J/24 Europeans & Monaco Match-Race Championship

(Monte Carlo, Monaco)- More great news from Prince Albert's sailors at Yacht Club de Monaco! Twenty years after welcoming the J/24 European Championship to the Principality for the first time, the YCM will host the J/24 Europeans in Monaco once again, uniting the international elite of this series, considered to be of the world’s most important events for the J/24 Class.  The regatta will be held from October 5th to 12th at the spectacular, new clubhouse of the YCM situated on Monte Carlo's Port Hercule.

Also, from March 8th to 10th, the YCM is organizing a new Monaco Match Race Regatta.  The event is a collaboration with Bruce Hebbert and Ian Ilsley, who's very active and successful on the European Team Racing circuit-- getting on the podium on many occasions, including the Cowes Team Race (since 2006) and second during the Cumberland Cup in 2010 (Royal St George Yacht Club taking the victory).

The Cumberland Cup was organized by the Royal Thames Yacht Club of London, England and now the key challengers from that event are coming together again for the edition organized by Yacht Club de Monaco.  The YCM Match Race Regatta is open to "Twinned" and "Reciprocal Clubs" of the YCM.  The primary focus of the regatta is not individual performance and winning, but instead on overall team’s performance and learning. This highly tactical contest in J/24s will bring together ten Yacht Clubs comprising two teams each including at least three women (a requirement).    For more J/24 Europeans and Monaco Match Race sailing information

Great J/24 & J/80 Kieler Woche Regatta

(Kiel, Germany)- This past week saw one of the largest regattas in Germany finish with a flourish with some great sailing for both the J/24 fleet participating and a growing J/80 class.

In the fifteen boat J/80 class, there were Polish and German crews sailing a good series.  Dominating the class was Germany's Martin Menzner from Kieler YC, winning with a remarkable six 1sts and four 2nds to simply crush the class, eight points clear of second place finisher Malte Christopherson, also of Germany.  Third overall was Thomas Dehler, fourth was Fyn Terveer winning a tie-breaker over fifth place finisher Karsten Thode.

There was a fantastic turnout for the J/24s, with 33 teams attending from Sweden, The Netherlands and Germany.  The J/24s also saw a top team dominate the proceedings, with Kal Mares winning with 29 pts, followed by Frank Schonfedlt in second with 43 pts.  Rounding out the podium was past champion Manfred Konig with 50 pts.  Top Swedish team was Per-Hakan Persson in 7th overall.  For more Kiel Week Regatta sailing information

Read Vying For Volvo Race Lead

(Lorient, France)- The Volvo Ocean Race is in its final week of sailing.  Hard to believe, but true.  At this time, just about any of the top four teams can win given the right combinations of racing.  But, the French team led by Franck Cammas on GROUPAMA will have an unassailable position so long as they average third in the next three races and could become the first French team in decades to win this epic around-the-world offshore race, this one being the longest-ever version with nearly 40,000 nm of sailing under their boats! 

Challenging GROUPAMA will be Newport's Ken Read racing PUMA Mar Mostro, hoping his collective experience of winning multiple J/24 World Championships will come into play in the last three "windsprints" left on the schedule.  Besides the two in-port "day races", the last offshore leg is just short of 500nm, a "day race" for these ocean-racing greyhounds!  It will be tough sailing, in fact more like a monster version of an intercollegiate dinghy race than an offshore keelboat race from a tactical point of view-- everyone will be in view the entire four days of racing!!  Good luck to Ken Read and crew on PUMA! 

And, not to be left out will be J/80 champion sailor from Spain, Iker Martinez and team on TELEFONICA.  TELEFONICA had led for 80% of the race until they broke their two primary rudders in a "chinese gybe" maneuver just before finishing the last leg into Lorient, France.  Limping into port on one rudder, the TELEFONICA team are hoping, like Ken's PUMA team, to win a few races and gun for the top of the podium, too!  Should be an intense, epic drama un-folding on the high seas off Europe!  For more Volvo Race sailing information

Italian LA SUPERBA Wins J/24 Europeans

Brazilian Maurizio Santa Cruz Wins "Open" Europeans
(Arzachena, Sardinia, Italy)- Can the newly minted Italian Champions in Sardinia also become the J/24 European Champions?  As "the Fates" will have it, yes.  Ignacio Bonanno on LA SUPERBA wins the J/24 Europeans while past J/24 World Champion Brazilian Mauricio Santa Cruz on BRUSCHETTA wins the European Open competition.

