Several J/crews are participating. The British J/122E team on JUNO will be led by her owner/skipper Chris Daniel in the twelve-boat IRC 2 class. Also, sailing against them will be the USA crew on Andy Middleton’s J/120 SUNSET.
The twelve-boat IRC 3 Class includes two J/Crews; Fred Bouvier’s hot French crew on the J/112E J-LANCE 12 and the British team on John Smart’s J/109 JUKEBOX.
So far, J-LANCE 12 has proven to be a consistent winner, having won her class in the enormously popular SPI OUEST France Regatta earlier in the spring. J-LANCE 12 skipper is Didier Le Moal, Managing Director of J/Composites.
“We are sure it will be a great competition," says Commercial Manager Frédéric Bouvier, J/LANCE 12’s captain. “We are participating in the event to prove that you can still win races with a pure cruiser-racer."
This is the third J/112E they have campaigned, but J-LANCE 12, launched in March, is the first fitted with a “grand prix” package including a carbon fiber mast, fin (rather than bulb) keel and other race boat features. "We are trying new systems, which might be useful on future boats," explains Bouvier.
The team has been highly successful racing on France's Atlantic coast, winning all they entered in 2017. On board J-LANCE 12 for the IRC Europeans is reigning Solitaire du Figaro winner and Volvo Ocean Race navigator- Nicolas Lunven. For more IRC European Championship sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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