South American Teams 8 of Top 10!(Buenos Aires, Argentina)- The 2011 J/24 Worlds in Buenos Aires, Argentina sailed this past week had 58 crews from 9 countries. It marked the first time in decades that Americans did not factor as the principal leading boats in the top five. Instead, the South American teams continue to chip away at the J/24 world order once led by mostly Europeans, Australians and Americans. This year's regatta may be seen as a watershed event as it was clear the South American teams continue to ascend into the top ranks of the J/24 class worldwide and are raising the level of their game quite significantly. This year, Argentina’s Alejo Rigoni sailing LUCA with crew Gustavo Gonzalez, Joaquín Duarte Argerich, Fernando Gwozdz and Sergio Armesto are crowned the 2011 J/24 World Champion after securing the victory on the final day of racing. Rigoni's LUCA is the first Argentine team to have won the J/24 Worlds in the three decades the J/24s have been racing worldwide as the world's largest international one-design keelboat class.
After
the first three days of racing, the American Tim Healy of Newport,
Rhode Island was at the top of the leader board leading by nearly 20
points, a seemingly unassailable lead at a World's event. However, as
they say in "da'islands", it was "movin day, mon." Just over the hump
of the middle stages in the regatta, either you show that consistency or
you crack. And when the cracks form in the veneer of impenetrability,
sometimes things don't turn out so well or as one would want it to be.
In this case, 11TH HOUR RACING sailed by Healy's team saw some of the
"wheels fall of their shopping trolley". Two races were completed on
the third day under sunny skies with winds ranging from 10 to 18 knots.
After a general recall in each race, Principal Race Officer Teodoro
Kundig was again quick to hoist the black flag to keep the aggressive
fleet under control. And this little black flag would prove the undoing
of many teams. In the day’s first race 18 of the 58 boats (including
Healy) were scored BFD after two general recalls under the black flag.
On the next attempt the fleet finally got away and Peru’s Luis Olcese
hit the pin end start perfectly. Olcese led the fleet until the final
few meters when he was run down by Alejo Rigoni who took the win.
Conditions were more challenging for the second race as the wind had
again built to around 18 knots, kicking up a very confused sea. Healy
rebounded from his black flag disqualification to win the race going
away followed by local favorite Matias Pereira in second.
The
morning of the last day dawned with a weather forecast sure to strike
fear in the hearts of the top contenders. It was certainly going to be a
challenge to get a race going before noon. The RC tried to get
something started in the morning and actually did start a race on the
first try under black flag with the current running away from the line.
The wind quickly died, as everyone expected, forcing the race to be
abandoned. At 1430 the wind had finally filled enough to race and the
event’s riveting, drama-laden final ninth race, also started on the
first try under the black flag! American Mike Ingham on RELOADED led at
the first mark, and wound up third at the end to move up to third
overall in the standings. Francisco van Avermaete of Argentina on
MENDIETTA won the last race to secure the 4th place overall. Luis
Olcese on GUERRERO from Peru finished second overall, a remarkably
strong performance and the best ever by a Peruvian team in the J/24
Worlds! Of special note was the best finish by a Uruguayan team was
Pedro Garra on EXTASIS in 9th overall, the best Chilean team was Matias
Seguel's team on Team VOLVO in 10th overall. Also, the top Italian team
was Ignazio Bonnanino on SUPERBA in 20th overall and top Australian was
Sean Kirkjian on 
DEATHSTAR
in 30th. Brazil's past J/24 World Champion, Mauricio Santa Cruz, had
to bail from the Worlds for personal reasons, so top Brazilian team was
Nelson Horn Ilha on DIFERENCIAL SAILING TEAM in 37th. Congratulations
must go to the top Womens' team (pictured here), an Argentinean crew led
by Mariana Crousse on NUBARRON with six women leading the charge into a
very respectable 32nd place, a top half finish and beating half the
American J/24 teams! Sailing photo credits- Jorge Cousillas/ El Ojo Nautico. For more J/24 Worlds sailing information J/24 Worlds Youtube video- an entertaining view sailing on an Argentine J/24 team.