In the end, after a remarkable nine races spaced over four days the Brazilian team of Mauricio Santa Cruz managed to completely dominate the J/24 teams assembled for the European Championship.  After starting slowly (really slowly for them), Mauricio's crew sailed a 13-28-1-2-2-2-1-1-3 to win with a 25 pts total, 14 points in front of the second place finisher, LA SUPERBA. After winning the Italian J/24 Championships, Ignazio Bonanno on LA SUPERBA  sailed a very solid regatta, starting off strongly with a 3-2-2-8-3-10-4-7 to finish with a net 39 pts, winner of the "Europeans".  Third overall in the regatta was the American team from Seattle, Washington, Keith Whittemore and crew on FURIO.  They started with about as crappy a score-line as anyone could imagine- 19-ocs-21 but managed to overcome the romance of the Sardinia women and seductive coastline to score a 4-1-1-5-2-2 for the best tally in  the fleet for the last six races for a 55 pts total.  They just edged out the top German tea, Kai Mares on ROTOMAN that sailed a solid regatta to get a 9-1-3-3-9-12-13-6 for 56 pts.  Fifth was the American team of Mike Ingham on JULIA with a score of 2-ocs-13-16-4-3-7-9-4 for 58 pts.  For more J/24 European Championship sailing information

J/24 Sailing Fun @ Monaco's Primo Cup

(Monaco)- For almost 30 years, the European elite has been gathering in Monegasque waters at the beginning of February to take part in the Mediterranean yachting season’s biggest event in terms of the number of participants.  With almost 1,000 sailors coming from all over Europe, representing some 15 nationalities, the Primo Cup – Trophee Credit Suisse organised by the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM), is one of the most important winter events in Europe, marking the start of the international racing season in Europe and the Med.

Strong breezes and bright sunshine marked the first weekend of sailing which saw five very competitive series racing from Friday to Sunday for the J/24s and other classes.  International teams from all over Europe faced tough conditions, with winds up to 30 knots from the north-east to south-west, providing an excellent early start to the regatta season in demanding rather wintery conditions. “I take my hat off to all the participants, some of whom braved traffic problems caused by the wintery weather to get here, and while it was a bit chilly this year there was sunshine and wind in the bay of Monaco,” said a delighted Thierry Leret, Race Committee President, at the prize-giving when all the winning crews are presented with SLAM clothing and a pair of waterproof binoculars with compass from Bernard Optic.  No fewer than six races were held for the one-designs, still the best format for the most seasoned sailors when it comes to competing on a level playing field.

For the J/24 sailors, their sights are set on the J/24 European Championship in Monaco in 2013.  What a spectacular venue!  Sure to be a popular event, J/24 sailors must remember that none other than the HRH Prince Albert II of Monaco (and President of Yacht Club Monaco)  cut his teeth on one-design sailing in the family's principality sailing J/24s with numerous Americans and Europeans over the course of time-- at least a dozen years straight at last count!  Prince Albert is sure to be the gracious host yet again for the 2012 International J/24 European Championship at Yacht Club de Monaco!

In the 2012 edition, it was good to see the “southerners” clinch victory in the J/24s after several past series have been dominated by the “northerners”.  The crew from ST ANDREWS SECURITIES, with François Brenac as tactician, fought off the attacks by the Swede Marianne Schoke and her team sailing JULIA.  “I’ve been competing regularly in the Primo Cup for the last seven or eight years with members of the Yacht Club de Monaco. The Primo Cup is a fantastic event to kick-start the season and prepare for the big regattas later in the year. And, I am delighted to learn that Monaco will be hosting the J/24 European Championship from 6 to 12 October 2013,” said Marianne, who is also president of the J/24 European Class Association.

TOPO TOO, helmed by Claude Rodelato, finished third but the skipper was very satisfied with the result. He had a totally new team who came together specially for the Primo Cup, as his brother Jean and Blandine Medecin are currently among the leaders of the Transquadra Double-handed Transatlantic Race between Cascais (Portugal) and Le Marin (Martinique).  For more J/24 Monaco Primo Cup sailing results

Triple-crown of World Sailing taken by J/24 Sailors?

