Lease a J/70 Today. Build Your Fleet!(Newport, RI)- J/Boats and Dockline are pleased to announce the first-of-its-kind lease program for J/70s. Lease a J/70 today, starting at $799/month* for 36 months! Boat, trailer and sails are included.
Leasing, as an alternative to purchasing, has been popular in other industries for years and is booming in the automobile and RV markets, thanks to a whole new generation coming of age with purchasing power. It’s this generation that’s leading the charge in the new shared economy, and this generation that’s actively seeking alternatives to buying big-ticket items.
Leasing is the perfect fit. There’s no large upfront expense, no long-term commitment, and at the end of 36 months, you turn in the keys with no resale headaches.
To learn more about the J/70 Leasing program, please contact your local J/Boats dealer. *Please note the price of $799/month excludes tax, title and delivery.
U.S. J/70 Youth Championship Announcement!(St Petersburg, FL)- The second annual U.S. J/70 Youth Championship will take place in St Petersburg, Florida on Tampa Bay from November 16-18, 2018. The event will be hosted by the St Petersburg Yacht Club in its fleet of club-owned matched one-design J/70’s.
The U.S. J/70 Youth Championship (USJYC) is open to twelve Youth Teams representing US Sailing recognized Sailing Clubs or Organizations. Sailing clubs may enter more than one youth team per event, but may only qualify one team for the USJYC championship in Newport, RI. The twelve (12) Youth Teams will compete on ten J/70 Class sailboats with class sails (main, jib, spinnaker).
The 2018 qualifiers are:
- Feb 15-18 Helly Hansen St Pete NOOD Regatta- St Petersburg, FL
- Mar 7-11 Bacardi J/70 Invitational- Miami, FL
- Mar 16-18 Helly Hansen San Diego NOOD- San Diego, CA
- Apr 12-15 Sperry Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC
- May 04-06 Helly Hansen Annapolis NOOD- Annapolis, MD
- Jun 2-3 Cedar Point YC One-Design Regatta- Cedar Point, CT
- Jun 08-10 Helly Hansen Chicago NOOD- Chicago, IL
- Jun 15-17 Cleveland Race Week- Cleveland, OH
- Jul 06-08 The Newport Regatta- Newport, RI
- Jul 15-16 St. Francis Sportboat Regatta- San Francisco, CA
- Jul 26-29 Helly Hansen Marblehead NOOD- Marblehead, MA
For more U.S. J/70 Youth Championship information, please contact J/Boats at “info@jboats.com” or refer to the USJCA website (http://www.jboats.com/j70-youth-championship).
Block Island Race Week 2018- It’s On!(Block Island, RI)- The Duck Island Yacht Club in Westbrook, Connecticut and the Block Island Yacht Club have teamed up to co-host Block Island Race Week 2018. The event will feature five days of racing on Block Island Sound June 17-22.
The 2018 event will feature a whole host of unique events including:
- One Design racing for all classes that can participate.
- Mixed fleet racing under the PHRF, ORC, and IRC rating rules.
- A first time participant’s class with video debriefing and coaching each day.
- Classics and multihull racing
- A cruising class holding one race each day starting at 2pm.
Follow us on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/birw2018/ Enter now here- https://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=4509 For more 2018 Block Island Race Week sailing information
J/70 Corinthian National Championship Announcement!(Fort Worth, Texas)- The Fort Worth Boat Club is proud and excited to be hosting the 2018 J/70 Corinthian National Championship from April 26th to 29th, 2018 on Eagle Mountain Lake west/northwest of the “Big D” (e.g. west of the Dallas Cowboys gazillion-dollar stadium in Arlington, TX). And, they want YOU to be there!
At Fort Worth BC, they are working hard to make this a world-class event. If there were ever a more gracious, accommodating, sailing-loving club, they would be hard to beat.
Texas is serious about J/70 racing! And, they are expecting that EVERY J/70 owned in their great state converge on Eagle Mountain Lake at the end of April!! If you are not planning to be there, they’ll be “hookin’ horns” with you soon!
