J/Boats News & Reviews

(La Rochelle, France)- The French J/70 class continues to grow nicely and the competition also continues to heat up. The La Rochelle Nautique sailing club in La Rochelle, France hosted the 2025 French J/70 Nationals for a fleet of twenty-one teams.
The outcome of the eleven-race series hung in the balance until the very last race. From day one, a battle broke out between two very well-sailed teams: Denis Infante’s FR 1583 and Jean Yves Martin’s FR 144. Trading off mostly all podium finishes, it was Infante’s team of Francois Barbet, Theo Di Guglielmo, and Louis Barbet that earned a well-deserved gold medal with 20 pts net. By closing with a blistering 2-1-2-1, Martin’s team of Damian Michilier, Charlie Guth, Alois de Guitaut, and Willow Terrassier nearly pulled off an upset but settled for the silver medal with 22 pts net.
Meanwhile, another battle was brewing for the final bronze step on the podium. Like their colleagues, that outcome also came down to the final race. Taking the bronze was Philippe Guigne’s FR 288 team of Damien Scelo, Cedric Pouligny, and Thomas George with 44 pts net.
Rounding out the top five were Theau Guilcher’s FR 297 and Herve Leduc’s FR 1086, in fourth and fifth, respectively.
For more French J/70 National Championship sailing informationhttps://www.larochellenautique.com/national_70/

(Crouesty, France)- The Duo Cat-Amania, the premiere doublehanded offshore regatta in France, was recently hosted by the Yacht Club Crouesty Arzon (YCCA). An amazing fleet of fifty-plus doublehanded teams participated in the event. The regatta is a combination of round-the-buoys plus point-to-point offshore racing legs. The regatta started in Crouesty and headed to Quiberon. Then, from there they headed to Lorient. The next leg was then to Concarneau. Then, the fleet returned to Morbihan, with a stopover in Locmiquélic, then La Trinité-sur-Mer, then back to Le Crouesty for the finish and the awards party!
The J/Team contingent was well-represented in the week-long regatta. In the end, the J/99 J-LANCE X sailed by Frederic Bouvier and Didier Le Moal won the regatta with a consistent record of 1-3-5-6-5 for 20 pts. Taking fifth overall was the J/99 WHIMJY 99 sailed by Vincent Fertin & Julien Bentz/ Xavier Vandame. Other J/Teams in the top 10 included Phillipe Girardin & Gwenael Thomas’s J/120 HEY JUDE in 9th place and Alexandre Doucet & Pierre Bonte’s J/109 EMOJI in 10th place.

(Hamburg, Germany)- The eighth edition of the J/70 Helga Cup was hosted by the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein in Hamburg, Germany for an international field of sixty-one all-women’s teams on the gorgeous, tree-lined Alster Lake in downtown Hamburg. After 111 races, the ultimate winners turned out to be a mix of women sailors from sailing clubs all over Germany, known as “Die Fiven”. Here’s how it all unfolded over the three-day regatta.

Day 1- FridaySailing on Hamburg’s Outer Alster remained firmly in the hands of women all weekend. Nearly 380 female sailors from eleven nations competed in the eighth edition of the Helga Cup. Sixty-one teams competed in the J/70 class. The patron of the world’s largest women’s regatta, organized by the North German Regatta Association, was Kristina Vogel, a former German track cyclist and two-time Olympic champion.
The starting gun was fired in almost perfect sailing conditions for the first race of the Helga Cup. The sailors completed a total of 33 races on the first day of the regatta in sunshine and moderate winds. The participants described the conditions as good, but also quite challenging. As in the previous year, Chief Inspector Julia Homburg, Head of Hamburg Police Station 31, started the opening race. “Being responsible for the starting gun at a women’s regatta is a special honor. It was fun again,” said Homburg after returning from the regatta field.
Two Australian teams had the longest journey to the Helga Cup, one of which was making its second trip to the women’s regatta in Hamburg. “It’s great to be back at the Helga Cup. The atmosphere is always great,” said the four sailors from the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club in Perth, Western Australia. First and foremost, we want to have fun sailing at the Helga Cup. In 2024, we finished in the top half of the field. This time it would be great to be in the top third. However, we don’t have that much experience in the J/70 class, because it’s mostly in Sydney and Melbourne,” says helmswoman Sandy Anderson.
After a long, successful day of racing, an informal pre-opening at the Hamburg Sailing Club the day before, with a social gathering of the sailing crews, was followed yesterday evening by the official opening at the Helga Cup’s organizer, the North German Regatta Association. Christoph Holstein, State Councilor of the Hamburg Ministry of the Interior and Sport, highlighted women’s sports and inclusion during the opening ceremony, stressing the importance of raising the profile of both topics.
Susann Beucke, who is participating in the event not only as a sailor but also as an ambassador for Hamburg Active City, where the Helga Cup is one of the top ten events, also spoke. Beucke shared her experiences in the still heavily male-dominated professional sailing scene. In this context, she emphasized the importance of the Helga Cup as an event where women can demonstrate that they, too, can compete for trophies and achieve sporting success.
Helga Cup patron Kristina Vogel also encouraged the women not to allow themselves to be limited by external factors, but to pursue their own goals and lead by example. She thanked all the female sailors for their commitment to the Helga Club.
Among the guests of honor at the opening were the newly crowned European Champions in the 49erFX class, Hannah Wille and Marla Bergmann from the Mühlenberger Sailing Club, as well as Anna Barth, tactician of the German SailGP team.

