J/70 “Storms” Mirabaud Photo Competition

(Paris, France)- For those passionate J/70 sailors, J/Crew and J/Lovers around the world, here’s a wonderful chance to continue to grow the momentum of not just the J/70, but “J” sailing worldwide with family and friends.

Sharon Green of Ultimate Sailing took this awesome photo of J/70s starting off Key West on the first day of racing at the J/70 Midwinters, held in conjunction with Key West Race Week 2014.  As she describes, “it was like a battalion of white sails raking the coal-black squall behind the fleet, symbolizing how the J/70 has literally taken the sailing world ‘by storm’ since its introduction in 2012.”

As the only J/Boat represented in the “Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image” contest, the “J/70 Storm” photo needs your VOTE!  Please click on this link here to vote now.

J/24 South Americans Preview

(La Punta, Peru)- With the advent of spring sailing “down under”, the various J/24 fleets in South America and Australia are beginning to get the ball rolling in their various summer season championships as well as major events.

In La Punta, Peru, the J/24s have just started their South American Championships sailing on the Pacific Ocean along the spectacular coastline of this mountainous country.  The fleet so far has been blessed with good sailing conditions for the highly competitive fleet.

While the betting is that Mauricio Santa Cruz on BRUSCHETTA may be able to repeat as South American Champion, behind him there is no question many are expecting to challenge them enough to dethrone them for 2014!  Leading that charge should be several good local teams, like Luis Olcese’s SCARAMOUCH, Javier Arribas’ WAYRA, Matias Seguel’s GURU, Lucas Peschiera’s TIAMAT and Vernon Robert’s JOYTIA.  There is a lot of racing planned for the fleet, with the regatta starting on November 8th and finishing one week later on November 15th.  For Facebook photos & commentary on the J/24 South Americans    For more J/24 South American Championship sailing information

J/70s @ Royal Yacht Squadron Bicentenary

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- Founded in 1815 the Royal Yacht Squadron will mark its 200 years with an invitational regatta from the 25th to 31st July 2015 at its historic home in Cowes with racing on the Solent and a Round Island Race on Wednesday, July 29th (the famous 60nm “America’s Cup” course around the Isle of Wight). The RYS has invited 25 clubs from 19 countries to send crews to the event with the option of taking part in a one-design regatta with supplied boats or participating in IRC Division. Additionally, two-on-two team racing will take place in J/70s for sailors 30 years old or younger (teams of 4 each).

The 2015 Transatlantic Race, organized by the Royal Yacht Squadron, the New York Yacht Club, the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Storm Trysail Club, is expected to attract a good number of entries who will use the race from Newport, RI as a feeder event to the Solent.

A very high level of interest has already been shown in the event. A number of J-Class yachts have indicated their interest in taking part in the Bicentenary Regatta.  In addition, several J/Boat teams are  planning to participate.

The RYS Bicentenary Regatta will be held two weeks before the annual Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week regatta and the Rolex Fastnet Race.  "The invited clubs, all of whom have enjoyed special relationships with the Squadron over the years, have already shown extremely positive interest in the event," comments Rear Commodore David Aisher (owner of the J/109 YEOMAN XXI). "With only 200 places available for visiting yachts we expect a strong entry well in advance of the regatta."

As part of accommodating their J/70s on the Solent, where dock space and dry-sail space is at a premium, the Solent fleet has carved out an incredibly clever way of docking their boats ready to launch in 30 seconds!  Take a look at this photo of the DrySail System by VersaDock- it shows 10 J/70s at the Hamble Point Marina ready-to-race right off floats.  As a result, perfectly clean bottoms and no bottom paint to maintain!  Launching a J/70 is as easy as launching a jet-ski!  For more information on the DrySail System, check it out here (http://www.versadock.com/drysail.htm).   Watch the “launch/ retrieve” video of a J/70 getting ready to go sailing!   For more Royal Yacht Squadron Bicentenary Regatta sailing information

BANGOR PACKET Eclipses J/24 East Coasts!

(Annapolis, MD)- Congratulations to Tony Parker for winning the 2014 Hillman Capital Management J24 East Coast Championship aboard the famously-named J/24 yacht called BANGOR PACKET!  Sailing with Tony were a bunch of characters, namely the Hungarian/Canadian Rossi Milev, Team One’s famous Martha Parker and Ross Dierdorff, a worldly man about town.

