J/Newsletter- July 30th, 2025
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This past week, there were several high notes from this summer’s sailing, with fast races, fierce rivals, and plenty of fun ashore. There’s no denying it, this season has delivered some of the most memorable racing we’ve seen in years. From the storied 100th edition of the ROLEX Fastnet Race to wild Pacific Northwest fun at Race Week Bellingham, J/Teams across the globe have been stacking podiums, battling breezeless blues, and most importantly, enjoying every chaotic, competitive, and comical moment of the summer season. We’ll start with a serious feather in the cap: a J/99 takes the division win in one of the world’s most legendary offshore events, the Fastnet. That race offered a full test of grit, skill, and gear. It was a long upwind slog to Ireland’s iconic rock, then a kite-charging ride to Cherbourg. Meanwhile, halfway around the globe, more J/99s were leaving their mark in the Noakes Sydney to Gold Coast Race, kicking off the AUDI Blue Water Series with authority. Back on this side of the pond, the Great Lakes came alive with Ugotta Regatta’s unbeatable mix of serious one-design competition and tongue-in-cheek T-shirt traditions. The J/111s threw down at their Great Lakes Championship, while J/70s and offshore racers got their fill of fast-paced fun. Further west, Bellingham once again proved that adult summer camp does exist, with great breeze, great bands, and a whole lot of dockside stories best left unprinted. And don’t blink, because there’s more ahead. Cowes Week is just about to kick off on England’s notorious Solent Water, with its unique blend of tidal trickery and high-energy revelry. Newport is gearing up, too, with the Safe Harbor Regatta drawing everyone from hardcore racers to dock-party aficionados enjoying the best of Narragansett Bay. |
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J/99 Wins 100th ROLEX Fastnet Race Division!(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The 100th edition of the ROLEX Fastnet Race, hosted by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), will go down in history as one of the world’s biggest offshore races, with 381 IRC-rated yachts competing. From the start off the famous Cowes/ Royal Yacht Squadron starting line in the Solent, the fleet rounded Fastnet Rock just off the southeastern tip of Ireland, then headed for home to the finish off Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France- a distance of 695.0nm. In short, the race turned into a monster windward-leeward race, beating to windward from the Cowes start to “the Rock”. The fleet then popped kites and headed for France on a downwind sleigh ride. There were some amazing highlights for J/Teams in this race. Read more here.
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J/99s Dominate Top 10 in Noakes Sydney to Gold Coast Race(Sydney, NSW, Australia)- The 37th edition of the Noakes Sydney to Gold Coast Race attracted top-tier talent from across Australia and beyond, with seasoned campaigners vying for early-season glory. Among the sixty-one yachts entered, a half-dozen well-sailed J/99s were racing against many of Australia’s “gold-platers”. In the end, five of the J/99s ended up in the top 10! The race also marked the opening event of the prestigious 2025/26 AUDI Sydney Blue Water Series and serves as a vital proving ground for teams preparing for the Rolex Sydney Hobart and Trans-Tasman Yacht Race. Spanning 384.0nm from Sydney Harbour to the Gold Coast’s Main Beach, this much-loved winter challenge promised a thrilling mix of tactical coastal navigation and potential fast-reaching conditions. From its spectacular start beneath the city skyline to the warm Queensland welcome at the finish, the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast is a bucket-list race.  Read more here. |
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SHAMROCK Two-peats J/111 Great Lakes Championship(Harbor Springs, MI)- Sailing in conjunction with the Ugotta Regatta hosted by Little Traverse Yacht Club in Harbor Springs, MI, the fleet of fourteen J/111s sailed their 2025 Great Lakes Championship. Repeating their 2024 performance, Jeff Davis’s team from Cleveland, OH, sailed SHAMROCK to another dominant performance, posting a 1-2-2-4 tally for 9 pts to repeat as J/111 Great Lakes Champions!  Read more here. |
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Fun & Games @ Ugotta Regatta(Harbor Springs, MI)- Traveling far and wide, sailors from across the Great Lakes always look forward to their mid-summer favorite event, the famous Ugotta Regatta hosted by Little Traverse Yacht Club in Harbor Springs, MI. Rolling out the proverbial red carpet for a fleet of J/70s and offshore handicap racers in ORC and PHRF Divisions, everyone enjoyed the great racing and the famous t-shirts dispensed at the crack of dawn early Saturday morning for hundreds of passionate sailing enthusiasts- a Ugotta Regatta tradition! Read more here. |
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Fun-in-the-Sun Race Week Bellingham!(Bellingham, WA)- This year’s infamous “adult sailing summer camp” in the Pacific Northwest- the Race Week Bellingham- was sailed in Bellingham, WA, based out of Squalicum Harbor, with direct access to Bellingham Bay. The regatta featured buoy, distance, and pursuit races for the fleet of J/70 and J/105 one-design classes and ORC/ PHRF offshore handicap divisions. The sailors loved the new regatta headquarters based in the Fisherman’s Pavilion, a 9,000 sq ft event space with broad views of the harbor and a bar that had amazing waterfront views, too. The Pavilion served as the site of the notoriously fun, post-race parties that featured live music, silly themes, and an open bar. Read more here. |
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Cowes Week 2025 Preview(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- For the first week of August, the Cowes Combined Clubs will be hosting their annual highlight of the summer sailing season on the Solent- the infamous Cowes Race Week off Cowes, Isle of Wight. Yet again, hundreds of boats and thousands of sailors will grace the quaint seaside town with raucous parties and challenging sailing on the capricious waters of the famously fast-flowing Solent Water. Again, dozens of J/Teams will flock south from their glass tower offices in London and other parts of the United Kingdom and look forward to engaging their passion for sailing for a full seven days on the water! Here is how that all breaks down by division. Read more here. |
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Safe Harbor Newport Regatta 2025 PreviewÂ(Newport, RI)- An increasingly popular regatta during the busy Newport sailing season has been the Safe Harbor Newport regatta. It’s a fun event both on and off the water. The sailing on Narragansett Bay is always fun and challenging, dealing with currents and shifty winds. But, where the Safe Harbor regatta has developed an enthusiastic following amongst sailors is their “apres sailing” events onshore at their world-class yacht harbor facility. With great food, a huge tent, and great bands on Friday and Saturday evenings, the parties are well attended by the eccentric mix of yachties off the magnificent super yachts and the enthusiasts on a range of offshore racing/ cruising yachts. Read more here. |
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J/Gear- August 20% off SpecialThe J Diamond Polo is a mild departure from the solid colors. This fun diamond pattern is featured on a quality shirt by Adidas. Soft uniform collar and available with your J Class logo. Specify your option impriints and location. Features: Get your J/Gear 20% off special here- ORDER your special discount items here. |