For those “not in the know”, Eagle Mountain Lake is an excellent place to sail. A big, wide-open lake, it offers challenging sailing conditions not just for the locals, but also to anyone that loves and appreciates lake sailing at its best! Trust us, locals have NO advantages sailing on their own lake; even though the club has such famous, recognizable sailing names in America such as the Darden family (Glenn & Toby), O.L. Pitts (some lovable America’s Cup guy that sailed J/24s on the lake), the Bass Brothers (J/22 owners), Kelly Gough (an old All-American sailor), and many other infamous “folk heroes” in the annals of Texas J/24 history over the past 40+ years (most of whom probably should probably remain nameless- other than some guys like John Kolius and Farley Fontenot, of course).
So, a number of them are all learning how to sail J/70’s. Well, that’s a great thing for Texas sailing. And, a not so good thing for the R.O.W. (rest of the world). So, take ‘yer chances here, and register today for the J/70 Corinthian Nationals here.
If you have any questions, please contact J/70 Fleet 10 Captain- Jim Mitchell- email- jcm530@gmail.com
For more Fort Worth Boat Club sailing information
J/24 Texas Circuit Announcement!(Houston, TX)- Ye Old “vente quatro” is seeing lots of love in parts down south. Check out their latest efforts here on - https://www.facebook.com/J24Texas/
Trust us….the Texas J/24 Circuit is a “lifetime”, “gotta do”, “bucket list” program…. IF you don’t do it, you are missing the world’s best BEANS, beer, tacos, ribs, beer, sailing, beer, quesadillas, beer, steaks, beer, pulled pork, beer, and… damn, what are we forgetting?? Yay— beer! NOTE- some of the best Texas microbreweries now are some of the worlds’ best down there.
The 2018 Texas J/24 Circuit includes the following events:
- March 24-25 ~ Corpus Christi Yacht Club
- April 21-22 ~ Fort Worth Boat Club (SW Championship & Annual Regatta)
- May 19-20 ~ Dallas Corinthian Yacht Club (J/24 Corinthian Cup & Heritage Regatta)
- June 9-10 ~ Austin Yacht Club (J/24 Texas Championship)
- September 22-23 ~ Houston Yacht Club (HOOD Regatta)
- October 13-14 ~ Lakewood Yacht Club (J/Fest Southwest)
- November 17-18 ~ Canyon Lake Yacht Club (tentative)
To discuss your philosophy on sailing, call- Tonja E. (Sanchez) Holmes-Moon
J/24 Texas Circuit Representative / J/24 District 14 Governor & J/24 Class Measurer
phone# 940.808.6477 / email- tonja.sanchez@yahoo.com
10th Conch Republic Cup Preview!(Key West, Florida)– Welcome to the 10th edition of the Conch Republic Cup! We will welcome the fleet of competitors this year with our traditional Skipper’s meeting and Welcome party in Key West at the Schooner Wharf Bar and Grill January 26th.
We are pleased and excited to join with Evalena and her crew at Schooner’s to host the Key West events this year (note- Evalena is a local J/24 owner/ fanatic and loves sailing!). Schooner Wharf Bar and Grill has long been seen as “The” sailor’s bar in Key West and has a very long and storied history. As you may know, they host the Wrecker’s Race Series, an “all-in-fun” race series that recalls the tradition of the wreckers in the Key West of the 1800’s.
Once the sailors arrive in Hemingway Marina and grab some well-deserved rest they will be treated to the sights and sounds of Cuba with the traditional pig roast at the Hemingway International Yacht Club, thanks to Commodore Escrich- our gracious host in Cuba.
After a day of recuperation, we will be racing against Cuban sailors in this year’s Torreon de la Chorrera Buoy Race that runs the length of the Malecón. Competitors will sail by the US Embassy and along the famous Havana skyline. The start is located at the entry buoy to Havana Harbor under the shadow of Castillo del Morro, the famous cliff side fortress, and runs to the Torreon de la Chorrera, another famous Cuban Fortress, at the mouth of the Almendares River.
The third leg of this race series will bring the competitors back to Key West to celebrate the completion of Conch Republic Cup 2018 with the awards banquet at Schooner Wharf on February 3rd.
We look forward to sharing this cultural exchange through sport that highlights the love, friendship and cooperation with our Cuban neighbors as we celebrate the 10th edition of the Conch Republic Cup Regatta.