Hosted by Severn Sailing Association, the J/24s suffered the same fate as many of their colleagues did down south in the J/70 Chesapeake championship.  Saturday dawned with a lot of promise for clouds, drizzle and wind, like lots and lots of wind.  While down in Fishing Bay it was blowing 20-25 kts, gusting to 30 kts by 2pm, it was blowing even harder in the northern Chesapeake Bay as a monster front was rolling through the region.  Such was the blow-out that racing was quite rightfully canceled Saturday afternoon.  As Sunday dawned, no one on the docks even bothered to pull out mainsails as it was truly epic, fresh-to-frightening conditions, e.g. “blowing dogs off chains” and babies in strollers blown all over the countryside!!

For the fourteen boat fleet, it was great racing while they were able to get some in on Saturday morning.  Tony Parker’s BANGOR PACKET showed their transom to most, taking a 2-1-3 to win with 6 pts.  Behind them, it was a brief battle for second.  Nevertheless, it was Travis Odenbach’s crew from Rochester YC in Rochester, NY that grabbed the silver by posting a 3-4-2 for 9 pts.  Just one point back after being tied for the lead with Parker after the second race with a 1-2 was the “Scotians” from Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron in Halifax.  Evan Petley-Jones led their LIFTED team down the chute in the last race, snagging defeat from the jaws of victory on the podium.  Their 7th place in the 3rd race dropped them from sure regatta leader down to 3rd overall.  Rounding out the top five were Pat Fitzgerald’s RUSH HOUR and Mike Marshall’s PIPE DREAM, in 4th and 5th, respectively.

No question, the “All In The Family Award” goes to the Constants family sailing BLITZ from Seawanhaka Corinthian YC in Oyster Bay, NY.  Onboard were Al, Dave, Steve and Mike Constants with Dave Hammand and Barbara Gold filling out their crew!

J/24 Fleet 8 in Annapolis would like to give a special thank you to Mark Hillman and Hillman Capital Management for being the title sponsor and making this special event possible.  For more Hillman Capital Management J/24 East Coast Championship sailing information

Anthony Kotoun wins Bitter End YC Pro-Am Regatta!

(Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands)- Anthony grew up in St Thomas on the U.S. Virgin Islands – just 30 miles away from the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda in the BVI. And he will readily acknowledge that throughout his life he has regarded the skippers who were invited to compete in the BEYC’s Pro-Am Regatta as sailing’s “Hall of Fame.”  When Kotoun got the opportunity to skipper one of BEYC’s matched IC-24s in this year’s 28th annual Pro Am Regatta, he did not squander it.

His regatta began on an inauspicious note with an OCS call in the first fleet race, and a last place finish. But from that lowly spot, the former J/24 World Champion and current Moth National Champion charged straight uphill. After the 12 scheduled fleet races, with guests of the BEYC rotating through his crew list, Kotoun had climbed his way into fourth place, a single point ahead of Pro-Am veteran Dave Ullman. That fourth place standing qualified Kotoun for the event’s match racing championship round.

Dave Perry won the fleet racing portion of the Pro-Am Regatta, and quickly exercised his option to select Kotoun as his opponent in the initial round of match races. Pro-Am skipper Stephanie Roble fittingly dubbed that match, “the Legend and the Local.” Kotoun was only three years old when Perry won the first of his many US Match Racing Championships – and was just four years old when Perry won his first Congressional Cup Regatta. That obviously did not intimidate Kotoun who won their tightly contested series, 2-1.

So Pro-Am rookie Anthony Kotoun had made it to the finals of the event he’d looked up to all of his life (clearly the J/24 World Championship training was helpful!). And his opponent was Taylor Canfield – the 2012 BEYC Pro Am Champion and reigning World Match Racing Champion. Interestingly, Kotoun once coached Canfield in Optis when the two were growing up in St Thomas, so any intimidation factor was simply non-existent.

Three great match races followed in magnificent trade wind conditions, and for the third consecutive year it was a rookie who prevailed to claim the BEYC Pro Am Championship. This year the only rookie in the event was Anthony Kotoun.

CONVICTS REVENGE Takes J/24 NSW States

(Sydney, Australia)- This year's NSW States offered something for everyone, or in reality everything for everyone. From almost no wind in race 4 on Sunday morning to around 60 kts in Saturday afternoon’s thunderstorm, along with lightning, thunder and rain ... a good decision by the race committee to close the show down after race 3.

Saturday always looked like being windy, jib weather from way back - although there were a couple of genoas being stretched on the course, the comment was that they weren't really any advantage though. Looks like there were a couple of people taking a swim too, Sean lost Big Tim and one of the girls over the side when the lifeline let go. The default question was why the other two weren't hiking hard enough to go in with them .... mmm questions being asked !  I heard Jeanette also had a swimmer but don't have the details. Tricky sailing with really shifty westerlies and a start line deep in Rose bay to a top mark to the north of Shark Is. Race two and a course change saw us and a couple of others head out to the left only to find that the top mark hadn't moved more than a boat length, so we had a reach in around the island back to the top mark .... so much for thinking I had picked a winner there !