Day 2- SaturdayThe Helga Cup sailors have completed two long days of racing. Both days provided exciting racing with good, at times quite challenging, sailing conditions. The sailors in the J/70 class have already completed a total of 72 races, and those in the inclusive RS Venture Connect class have completed 24. On Sunday morning, the teams will compete for a place in the final.
The J/70 field is currently dominated by the sailors from Hamburg’s Team Mammazentrum, followed by the Die Fiven team from the Berlin area. Third place is held by the newly crowned European champions in the 49erFX class, Marla Bergmann and Hanna Wille from the Mühlenberger Segel-Club, with their team Nordkomplott, who are competing in the Helga Cup for the first time. The two Olympic athletes have brought two other experienced sailors on board: Olympic bronze medalist Alicia Stuhlemmer (Nacra 17/Tokyo 2021) and league sailor Laura Bo Voß.
The weather continued to play into the sailors’ hands on the second day of racing, once again providing them with moderate, occasionally freshening winds and midsummer temperatures. Only the oppressive heat and occasionally shifty, gusty winds posed a bit of a challenge.

Anna Barth, 49erFX sailor and tactician on the German SailGP team, described the sailing conditions as perfect Helga Cup weather. “It was a fantastic day on the water with some good gusts at midday and a great atmosphere. I’ll definitely be back,” said the Hamburg native. She took over the helm from professional sailor Susann Beucke for a few races on the second day of racing with Team Mammaseatas. “We’re thrilled with how smoothly the handover from one helmswoman to the next went. We felt very safe with such experienced sailors at the helm,” the crew members enthused.
In the evening, the participants and volunteers gathered for a meal and celebration. A raffle gave away five copies of Susann Beucke’s book “Against the Wind.” The following teams took home one: Pura Vida Chicas, Diversity, Ad Hoc, Good Vibes, and LilleHei. Sailing training sessions were won by the Sailing Sisters, Skyline Sisters, and the Flensburger Deerns.
A special prize went to the Hamburg Academic Sailing Club (ASV): the Spirit of Helga Cup Award. This challenge cup, awarded to teams that particularly embody the spirit of the Helga Cup and serve as role models for women’s sailing, was presented for the fourth time. The ASV initially competed in the Helga Cup with just one team and, over time, has expanded women’s sailing so much and successfully campaigned for a club-owned J/70 for training that four teams are already registered this year.