Looking forward to participating in the circle of love from Key West to Havana is Emilio Torres-Requena’s J/130 MAZU from Somerville, MA (e.g. near Boston). They will be sailing the entire event in PHRF Spinnaker Class. For more Conch Republic Cup sailing information
J/Sailing News
The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide
The third weekend of January produced a lot of sailing activity around the globe, both in the northern as well as southern hemispheres. Starting in the north, YC Monaco held their fourth Act of their Winter Sportsboat Series off Monte Carlo on Hercules Bay. The enormous fleet of J/70s was treated to beautiful sailing conditions on the Mediterranean. Off to the west, the Barcelona Winter Sportsboat Series Act also held their Act IV for J/70s and J/80s, enjoying similar conditions. Then, the Italian J/24 Class announced their annual winners of their National summer series.Over in the America’s, the St Petersburg YC in Florida hosted the inaugural J/Fest St Pete Regatta on Tampa Bay for one-design fleets of J/70s, J/88s, and J/111s.
Heading down to the Caribbean, the kick-off regatta for the winter sailing season was the enormously fun Barbados Sailing Week. A hotly contested J/24 class took part and, as has been customary in those parts, a local J/105 collected plenty of silverware and set a new round island course record for her class.
Heading still further south to the bottom of South America, the ROLEX Circuito Atlantico Sur took place at YC Punta del Este, sailing in the windy wavy waters off Punta del Este, Uruguay. A very competitive twenty-boat J/70 fleet had four excellent days of racing with crews attending from Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil.
Read on! The J/Community and Cruising section below has many entertaining stories and news about J/Sailors as well as cruising blogs about those who continue to enjoy the Caribbean and the South Pacific, staying warm while others are trying to stay warm up north. Check them out! More importantly, if you have more J/Regatta News, please email it or upload onto our J/Boats Facebook pag Below are the summaries.
Regatta & Show Schedules:
Feb 9-11- Quantum J/70 Winter Series- Tampa, FLFeb 15-18- St Pete NOOD Regatta- St Petersburg, FL
Feb 17-18- SCYA Midwinter Regatta- Long Beach, CA
Feb 19- RORC Caribbean 600 Race- English Harbour, Antigua
Feb 23-25- J/70 Midwinters- Coconut Grove, FL
Mar 1-4- Heineken St Maarten Regatta- Simpson Bay, St Maarten
Mar 7-11- Bacardi Cup J/70 Invitational- Coconut Grove, FL
Mar 16-18- San Diego NOOD Regatta- San Diego, CA
Mar 22-25- St Thomas International Regatta- Red Hook Bay, St Thomas, USVI
Mar 29- Apr 1- Easter Regatta- Columbia, SC
Apr 12-15- Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC
Apr 8-14- Voiles de Saint Barth Regatta- Gustavia, St Barth
Apr 26-29- J/70 Corinthian Nationals- Ft Worth, TX
Apr 28- May 4- Antigua Sailing Week- English Harbour, Antigua
For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.
Russians Crush Monaco Sportsboat Series..Again!(Monte Carlo, Monaco)- Having won two of the three regattas to date, Russia’s top woman sportsboat skipper, Valerya Kovalenko, is making a big impression on the J/70 fleet. Her crew on ARTTUBE outwitted the competition and she has all the resources required to make this top-step podium finish at the YC Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series.
Thirty-three boats, including 11 Monegasque entries, lined up on the start of this penultimate Act. However, the suspense is over for everyone. The “tsarina” of Russia has done it again! Dreams of a podium finish receded for some, but came true for others like Valerya Kovalenko at the helm of ARTTUBE with her talented crew of Igor Lisovenko, Alex Bozhko, and Denis Rozhkov. Again, ARTUBE was the undisputed leader of the regatta.
The results speak for themselves with three wins out of four races that counted. The Russian team proved surprisingly consistent and in full control of their boat. Although rarely in the vanguard during starts, they worked their way steadily back up the fleet, nibbling away at the lost meters until the finish. Their strong point: the downwind legs, tackled with skill and every wave perfectly negotiated. The competition has no hope of overtaking her now. Despite their best efforts, the Germans on PAINT IT BLACK led by Carsten Kemmling were 2nd just ahead of the YC Monaco’s Stefano Roberti on PICCININA. Roberti pulled out all the stops to keep his ambitions alive, coming in the top six in every race. At the end of racing on Sunday, he now lies 2nd in the provisional overall ranking after four Acts, behind Valerya Kovalenko.
A Breath of fresh air blows through J/70 classAs part of the YCM’s coaching policy, two teams from the Club’s Sports Section are now competing in the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series, with youngsters like Rémi Piazza. A newcomer to the J/70 class he embodies the new generation of racers keen to shine in the keelboat categories. He finished 17th this weekend and 3rd in the owner category. Also competing was Leonardo Bonelli, a YC Monaco Optimist sailor who at the age of just 12 was racing on a J/70 for the first time!
