(Wakayama, Japan)- It has been a slow start for the forty-four J/24
teams attending this year’s J/24 World Championship in Wakayama, Japan.
With a tropical storm heading toward the area, it was the calm before
the storm on day one of the J/24 World Championship. The J/24 teams
representing Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Korea, Peru, Singapore, and
the USA kicked off the Championship in winds of 4-6 knots over two
races.Daniel Frost’s JJOne of Germany mastered the conditions with a 1,2 to grab the early advantage in the five-day event. Demichi Kousuke’s Ichimokusan of Japan held a slim lead on second place, just one ahead of Peru’s Javier Arribas on Hawky. The day’s race winners were Frost in race one and Naoto Kitazume’s Maril in race two.
For day two- Tuesday- the slow-moving tropical storm dampened the day’s proceedings. The entire fleet was kept ashore with the AP flag flying all day as heavy rains and stormy winds blanketed the area.
Day three- Wednesday- dawned with great promise. Following yesterday’s tropical storm, winds calmed to 5-8 knots over today’s three races. Keiji Kondo’s Fox of Japan won the opening race, trailed by Demichi Kousuke’s Ichimokusan (JPN) and American Will Welles on Cougar. JJOne earned their second bullet of the regatta in the day’s middle battle, trailed by Fox and Mark Laura’s Baba Louie (USA). Einosuke Morita’s Wailea (JPN) won the final duel, with JJOne and Kato Fumiya’s Lull of Japan rounding out the top trio.
With five races now on the books, the German team on JJOne had strengthened their lead over the highly competitive fleet. Daniel Frost’s crew now tallies just 6 net points, able to drop an 11 in race three and keep a skinny tally of 1,2,1,2. Kondo’s Fox moved up to second overall after a solid 1,2,4 for 15 net points. Kousuke’s Ichimokusa rests in third with 22 pts.
Two more days of racing to go and there is no question that JJOne’s fans in Germany are cheering wildly for them to be the first German World Champions ever in the J/24 class! For more J/24 World Championship sailing information
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