we had all been racing together, as others couldn’t believe that we had all met just the day before.
The outstanding crew work and somewhat respectable finish, although unexpected, was not the most surprising thing our crew experienced. From the minute we all met on Thursday, and meeting our mast girl on Friday, the whole crew just clicked, and we were all instantly comfortable with each other…like we had known each other for years. It didn’t take long for inside jokes to develop and friendships to form and an amazing time was had on and off the water. When I asked our driver, Marty Gallagher (Scituate, MA), how he felt about going to the crew-board and finding random people to sail with who he’d never met before he mentioned, “Some adventures require a real leap of faith. Racing in big regattas is definitely an adventure because you never really know what will happen. I’ve found when you’re short of crew and reach out to the J/24 community for help, hands just start going up…racers from all over eager to join a team. You know they are adventurers too.”
A special relationship that was formed out of this adventure was that of the three women on the boat. Having never met each other until the day before (or day of) the regatta, they instantly connected, and their friendship quickly blossomed. By the end of the first day they were acting more like sisters than people who just met the day before. By the end of the event, the bond they had built was extending their relationship into the future with talk of joining together on an all-women’s crew for the Rolex Big Boat Series in San Francisco. Valerie Bucholtz, our middle/tactician, said of this newfound friendship, “Sailing attracts a certain style of person, its people who want to feel alive and exhilarated. I had no doubt that I’d like everyone on the crew and that we’d become friends. The next level of having each other’s back, laughing, teasing and sharing was a bonus and is what makes it so great and special.” There is no doubt in my mind that these three ladies will forever be friends and have many more adventures together…and the sport of sailing is what made it all happen.
Perseverance
The Sea Bags Women Sailing officially arrived at this year’s J/24 Nationals and put the whole J/24 Class on notice that they are here to compete on the national stage and here to stay. Their development, growth and advancement can be directly attributed to their perseverance and hard work and they epitomize what makes our sport so great.
The Sea Bags Women’s Sailing Team has been campaigning their J/24 for the past five years. The team got together after Erica Beck Spencer went to Worlds in Newport in 2014 and got frustrated that there were only 2 all women’s teams out of 79. Jess Harris and her parents bought the boat in February of 2015 and their first event was that year’s Midwinter Championship at Davis Island Yacht Club in Tampa, Florida. The team has had a number of women come and go over the years, but they tend to have about 11-12 ladies who rotate in and out and compete at about 9-10 regattas per year.
I have seen this amazing team of ladies progress throughout their time together, first meeting them at the 2015 Downeast Regatta in Portland, Maine. Although they like to have fun at the regattas as much as the next boat, their sights are always on improvement, looking for and seeking out every opportunity they can to get better. They make sure to attend every daily debrief, every dock talk, and are consistently one of the first boats out to the racecourse testing the wind conditions and honing their crew work and skills. They are always the first ones to ask questions at the pre-regatta local knowledge talks and are never shy to approach the pros and elite armatures under the regatta party tent to absorb every bit of information they can. I have followed the growth of this team throughout the years, and with every regatta they participate in they continually improve their skills and knowledge, and in turn, their results. This year they took first place in the J/24 fleet at the Sailing World’s Helly Hansen Marblehead NOOD Regatta and placed 13th at the J/24 National Championship, only 7 points out of the top 10…by far their best finish at a national regatta. They were in the lead pack all the way around the track in almost every race, mixing it up with the Pros and the top J/24 sailors in the country.
Following the regatta, I caught up with Erica Beck Spencer, co-captain and skipper of Sea Bags Women’s Sailing Team, to understand the work they have put in and to what she attributed their continuing success. “I couldn’t have been more proud of our team at this year’s J/24 Nationals. All year we’ve been focused on getting off the starting line with speed. After this year’s Midwinters we focused on practicing our approach to the starting line way before the line was even set. We ping an imaginary starting line, we set a timer and we imagine we are in traffic and work on accelerating. We try to do this several times before the actual start. This goal really paid off this year and has reflected in our results. At Nationals, we were able to get off the starting line with speed in every race. Our tactician, Hillary Noble, could really decide where we wanted to go instead of needing to bail out and get to clear air. Our travel team has been sailing together for many years now, and this helps tremendously. We show up to every dock talk with questions and my notebook to make it possible for us to learn as much as possible and to retain that information. We channel a growth mindset and constantly want to improve.”