The J/70s will be back on the water for the 34th Primo Cup – Trophée Credit Suisse, 9-11 February 2018 that gathers the cream of one-design sailors in the J/70 class from across Europe.
Behind Russia’s Kovalenko and Monaco’s Roberti in the provisional series ranking overall is Italy’s Germano Scarpa on SPORTCUBE. There is one grand finale at the end of February for this winter-long series. For more YC Monaco J/70 Sportsboat Winter Series sailing information
Light Airs J/Fest St Pete RegattaJ/88 WINGS Crowned Midwinter Champion
(St Petersburg, FL)- The inaugural J/Fest St Pete Regatta took place this past weekend on Tampa Bay. Host St Petersburg YC and its RC Committee, PRO and volunteers made a valiant effort to get in as many races as they could considering the cards they had been dealt- essentially no, or very little, wind for all three days.
The weather prognosticators were, unfortunately, more accurate than normal for Tampa Bay. An enormous High pressure system had parked itself north of Florida over Georgia and nothing moved it for well over four days- an unusual phenomenon, especially this winter where storms have been ravaging the North American continent about once per week and wrecking havoc everywhere. The flip side of that coin was that it warmed up fast all three days of sailing and the sunny days and warm 70 deg days were a welcome reprieve for many sailing teams that had migrated down to Florida from the north.
The largest class in the regatta were the J/111s. Winning was a relative class newcomer, Jeff Davis and his team on SHAMROCK from the Midwest rode a 1-2-2 record to handily win the class. Another Midwest crew accustomed to light airs racing took second place, Rob Ruhlman’s SPACEMAN SPIFF from Cleveland, OH. They had by far the most consistent record of any boat in the regatta- a 3-3-3 for 9 pts total. The bronze was secured by Peter Wagner’s World Championship crew on SKELETON KEY. While they had a 1-2 in their scoreline, they suffered the ignominy of missing the time limit in the second race and had to score a TLE/ DNF, a score that would torpedo their chances of an overall win.
The J/88s had a real battle going by the end of the second day. The top two boats were tied on points with a 1-2 for each team. Mike Bruno’s WINGS from New York and Long Island Sound were even with Andy Graff’s EXILE from Chicago and Lake Michigan. Both were experienced in light airs sailing on those two bodies of water. With just one race to go, the last race was won by Iris Vogel’s DEVIATION to secure third place on the podium. However, Graff’s EXILE crew misjudged the adverse current and got hung up on the anchorline of the RC boat at the start; as a result they scored a 4th and barely held on to second place for the regatta. Winning the regatta and crowned as J/88 Midwinter Champion with a 1-2-2 scoreline for 5 pts was Bruno’s crew on WINGS.In the J/70s, there was also a similar battle taking place. After two days and two races, two teams had 1-2 scores- Gary Weisberg’s AFRICA and Connor Mraz’s VAMOS!! On the last day, Weisberg’s AFRICA took the class crown by winning the race, with VAMOS in 2nd. Third for the regatta was Dan Gross & Danette Szakaly’s D2 RACING. For more J/Fest St Pete Regatta sailing information
Garcia Crowned ROLEX Circuito Atlantico Sur J/70 Champion(Punta del Este, Uruguay)- The 2018 edition of the South Atlantic Rolex Circuit was held this past weekend, an event organized by the Yacht Club Argentino, the Olivos Yacht Club, the Punta del Este Yacht Club and the Uruguayan Yacht Club and sponsored by the prestigious firm Rolex.
Twenty of the exciting J/70 sportboats participated in the three-day event and within the ORC Club class were J/24s and a J/92. The teams came from Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina.
Day One
Racing began on Monday, January 15th for the enthusiastic fleet of J/70s. Two races were held in a southerly 18 kts breeze. Pedro Garra’s PLAN B led the fleet at the end of the day with a 2-1 for 3 pts. They were followed by Francisco Van Aermaete’s SI QUERIDA with a 1-5 for 6 pts. Completing the podium after the first day was Ricardo Umpierre’s XTREME 4U with a 3-3 for 6 pts.
