Wednesday, December 9, 2015

2016 J/70 South Americans Announcement

J/70s sailing off Punta del Este, Uruguay(Punta del Este, Uruguay)- The YC Punta del Este is proud to announce they are hosting the inaugural J/70 South American Championship from the 22nd to 27th of March, 2016 in Punta del Este, Uruguay!  The J/70 fleet has been growing rapidly in South America, with nearly fifty boats distributed between Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Colombia.  The YCPE expects to have over twenty boats since the country is easily accessible, even over the mighty Andes Mountains, from all major 70 fleets in the southern part of the continent.

Sailing in Punta del Este’s gorgeous aquamarine waters can be quite spectacular and full of surprises.  The yacht club itself is based at the very end of the sandy isthmus that forms the basis of downtown Punta.  The famous point encircles a large bay with a prominent island to the north and west offshore that makes for shifty, streaky winds when weather fronts roll off the Roaring 40s spinning around the Antarctic just a few hundred miles to the south.  As a result, it’s not unusual for denizens of the cold, deep waters offshore to pay a visit; expect a seal pup to pop his head out of the water giving you a quizzical look (like, “where’s my treat”!), or a flock of penguins to fly by underwater and look askance at what looks like a large upside down fish to them (your J70’s keel and rudder); or massive pods of hundreds of porpoises playfully frolicking around the boats.  Indeed, while Punta is famous for its “glitterati” and beaches, offshore is where the action is truly breathtaking.

For more information regarding the J/70 South Americans, please contact J/70 Uruguay Fleet Captain- Pedro Garra at email- pgarra@gmail.com.   For more J/70 class sailing information