J/Boats News & Reviews

The J/70 is arguably one of the most competitive one-design classes in the world. Some of the best professional sailors regularly race in the fleet. What makes the class unique is that, while it’s incredibly competitive, everyone is willing to share notes and help one another improve.
As a Corinthian sailor, it can be intimidating, humbling, and deeply rewarding to sail against the best in the world. The class actively encourages pros to host post-race debriefings, and many freely share “speed tips.” Steve remembers one day when Willem Van Waay hopped aboard his J/70 after he asked a simple trim question—”Willem immediately began marking our sheets and showing us how to optimize trim.” Other top sailors, like Ron Weed, Jud Smith, Will Felder, Zeke Horowitz, Marty Kullman, Kristen Berry, and many others, are equally generous with their insights. Even owners of entirely professional programs, such as John Heaton, often share coaching notes. In fact, the J/70 class will ban professionals who act like “bad actors,” ensuring the fleet remains both fair and collegial. The result is a rare balance of intensity and camaraderie. The J/70 class, in Steve’s view, has few—if any—equals in competitive sailing today.
Steve became hooked on one-design racing almost forty years ago when he met a Chicago legend, Dick Stearns, an Olympic silver medalist in the Star Class. Previously, in college and through his twenties and early thirties, Steve crewed on several world-renowned “maxis” and had multiple “foredeck” stints with Buddy Melges on an Admiral’s Cup One Ton. But once Steve caught the one-design bug, crewing for Dick in a consistent fleet of 30+ Tartan Tens and becoming his primary trimmer, he never looked back.
Steve describes one-design racing as “a moving, physical chess game—not only against your competitors but also against the weather—requiring intense concentration and teamwork”. Further, he states that many underestimate the importance of teamwork, but a well-trained and disciplined crew is what truly makes the boat go fast. Having played football, hockey, and lacrosse at a high level, he always appreciated the camaraderie and discipline that successful teamwork demands. For Steve, winning is about collective excellence; the hardware is optional, as he gives most of it away to his crew.
When Dick Stearns retired from active racing, Steve purchased his own Tartan Ten and named it American Flyer. His success continued. He and his crew had significant accomplishments in Chicago’s one-design offshore scene for over 20 years, stacking up numerous championship titles and finishing near the top of every major regatta they entered. Steve has also competed in hundreds of offshore races, including 46 Chicago-Mackinac races, mostly on one-designs. Last summer, he helped skipper a J-109 to win its class and placed 5th overall in the 2025 Chicago-Mackinac. He recalls it was one of his best races, as it turned into a 330-mile match race against another well-regarded J-109.
Steve sold his Tartan Ten and got a J/105 in 2014. After winning the season and the Chicago HH NOOD’s overall in his J/105 the first year with the boat, a respected Chicago pro pulled him aside and asked if he wanted a bigger challenge—one that would push him to the next level— he advocated getting a J/70.
That winter, in a blinding snowstorm in Toronto, he found and bought his boat and named her American Flyer. The J/70 has tested Steve in all the right ways. It rewards crews who work as one, think ahead, anticipate shifts, and communicate with absolute clarity. There is no room for ego because the fleet is stacked with champions.
Steve states that “racing in the J/70 fleet has been humbling at times, but without question, it’s been the best learning experience I’ve ever had. They say the older you get, the bigger the boat—but I’ve done the opposite, and I’ve learned more than I ever expected. The J/70 has been a fantastic boat in a tremendous class.”
“There’s nothing quite like planning in a 22.75-foot boat. I still smile when I recall my two former Navy Top Gun pilot crewmates laughing as we flew across the water at 18 knots”.