Day TwoFor the second day of racing, the J/70 sailors were treated to a radiant sun and with ESE winds that grew from 12 to 17 knots. The J/70s managed to complete three more races and the “planing mode” conditions created a dramatic turnover in the standings.
As a result, it was Diego Garcia’s CHAPULIN from YC Punta del Este that flew up the standings and won the regatta with 17 total points. Holding their own was SI QUERIDA, holding on for the silver with 20 pts total. However, it was Pedro Garra’s PLAN B that dropped off the pace a bit and survived to get the bronze to round out the podium. The balance of the top five included Aldo Centanaro’s PURA JODA in 4th with 38 pts and in fifth place was Juan Pablo Fregonese’s BUTANTAN
with 41 pts (of note- he was top dog in a three-way tie count-back scenario with Ricardo Umpierre’s XTREME 4U and Sebastian Rana’s BANQUITOS.Grand finale- Vuelte (Round) Gorriti Island Race
In this fun, classic race that closes out the Rolex Circuito Atlantico Sur 2018, the “round island” race of Gorriti is enjoyed by all. In the J/70s, winning was Fregonese’s BUTANTAN with Rana’s BANQUITOS in 2nd, Centanaro’s PURA JODA in 3rd, Garra’s PLAN B 4th and Nicolas Goulu’s CHISPITA in 5th place.
Winning ORC B Class was Marcelo Alzola’s J/24 BLUECROSS & BLUESHIELD. Sitting in 5th position was Guani/ Arocena’s J/92 JUPITER. Follow the Rolex Circuito Atlantico Sur on Facebook here For more Rolex Circuito Atlantico Sur sailing information and results
Barcelona Winter Series Hotting Up!(Barcelona, Spain)- This past weekend, the fourth Act of the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona Winter Series saw cool waters, brisk winds, and hot action across the water of the Olympics sailing venue. In the J/70s, winning Act IV was the Russian Sergey Semenov’s NEW TERRITORIEs, while Luis Albert Solana’s PATAKIN sailed well enough to maintain their overall series lead over Massimo Rama’s JENIALE EUROSYSTEM.
Unfortunately, Saturday’s sailing was canceled after several fruitless starts with an “AP over A” to mark the end of day for all racers. However, on Sunday the sailors were greeted by spectacular sailing conditions; so good that both J/70 and J/80 classes were able to post a total of four races.
In the J/70s, there were many changes in the standings. On Sunday, the fleet was completely dominated by the Russian Sergey Semenov, sailing his NEW TERRITORIES that represents the Nautical Club of Saint Petersburg in Russia. Three 1sts and one 5th pretty much crushed the competition for the weekend. JENIALE’s Massimo Rama won the only other race that the Russians left open, the third race.For Luis Albert Solana, owner of PATAKIN, the day was fantastic. Luis commented, “of those who make a hobby of sailing, it was fabulous. Perfect wind and they treated us terrific!! I love surfing with Alex Muscat; Finn's Spanish champion- a luxury!"
Spanish sailing super-star Hugo Rocha, who has sailed on the Russian crew on NEW TERRITORIES, commented that, “everything has gone very well for us. With a very windy sea breeze, the wind was great for us, and therefore, more fun. Thanks to the Race Committee that has done a good job!”
For the weekend, behind PATAKIN and JENIALE EUROSYSTEM, it was David Marco’s REBUFF that is now sitting in third for the overall provisional series.The J/80s had a bit of an upset for the weekend. It was an excellent day for AKEWELE sailed by woman skipper Silvia Ravetllat. They won two of the four races in a hard fight with Marc de Antonio’s BRIBON-MOVISTAR (a J/80 World Champion, no less). Taking third for the weekend was the Polish crew on MOONRAKER sailed by Pawel Boksa.
As a result, for the season series, BRIBON-MOVISTAR maintains a comfortable lead of ten points over AKEWELE. In turn, Silvia’s crew are just seven point up on Rosa Artigas’ MIKAKU. For more Barcelona Winter J/70 & J/80 Series sailing information
Record Setting Barbados Sailing Week!(Bridgetown, Barbados)- The beginning of the Caribbean winter sailing season was marked by the fun and games that are had by all on the wonderful island nation of Barbados. The famous Barbados Sailing Week, hosted by the Barbados Cruising Club off their enormous harbor in Bridgetown, had another epic of week of sailing; including one for the record books!