We were having our own little problems on Code, the boat hadn't been raced for a couple of years and we had a few boat issues, new crew (Trimmer Pete is used to steering a bigger boat and our training prior was in everything under 5knots and how to use a motor to get back home) and of course the weather and the bloke on the helm - no wonder we won the handicap prize. But seriously we improved with every race until the last two and I have to thank my crew for the huge effort in getting up from Melbourne and racing the boat, as usual we had fun and when you aren't winning, that is what sailing is all about.

Race 2 gave us all a chance to go downwind in a big breeze (for a change) and many boats took the no kite option ... Terry, next time I am risking the national debt with the kite and you are coasting along without one at the same speed next to me, could you just please move away so it isn't so obvious!

But of course the front of the fleet is sailing away from us at light speed and as usual the bloody Black Prince is up there and will ask 'where was I' later, but this time he's not getting it all his own way. Steve Girdis has gone cycling on pain of death from someone and Robbie Brewer is out of retirement and driving Convicts and driving well, with two to one on Dave in Kaotic, he is the day winner. In fact, we are all winners when most of us get home before the next storm cell hits. So glad we are not racing in that. Not without some drama at the club and round the corner for the boats going back to the CYC though. It's as black as ... and then white, as the 60-knot front of the thunderstorm lifts the top 2 feet of water into the air around the boats in pleasant little Felix Bay. Some of us got ashore  ... and some didn't. Vortex went ashore too, well done Sean in the crew tender turned rescue boat dragging Vortex off in the height of the storm. Sean, yes that's the Commodore, organizer, tender driver, boat rescuer, crew rescuer and the guy that also comes 3rd  - makes me feel very humble!

Check this out-  http://youtu.be/eLcBjieN-H0

This year we have 4 boats from Cronulla, the fast developing fleet down in the 'Shire'. One might say a mixed bag of boats and sailors like anywhere, but a great group of guys and girls that love a good time and some hard racing. It's been a process to get them to the harbour but 3 have sailed up and Dave Mackay has trailed. Dave is the guy that won the big one in the Moths some ... well quite some years ago. Known affectionately as "Magoo" and with a sense of humor that instantly puts you at ease and laughing, he is no slug on the race course and comes home 4th overall in Stockcar. Welcome to our world Dave, hope you come and play more often. And that goes for all our new friends at Cronulla, Barry Ryan in Pinot, Clinton Hood in CJ Constructions and Mick Reynolds in Slippery Fish who has worked so hard to get the Cronulla Js into class racing with us. Lets get more of you to come and play.

Sunday has dawned sunny and with a dropping westerly breeze, very shifty and getting very light, the Black Prince sailing Arthur Crother's Kaotic with a mixed crew out of Melbourne bangs in another win to make the tally 2 all with Convicts. We drift around for a little while as the wind tries to make up it's mind. Finally the wind changes to a south east breeze, settling down and offering great top end genoa racing for the last two .... or was that the last 5 races.

Three practice starts in the last race had the RO threatening the black flag and that was enough to finally get a clean start away. Convicts they might be, but they nailed the last two and it was a done deal. Robbie Brewer and team on Convicts Revenge taking it out from Dave Suda on Kaotic and the Commodore on Sailpac coming in 3rd.

The team on Code Violation won the Zimmer Frame with Barry Ryan in Pinot and Geoff Cowen in Nokomis 2nd and 3rd.

Congratulations to Kate Holmes for being awarded the Women on Water Trophy for many years of attendance and effort with Jeanette on various boats. No Thommo Cup this year as Ron didn't show, so I guess Jeanette keeps it by default.

Thanks to the team at RPEYC, the NSW Association, the help at the crane at RANSA and the effort from the Cronulla guys to get there, all the Sydney guys and girls that turn up and race and thanks to all the volunteers and friendly smiling faces that made the regatta an event we look forward to.   For more J/24 NSW States sailing information

