(Plymouth, England)- The J/24 European Championships are back in
Plymouth for the first time since 1997, when they were won in style by
Frenchman Benoit Charon. Thirty-seven teams are entered from eight
nations (England, Germany, Italy, Sweden, France, Ireland, Netherlands
& Japan), so the fleet will be of the highest quality.The event is being run by a great team from the R.W.Y.C. headed by Neil Dunkley. The Race officer is David Lovegrove from Ireland who supplied us with some fantastic racing at the Howth World and European Championships. The international Jury is headed up by another J/24 class regular Margriet Pannevis.
Will
the Italian team of JOC (ITA 371), skippered by the Captain of the
Garda J/24 Fleet, Fabio Apollonio (with crew of Adriana Rosa, Alessia
Bellotti, Renzo Marini, Tom Fusato and President of Italian J24 Class,
Pietro Diamante) fly the Italian tri-color flag as 2016 J/24 European
Champions? Time will tell. The prestigious event, organized Royal
Western Yacht Club of England, in collaboration with the International
J/24 Class Association, will be held in English waters off Plymouth from
Saturday to Friday, August 13th to 19th."For a number of reasons, it would have been impossible for me to take part in the J/24 Europeans with my boat- JAMAICA,” commented Diamante. “As soon as Fabio told me he had a free place on his crew, I immediately took advantage of the wonderful opportunity... and here I am on board JOC, ready to participate in this important event with an enthusiastic and determined crew!"
The program begins this Saturday and Sunday, with team registration, crew weight and boat measurement. Then, the opening ceremony will be held Saturday and a practice race on Sunday at 1430 hrs. The championship gets underway on Monday at 1100 hrs with the first three races (with the possibility of a fourth). Racing continues in the same manner until Thursday. Among the social events that are planned include the opening ceremony (Saturday) and close ceremony/awards (Thursday) at the Royal Western Yacht Club of England; fireworks on the evenings of Tuesday and Wednesday; a dinner Monday night; and many other surprises.
Last year, the European Open J/24 Championship, organized in the waters of the French Atlantic coast off Le Crouesty by Yacht Club du Crouesty Arzon, had thirty J/24 teams (representing France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Great Britain, Brazil and the United States). After seven races held over three days, the Open winner was USA 5443 skippered by Mike Ingham followed by the English team- GBR 4265 MADELEINE skippered by Duncan McCarthy- the European title winner for 2015. Silver (and third place) went to the German team- SG POWER SOLUTIONS helmed by Daniel Frost followed by compatriots HENK (skipper Frank Schonfeldt). For more J/24 Europeans sailing information
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