There are two events in the schedule; starting first with Barbados Sailing Week from the 17th to 20th of January and closing with their epic finale- the Round Island Race on the 21st of January. In the end, J/sailors on J/105s and J/24s did well across the board. Here is how it all happened.
Day 1- Caribbean season launched in Barbados
Barbados Sailing Week 2018 got underway today to launch the Caribbean regatta season with a week of seriously fun racing and partying.
Glorious conditions with winds up to 18kts and a swell from the east were on offer for a 11-12nm course from Carlisle Bay for a fleet that ranged from windsurfers and an International Moth to the 65ft Alfred Mylne classic, The Blue Peter.
In CSA Racing Class, the super-tuned crew on Peter Lewis’ J/105 WHISTLER fought hard to earn their first top spot of the week. After what was probably the best start of the day, team WHISTLER sailed well in the tricky conditions and although they seemed to struggle with speed on the first downwind leg, they were able to comfortably hold off The Blue Peter, who had to settle for second place in class.
Day 2- Grub crawl at Barbados Sailing WeekWith winds up to 17kts, day two of Barbados Sailing Week was the penultimate day of the Coastal Series, traditionally known as the “Two Restaurants Race.”
The 22nm course offered spectacular sheltered flat water/ fast reaching conditions on the leg to and from the northern-most mark at Holetown just off The Beach House restaurant. On the southern part of the course to the Tapas Restaurant mark, the more lively conditions in the stunning, vibrant turquoise waters gave competitors a real taste of Caribbean sailing at its best.
A processional it may have seemed, but the long west coast leg from Carlisle Bay to Holetown provided plenty of opportunity for tactical racing.
In CSA Racing, Peter Lewis’ team on the J/105 WHISTLER demonstrated its skill by managing to hold its kite for the duration of the leg (there and back), despite a few debatable moments when the reach looked almost too tight. It paid off, however, and this local team of hotshots maintained pace throughout and managed to keep the ever-threatening team on the TP52 Conviction in second place.
“We thought we may have just beat them [Whistler] today, but not quite,” Staples commented. “We had a great day and I have to say that of all my 40 years of sailing here, today was what I regard as classic West Indies sailing conditions; good breeze and enough sea to remind you that you are sailing on an ocean. I was also impressed with the team today they worked well and there were plenty of smiling faces, which is what it is all about.”
Day 3- Wind Gods love Barbados Sailing WeekThe hugely competitive local J/24 fleet enjoyed the first of its new two-day race series at Barbados Sailing Week, while today was also the final day of the Coastal Series.
The launch of the J/24 race series attracted quality competition and, with four races, on short windward/leeward-style courses in Carlisle Bay, there was barely time to draw breath. The variable shifty winds up to 17kts also kept the racing exciting and close, which resulted in different winner in each race.
Gregory Webster and team on the 1981-built PHOENIX started the day on a good note with an impressive bit of sailing off the line with a port tack start. Risky as it may have been, this well-tuned local team sailed fast, high and, by playing the shifts and taking the favored right-hand side of the course, they led and went on to win the first race of the day. They then finished second to Robbie Yearwood’s DIE HARD in race two.
Neil Burke and team on IMPULSE claimed the win in race three, while Cyril Lecrenay and team on BUNGA BUNGA took the final win of the day in race four after a intense covering match with DIE HARD on the approach to the finish line.
“It was a tough one and, at one point, I thought we’d lost it but it was just a matter of keeping cover on DIE HARD and finally finding a good line to the finish,” Lecrenay commented. “I think it was tip top crew work that really counted today and, because we have sailed together for three years constantly we barely have to say anything to each other because everything on the boat runs smoothly.”
As well as good team work, it was also consistency that paid, which means that with a win and two second places to count, Yearwood and team from Grenada on DIE HARD lead the series by two points from BUNGA BUNGA with four races to go.
“Putting our lack of preparation, and confusion in the first race to one side, we put our heads down, focused on our strengths with the aim to live up to our name – DIE HARD,” said Yearwood. “Thankfully it worked and we made a comeback. A two-point lead, however, is not a comfortable margin at all so anything can happen tomorrow. But we have good speed so we plan to continue what we are doing.”
Elsewhere the final day of Coastal Racing was reaching its crescendo with fleets battling it out for all-important overall points. Although the well-sailed J/105 WHISTLER with Peter Lewis and his seasoned team had already secured the overall win going into the final race, the challenge was on to make it a hat-trick.
