(Punta del Este, Uruguay)- The YC Punta del Este was host for the first
ever J/70 South American Championships. The venue could not have been
more beautiful than the setting of YCPE sitting out on the end of a
prominent peninsula that thrusts out into the intersection of the Rio de
La Plata and the ferocious southern Atlantic Ocean. Encircled by miles
of sandy beaches, tall pines and a scene reminiscent of the famous
French Riviera, the eleven J/70 teams in attendance from Chile,
Argentina and Uruguay were treated to excellent race management from PRO
Bernd Knuppel. After completing seven races, the SI QUERIDA crew of Francisco Van Avermact, Geronimo Galvan, Carlos Lacchin and Rafael De Martis from Argentina were crowned the first J/70 South American Champions. The team sailed a very consistent series and avoided making big mistakes, counting races of 3-2-2-1-4-1-1 for 10 pts net after throwout.
By
winning the J/70 Chilean National Championship, the valuable experience
gained by Per Von Appen’s Chilean crew on BLACK SAILS permitted them to
also sail fast and consistently to take the silver. Von Appen’s crew
of Felipe Robles, Juan Sanches and Agustin Herrera started off fast then
wavered a little towards the end, but nevertheless compiled an enviable
2-1-1-4-9-4 record for 15 pts net.The bronze went to Diego Garcia’s CHAPULIN from Montevideo, Uruguay, the top local boat. In fact, Garcia and the Centanaro family both sailed in the Bacardi Miami Sailing Week two weeks earlier to gain more knowledge on how to sail better against the top American, Italian and Mexican J/70 teams. That practice certainly helped the CHAPULIN team of Garcia and crew of Martin Dovat, Max Schewe, and Diego Massironi not only win two races in the regatta, but also compile a record of 1-5-7-10-1-2 for 20 pts net!
The
balance of the top five included past J/24 South American Champion and
Uruguay J/24 Champion, Pedro Garra, sailing PLAN B to fourth place with
22 pts net and in fifth place was Sebastian Rana’s DON ERNESTO with 33
pts net.Rana’s DON ERNESTO from Uruguay and crew of Chris Schewe, Alex Schewe and Mauricio Tejera won the Corinthians Division. Second Corinthian team was the Centenaro family (Aldo, Marco, Aldo Jr) and Camilla Ruiz sailing PURA JODA. Third in the Corinthians was EXTREME 4U sailed by Phillip & Ricardo Umpierre, Luis Purichelli and Santiago Gari. For more J/70 South American Championship sailing information
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