J/Boats News & Reviews

Across oceans and offshore challenges, deciphering fickle lake winds large and small, J/Teams shone brightly this past week.
From the Baltic’s brisk breezes to the North Sea’s wild currents and the turquoise trades of the Pacific, J/Teams have been racking up wins, silverware, and serious offshore miles in some of the world’s most iconic races. In a season defined by gritty determination, shifting weather, and tactical brilliance, the J/sailing community continues to dominate headlines.
From Finland to Bermuda, Germany to Hawaii, this week’s round-up captures the spirit of J/Boats and the sailors who race them: resourceful, resilient, and relentless in pursuit of performance. Whether it was the J/121 JOLENE clinching the ORC Doublehanded Europeans in Helsinki, Finland, the all-out sprint around Gotland in Sweden, or the trans-ocean tests of Marion to Bermuda and the legendary Transpac, J/crews once again proved they’re built for the long haul.
Add in a victory lap for LADY IN RED at Kieler Woche, a deep dive into J/80 Worlds off Belgium, and a standout showing in the performance cruising class at Block Island Race Week— and we’ve got a globe-spanning season of success worth celebrating.

J/121 JOLENE Wins ORC Doublehanded Europeans
(Helsinki, Finland)- After a thrilling week of competition on the Baltic Sea, the 2025 Garmin ORC Doublehanded European Championship concluded on a high note at Helsingfors Segelklubb. The final day brought welcome sunshine, smiling sailors, and a celebratory spirit as the fleet gathered to reflect on an event marked by intense offshore racing, exceptional seamanship, and the strong camaraderie of the doublehanded community.
Over two challenging offshore races— one short, one long— sailors navigated heavy weather, shifting strategy, and the demands of a two-person crew. In the end, one of those teams at the top of their class, earning the European title for their outstanding performance, was the J/121 JOLENE, co-skippered by Fredrik Rydin and Johan Tuvstedt. Read more here.

Spanish Leading J/80 World Championship!

(Niewupoort, Netherlands)- More than 270 sailors from Belgium and abroad descended on the Belgian coast for the 2025 J/80 World Championship. The event is organized by the Koninklijke Yacht Club, supported by a young team of enthusiasts under 30 – a striking example of rejuvenation in sailing.
The city of Niewupoort is a perfect location for an event of this magnitude. With some 2,000 moorings and challenging conditions on the North Sea— think currents, sandbanks, and changeable weather— Nieuwpoort offers everything a top-tier championship requires. “Those who stay the course on the North Sea will stay the course anywhere,” they proudly proclaim.  Read more here.

J/121 JOLENE Silvers @ Gotland Runt Race/ ORC Doublehanded Swedish Championship!

(Stockholm, Sweden)- After an unprecedented 16-hour postponement due to extreme weather, the 2025 Gotland Runt, one of the world’s largest annual offshore races, finally got underway! At 6:00 AM, under a clear sky and with brisk winds, the fleet set sail from Sandhamn, heading for the island of Gotland.
The planned start was called off due to severe gusts, heavy rain, and hail. Race management prioritized safety, instructing all boats to remain securely moored in Sandhamn. After careful monitoring of the weather, a new start time was set, and the course was shortened to 312 nautical miles, with boats rounding Almagrundet before heading south..  Read more here.

J/42 Tops Marion Bermuda Race!

(Hamilton, Bermuda)- Since the early 1970s, a trio of sailing clubs (Beverly Yacht Club (Marion, MA), Blue Water Sailing Club (Boston, MA), and the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club (Bermuda) have hosted the biennial 645.0nm Marion to Bermuda Race. It is a challenging race that starts off the Marion, MA starting line inside Buzzards Bay and then finishes off St. David’s Lighthouse on the eastern tip of Bermuda. Over the years, multiple J/Crews have participated in the event, many garnering silverware along the way.
In this year’s edition, it was David Tabor and Carol Vaughn’s J/42 DIANTHUS that won ORR Division A. In addition, they were also declared winners of the J/Boats Award for top J/Boat overall in the race!  
A great story was written about the race by Lydia Mullan from SAIL Magazine. Her Editor-in-Chief, Wendy Mitman Clarke, was part of the J/42 DIANTHUS crew! Here’s her story.  Read more here.

Transpac Race Update
(Honolulu, Hawaii)- Starting on July 1st, four divisions began racing the 2,225.0nm Transpac Race at 1320 hrs on the waters off of Los Angeles’s Point Fermin. Organized by the Transpacific Yacht Club, the biennial event is considered one of the world’s premier ocean races. It uses three pursuit-style starts spread over five days (July 1, 3, and 5, 2025) to help all 53 boats finish within days of each other at Honolulu’s Diamond Head.  On Thursday, here was the status of the various J/Teams in the race. Read more here.

LADY IN RED Tops J/70s @ Kieler Woche!
(Kiel, Germany)- In its 144th year, Kieler Woche took place for a week at the end of June. During Kiel Week, the state capital of Kiel became a “home for everyone”. This year’s unique blend of world-class sailing event and colorful summer festival invited visitors to arrive, let go, and experience. Around 3.3 million visitors celebrated throughout the city.
The importance of Kiel Week as a sailing/ sporting showcase on the Baltic Sea is manifest by its enormous popularity: with over 4,000 sailors from 65 nations, approximately 1,500 boats, 29 classes, more than 350 starts, and 14 race courses.
As the world’s largest sailing regatta, it’s a true “Woodstock” of sailing! Featuring not just sailing competitions, but live music and countless food stands off the water. Read more here.

J/160 COUGAR Rocks Block Island Race Week Performance Cruising Division!