Day 3- SundayThe J/70 class kept things exciting right up until the very end of the final race in extremely light conditions. The victory went to Die Fiven, a crew of women who met two years ago at the Helga Cup.
The 2025 Helga Cup qualifying races were characterized by good yet challenging sailing conditions, plenty of female power on the water, a great atmosphere on land, and exciting races.
The teams engaged in thrilling races for a place in the final until Sunday afternoon. During the qualifying races, the sailors enjoyed optimal conditions with midsummer temperatures. Gusts and wind shifts typical of the Outer Alster Lake provided a sporting challenge.
The sailors in the J/70 class finished their final heat and delivered a thrilling race in light wind conditions. Victory went to Die Fiven, a team with sailors from Brandenburg, Berlin, and Hamburg. The crew met two years ago during evening celebrations at the Helga Cup, when all of the sailors were still competing in other teams. Of the “original five,” only helmswoman Helen Fischer remains. She brought Ulrike Heck and Martina Braune from the Märkischer Adler eV sailing club and Ulrike Ellmer from Hamburg into the boat. “It was our second regatta together. Three weeks ago we came second on Lake Starnberg and thought we had a chance at the Helga Cup. But we didn’t expect to win. This is completely unreal; it just went amazingly well,” said an enthusiastic Ulrike Ellmer. A little caution so as not to lose the good preliminary ranking and composure on board – that was the Fiven’s secret recipe on the way to victory.

Team Nordkomplott, with the newly crowned European champions in the 49erFX class, Marla Bergmann and Hanna Wille from the Mühlenberger Sailing Club, Olympic bronze medalist Alicia Stuhlemmer (Nacra 17/Tokyo 2021), and league sailor Laura Bo Voß, sailed to second place. The top sailors were competing in the Helga Cup for the first time and were immediately impressed. Bronze went to Team Stiftung Mammazentrum from the Hamburg Sailing Club, with helmswoman Juliane Zepp, Marion Rommel, Maren Halbrock, and Lea Beele.
The response from the sailors was once again very positive this year. Many of them have participated several times before and described the Helga Cup as a “family reunion among sailors” and a “coming home.” The sailors praised the competitive spirit on the water, but especially the camaraderie and exchange on land, as well as the positive atmosphere.
A project close to her heart was participating in the Helga Cup for professional sailor Susann Beucke, who competed as helmswoman for Team Mamaseatas, a team of women with cancer. Beucke took four days off from offshore training in Brittany for the regatta. “The effort was totally worth it. It was a fantastic event with incredibly friendly women and a fantastic atmosphere. It was more about participating than winning. It’s great that women with very different sailing skills can participate. I’m leaving the event inspired,” said Olympian Susann Beucke.

The Helga Cup was also a very special weekend for Anna Barth, 49erFX sailor and tactician on the German SailGP team. She took over the helm from Susann Beucke for a few races and enjoyed sailing with the Mamaseatas. “The women’s story touched me. Sailing with them was a lot of fun and felt as if we’d known each other forever,” said Barth. She is pleased that the German SailGP team will be collaborating with “Wir sind Wir – Inclusion in Sailing eV” in the future to jointly promote inclusion in sailing. “It’s a wonderful thought to make sailing possible for everyone and to share the feeling of what it’s like on the water,” says the sailor.
“We had good sailing conditions and were able to hold 111 races, some in Lake Garda-like conditions,” said NRV Club Manager Klaus Lahme. “I would like to sincerely thank the more than 60 volunteers, our race committee, Tina Buch and Jens Hahlbrock with their teams, and the chief umpire Svenja Hünsch and her crew. They all did a fantastic job!”
Christoph Holstein, State Councillor of the Ministry of the Interior and Sport thanked the sailors for their commitment at the awards ceremony and emphasized that inclusion and women’s sailing must become even more visible in society.
The eighth edition of the Helga Cup will take place from 11 to 14 June 2026 on the Outer Alster in Hamburg and at the facilities of the North German Regatta Association.
The Helga Cup 2025 was supported by: the Heinz Kettler Foundation, Eberhardt Wienholt Foundation, Active City, Von der Linden, Torqeedo, ONE, Akquinet, Meat Wholesale Market Hamburg, Salzbrenner, Pantaenius, Zhik, Peter Frisch GmbH, REWE, EWS, E Boot Hamburg.
Follow Helga Cup on Facebook here:https://www.facebook.com/HelgaCupOriginal
For more Helga Cup J/70 regatta sailing informationhttps://www.helgacup.de/