J/24 Cruising Sail with Kids- Part II

(Sydney, Australia)- There’s no question they start’em young down in “Oz”.  Yes, the land “down under” that is renowned for “convicts” of the 18th century evolving into a funner-than-hell place to live (like Sydney) and enjoy the great life of the outdoors along its amazing harbour and eye-popping places like Bondi Beach.  To that end, the J/24 sailors down there continue to have fun.  Now the kids themselves are getting into the act.  Here’s a J/24 video from our friends Down Under, taken during “Family J/24 Day” at Sandringham YC.  According to Dad, “we don’t get our J/24 out anywhere near as much as we would like but, when we do, we try and film something.” Click the link for an entertaining look at kids (and Mom’s & Dad’s) sailing J/24s at Sandringham YC.  Watch video here:

http://youtu.be/6XW53O8K8vA

RORC Trans-Atlantic Race Preview

(Lanzarote, Canary Islands)- A varied and international fleet ranging from 40 to 100ft (12.19 to 30.48m) will set off for Grenada on Saturday 29th November from Lanzarote, the most eastern in the Canary Islands chain, in the Royal Ocean Racing Club's new offshore race- the RORC Trans-Atlantic Race.

After a week of preparation and social events hosted at Puerto Calero Marina, the inaugural RORC Trans-Atlantic Race will see competitors from several countries weave their way through the historic archipelago before making landfall 2,800 nautical miles away where they will be welcomed at Camper & Nicholsons' Port Louis Marina.

Ever since Columbus started the trend over 500 years ago, the Canary Islands have remained the jumping-off point for yachts crossing the Atlantic to the Caribbean. The RORC Trans-Atlantic Race will provide RORC members and other highly competitive race boats with the chance to compete in a top-level event during the east-west transatlantic crossing.

The J/133 APOLLO 7 (GBR), was bought and refitted by RORC member Nigel Passmore in order to compete in his first Trans-Atlantic race. "I'm taking part in the RORC Trans-Atlantic Race in order to achieve a lifetime ambition of sailing across the Atlantic," explains Passmore.

The Plymouth, Devon-based team has notched up a string of local victories as well as notable wins in the Rolex Fastnet Race and as overall winner of the RORC's De Guingand Bowl and Morgan Cup races earlier this season. A crew of six for the crossing includes Isle of Wight sailor Brett Aarons.

"Once the RORC announced its intention to organize the race, I wanted to make sure I took part in the first event. We intend to do the best we can and enjoy the experience.  Maintaining boat equipment and keeping on a race pace for two weeks, 24 hours a day is going to be tough.  I'm looking forward to the whole race and ticking off another 'To Do' box when the finish gun goes off in Grenada. It's sure to be a memorable moment," says Apollo 7's owner, Passmore.   Sailing photo credits- Tim Wright/ photoaction.com   For more RORC Trans-Atlantic Race sailing information

Tie-Break Determines J/70 Chesapeake Bay Champs

RASCAL’s Over AFRICA Beat MOXIE Kids?
(Deltaville, VA)- The first J/70 Chesapeake Championship was held at Fishing Bay Yacht Club in Deltaville, Virginia, on November 1-2. The event saw challenging weather conditions as a cold front rushed into an offshore Low Pressure, creating a NE Gale with gusts above 30 knots and temperatures in the low forties.

Faced with large waves and heavy gusts in the Chesapeake Bay, the races were moved into the Piankatank River in Fishing Bay.  In difficult conditions, the Race Committee led by John McCarthy, got off two races Saturday before winds exceeded Class Guidelines, consistently gusting above 25 kts.  The fleet then sailed back to the Club outside the lee of Fishing Bay, facing winds over 30 kts and steep, short interval waves in the mouth of the Piankatank below Stingray Point.

The sailors enjoyed libations and southern BarBQ while licking their wounds and drying their foul weather gear.  Around dinnertime, with a numerous dire forecasts for Sunday, racing was abandoned for the following day and results and awards were presented.

Surviving the gear-buster were Will Welles’ crew on RASCAL and Bruce Golison sailing AFRICA.  Both teams posted a 1-2, but Welles won the last race, therefore winning the tie-breaker for first.  Third was Cole Allsop on MOXIE also winning on a three-way tie-breaker at 8 pts with Blake and Lud Kimbrough’s NOSTALGIA and Tom Bowen’s REACH AROUND; they finished in that order.

In the Corinthians Division, top boat was the Kimbrough’s NOSTALGIA, followed by Ron Thompson in 2nd place and Drake Johnstone’s CAT’S PAJAMAS in 3rd place.

Said Jon Deutsch about their experience, “it was a wild day of racing on Saturday at the J/70 Chesapeake Bay Championship with the winds in the 20's and 30's and gusts into the 40's by the time we were headed in.  We got two races in and ended up abandoning Sunday's racing with heavier winds expected. For you couch-potato sailors, we got some decent video of us on HOTTY TODDY that you might enjoy!”  See Deutsch’s wild & woolly experience on the southern Chesapeake Bay here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joPSxsnpHFQ   For more J/70 Chesapeake Bay Championship sailing information

J/122 RORC Season Championship IRC 2 Winner

J/111 Second RORC Season Overall!
(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The RORC Offshore Season Championship has finally drawn to a close and all winners are looking forward to collecting their silver “pickle dishes” at the RORC Annual Dinner held at the spectacular InterContinental Hotel on Park Lane.