Maybe.  Ed Baird just won the Audi TP52 World Championship on QUANTUM RACING.  If Ken Read wins the Volvo Ocean Race on the VOR 70s with his PUMA MAR MOSTRO and Terry Hutchinson wins the America's Cup 34 with ARTEMIS RACING, it can legitimately be said that one-design J/Racing is "where it's at".  After all, all three are past J/24 World Champions.  Go figure.  Many champions in many other classes compete against them, but still, it just seems the J/22, J/24 and J/80 World Champions continue to dominate offshore, too.  Fastnet, Transpac, Trans-Atlantic, Chicago-Mac, Bermuda, Rolex Middle Sea, RORC 600, just to name a few.  And, in many other classes.  Lessons learned?  Here's an "off-the-wall" idea-- sail a J/24 in the East Coast Championship on Halloween Weekend in Annapolis, then sail the J/24 "Open" Worlds in Rochester, NY in 2012, then graduate to dominate the planet.  Won't be the first, nor last time this will happen.  :)

Anyhow, back to what just happened.  Off that picturesque little town called Porto Cervo, Italy, good'ole Ed Baird showed he's still got some "MoJo" left in him and showed that winning an America's Cup with ALINGHI was no fluke.  Continuing QUANTUM RACING's near total domination of the TP52 World Circuit, Ed and crew picked up their third title in four years of sailing.  Not bad, really.  They added to Worlds wins in 2008 in Lanzarote and defended the title they won last year Valencia.  Emerging with a four points margin over Germany's CONTAINER, the American flagged QUANTUM team complete the same "double" as they did in 2008, winning both the Audi MedCup Circuit title as well as the World Championship. Congratulations Ed, I'm sure Lisa and the boys want you back home in St Pete to cook some food for those fast-growing boys!!  What's so ironic about all this?  One of the original "architects" of the TP52 circuit and one its "chief cheerleaders" was none other than North Sail's Ken Read! And, Quantum Sail's Terry Hutchinson won the Audi TP52 Circuit twice before!  Wonders never cease.   For more Audi TP52 MedCup/ World Championship sailing information

  

RELOADED Blasts BMW J/24 Europeans

(Dublin, Ireland)- In ideal conditions - moderate to fresh south-easterly winds and sunshine - the BMW J/24 European Championships concluded at Howth with four back-to-back races to complete the full 10-race program.  Top of the table was the American team of RELOADED (Mark Penfold) with 34 points, three ahead of the leading European entry IL RICIO (Ian Southworth/Chris McLaughlin) which takes the European Championship trophy.

For the 210 competitors from nine countries this year's J/24 Europeans was a resounding success both on and off the water.  Despite the fact that the event had seen real, honest-to-goodness, nuclear gale conditions the first day.  That day (Monday) fell victim to the weather, when winds in excess of 30 knots and gusts over 50 knots left the Principal Race Officer David Lovegrove with no option other than to abandon racing.

A major factor in the event's success was the generous sponsorship from BMW Ireland whose displays added immensely to the occasion. BMW's contribution was huge, not just in financial terms but also by way of support in several other key areas.  The Race Management team, led by Principal Race Officer David Lovegrove, deservedly received countless plaudits for completing the 10-race schedule despite severe weather conditions preventing two full days of racing. The quality of the courses and the efficiency of the race management were also applauded.

Ashore, the pre-event measurement and registration went smoothly and the craning in and out of 42 boats was an exercise in real co-ordination by the marine staff. Organising Committee Chairman Derek Bothwell paid tribute to the core group on his committee who handled general administration, measurement, accommodation, PR and social activities and to the 60 volunteers who helped in other ways such as RIB drivers, committee and mark boats personnel, race office etc.

With the exception of their discard of a 20th in the fifth race, RELOADED was consistently in the top four in most races and had one bullet, while closest rivals IL RICIO had two bullets and only a 9th to discard.  That they had some 28 points to spare over the third placed SERCO (Bob Turner) emphasized their dominance over the series. The German champion ROTOMAN (Kai Mares) was only a point behind in 4th place and won the final race of the regatta while Stuart Jardine, the oldest helm in the championship, had the distinction of winning three races, including the first two races of the final day. Another German boat HUNGRIGER WOLF (Johann Huhn) had six top ten results to earn 6th overall.

Local boat JIBBERISH (O'Kelly/Wormald/Walsh) enjoyed its best result when finishing second behind STOUCHE (Jardine) in the seventh race while German entry JJONE (Frithjof Schade) was looking at the same transom in the eighth race. The Southworth/McLaughlin crew topped the fleet in the penultimate race followed by the Hungarian boat NAVISCON (Farkas Litkey) while SERCO took second behind ROTOMAN in the final race.