(Newport, RI)- The New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta was sailed over a two-day weekend and featured a large contingent of J/Teams amongst the six divisions in both ORC and PHRF handicap racing. J/Teams won four of those divisions and placed in all six, a remarkable feat! Racing took place on Narragansett Bay and offshore on Rhode Island Sound, Here is how it all went down by division,
PHRF C Division1. Robin Team’s J/122 TEAMWORK with a 1-2-1-1-1-2 tally for 8 pts2. Jack McGuire’s J/88 MI2 with a 2-1-3-2-2-1 for 11 pts4. Abhijeet Lee’s J/111 VARUNA with 27 pts5. Jack Gregg’s J/122 TARAHUMARA with 30 pts.
PHRF D Division3. Albrecht Goethe’s J/46 HAMBURG II with 15 pts.
ORC C Division1. Jack McGuire’s J/88 MI2 with a 4-1-3-3-2-1 for 14 pts.2. Andrew Ward’s J/111 BRAVO with a 2-2-4-1-1-5 for 5 pts.4. Robin Team’s J/122 TEAMWORK with 17 pts.5. Tom Sutton’s J/122 LEADING EDGE with 37 pts.
ORC D Division1. Al Minella’s J/112E THE ROCC with a 1-2-2-2-4-3 for 14 pts.
PHRF Navigator A Division1. Ken Comerford’s J/121 DARK STORM with a 3-1-1 for 5 pts.3. Jeff Johnstone’s J/40 DOV with a 5-5-3 for 13 pts.4. Chris Brito’s J/121 INCOGNITO with 13 pts. 5. Bob Manchester’s J/133 VAMOOSE with 14 pts.
PHRF Navigator C Division2. Chris Tate’s J/105 BLITZ
For more New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta sailing informationhttp://www.nyyc.org

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The 2025 Myth of Malham marked the sixth event in the RORC Season’s Points Championship, the world’s largest offshore racing series. It also played a pivotal role in the season, acting as a key qualifier for the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race, as well as a crucial leg in the new RORC Cowes Offshore Series.
Starting from the iconic Royal Yacht Squadron Line, the fleet raced down the English Channel to round the Eddystone Lighthouse, before turning back to finish at North Head.
The RORC fleet faced a fierce test of endurance and seamanship as strong south-westerlies built to 15–20 knots, with gusts touching 30 and waves exceeding two meters. The long beat to Eddystone was a punishing uphill grind, testing every maneuver and tactical decision. But the reward was worth it—once around the lighthouse, crews cracked sheets and hoisted downwind sails for a thrilling high-speed ride back to the Solent, surfing home on a full-throttle ride to the finish.
A Grueling Test, Standout PerformancesIRC 1 DivisionIn this large thirty-three-boat fleet, Mike O’Donnell’s Irish team aboard the J/121 DARKWOOD pulled off a fifth place.
IRC 2 DivisionThe big twenty-three boat fleet saw Robin & Lawrence Herbert’s J/133 CORAZON garnering the silver medal, missing the gold medal by a mere six minutes corrected time! Then, Nick Southward’s J/122 WHISKEY JACK took fifth place in the hotly contested class.
For more RORC Myth of Malham Race sailing informationhttp://www.rorc.org