The Cherbourg Race, the penultimate race of the RORC Season Championship and the last race of the season across the English Channel, was a cliff-hanger for many of the top participants.  For many of the competing yachts, the 75-mile dash to Cherbourg was the final race of the RORC season and several class winners were determined over the weekend.

Following a gutsy performance in the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race, the Army Sailing Association's J/111 BRITISH SOLDIER was the overall leader for the championship going into the Cherbourg Race.  "It came as a bit of a surprise to us to be leading for the season but we are not getting carried away with that," commented British Soldier's skipper, Will Naylor. "For the Cherbourg Race we are especially looking forward to a battle with the J/122 RELENTLESS ON JELLYFISH, which was our big rival in the last race and they are just ahead of us in IRC Two. However, we will just concentrate on our own performance, as it is the only thing we can influence. For the Cherbourg Race we will be back to a full crew of eight. Unlike the Round Britain and Ireland Race, we will be able to load up the rail and as it's a much shorter race, we will probably keep the crew there for the duration. BRITISH SOLDIER performs much better with a full crew hiking out."

As it turned out, the Cherbourg Race was a light winds affair and, consequently, would have a dramatic effect on both class and overall standings.  RORC Racing Manager Nick Elliott explained, "The fleet had just enough pressure to get out of the Solent but the light breeze faded during the night. The breeze did not materialize until the morning and this year's race definitely favored the smaller yachts. The best performers were those that used the tide to their advantage and although it was a long and at times frustrating race, most of the fleet finished."

Winning the Cherbourg Race overall on corrected time was Blair Forsyth's J/97 HIGH JINKS. "The race conditions were great for our boat, and the other smaller boats in the race," commented Blair Forsyth. "The sail plan was straightforward; we had a 1.5 kite that worked really well and we only had to drop it and get the No. 1 jib back up when what wind there was shifted. I don't think we saw more than 10 knots of breeze the whole race, and even that was only fleeting at times. Thankfully, our kite was up for most of the crossing!  On Saturday night, when the tide shifted, we lost nearly all our apparent wind, but we didn't have to drop anchor, and the rest of the pack seemed to drift with us. Once it picked up we had a good run into Cherbourg, with the smaller boats."

It was HIGH JINKS’ first RORC offshore season during which the boat had been principally sailed two-handed. The Cherbourg Race was their first fully crewed RORC race of 2014 and the additional crew played their part in the success as Blair recounted, “this time we had four crew onboard, making the night watches much easier - particularly given the conditions!  Altogether a fantastic way to end our first offshore season, made particularly enjoyable by the great welcome form the Cherbourg Yacht Club, and the rest of the fleet."  HIGH JINKS not only won IRC Overall, but also won IRC 4 Class.

Because it was a “small boat” race, the overall leadership for the RORC Season Championship hung in the balance.  In the end, the balance tilted to one of BRITISH SOLDIER’s rivals in the same class.  By  finishing 12th and 16th overall, respectively, BRITISH SOLDIER was knocked into second place overall for the season, although merely by half a point!

In IRC 2 Class, the J/122 RELENTLESS ON JELLYFISH sailed by David Richards continued their consistently top performances and managed to hang on their lead to take IRC 2 Class for the season.  BRITISH SOLDIER remained in 2nd for the season in this class, perversely also beating the IRC Overall Season championship winner, a 34 footer from Belgium!

In IRC 3 Class,  DIABLO-J, Nick Martin's J-105, took a 2nd place in the Cherbourg Race, propelling them third place overall in IRC 3 Class RORC Season's Points Championship.  In fact, and Nick Martin continued his feat of not finishing lower than 4th place overall in class since 2010.  Furthermore, Martin finished 4th in the IRC Two-Handed division for the season.  Other J/Teams did well in IRC 3 class, with Chris Palmer’s J/109 J-T’AIME taking 4th overall and another J/109, Kevin Armstrong’s JAZZY JELLYFISH taking 5th.

As well as winning IRC Overall, the J/97 HIGH JINKS claimed the win in IRC Four in the Cherbourg Race, vaulting them into 6th overall in IRC 4 for the season’s point championship.   Sailing photo credits- Rick Tomlinson   For more RORC Season Championship sailing information