J/99 Class won by McKeige’s SAVE THE SOUND(Block Island, RI)- This year’s Storm Trysail Club Block Island Race Week featured a diversity of weather challenges all week long; from clear sunny “shorts & shades” glamma days to grey, cool, ugly, drizzly days to keep everyone honest. In the end, numerous J/Teams filled up the leaderboard, garnering a lion’s share of the silverware across several PHRF Corinthians divisions. One notable performance was registered by one of the most iconic cruising sailboats produced by J/Boats.. Read more here.

(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)- In preparation for the 2026 J/80 North Americans and J/80 Worlds regattas in July next year, CORK/ Sail Kingston, in collaboration with the J/80 North American Class Association, hosted a 3-day “test event” regatta in Kingston, Canada on June 27-29. Most notably, the regatta was employing the Vakaros RaceSense starting system – a first for J/80’s in North America.
A dozen J/80’s and a slightly smaller fleet on J/70’s from fleets across eastern Canada and northeastern US enjoyed three spectacular sailing days with a total of eight races run in the champagne sailing conditions that Kingston, “the freshwater sailing capital of the world”, is known for.
Day 1 included some unsettled weather with shifty winds and rain to start before settling in to 10-12 knots from the south. Day 2 saw a solid 20 knot southwest system wind blow throughout the day with brilliant sunshine and 25 C temperatures. Day 3 started with light air under cloudy skies before the 12-15 knot Kingston thermal filled in by early afternoon.
US sailor Connor Hayes’s MORE GOSTOSA from Winnipesaukee Yacht Club won the regatta. Then, Brian Gibbs’s BLIND FAITH from Jubilee Yacht Club, along with Hugh McGugan’s BREAKAWAY J from Kingston Yacht Club, battled it out for the top three spots in the J/80 fleet, with Hayes winning the event, followed by Gibbs and McGugan.
As promised, the Vakaros RaceSense system, along with a GPS-enabled pin boat, delivered a “no general recall” and “next start quick turnaround” experience throughout the regatta as the sailors gained experience with Vakaros-enabled starting.
The J/80 2026 Worlds are set for July 18-27, 2026, and J/80 North Americans for July 8-12, 2026 – both regattas will be hosted by CORK and Sail Kingston. The Canadian J/80 fleet is looking forward to competitors attending from around the world!

(Chicago, IL)- As they’ve done enthusiastically for years, the Chicago Yacht Club and its army of volunteers rolled out the proverbial red carpet for hundreds of sailors for the three-day weekend Chicago Sailing World Regatta presented by HELLY HANSEN. The regatta featured one-design classes for J/70s, J/88 Great Lakes Championship, J/109 Great Lakes Championship, and J/105s. In addition, there were J/Crews that enjoyed the offshore events for both ORC and PHRF handicap divisions.

J/88 Great Lakes ChampionshipIn the first major win in the class, Lindsey Duda and family on their SIN DUDA handily won the seven-boat class, counting five bullets in their scoreline for just 13 pts total! Second went to Dave Dennison’s PIRANHA with five 2nds in their tally for 18 pts. Then, rounding out the podium to snag the bronze medal was Andy Graff’s well-traveled EXILE crew with 24 pts.
J/109 Great Lakes ChampionshipThe J/109s offered spirited competition all weekend with a near three-way tie for the podium for the top three boats! Not surprisingly, the final legs in the final race determined the nail-biting outcome! Winning was the Millet/ Jahn team on TUMBLER with 22 pts. Taking the silver by winning the last race was Jim Caesar’s LIQUID LOUNGE with 25 pts. Then, rounding out the bronze medal step on the podium was the quartet of Miz/ Dreher/ Hatfield/ Neenan on their SMEE AGAIN with 26 pts.

J/70 ClassParticipating in the twenty-boat J/70 fleet were many class veterans with podium finishes at the Midwinters, Nationals, Europeans, and even Worlds level events, not for a lack of talent in this fleet!! Winning by setting a blistering pace of five straight bullets was Cate Muller-Terhune’s CASTING COUCH with a total of 35 pts. Second was determined by a tiebreaker at 46 pts each. Winning the countback was Jim Prendergast’s USA 167. Meanwhile, losing that countback was Rich Witzel’s ROWDY team to settle for the bronze medal.
The balance of the top five included Lee Sacket & Dave Kerr’s USA 1516 in fourth and John Heaton’s EMPEIRIA in fifth place.
Notably, the top three women skippers sailed well in this regatta. First, of course, was Cate Muller-Terhune. Second went to Maggie McKillen’s MAGATRON (6th overall), and third went to Ava Wilson’s TEAM CONVERGENCE (9th overall).

J/105 ClassThe thirteen-boat fleet saw a class veteran show their transom to the fleet for most of the races. Starting with three straight bullets, Clake Pellet’s SEALARK never looked back to win the class with 24 pts total in nine races. Richie Stearns’s FIVE took the silver medal with 33 pts, while Mike Collins & Keith Krause’s VYTIS took the bronze medal with 40 pts total.
Rounding out the top five were more class veterans, Jon Weglarz’s THE ASYLUM in fourth and Mike Sheppard’s FLYING PIG in fifth place.
ORC 1 DivisionThe large sixteen-boat fleet was swept by a contingent of hot offshore J/speedsters. Winning was Jeff Davis’s J/111 SHAMROCK with two bullets. Second went to Matt Songer’s J/122 EVVAI with a 2-3, while third place went to Len Siegel’s J/122E LUCKY DUBIE with a 6-2. The balance of the top five was Blane Shea’s J/111 STRIKING BACK and Kevin Saedi & Raman Yousefi’s J/111 MOMENTUS 2 in fourth and fifth, respectively.
For more Chicago Sailing World Regatta informationhttps://www.sailingworld.com/regatta-series-chicago/