(Hamble, England)- The Royal Southern Yacht Club in Hamble, England was yet again the host for the very popular J/Cup UK Regatta. The two-day event was held on the capricious waters of The Solent with a total of up to six races for most fleets. The regatta included five one-design fleets (J/70, J/99, J/109, J/111, & J/112E) and two IRC Divisions.
J/70 ClassThe fleet was treated to a complete “whitewash” after nine races. Winning with eight bullets was Morgan Reynolds’s crew on POWDER MONKEY LIGHTFOOT with 8 pts net. The balance of the podium was a fight to the end. Winning that duel to take the silver was Howard Davies’s BOYSTEROUS team with 20 pts net. Just two points back to take the bronze was the Royal Norwegian YC team on EXCESS.
J/99 ClassThis eight-boat fleet saw some awesome racing for the newly formed J/99 UK Class. It was a tale of two battles for the podium. The top two spots were decided on a tiebreaker at 7 pts each. Winning that countback was Jean-Baptiste Brian’s JOLLY JUMPER, while David Lean’s JACKPOT settled for the silver medal. The final step on the podium was an all-out battle between four teams. In the end, it was Alain Waha’s FURTHER WEST that garnered the bronze medal with 20 pts net.
J/109 ClassWith ten boats, the J/109s were sure to be a competitive fleet amongst the numerous veterans participating. In the end, it was Ben Shelley’s MOCKING J that took class honors with an enviable 2-3-1-1-1-1 tally for 6 pts net. Taking the silver was David Richard’s JUMPING JELLYFISH with an equally strong record of 1-1-2-3-2-2 for 8 pts net. Then, the final bronze medal step was taken by Samantha Love’s FRANK 4 with a 4-2-3-2-5-4 scoreline for 15 pts net.
J/111 ClassAs usual, the highly competitive J/111 fleet saw tight racing for podium honors all weekend. The class veterans are tough, fast, and tactically smart. In the end, it was Louise Makin & Chris Jones’s JOURNEYMAKER II that posted solid scores of 2-1-1-3-2-1 for 7 pts net to take the gold medal. Driving them hard was Paul Wollmann’s FREQUENT FLYER with a 1-2-2-1-3-4 tally for 9 pts net to take the silver. Then, Paul Griffiths’s JAGERBOMB also sailed well to post 3-3-4-2-1-2 scores for 11 pts net to take the bronze.
J/112E ClassSailing as a one-design class for the first time in the J/Cup, the J/112Es were witness to why the LEON gang has been so successful in numerous offshore regattas. After posting straight bullets in six races, David Franks’s team on LEON cleaned house with just 5 pts net to take the gold medal. However, the balance of the podium was a battle for the final two steps. Taking the silver by one point was Martin Priest’s FANDANGLE with a 3-2-4-3-3-2 scores for 13 pts net. Completing the podium with the bronze medal was the Key Yachting Crew on THINKING SPACE with a 2-3-2-4-6-3 tally for 14 pts.
IRC 1/2 DivisionWinning this division was Neil Angel’s J/105 FLAWLESS J counting just bullets in their scoreline for 5 pts net. Taking the silver was Derek Copeman’s J/105 BOJANGLES with a 1-3-2-3-4-7 tally for 13 pts net. Then rounding out the podium for the bronze medal was John Owen’s J/120 JET with a 7-7-4-2-2-2 scoreline for 17 pts net.
IRC 3 DivisionWinning this eight-boat fleet was Jack Banks’s J/92 NIGHTJAR with a 1-1-4-4-1-2 record for 9 pts net. They led a large contingent of six J/92s in this fleet. Taking second was Robin Stevenson’s J/92 UPSTART with a 2-2-2-3-4-1 tally for 10 pts. Then, garnering the bronze was Becky Walford & Stew Hawthorn’s J/92 BRENDAS J ON JES with a 4-4-1-1-3-3 record for 12 pts net.
For more Key Yachting J/Cup Regatta sailing informationhttps://www.keyyachting.com/events/j-cup-regatta/