Day 4- J-DAY is Lay-day at Barbados Sailing WeekWhile final preparations were underway for the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race tomorrow, the J/24 fleet crowned its winner in the closely contested final showdown in the J/24 Coastal Racing Series at Barbados Sailing Week.
J/24 racing in Barbados never fails to attract a quality fleet, so it was no surprise that competition at the two-day J/24 series was hot & heavy both days. The overnight leader, Robbie Yearwood from Grenada and his team on DIE HARD, continued their form with wins in the two opening races.
However, a shredded jib halyard and spinnaker halyard in race three, while leading, almost cost them the series. But, they still managed fourth place in that race. Thankfully, they had done enough to secure the series with a race to spare, leaving Cyril Lecrenay and BUNGA BUNGA in second place just two points adrift.
“It was a tough day having to contend with gear problems but we gathered ourselves together and got it sorted,” said Yearwood. “It was a bit of a disaster not being able to take down the jib because we couldn’t have re-hoisted it, so we had to sail with it all the time plus we had to use jam cleats on the spinnaker halyard and tie it.
“There was so much tension that when we went to take the spinnaker down it at the end of the run when we were leading, it jammed and we sailed right past the mark. Funnily enough we didn’t actually have to sail the final race but we weren’t sure about our maths so we did it anyway, and really enjoyed it.”
Yearwood is now preparing the boat for the 134nm sail back to Grenada tomorrow. “Going home is easy because it’s all downwind but it will still take 24 hours to get there.”
Day 5- The Round Island- Stormy, Fast, & FunSqually winds reaching 30 knots from the northeast made for magical sleigh-ride and record-breaking conditions in the 82nd Mount Gay Round Barbados Race.
While the lively conditions in big seas proved too much for many of the 34 entries in the 60nm sprint around the Island of Barbados, for others it couldn’t have been more thrilling. In total seven records were broken – the largest ever number of records broken in the history of the event.
Among the young sailors taking on the challenging course today was Jason Tindale (27 years old) in the J/24 COLLEGE FUNDS. He and his team from Barbados Yacht Club once again demonstrated their skill by sailing a tactically sound race. Having established the J/24 record in 2015 and bettered their time in 2016; they’ve done it again with a time of 8h 18m 9s!!
Commenting on his epic sail, Tindale said: “It was, without doubt, the worst conditions I have ever seen at North Point. We had squalls of 30+ knots with gusts but by they we had no option other than to carry on. I think the most wonderful part was sailing on one tack down the east coast. Basically, you can’t get much better than that. It was, to coin a much-used phrase ‘Champagne sailing’. I think we also had a bit of luck today because, on the approach to the finish line the eyelets pulled out of the spinnaker pole. Had that happened further up the coast we would have lost the record for sure because we would have been under jib only.”
Crushing it in the 35 & Under Class was the J/105 WHISTLER, going around faster than most other larger boats. In fact, only four boats beat them on elapsed, a 100 footer, a 70 footer, a TP52 and a 50 foot racer! Sailing photos credits- Peter O’Donnell Marshall For more Barbados Sailing Week sailing information
Diamanti Crowned Francesco Ciccolo Trophy Winner!(Marina di Carrara, Italy)- The 2017 Italian J/24 Championship sailing season ended in December and saw two quite familiar faces from the Italians J/24 class at the top of the standings for each category.
Winning the Francesco Ciccolo Trophy, emblematic of the best owner-helmsman (ranking based on the best four scores achieved in seven regattas all season), was once again ITA 212 JAMAICA sailed by Pietro Diamanti. Rounding out the top five in the category were ITA 489 VALHALLA HOTEL VERONA sailed by Fabio de Rossi in 2nd, ITA 427 MAGICA FATA sailed by Massimo Frigerio in 3rd, ITA 304 FIVE FOR FIGHTING skippered by Eugenia De Giacomo in 4th, and ITA 106 JOC helmed by Fabio Apollonio.