J/111 BRAVO Awarded Everett B Morris Trophy, J/122 TEAMWORK Wins ORC NA’s D3!(Block Island, RI)- This year’s Storm Trysail Club Block Island Race Week featured a diversity of weather challenges all week long; from clear sunny “shorts & shades” glamma days to grey, cool, ugly, drizzly days to keep everyone honest. In the end, numerous J/Teams filled up the leaderboard, garnering a lion’s share of the silverware across several PHRF/ ORC handicap divisions as well as strong participation in one-design classes for J/88s, J/105 East Coast Championships, J/44 North Americans, and J/109s sailing in their East Coast Championships. Here is how it all went down over the five-day regatta.
MondayRacing in the 31st Block Island Race Week got underway on Monday with the North Sails Race Day. After a one-hour wind delay, the three fleets motored through “The Cut” to their respective race courses for a noon start as the sea breeze filled in from the southwest. The wind stayed stable for the remainder of the afternoon.
The winner of 2023’s Everett B. Morris Perpetual Trophy – known as “Boat of the Week” for the 30th BIRW, Deja voodoo, won the day in the 17-boat J/105 class, which is also the one-design fleet’s East Coast Championship.
“The boat was going well and we were able to get one boat on the last leg and end up in first,” said DEJA VOODOO’s owner, Bill Zartler from Houston, TX. When asked whether his team feels any added pressure of being the returning champions, he noted that “there is always a target on your back!!”
Racing boats were accompanied offshore by pods of dolphins trying to catch a glimpse of the action, while families and friends of sailors awaited their return onshore— “mudslides” in hand.
For 60 years, Block Island Race Week has been a true family affair for many sailors. Both on and off the water, the regatta provides opportunities for families to create memories, strengthen bonds, and just have fun all together!
Aboard BLITZEN, a J/130 in the Performance Cruising division, two generations of the Storck family were racing together. John Storck, Jr. (who holds the record for the most Race Weeks of 30) is joined by his sons, John III and Ian, his daughter Kaity, and son-in-law Baker Potts. The third generation was being looked after by the family matriarch, Colette, enjoying everything Race Week has to offer on shore.
“It’s what our family has always done,” says John III. “We went through a period where we were doing other sailing ventures. Now that we’re getting older and have little kids of our own. Race week fits into the combo of sailing and family vacation, and we’re so happy to be back.”
TuesdayThe Regatta Craft Mixers Race Day turned up the heat at Block Island Race Week— literally. The Island was not spared from the heat wave sweeping the East Coast this week, but that did not put a stop to the action out on the water. With heavier winds than Day 1, the day began on time and featured champagne sailing conditions for the windward-leeward and navigator courses.
TEAMWORK, a J/122 owned by Robin Team, came out on top in both races in the ORC 3 class. “We’re having great winds and Chamber of Commerce weather. What else could you ask for in a regatta?” Team added. “It’s our fifth BIRW and we love it.”
Meanwhile, in the Performance Cruising 2 class, it is a neck-and-neck race for the overall leader. George Harrington’s J/112E #bigsandwich was sitting in second by one point after four races. “Great competition this week. Our fleet is incredibly tight,” said Harrington. “We’re doing good and we’re having fun!”
As sailors settled into their groove for the week, many reflected on the history and heritage of this storied regatta.
“The legacy of Block Island Race Week is that it brings sailors together from all over,” remarked Rod Johnstone of J/Boats fame. He and his family have been sailing in BIRW since its inception in 1965. This year is Rod’s 23rd BIRW, and he has sailed in each one in a different J/Boats— this year aboard the J/99 JAZZ. Boats of various designs from the renowned designer now make up over half of the total boats in the BIRW fleet.
“Block Island is by far our favorite event, I describe it as an island getaway with 1,000 of your best friends,” says Mike Fillman of the J/80 PARTY TREE. Like many other competitors, Block Island itself plays a huge role in the regatta’s heritage for Filman and the PARTY TREE crew. “Our boat was native to Block Island and spent its summers in New Harbor on a mooring. The previous owner used it as a daysailer. In fact, a man sailed past us on a Laser and called out, ‘That’s my boat!’”
WednesdayThe Risk Strategies Race Day featured another day of champagne conditions and soaring temperatures. To give sailors a brief reprieve, the Race Committee called for an “early” end to racing (only 2 long races instead of 3), moved up the parties, and opened up the race village for some fun lay-day activities. However, the competition was still very much in full force.
ThursdayThe fourth day was both Mt. Gay Rum Day and the Regatta Craft Mixers Round The Island Race!
The breaking of the recent heatwave made for a fast and furious counter-clockwise lap past the Southeast Lighthouse, past the Mohegan Bluffs, around the 1BI buoy, and back into New Harbor.
“It was a great day on the water with big breeze,” added Jack McGuire, owner of J/88 DIRTY HARRY. He noted that his favorite part of the Round The Island Race is the way the currents change around the course. “If you’re not on it, you can go from a half mile ahead to a half mile behind in a minute.” He noted that the race always hinges on good tactics and solid strategy.
Why Block Island???Probably the most common answer to the question “What keeps you coming back to Block Island Race Week?” is “Sailing with my friends!”. Whether it’s bonds formed between sailors on the same crew or new and old friendly rivalries between boats, the camaraderie amongst the fleet at BIRW is something that sets this regatta apart.
“Every single dock is just packed and packed with racers,” said Conor O’Neil of the J/80 PARTY TREE. “You come back on shore and you ask other boats, ‘How was Blue Circle versus White Circle today?’” For him and his crew, one of the highlights of the regatta is stopping in for boat cocktails on the way to the tent party following the day’s racing. “Wall-to-wall fun with all the people you want to hang out with.”
For one team in particular, the strong connections formed through sailing this regatta have deep emotional meaning. The crew aboard TNT was sailing the J/105 in its eighth BIRW in memory of the boat’s previous owner, Mark Masur, who passed away in 2023. “We purchased the boat and decided we had to come back to Block Island,” remarked Greg Turman of the TNT crew. “The people here are just awesome,” he added, complimenting the gregarious and helpful spirit on the docks.
Bill Kneller, owner of the J/109 VENTO SOLARE, believes that the camaraderie that makes BIRW so special is not dulled by the fierce competition out on the water, even as the one-design class contests its East Coast Championship during the regatta. “The class always has a party at the house that Bob Schwartz from J/109 NORDLYS rents, where we all have a great time,” Kneller recalled. “One year, the owner of the house flew in with his helicopter and landed on the lawn to join the party!”
The spirits in the race village— anchored in friendship— were lifted even higher by the perennial favorite Regatta Craft Mixers Round The Island Race, which took place on Thursday. With heavier winds and cooler temperatures than earlier in the week, the distance race brought out spectators to the Island’s iconic bluffs, beaches, and lighthouses to catch a glimpse of the action.
FridayBlock Island Race Week’s final tent party was abuzz with anticipation and excitement Friday evening, as sailors and spectators awaited the announcement of cumulative awards for the regatta’s 60th anniversary. For the first time in recent memory, BIRW featured racing on all five days of the week, featuring fierce competition and extraordinary sailing.
“The Race Week and Storm Trysail team has had one signature focus: to make this the best week of everyone’s year,” said Race Chair Ty Anderson. “What we’re hearing and seeing is that we accomplished that, and everyone is already planning for 2027.”
“This regatta saw 140 races across 17 classes and multiple championship contests,” said Race Director Dick Neville. “The weather definitely cooperated, allowing our race management team to showcase the very best Block Island has to offer.”
The eyes of the sailing world were focused on Block Island this week as the ORC division held its inaugural North American Championship as part of BIRW. Across three classes, the ORC racing was characteristically intense.