J/99 SAVE THE SOUND Wins Best Overall Performance Award!(Stamford, CT) — The 78th edition of the Block Island Race, hosted by the Storm Trysail Club, delivered classic Northeast spring conditions and a course that tested every sailor’s resilience, tactics, and teamwork. Sixty-two boats departed Stamford on Friday afternoon for the 186-nautical-mile lap around Block Island, facing a mix of light air starts and heavy upwind slogs in the race’s signature “around-the-island-and-back” format.
On the heels of a powerful nor’easter, the weather left its mark. Friday’s start began in light, variable air, but as the starting window progressed over 90 minutes, the breeze steadily filled from the southwest.
From there, it was a game of staying in phase and out of trouble. Most of the fleet hugged the Long Island shore to avoid adverse currents, gybing down the coastline in the westerly breeze before rounding 1BI at the northern tip of Block Island. As night fell, the boats circled the island in a quick reach, before turning into a beat straight into the wind—lasting up to 20 hours for some teams.
ORC DIVISIONIn the crewed ORC division, the racing was especially tight. Taking the win in ORC 6, David Rosow’s J/122 LOKI credited the win to preparation, execution, and a great crew. He had Devin Santa and Ed Cesare onboard, navigators who went 1-2 in the Bermuda Race last year, along with Hound, skipper, Dan Litchfield.
“We had a lot of talent onboard and did a lot of prep. We paid close attention to the tides and hooked into the northerly. The most exciting moment? When our sistership J/122 ZIG ZAG passed us near the finish— we fought hard to stay with them, and it was thrilling racing.”
PHRF DIVISIONThe first PHRF boat to finish was the J/160 COUGAR, skippered by Past Commodore Lenny Sitar, racing in his 36th Block Island Race.
“That was one of the most exciting races I’ve done. We were going 9–10 knots and just plowed through the water like the current was standing still,” he said.
The overall PHRF Trophy went to Bill Baxter’s J/111 FIREBALL, nearly 30 minutes ahead of the Storck family’s J/130 BLITZEN, sailed by three generations of Storcks. John Storck Jr. and his wife Collette, were joined by their two sons, John III and Erik, son-in-law, Baker Potts, and 9-year-old grandson Hudson on his first race. “Despite a little seasickness, Hudson had a great time,” said dad Erik.
Stories of camaraderie and fresh connections were everywhere. Ian Milward, racing his J/109 in his first overnight race, recruited young Canadian sailors from the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta. “Beating into 20 hours of upwind chop isn’t fun,” he said, “but I had a great crew that made it all worth it—and we finished third in class!”
ORC DOUBLEHANDED DIVISIONIn the ORC Doublehanded class, victory went to Doug McKeige aboard his brand new J/99 SAVE THE SOUND, co-skippered with offshore legend Rich du Moulin. The pair also claimed the Harvey Conover Memorial Trophy awarded to the boat that won her class and, in the judgment of the Flag Officers and Race Committee, had the best overall performance.
“You couldn’t do anything except sail the boat,” said McKeige. “15 to 30 knots, short steep waves—it was punishing. But the boat was fast, we were faster than the competition, and sailing with Rich was a fantastic collaboration.”
ORC 8 DivisionThis seven-boat fleet featured several well-sailed, veteran offshore teams. In the end, Macrae Sykes’s J/125 GOOD NEWS took the bronze medal.
PHRF 7 DivisionThis nine-boat fleet saw a clean sweep of the top four by J/Crews. Leading the charge was Bill & Jackie Baxter’s J/111 FIREBALL, also winning PHRF Overall! Second, went to the John Storck family on the J/130 BLITZEN, third was Len Sitar’s magnificent J/160 COUGAR, and fourth position went to Pico Chickering’s J/111 THE ROOST.
PHRF 5 DivisionThe eight boats sailing this fleet had seven J/Teams! Not surprisingly, they swept the top four spots in the fleet. Winning was Richard West’s J/120 CHARLOTTE, second was John Sartorius’s J/120 ALIBI, third was Ian Milward’s J/109 QUICKSILVER, and fourth place was Adam Hayden’s J/109 SMILE.
PHRF 4 DivisionThis eight-boat division saw Steven Landy & Derek Soohoo’s J/100 SANGUINE blitz the fleet, finishing with several top J/120s! They won the division by over a half-hour corrected time.
The fun didn’t end at the finish line— racers enjoyed the always-popular Stamford Yacht Club post-race party. Thanks to all the race sponsors, the party offerings have been upgraded so it’s one you’ll not want to miss.
For more Storm Trysail Club’s Block Island Race sailing informationhttps://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/50032

(Annapolis, MD)- Enjoy this series of five videos produced by the regatta for your enjoyment and happy memories of sailing this de-factor “J/Fest” on the Chesapeake Bay.

1. Why do J/Sailors love sailing the Helly Hansen Sailing World Annapolis Regatta? Watch this fun sailing interview video on YouTube herehttps://youtu.be/hGRtpDvjmt0

2. How the J/88 Team EXILE won the class and the Overall Title- interview with owner/skipper Andy Graff and tactician Kris Werner. Watch the video on YouTube herehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eaN55jVEp0
3. Racing highlights on Chesapeake Bay- about 40 minutes each – Friday- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vc6WJOi7aU – Saturday- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n4NW-LWHQU – Sunday- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goY3zZntddQ