Needing to beat their US rivals by several places in the last race to take 1st overall, IL RICIO could only manage an 8th to RELOADED's 5th. The leading Irish crew was HARD ON PORT (Flor O'Driscoll, HYC) in 10th overall with JAMAIS ENCORE (John-Patrick McCaldin, Lough Erne YC) next best in 17th.

The 42-boat fleet had faced a tough schedule of five back-to-back races on the third day of the regatta, sailed in ideal conditions. They made up for the weather-affected program and it was the consistency of the sole American entry and a leading UK contender over those five races which put them very much in command going into the final day.

RELOADED (Mark Penfold, Rochester YC) with Mike Ingham on helm, won the first race of the day, sailed in a brisk westerly, with Irish champion Flor O'Driscoll (Hard on Port, HYC) producing the best local result to date by finishing 2nd ahead of the much-fancied IL RICIO (Ian Southworth/Chris McLaughlin, RCYC Cowes).

The British boat moved up a gear in the second race, winning from defending champions SERCO (Bob Turner, Castle Cove SC) and the Greek champions EVNIKI (Aitsiadis Dimitrios) but RELOADED bounced back by taking the gun on the series' 4th race ahead of SERCO again and JELI (Stig McDonald, Royal Western YC).

Race 5 in the series saw a complete reversal of fortunes, with the honours going to boats not previously in the frame. Victory went to JAWBREAKER (David Cooper, Royal Western YC) in front of German boat JJONE (Frithjof Schade, Joersfelder SC) and the Italian champions LA SUPERBA (Ignazio Bonanno, C V Marina Militara).  At the same time, it proved disastrous for RELOADED and SERCO who finished 20th and 22nd respectively. Added to a black flag on the opening race, that result had a significant impact on SERCO's chances of retaining the trophy.  The fifth race of a long day was a triumph for one of the J/24 Class stalwarts Stuart Jardine whose STOUCHE headed HUNGRIDER WOLF (Johann Huhn, SVAOe) and RELOADED to the finishing line.  With one discard in force at the moment, RELOADED had just two points of a margin over IL RICIO, with SERCO 21 points adrift in the bronze medal position.   Sailing photo credits-  FOTOSAIL
For more J/24 Europeans sailing information

  

BMW J/24 Europeans Update

(Dublin, Ireland)- To date, the J/24 Europeans have seen real, honest-to-goodness, nuclear gale conditions.  The first day fell victim to the weather (Monday 12th September), when winds in excess of 30 knots and gusts over 50 knots left the Principal Race Officer David Lovegrove with no option other than to abandon racing.  The event has attracted 42 boats from nine countries, which include the national champions of Ireland, Britain, Germany, Italy and Greece.

After losing the first day's racing to the weather, day two at Howth (Tuesday 13th) saw one race completed in fresh and gusty south-westerly winds and witnessed a win for the defending champions (and current British champions) 'Serco' (Bob Turner) with Nathan Batchelor on the helm.

The 42-boat fleet got away at the second time of asking in winds touching 30 knots and it was the right-hand side of the course which was favored, with 'Serco' leading around the windward mark. The downwind leg proved precarious for several boats who struggled with spinnakers in the gusty conditions, with sail damage forcing a number of retirees.

By the end of the second beat, another British boat, 'Il Riccio' (David Southworth/Chris McLaughlin) had taken over the lead but as a shredded spinnaker put paid to their chances of victory and dropped them back to 5th. 'Serco' took the gun ahead of another British entry 'Madeleine' (McCarthy/Phelps), with German boats filling the next two spots, with 'Max Bahr' (Stefan Karsunke) and 'Rotoman' (Kai Mares) 3rd and 4th respectively.

Four German boats finished in the top eight while 9th place went to the highest-placed local boat, Irish champion Flor O'Driscoll and crew on 'Hard on Port'.

With winds forecasted to increase later in the day, the fleet was sent ashore and a subsequent decision by the Race Officer David Lovegrove and his team confirmed that the conditions would not allow any further racing on the day.

It is hoped to run up to five races back-to-back on Wednesday (14th).  At the moment, the top five are 1st- SERCO, Bob Turner, GBR; 2nd- MADELEINE, McCarthy/Phelps, GBR; 3rd- MAX BAHR, Stefan Karsunke, GER, 4th- ROTOMAN Kai Mares, GER and 5th- IL RICCIO, Southworth/McLaughlin, GBR.  For more J/24 Europeans sailing information