ORC 3 DivisionWinning this division was Robin Team’s J/122 TEAMWORK, followed by Jeff Johnstone’s J/40 DOV.
“We have had a great week, and BIRW is one of our favorite regattas,” added TEAMWORL’s Robin Team. “Winning our class was the ultimate success— we were up against a lot of really good boats and ended up coming out on top. We’ve been sailing together as a crew for a long time, and I really think that’s the key. We don’t even really have to talk when going around marks. They know what to do and they do it well.”

Commenting on their silver medal performance, Jeff Johnstone on the J/40 DOV explained, “We launched our J/40 a few weeks before Block Island Race Week and had a great result out of the box at New York Yacht Club’s Annual Regatta (3rd in class). We then decided to jump into the deep end and compete on the ORC North Americans circle at Block Island Race Week, and see how an unmodified, cruise-equipped J/40 (with two heads, bow roller, windlass, roller furling, swim platform, etc.) could do against the top ORC boats. 10 races over 5 days, including 9 short windward-leewards, were both fun and a great test, and we couldn’t be happier with the 2nd place result. Our hats are off to Robin Team and his crew aboard the J/122 TEAMWORK, who sailed a great event and are the well-deserved ORC North American champions!”

J/105 East CoastsThe J/105 East Coast Championship featured the regatta’s largest championship fleet, with 17 competing vessels. Bill Zartler’s DEJA VOODOO— the Boat of the Week from 2023’s BIRW—captured first place for the third straight Race Week. “There must be something in the water here because the boat really likes it,” said owner Bill Zartler. “We’re happy with how we did, and this was a great, great event.” Deja Voodoo and crew were also awarded the A. Justin Wasley Memorial Trophy as the winners of the largest One-Design class.

J/109 East CoastsThe fight for the title in the J/109 East Coast Championship came down to the wire, with Dan Nash’s MISTRAL leading Sean McNeill and Rob Nye’s PICANTE by a single point going into Friday’s racing. In the end, MISTRAL won the week, posting two bullets in Friday’s races. “BIRW is an amazing experience to sail with my three boys, who are all recent college sailors,” said Nash. “They take over the boat, and I just listen and have a great time.”

J/44 North AmericansChris Lewis on board DIGGER won the J/44 North American Championship with a dominant performance in that one-design fleet. The Brit-turned-Texan chartered the local legendary J/44 for the week. “This was a very successful week for us; we consolidated an early lead from day 1,” Lewis remarked. “We are very much a teamwork boat with 11 crew, so everyone really has to work together.”
In addition to announcing class winners, BIRW’s various trophies were awarded at Friday’s tent party. The regatta’s most prestigious award, the Everett B. Morris Perpetual Trophy, is awarded to the yacht with the best overall performance as judged by the Race Committee and the commodore of the Storm Trysail Club. The 2025 honor went to BRAVO, a J/111 racing in the Performance Cruising 1 class and owned by Andrew and Sedge Ward.
“Sailing BIRW with my dad, who is 92 years old, is just an incredible experience,” said Andrew Ward. “Taking home the Boat of the Week honors is just icing on an already astounding cake.”
John Storck, Jr.’s J/130 BLITZEN was awarded the Isbrandtsen Overall Perpetual Trophy for the best performance by a predominantly Corinthian-sailed boat. Storck remarked earlier in the week that a highlight of every BIRW he has sailed has been sharing the experience with his dearest family members.
A week that started with a day one wind delay and three days of scorching heat and humidity yielded to heavier breezes and a slightly more agitated sea state by the later days of racing. However, sailors across all three marinas hosting the fleet commented on the “champagne” and “Chamber of Commerce” conditions for which Block Island is known.
For 60 years, BIRW has benefited from the warm hospitality of the Island and its residents. Once again, Champlin’s Marina and Resort hosted the race village, tent parties, and dozens of competing boats. “We always look forward to having Race Week here,” said General Manager Ryann Liguori. “It’s a really exciting time for the Island’s community and my team here at Champlin’s.”
Following each of the five days of racing, sailors and their friends and family celebrated the day’s accomplishments under the tent, at their crew houses, and in the local establishments around New Shoreham. Race Week is known for its friendly environment, competitive racing, and exuberant celebrations. This year’s regatta lived up to that reputation and left veterans and newcomers alike counting the days until the next BIRW in June of 2027.

(Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy)- The debut of the J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship took place last week on Lake Garda, Italy, for a fleet of 47 teams. Hosting the sailors off the gorgeous lakeside village of Torbole was the Circolo della Vela Torbole.
The fleet from 18 nations (AUS, BRA, CYP, DEN, ESP, FRA, GBR, GER, JPN, HUN, ITA, MON, NED, POL, SWE, SUI, & USA) reflected the success of this inclusive and competitive format. The event brought together an elite mix of sailors: Olympic medalists, world-class professionals, rising talents, and skilled amateur teams, all racing under simple, accessible rules that define the Mixed Plus category. In fact, there were 25 Olympians amongst the sailors on the teams, some of them very famous sailors. Coincidentally, there was a record number of 125 women participants as skippers and crew!

Day 1- YUPI Leads After a Perfect Opening Day Lake Garda delivered its finest conditions for the opening day of the first-ever J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship: three races completed in a steady, warm Ora breeze peaking at 20 knots.
Spain’s YUPI took control of the leaderboard with an impressive 1-1-2. Onboard: Joan Cardona Méndez, Gerardo Prego Menor, the Tokyo 2020 Olympian Cristina Pujol Bajo, Fátima Diz Barreras and Pilar Amaro Filgueira. Their consistent performance earned them the Garmin Cup, awarded to the best team of the opening day.
“It’s fantastic to sail here with a fleet of unexpectedly high level: we hope to keep up the good work tomorrow,” commented Cardona after the races. 
In second place, Australia’s VAMOS, helmed by Tim Ryan, scored a solid 3-3-5, showing consistency across the board. Third overall was TO NESSA from Brazil, skippered by Renato Cunha Faria and crewed by Torben Grael, Martine Grael, Kahena Kunze, and Kadja Brandao — a crew with nine Olympic medals between them!! In fourth place was SAILRACING from Sweden with Anton Dahlberg at the helm, followed by the top Italian team, J-CURVE of Mauro Roversi, featuring Giulia Conti and Giovanna Micol, fresh off their Women’s America’s Cup win with Luna Rossa. In sixth was the ever-consistent CATAPULT (USA) with skipper Joel Ronning, a J/70 World Champion.
The fleet was stacked with Olympic sailors, one-design veterans, and international champions, but what makes this event truly special is the blend with Corinthian teams: non-professional sailors who bring passion, dedication, and sharp skills to the race course. Leading the Corinthian division is Stefano Roberti on PICCININA, followed closely by Italy’s Yann Inghilesi with CICLONE and the British team DSP skippered by Douglas Struth. In fourth place was Gianfranco Noè’s WHITE HAWK, while the German DIE RADIOLOGIE closed the top five. With small gaps between them, the racing in this category promises to be just as tight and compelling.

Day 2- YUPI Hangs Tough!Friday was the second day of racing. Although the “Ora” breeze was lighter than yesterday, it didn’t disappoint; it blew steadily enough to deliver three fair, fun, and hard-fought races.
Holding on to the top of the leaderboard was the Spanish team YUPI, with Joan Cardona Méndez at the helm. A strong, consistent day for them, steadily improving with scores of 3-2-1 — always inside the top three. Chasing six points behind was Tim Ryan’s VAMOS from Australia, who started the day strong with victories in the first two races. In third place was the Swedish team SAILRACING, led by Anton Dahlberg, posting a 2-5-3 and now tied on points with the Australians.
Just off the podium is Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT, trailing the leaders by 10 points. One point further back is J-CURVE, skippered by Mauro Roversi. The incredibly high level of the fleet is clear when you consider that TO NESSA from Brazil — a team featuring no fewer than nine Olympic medals — currently sits in sixth place overall.
The top Corinthian team was DSP by Douglas Struth and Marshall King, in 11th place overall. Close behind were the Americans on DIME, helmed by Andrew Loe, just two points adrift, followed by PICCININA from Italy with Stefano Roberti, just one point further back.

Day 3- All Eyes on the Grand Finale in TorboleA busy day full of tactical challenges wrapped up in Torbole on Saturday. Once again, Lake Garda delivered ideal racing conditions, with the southern Ora breeze blowing steadily from 195°, ranging between 12 and 18 knots. Shifty and gusty, the wind put both crews and tacticians to the test. All three scheduled races were completed on a race course where strategic choices made the real difference.
The day opened with a win by the Corinthian team, LIFT TICKET, highlighting the diversity and competitiveness of a highly inclusive fleet. In fact, over 50% of the sailors on the starting line were women, one of the core goals behind the creation of the Mixed-Plus format, strongly supported by the International J/70 Class.
In the second race of the day, YUPI — the Spanish team helmed by Tokyo 2020 Olympic medalist Joan Cardona Méndez — returned to form, much as they had dominated the first two days. With a win in Race 8 and a second place in Race 9, Cardona strengthened his lead in the overall standings, now eight points ahead of Australia’s VAMOS, skippered by Tim Ryan.
It was also a solid day for Brazil’s TO NESSA, who posted scores of 3-3-4 to climb back into third place overall. Joining helmsman Renato Cunha Faria and Kadja Brandao on board are sailing legend Torben Grael, his daughter Martine, and her crewmate Kahena Kunze — all three Olympic medalists. Dropping to fourth are Sweden’s SAILRACING, now 14 points off the podium, followed in fifth by Italy’s J-CURVE, skippered by Mauro Roversi.
In the Corinthian division, Andrew Loe’s DIME led the standings, but the race for the title was as close as ever. DSP sat in second, tied on points but behind due to weaker individual results. Moving up to third is Gianfranco Noè’s WHITE HAWK, just three points off the lead, after a strong showing in the first race of the day, where they rounded the top mark in first place. Completing the Corinthian top five are Roberti’s PICCININA and Keith Whittemore’s FURIO.