(Larchmont, NY)- Last weekend, Larchmont Yacht Club held its EDLU Distance Race, the first of the major offshore races that take place on Long Island Sound all summer long. The Edlu Race first sailed in 1954, has long been a classic tune-up race for the around Block Island Race held on Memorial Day Weekend and Block Island Race Week. Followed by a classic party, “the Edlu” is one of the “must-do” events on western Long Island Sound.
The spinnaker course is 32.0 nm from the Larchmont Breakwater to Gong 11B off Eaton’s Neck and back. The non-spinnaker course is approximately 20.0 nm. The race has always been popular with offshore racing J/Teams as it’s a good “shakedown cruise” for any offshore racing team.
PHRF 3 Division- Big BoatsThis small division of four boats saw Lennie Sitar’s gorgeous flag blue J/160 COUGAR take the silver medal, while the J/125 GOOD NEWS, skippered by Macrae Sykes, took home the bronze medal.
PHRF 2 DivisionOf the fourteen boats sailing in this hotly contested division, TEN (71.0%) were J/Teams. In the end, it was a near sweep of the podium. Winning was Bill & Jackie Baxter’s J/111 FIREBALL, followed by Bill Ingraham’s J/124 TENEBRAE in third place. Fourth went to Ron Richman’s J/133 ANTIDOTE.
PHRF 1 DivisionThe J/teams in this fleet led a podium sweep! The top two steps were occupied by J/105; winning was David Owen’s TEMPEST II followed by Randy Bourne’s STRANGE BREW. Taking the bronze medal on the podium was Adam Zakka & Jonathan Krumeich’s J/99 WIZARD.
PHRF DoublehandedThis popular division saw three J/99s finish in the top five. Todd Aven & Gerard Girstl’s THIN MAN garnered the bronze medal, while Mike Kohler’s EVENTYR and Doug McKeige’s SAVE THE SOUND took fourth and fifth places, respectively. Notably, it was very tight racing amongst the three J/99s, with just 56 seconds separating them after 32.0 miles of tough racing!
J/88 ClassThe J/88 class had a nice turnout of five boats. Winning was Nicolas Delcourt’s OH JEE by a 3-minute margin. Taking second was Justin Scagnelli’s ALBONDIGAS, and third place went to Ken & Drew Hall’s NEVERMORE.
For complete EDLU Race sailing resultshttps://www.yachtscoring.com/event_results_detail/50014/1
For more EDLU Distance Race sailing informationhttp://www.larchmontyc.org

(Chennai, India)- The fourth edition of the Unifi Capital Offshore Regatta was held between 12th and 16th May 2025 in the Bay of Bengal, India. The event was held under the aegis of the Yachting Association of India (YAI), the national sailing body. It was organized by the Royal Madras Yacht Club, the India J/80 Class Association, the Royal Madras Yacht Club, and the Royal Mysore Sailing Club. The title sponsor was UNIFI CAPITAL- a specialized portfolio management company.
The teams were divided into the Main fleet (five teams) and the Green Fleet (four teams). The Main fleet races were from Chennai (India) to Mahabalipuram (Sri Lanka) and back covering a total distance of 100 kms. The Green fleet races were from Chennai to Ennore and back covering a total distance of 40 kms.
The first three days were the J/80 ranking event with nine races with a discard. The Main fleet ranking event was won by a comfortable margin by Team RMYC Ennore Centre. The Main fleet Offshore races were held on 15th May. All the teams hoisted their spinnakers at the start. The first three boats had a neck-and-neck competition. Later the CRPF team took a lead of about 100 meters over the RMYC EC team which they maintained until the finish in Sri Lanka.
The second race was on a single starboard tack. This time the RMYC EC team opened up a slender lead over the CRPF team. The competition was intense and the distance between the boats varied between 10 meters and 20 meters over the next four hours! RMYC EC won the race and the event.
Capt. Vivek Shanbhag, Honorary Secretary, RMYC said, “Tamil Nadu, with a coastline of over 1,000 km and many ports and harbors, has a huge potential for promoting offshore sailing. It is heartening to see the increased interest in offshore sailing over the years with people of all ages wanting to take up the sport. The youngest helm was Master Ragav R, 14 years and Master Samarpit, 14 years as crew. Col. Gautam Das (retired) at 77 years old was the oldest crew.
The results were as follows: 1st Place: Team RMYC EC with Abhimanyu Panwar (Helm), Vivek Shanbhag, Dheer Singhi, Arvind S, Renu J 2nd Place: Team CRPF with Chinna Reddy (Helm) 3rd Place: Team Indian Coast Guard with Pravyn Prabhakar (Helm)