As Erica went to the stage to receive the Top-Female Crew award she thanked her whole crew and the work they had put in, but also made sure to give thanks to the rest of the fleet as well…for it’s because of them and their openness to share stories, best practices and knowledge that has allowed her team to elevate their performance and helps to improve the entire class. Erica gave a specific shout out to the Pros of the J/24 Class, thanking Will (Welles), Mike (Ingham), Carter (White), Travis (Odenbach), Tim (Healy) and others for supporting her and her team and for constantly being approachable, friendly, welcoming and always willing to share and help. She attributed much of her team’s success to the guidance and support of these individuals and of the rest of the fleet.
Mixing it up with the Pros
I think you’d be hard pressed to find many sports where amateur athletes have the opportunity to compete against the pros in their sport on a consistent basis. Sailing is special in that way, where the lines between pros and amateurs are somewhat blurred and grey and because of that, a special relationship is built between the two. I play in a men’s ice hockey “beer league” and a handful of other adult sports leagues, and even at the highest level, the closest we ever come to competing against a pro is possibly having an opponent (or someone on our team) who maybe once played a year or two in the minor leagues, or maybe coached (or is coaching) a lower level college team or high level high school team. For the most part, the pros and amateurs don’t mix and do not compete against each other.
However, in sailing it’s a little different. It’s common place that National, North American and World Championships, in whatever class you are competing, have a combination of professional and amateur sailors competing against each other…and the amateurs even beat the pros from time to time. Heck, it even happens quite often in the local regattas as well. In sailing, the pros are just as much a fabric of our sport as the weekend warrior or “beer can” sailor…not necessarily these athletes on a pedestal to which you could never compare or unapproachable celebrities. They are part of the sailing family and want to help and see all the sailors they come in contact with improve…albeit sometimes to sell more sails, parts or boats…but for the most part, to ensure the health of the sport we all love and see it grow and encourage continued participation.
These interactions and relationships were never more apparent to me than at this year’s J/24 Nationals. With no less than nine pro boats out of the 46 competing, 20% of the fleet was comprised of people who make a living racing sailboats. However, you wouldn’t know it out on the racecourse or by looking at the standings as amateur sailors were constantly in the top pack, finishing in the top 10 of each race and even finishing in the top 10 overall. Under the tent, this reflection became even more clear as I observed pros and amateurs swapping stories around the keg and bar, laughing with and learning from each other, and genuinely enjoying each other’s company…whether they were longtime friends or just met at this regatta. This type of relationship isn’t exclusive to the J/24 Class, it happens all around the country at almost every major regatta. But in my estimation and humble opinion, the pros in the J/24 Class are some of the most friendly, kind, approachable, and all around great people that our sport has to offer. It is truly a special relationship and one that I am thankful I get to experience at every regatta I attend.
Race Committee – The Unsung Heroes
In any sport, it’s usually said that if you don’t notice the officials or referees, then they are doing their job correctly. In sailing this can be true as well and, in our sport, the Race Officials are truly the unsung heroes of any big race. With racing conditions and elements out of their control, it is up to the Race Committee to ensure that the racing is as fair and even as possible as well as to maximize the opportunity for racing on the constantly and ever-changing field of play. Some days with steady and consistent breeze, it’s as easy as setting the course and just running the starts. But other days can be more challenging with increases and decreases in velocity and oscillating wind shifts. It takes a well-trained and coordinated crew to overcome some of these challenges where communication is key, and execution is paramount.
At this year’s J/24 Nationals, I witnessed one of the best Race Committee crews doing what they do best. The Race Committee was headed up by PRO Matt Hill (Race Administration Director of US Sailing) but also had International Race Officers Hank Stuart, a local of the Rochester area, and John Strassman…two of the best Race Officers not only in our country, but in the world. Matt, Hank and John were joined by an elite team of volunteers who exceptionally communicated with each other and with the competitors and executed flawlessly. The three-day regatta experienced a wide range of racing conditions with winds as low as 3 knots and as high as 15-17 knots. At some points racers experienced oscillating 30-degree wind shifts as well as the wind just shutting off mid race, making it extremely difficult to even finish. But the Race Committee did its job by adjusting the course in direction and length almost every leg to ensure that each upwind and downwind was as true as possible. The Race Committee also understood the competitive nature and depth of this J/24 fleet, and as such, set a long first windward leg in order to separate the fleet before mark 1 and subsequently shortened the second windward leg to complete each race in a timely fashion. As expected with this aggressive fleet, many boats were pushing the line at each start, but the Race Committee did a masterful job through many general recalls utilizing the U and Black flags to control the start line.