Day 4- Grand Finale, Grand PerformanceIt’s hard to imagine a better debut for the inaugural J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship, held in the iconic sailing venue of Torbole on Lake Garda in Italy. Framing this high-level event was the unmistakable breeze of Lake Garda and the flawless hospitality of Circolo Vela Torbole, which welcomed more than 250 participants from around the world with professionalism and warmth. It was the perfect combination of sport, passion, and vision for the future of sailing, all coordinated by the expert organization of the J/70 Italian Class and J/70 International Class.


From the very first day, it was the Spanish team YUPI who set the pace at the top of the leaderboard, delivering consistently strong performances. At the helm, Olympic bronze medalist in the Finn Class at Tokyo 2020, Joan Cardona Méndez demonstrated expert fleet management and tactical clarity in every condition. The team was comprised of Gerardo Prego Menor, Cristina Pujol Bajo, Fátima Diz Barreras, and Pilar Amaro Filgueira. But YUPI’s victory was far from guaranteed. Despite leading early on, the Championship was decided in the very last race in a thrilling photo finish. That’s when the Spanish team had to respond to the charge from Australia’s VAMOS, managing to defend their lead by the narrowest of margins — just two points in the final standings. Tim Ryan and his crew delivered a 2-1 in the last two races, steadily closing the gap and earning a well-deserved silver medal. Third place went to SAILRACING, the Swedish team led by Anton Dahlberg, who finished 30 points behind the Australians. Just off the podium was Brazil’s TO NESSA, helmed by Renato Cunha Faria, followed by the American team CATAPULT, helmed by Joel Ronning.
Rounding out the top ten were: J-CURVE of Mauro Roversi (Italy), LUJZI (Hungary), BRUTUS II (United Kingdom), T-ONE (Italy) skippered by Manfredo Toninelli, and WAR CANOE (USA).
“We’re truly happy to have won this first-ever Mixed-Plus World Championship,” said Joan Cardona Méndez. “It was a special event, very different from any other regatta. The level of competition was incredibly high, and seeing so many women on the water was fantastic. Lake Garda gave us perfect conditions, and our team worked in great harmony from day one. This will be an experience we’ll always remember.”
Just outside the top 10 came the Corinthian fleet, tightly packed from 11th to 15th place. Taking the top spot in the Corinthian division was Douglas Struth’s DSP (UK), who managed to overtake Andrew Loe’s DIME (USA) on the final day, after Loe had led for most of the event. The bronze medal went to Gianfranco Noè’s WHITE HAWK, a former Corinthian World Champion. Completing the top five were Stefano Roberti’s PICCININS (Monaco) and Yann Inghilesi’s CICLONE (Italy).


The Mixed-Plus format also included special prizes for the best all-female crew and the best female helm. The all-female crew award went to HOLLANDISCH GLORIE, skippered by Sanne Crum, while the best female helm prize was awarded to Luca Kis-Szolgyemi onboard LJUZI. Finally, the best team in the Young division was BULLA, with Matilde Garaventa at the helm.

The 2026 J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship will be hosted by Royal Danish Yacht Club in Copenhagen, Denmark, on August 13-16, 2026.

This past week was a global celebration of sailing, featuring family victories and World Championship glory. It showcased the incredible depth and diversity of the global J/Sailing community. From the storied shores of Porto Santo Stefano in Italy to the brisk freshwater of Kingston, Ontario, in Canada and the salty air of Block Island offshore of Rhode Island, sailors of all ages, backgrounds, and ambitions came together for a series of events that captured the heart of the sport.
In Italy, the Lamaro family’s J/40 PALINURO brought Olympic pedigree and heartfelt teamwork to the forefront, stealing the spotlight at the PasquaVela Regatta. Meanwhile, on Lake Garda (that famous lake in northern Italy), the inaugural J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship marked a bold new chapter in inclusive competition, drawing Olympians and emerging talent alike… including a record turnout of 125 women sailors as both skippers and crew!
Across the Atlantic, Block Island Race Week delivered its classic mix of tactical challenges and shoreside camaraderie, with J/Teams dominating the podiums in both one-design and handicap racing. And in iconic sailing hubs like Cowes, Long Beach, and Hamburg, the energy remained electric as women’s regattas, doublehanded duels, and national championships further highlighted the passion and power of the international J/fleet.
It was a stretch of racing defined not just by results, but by resilience, reinvention, and remarkable spirit—on every course, in every corner of the world.

How the Lamaro Family’s J/40 PALINURO Eclipsed the PasquaVela Regatta 2025
(Porto Santo Stefano, Italy)- As a backgrounder, the owner/ skipper of the new J/40 PALINURO in Italy is Gianluca Lamaro. He is an experienced sailor that includes participating in two sailing Olympics (Los Angeles and Seoul), has a world bronze medal in the Soling class in Anzio 1981, and many more titles. We hope you enjoy this article about Gianluca and his family team. The writer is Roberto Perrone Capano from the Lega Navale Italiano newsletter. 

 
“For starters, Gianluca is just shy of 70, but his energy, intellect, speed, and competitive enthusiasm are those of a young man. Born in 1956, Neapolitan by birth, now with five active, passionate children:
– Pietro, son number 3, is the first tailer and was an under-21 and Series A rugby national. 
– Michele, son number 4, is the captain of the Italian National Rugby team, and flanker for Benetton Treviso… he’s good at grinding winches or jumping spinnaker halyards
– Paolino, son number 5, is the rigger and bowman of PALINURO. 
– Margaux and Francesco are missing, but also enthusiastic sailors. 
 
How can you say no to yet another experience with Gianluca and his Lamaro family? The reasons are explained below.
 