J/70 North American Sailor Spotlight: Lydia Woolson
For many lifelong sailors, the story begins with a family boat or weekend sails. For Lydia Woolson, it began with summer camp.
“I was seven when my parents signed me up for a sailing and paddle-boarding camp in Southern California,” she says. “They just wanted me to have fun on the water. I ended up falling in love with it.” That camp became her second home. By thirteen, she was a counselor-in-training, and by fifteen, she was coaching adult lessons and managing the paddleboard rentals. “The community there was the best part,” she remembers. “Everyone knew each other well; it was a family.”
Then came a cross-country move that would shape her next chapter. “I was fifteen when we moved to Florida,” she says. “I joined the Plant High School sailing team before I even unpacked.” Through high school, Lydia dove into racing, joining both the high school and Club 420 teams. “That’s where I really learned how to race,” she says.
Then came her first taste of the J/70, racing with a youth team of five. “It was a big challenge at first. I was the newest sailor on the boat,” she admits. “Sailing the J/70 showed me how important teamwork is,” Lydia says. “Everyone has their job, and when it clicks, it’s amazing.” That experience was transformative. The J/70 was the perfect bridge and contributed to my fascination with keelboat racing.”
Lydia’s next step came when she competed in an ICSA regatta in a J/70 with Plant High School. “We didn’t do great,” she laughs, “but it was the best kind of wake-up call. We realized how much we had to learn, not just about the boat, but about how to work together.”
That lesson stuck. “You can have Olympic-level sailors on board,” Lydia says, “but what makes a great crew is how you handle chaos: how you communicate, adapt, and trust each other. The best boats are cohesive; they’re ready for anything.”
Now a student at George Washington University, Lydia joined the varsity sailing team and quickly discovered what top-level collegiate sailing demands. “We practiced four mornings a week at 7:30 a.m. and raced every weekend. It was intense,” she says.
To manage her workload, Lydia pivoted, finding a local high school sailing program in D.C. that needed a coach. “Coaching lets me stay on the water and share the love of sailing,” she says. “It also made me realize how differently people learn. Teaching sailing helps you understand communication in a whole new way.”
Looking back, Lydia sees that the J/70 has a key role; it provides young sailors their first opportunity to race keelboats. “It’s simple, functional, and teamwork-driven,” she says. “You can take what you’ve learned in junior sailing to the next level.” That transition is exactly where many young sailors get lost—aging out of junior programs but not yet ready for big-boat campaigns. Lydia believes expanding access to J/70s could keep more of them engaged in racing, for life.
Lydia still sees herself as both student and teacher, sailor and mentor. Whether trimming sails, coaching new racers, or just talking through tactics, her focus remains on helping others discover the same connection that shaped her life. “The J/70 is more than just a boat,” she says. “It’s a classroom, a team, and a gateway. It keeps sailors in the sport and reminds us that no matter your age or experience, there’s always something new to learn.”

(Tampa, FL)- The Davis Island Yacht Club in Tampa, Florida, will be hosting forty-four teams from across North & South America for the 2025 J/70 North American Championship. Sailing in the northern reaches of Tampa Bay, the fleet will be challenged by the mix of flat waters and shifty offshore breezes, or southerlies and short, choppy waters. A strong cast of teams is participating from the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Sweden, and Bermuda.
Perhaps the most notable team is Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT team, a past J/70 World Champion. Joel has a new combination of talent aboard, including another J/70 World Champion in the form of Jeremy Wilmot as his tactician, along with a famous Olympics 29er competitor- Steph Roble- from Lake Beulah, WI.
Others in the American contingent that have proved worthy of top-five performances may be John Heaton’s EMPEIRIA and Rich Witzel’s ROWDY, both from Chicago, IL. Others may be Bruce Golison’s MIDLIFE CRISIS from San Diego, CA, and Brian Keane’s SAVASANA from Beverly, MA.
The two Brazilian teams that recently sailed the J/70 World Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, will certainly have well-tuned teams. They include Ralph Vasconcellos Rosa’s MINDSET and Haroldo Solberg’s OCEANPACT. The two Canadian teams include Federico Donzino’s LIFTED and Kelly Hansen’s 7th HEAVEN, both from the greater Toronto, Ontario region. The trio of Mexicans includes Alejandro Perez’s ALGARETE, Eduardo Cano’s CHILCANO, and Sergey Kuznetsov’s PIROGOVO. A “guest” appearance from the lone European team is Per Roman’s GARM from Stockholm, Sweden, and the KSSS (Royal Swedish YC).
For J/70 North American Championship resultshttps://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/50327
For more J/70 North American Championship host club informationhttps://diyc.org/