In the “open division” for “skippers not boat owners”, the runaway winner was, as usual Ignacio Bonanno’s crew from the Italian Navy sailing LA SUPERBA. They were followed by ITA 432 KASTER in 2nd, ITA 499 KONG GRIFFIN in 3rd, ITA 501 AVOLTORE (skippered by Francesco Cruciani) in 4th, and ITA 202 TALLY I skippered by Luca Macchiarini in 5th place.The awards ceremony will take place, as has been customary each year, during the closing ceremony of the 38th Open J/24 National Championship that is organized by the Fraglia Della Vela Riva del Garda (www.fragliavelariva.it). That event runs from 30 May to 3 June 2018 on Lago di Garda. For more Italian J/24 class sailing information
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* J/sailor Nicole Breault Awarded Jerome B. White Yachtsman of the Year at St Francis YC!In a male dominated sport, opportunities for women have not always come easily. Change is not always swift, but one Northern California club is now shattering the ceiling with two hallmark movements.
At the 2018 Annual General Meeting of the membership of the St. Francis Yacht Club, as the club welcomed in its first female Commodore, it also awarded Nicole Breault with the Club’s highest honor – the Jerome B. White Yachtsman of the Year – which recognizes the member who has made the greatest contribution to the sport of yachting during the preceding year.
Breault, whose contributions to the sport of yachting ran the gamut from competitor to coach to volunteer, reflects on the achievement:
I am blown away by the notion that my name joins such a weighty list of names in the club’s history, and many with great fame in the sailing world. I am deeply moved by this acknowledgement of my racing and contributions to the club, even more so by the symbolic gesture to grant a woman the rank of yachtsman.
I hold a deep respect for the women in competitive sailing who have preceded me with successful racing careers, as well as for the female competitors who have challenged me on the water and have helped make me the competitor I am today. All of these tenacious women have had to struggle against the inertial forces of a sport historically enjoyed by men alone, and by doing so they carved a sphere of accomplishment within the wider field.
When a woman achieves distinction as “yachtswoman,” the recognition is loaded with gender-specific importance, and the title is loaded with the legacy of women in the sport. Kudos to those leading ladies of the sailing world, and especially to rock star foiling kite world champion Daniela Moroz, US Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year for 2016 and repeat StFYC Yachtswoman of the Year for 2017.
Whether intended or not, in naming me the StFYC Yachtsman of the Year for 2017, the club has made a huge statement to neutralize the gender qualification of this top award. Perhaps the name of this honor should change to “yachtsperson,” and yet in delaying such a change while awarding it to me, we see the cultural paradigm of our past and its sticky influence on gender disparity in sailing laid bare.
Over time, the courage of female sailors and their male advocates has eroded the rules of exclusivity, and using me as an example, the StFYC has made a bold move naming me their 2017 Yachtsman of the Year. Were that merely for a successful racing record, it would be significant enough.
However, the club also focused attention on my efforts to bring more women into sailing and create opportunities to advance their skills, thus amplifying the message and mission of inclusiveness going forward.
I’ve been racing all my life and I’ve only ever wanted to be among the best of the best and earn their respect by winning on the water. I’ve always put my best out on the water and I try to not make it about gender. I thank all with whom I’ve done battle with out on the water and those who I hope to do battle with in the future.
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GERONIMO and Gibson’s TSUNAMI.
In total, ten races were run over the two weekends. A victory in the last race simply confirmed the crushing win the young crew on ITA 304 FIVE FOR FIGHTING put on the dozen-boat fleet. The team was led by owner/skipper Eugenia De Giacomo with crew of Nicola and Matilde Pitanti, Lorenzo Cusimano and Bruna Marco.
After that, there was only one more sporty night well south of Bermuda (where we stopped for a few hours to top fuel off). After three days of motoring, the trades filled and we were off on moonlit nights arriving in 10.5 days at first light on 11 November. Except for two shredded jib sheets in the Gulf Stream, zero damage to BRAVO, and a happy landing in Paradise! What a great boat and crew!” Thanks for this contribution from Tom Babbitt.
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* Jim & Heather Wilson completed a circumnavigation of our "blue planet Earth" in June 2013 on their J/42 CEOL MOR. Said Jim, "The odyssey of CEOL MOR is over, for now. We completed our circumnavigation on our J/42 when we crossed our outbound track in Britannia Bay, Mustique. We were, however, still 2,000 nautical miles from home. So, we continued on through the Windwards, the Leewards, and then through the British Virgin Islands. After a farewell 'Painkiller' at the Soggy Dollar, and a last meal at Foxy’s, we made the 1,275 nautical mile passage to the Chesapeake and completed our port-to-port circumnavigation when we arrived in Annapolis on June 28, 2013. We had been away 1,334 days, completed 259 days of ocean passages, and sailed 30,349 nautical miles (34,925 statute miles). 