Following the event, when asked about the work of his Race Committee, PRO Matt Hill said, “It was a pleasure working with such a professional and efficient Race Committee team. It’s the mark boat work that makes the race committee look good, and the mark-set team brought their A game. The pin boat set fair lines, the gate boat made sure the gates were square and properly sized, and the windward mark-set boat crew got a workout moving the marks left, right, up and down to keep the course balanced in the varying wind. Aboard the signal boat, Rochester Yacht Club Race Committee veteran Shirley Shumway kept us on our toes and well fed, junior sailor Tomas Riccio kept the flags going up and down at the right time, and IROs Hank Stuart and John Strassman brought their deep experience and expertise. I felt fortunate to be able to work with such a capable, fun team.”
I am sure we can all say that we’ve raced in some regattas with suspect Race Committee work, and in those events, we definitely notice it. I know the goal of any official is to not be noticed, but in this regatta, the unbelievable, professional and excellent work by the Race Committee was very much noticed…and appreciated. I can only hope that the next regatta I race in has half a good Race Committee as this J/24 Nationals. From all of us…“Thank You Race Committee!”
All in the Family
Sailing is truly a family sport and activity. The passion for sailing is often passed down from generation to generation and is enjoyed by families together throughout our country and around the world. So, it is by no accident that you can often see families participating and competing together at regattas.
I am a product of a sailing family, albeit a second-generation sailor. My father learned to sail in his early 30s in Boston at Community Boating Inc. on the Charles River. He purchased a J/24 when I was 2 years old and thus started my love for sailing. I grew up sailing on and racing the J/24 with my father, campaigning our boat “High Five” at various local regattas as well as some Midwinter, National and North American Championships. After graduating from college, my father bought an Etchells and my friends and I purchased the “High Five” from him and continued to race it for the next 6 years or so. I have always thought of the J/24 as a “family” boat, both in racing and cruising terms. In fact, I can remember one time Jeff Johnstone told me that when his father created the J/24 he had the idea of family in mind…he wanted a boat that he could not only race with his family, but that could sleep 4 people so they could have overnight cruises and even put a hibachi grill on the back.
This notion of family was reinforced in my mind at the J/24 Nationals. Most of my friends in the fleet, many of whom I hadn’t seen in some time, knew me through racing with my father all of those years. As I was leaving Rochester Yacht Club after awards, no less than 10 people made sure to tell me, “tell your father I say hi”. And as I looked around at the compilation of different boats throughout the fleet, I saw other boats with father/son crews, which made me think about how that racing experience will help to shape their sailing lives as well. And it’s not just the child/parent relationship that takes form at these events, lifelong partners and entire families are created through sailing. Multiple husband and wife teams were represented at this year’s Nationals creating a whole new dynamic on and off the water. This concept even makes its way through the pro ranks with the likes of Carter and Molly White who have been campaigning their J/24 since I was a little tyke running around the Portland Yacht Club, and was even present on the National Champion boat Buckaroo (helmed by Will Welles) that included Chris and Monica Morgan. Chris and Monica met through sailing the J/24 and their 5-year-old Oliver, “Regatta Baby”, has been at almost every regatta I have seen them at.
The one other thing I came to realize is that the idea of family is not exclusive to genetically or legally connected individuals. I know it is true at many other regattas, but it was especially clear to me, and I felt it whole-heartedly at this one…we are all family. We all have these experiences together, we all face the same elements and challenges together, we all laugh and play together, and we all compete with and against each other. Whether we are related or not…that sounds like family to me. All these people I see at every regatta I go to in any number of states throughout the country, these people are my family…always have been, and always will be…and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world! Thanks for contribution from US Sailing and Josh Toso
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