We have known each other since I was 8 years old, 11 years for him. As neighbors and daily companions, we enjoyed soccer games in the courtyard at the Parco Grifeo 40 in Naples, overlooking the gulf. We often played with two of his younger brothers, Stefano, now a surgeon, and Peppe, a Qatar Airlines pilot. We were both born under the stubborn sign of Scorpio, but with characters as different as they are compatible. Read more here.

Spain’s YUPI Crowned J/70 Mixed-Plus World Champions!

(Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy)- The debut of the J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship took place last week on Lake Garda, Italy, for a fleet of 47 teams. Hosting the sailors off the gorgeous lakeside village of Torbole was the Circolo della Vela Torbole. 
The fleet from 18 nations (AUS, BRA, CYP, DEN, ESP, FRA, GBR, GER, JPN, HUN, ITA, MON, NED, POL, SWE, SUI, & USA) reflected the success of this inclusive and competitive format. The event brought together an elite mix of sailors: Olympic medalists, world-class professionals, rising talents, and skilled amateur teams, all racing under simple, accessible rules that define the Mixed Plus category. In fact, there were 25 Olympians amongst the sailors on the teams, some of them very famous sailors. Coincidentally,  there was a record number of 125 women participants as skippers and crew!  Read more here.

J/112E Pair Silver @ IRC UK Nationals

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The 2025 IRC National Championship, part of the Royal Thames Yacht Club’s 250th Anniversary Regatta, brought together over 50 IRC-rated boats for three days of competitive inshore racing in the Solent. 
With 21 of the 30 yachts entered in the 2025 Admiral’s Cup expected to compete, this year’s IRC Nationals had teams racing from all over the world, bristling with elite sailors from the Olympics, America’s Cup, and round-the-world races. The fleet will include a broad range of designs racing in four IRC Classes— from Quarter Tonners to grand-prix One Designs and IRC-optimized custom builds.  Read more here.

J/Teams Rock Block Island Race Week!

J/111 BRAVO Awarded Everett B Morris Trophy, J/122 TEAMWORK Wins ORC NA’s D3!(Block Island, RI)- This year’s Storm Trysail Club Block Island Race Week featured a diversity of weather challenges all week long; from clear sunny “shorts & shades” glamma days to grey, cool, ugly, drizzly days to keep everyone honest. In the end, numerous J/Teams filled up the leaderboard, garnering a lion’s share of the silverware across several PHRF/ ORC handicap divisions as well as strong participation in one-design classes for J/88s, J/105 East Coast Championships, J/44 North Americans, and J/109s sailing in their East Coast Championships. Here is how it all went down over the five-day regatta.. Read more here.

SKELETON KEY Leading J/111 SoCal Series
(Long Beach, CA)- The first-ever J/111 Pacific Coast Championship was held last weekend at Long Beach Race Week. It was a great momentum builder for the class in Southern California. This was the third event in the J/111 SoCal One-Design Circuit, which was a big success (the other two events were the San Diego Yachting Cup and Cal Race Week).
In the end, it was Peter Wagner’s SKELETON Key that was declared the overall winner with three firsts over the three events to finish with just 3 pts. The series silver medal was determined by a tiebreaker at 9 pts each. Marty Vogel’s MADMEN with a 5-2-2 series won the countback over John Staff’s OBSIDIAN with all 3rds! 
In the eight J/111s that participated, rounding out the top five were Steve Flam’s FLAMBOUYANT and Dan McGanty’s J-BOSS in fourth and fifth, respectively. Read more here.

Challenging Chicago Sailing World Regatta
(Chicago, IL)- As they’ve done enthusiastically for years, the Chicago Yacht Club and its army of volunteers rolled out the proverbial red carpet for hundreds of sailors for the three-day weekend Chicago Sailing World Regatta presented by HELLY HANSEN. The regatta featured one-design classes for J/70s, J/88 Great Lakes Championship, J/109 Great Lakes Championship, and J/105s. In addition, there were J/Crews that enjoyed the offshore events for both ORC and PHRF handicap divisions… Read more here.

J/70s & J/80s Enjoy Famous Kingston Sailing Weather!

(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)- In preparation for the 2026 J/80 North Americans and J/80 Worlds regattas in July next year, CORK/ Sail Kingston, in collaboration with the J/80 North American Class Association, hosted a 3-day “test event” regatta in Kingston, Canada on June 27-29. Most notably, the regatta was employing the Vakaros RaceSense starting system – a first for J/80’s in North America.
A dozen J/80’s and a slightly smaller fleet on J/70’s from fleets across eastern Canada and northeastern US enjoyed three spectacular sailing days with a total of eight races run in the champagne sailing conditions that Kingston, “the freshwater sailing capital of the world”, is known for. Read more here.

LA SUPERBA Crowned XLIV Italian J/24 Champion- for 11th time!

(Lerici, Italy)- With the award ceremony, the curtain fell on the 2025 edition of the Italian J/24 Championship for the twenty-four J/24 teams from across Italy, well organized by the delegation of the FIV (Federazione Italiano de Vela) and the Circolo della Vela Erix.
Divided into three days of competition – characterized by strong Mistral winds in the first two and a weaker one in the final one – and eight hard-fought and challenging races held in the waters of Lerici, the 2025 Italian Championship was a great success. Read more here.

(Victoria/ Nanaimo, BC)- The biennial Van Isle 360 Race, hosted by the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, was an epic adventure and experience for nearly a dozen J/Teams that participated in this year’s edition. Comprised of nine individual legs that circumnavigate the picturesque Vancouver Island off the Pacific coastline of British Columbia, the race was full of drama as each leg was completed and teams fought for good overall results.
The combination of the nine legs determined the class winners as well as the overall winner. The legs were:Nanaimo to Comox- 36.9nmComox to Campbell River- 27.6nmDeepwater Bay to Hardwicke Island- 24.2nmHardwicke Island to Telegraph Cove- 41.0nmTelegraph Cove to Port Hardy- 28.7nmPort Hardy to Winter Harbour- 69.1nmWinter Harbour to Ucluelet- 138.1nmUcluelet to Victoria Harbour- 98.2nmVictoria Harbour to Nanaimo- 59.9nm
That made for a total of at least 486.8nm down the rhumbline. The fleet experienced the standard extremes of weather- from complete glass outs, waiting for a breeze, to 40 to 50 kt microbursts ripping down from the mountain peaks on Vancouver Island while transiting across the notorious Johnstone Straits.
PHRF 2 DivisionIn the end, J/Teams performed very well overall. Winning the PHRF 2 Division was John Murkowski’s J/122E JOY RIDE. Bob Brunius’s J/120 TIME BANDIT took the bronze medal. Then, Stephanie Arnold’s J/112E MYSTERY and Adam Korbin’s J/112E MAH NA MAH NA took fifth and sixth place, respectively.
PHRF 3 DivisionTaking the silver medal in the PHRF 3 division was David Schutte’s J/109 SPYHOP. Then, David Miller’s J/99 ONE LIFE ended up in the fourth position.
For more Van Isle 360 Regatta sailing informationhttps://www.vanisle360.com/

(Victoria, BC, Canada)- The 80th running of the Swiftsure International Yacht Race, hosted by the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, got rolling with gorgeous skies and light winds, an enormous contrast to last year’s stormy start. As the race progressed, the breeze filled in and several J/Teams excelled in the conditions in the Straits of Juan de Fuca and brought home silverware.
Cape Flattery RaceORC DivisionThis 101.9nm race saw several J/teams sail nice races. Alex Smyth’s J/111 65 RED ROSES II took second overall, followed by John Murkowski’s J/122E JOY RIDE finishing 4th.
PHRF DivisionJ/105 teams swept the podium in this huge division! Winning was John Aitcheson’s MOOSE UNKNOWN, followed by Mike Cain’s PANIC in second, and Chris Phoenix’s JADED in third. Also sailing well was Kirk Palmer’s J/120 LIGHT SCOUT in fifth place, Stephen Summers’s J/105 PUFF in 7th, and Nicholas Wilkerson’s MAZU in 8th.
For more Swiftsure Race sailing informationhttps://www.swiftsure.org/

(Monterey, CA)- The annual start of the offshore racing circuit in California has been the California Offshore Race Week. The event consists of three events over three weeks:1. Spinnaker Cup Race- San Francisco to Monterey2. Coastal Cup Race- Monterey to Newport Beach4. SoCal 300 Race- Newport Beach to San Diego
J/Teams participated in all three events, some with amazing results. Here is the breakdown by race and overall.
Spinnaker CupPHRF 1 DivisionYet again, the J/125 ARGO IV sailed by Johnny Vincent and Kenny Kieding took the silver medal in PHRF 1 Division. The other J/125 VELVET HAMMER, sailed by James Nichols took fourth place.
One of ARGO’s skippers explained, “Our top speed was 24.8 knots with John Vincent driving. We ended up 1st in class as well as overall in the ORR class. 2nd in PHRF A Class as well as 2nd overall out of 44 boats.”
PHRF 2 DivisionJ/Teams crushed this division. Winning was Ian Rogers’s J/90 ORCA, followed by Tolga Cezik’s J/111 LODOS in second, Nesrin Basoz’s J/111 SWIFT NESS in fourth, and Shane Riehl’s J/133 DEFIANT in fifth place.
PHRF 3 DivisionWinning this division was Ross Werner’s J/112E JUBILANT.
PHRF 4 DivisionThree of the top five in this fleet were J/teams. Taking the silver was John Arens’s J/109 REVERIE, followed by two J/99s- Camille Moussette’s LATENCY in fourth and Stephen McMillan’s MERLIN in fifth place.
COASTAL CUPORR A DivisionFollowing their excellent Spinnaker Cup performance, the Vincent/Kidding duo on the J/125 ARGO IV continued their momentum in this race by winning the ORR A Division!
ORR B DivisionIn this large fleet, Ross Werner’s J/112E JUBILANT took the bronze medal.
SOCAL 300 RACEThis is a very challenging race for the fleet, starting off Newport Beach, rounding San Clemente Island to port, then a straight shot into San Diego, finishing off Point Loma.
ORR C DivisionRounding out their successful 2025 CORA campaign was the Vincent/ Kieding team on their J/125 ARGO 4, winning ORR C Division as well as winning their CORA Race Week Class Overall.
Follow CORA on Facebook herehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/westcoastoffshoreracing
For more CORA Offshore Race Week sailing information http://www.offshoreraceweek.com/

(Hamble, England)- The 2025 edition of the Women’s Open Keelboat Championship, hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club, will certainly go down in the record books as one of the most fun in recent memory. Blessed with clear skies, good breezes, and warm weather, the fifteen all-women teams enjoyed two fabulous days sailing on the infamous Solent… fulfilling the mission for the event!
The Mission: Whether you are a seasoned round-the-world racer or you can’t tell a burgee from a gooseneck, you’re welcome at WOKC. Our mission is simple: provide a platform for women to get on the water, enjoy competitive racing with like-minded sailors, and grow confidence in the company of those who have faced – and continue to face – similar hurdles.
In the end, it was radiant smiles all around for the 100+ women sailors that attended, sailing out of the beautiful facilities at Royal Southern Yacht Club on the Hamble River.
Sailing the most consistent in the six-race series was Eleanor Wollman’s J/111 FREQUENT FLYER with a blistering tally of 1-1-1-1-7-3 for 7 pts net! Fellow J/111 owner, Louise Makiin, sailed her JOURNEYMAKER II to the silver medal with a steady scoreline of 2-2-5-2-1-6 for 12 pts net. Then, rounding out the podium with the bronze medal to complete the J/sweep was Rosie Barry’s crew on the J/109 JENIE with a 4-4-2-6-4-4.5 record for 18.5 pts.