(San Diego, CA)- The second race of the three-race long Hot Rum Series was a bit of an improvement over the first weekend’s light-air affair. This time, most of the fleet finished the iconic race course that started just off Shelter Island, exited south past Point Loma to offshore buoys in the Pacific Ocean, then back inside the harbor to the finish line next to Shelter Island.
Hosted by San Diego Yacht Club for decades, the Hot Rum Series has been a popular pursuit race for J/Boats offshore sailors for decades.
Using the PHRF SoCal ratings, the slowest boats start first at 10:00 AM, and by noon, the biggest, fastest boats have started. Given the normal scenario for developing winds on San Diego Bay, it takes some time for the seabreeze thermal to develop over the top of Point Loma. As a result, it’s usually the big boats that benefit from a late start with decent breeze. Here are the latest divisional results after the first two weekends of sailing.
PHRF 2 DivisionContinuing to lead this nine-boat fleet is a pair of fast, well-sailed J/145s. First is Rudy Hasl’s J/145 PALAEMON with a 1-1 tally for 2 pts. Then, sitting in third is Alec Oberschmidt’s AARRRGG with a 2-4 for 6 pts.
PHRF 4 DivisionThis fifteen-boat fleet still has Mike Hatch’s J/105 J-ALMIGHTY leading quite handily with a 1-1 for 2 pts. Bennett Greenwald & Dave Vieregg’s J/105 PERSEVERANCE posted a 4-3 for 7 pts to move into third position. Then, George Roland & Johannes Neuendorf’s J/105 JALOPY has a 3-5 record for 8 pts to hang on to fourth place.

PHRF 5 DivisionIn this large twenty-boat fleet, Ed Sanford’s J/111 CREATIVE has a 4-5 scoreline for 9 pts that puts them in third place. Meanwhile, Brion Murray’s J/122 PRONTO 122 raced up the ladder with an 8-2 tally for 10 pts to sit in fourth place, just one point off the podium!
For more San Diego YC Hot Rum Series sailing informationhttps://sdyc.org/

(Algarrobo, Chile)- Thirty-five boats participated in the 2025 Interclub Regatta, held on November 29th and 30th, hosted by Cofradía Náutica del Pacífico in Algarrobo, Chile. Categories included IRC Cruiser, IRC Classics, IRC Racing, and J105.
The conditions on Saturday were northwest winds of 6-9 kts (315-325 degrees). All categories, except the J/105 one-design class (which raced three windward-leeward races), completed the nine-mile race consisting of a close-hauled leg, a downwind leg, and a round-the-buoy leg towards El Quisco beach and back to the starting buoy.

J/99 LADY CHOPPER took the favored left side of the starting line. Halfway up the first leg, they crossed to the other corner of the course. Then, a fortuitous 10-degree right shift favored boats on the starboard layline, including the J/99 that managed to round the mark 2nd in class.
In the first downwind leg, the J/99 with the asymmetric spinnaker had a better performance than competitors and chose the right side of the course to round the leeward mark in front. From there, it was a reach first with Genoa, and then the kite was hoisted. The J/99 continued to lead the rest of the fleet to make a more straight line towards the EL Quisco mark. From that part of the race until the end, the wind conditions remained from 6 to 8 kts, and there were not many changes in positions in what was a simple “fetch” to the finish line.

On Sunday, wind conditions were very light. The maximum possible wind was expected, considering the deadline (5:30 PM). Unfortunately, there was insufficient wind, and no races could be run on Sunday.
The 2025 Interclub Regatta was the third event of the 2025 Oceanic Pre-season Championship, which included races in Higuerillas/Valparaíso on September 27th and 28th, the Valparaíso Off-Race on October 18th and 19th, and the regatta this past weekend.
The J/99 LADY CHOPPER II finished the Interclub Regatta in 1st place. The J/99 project made its debut by the end of September and sailed in the Oceanic Pre-season Championship. It was a successful debut for the boat in the IRC handicap division, demonstrating that the J/99 is a very competitive boat in the handicap formula.
The next regatta will be the Chiloé Regatta, to be hosted by the same yacht clubs. This famous and legendary regatta will be sailed from January 25th to 31st, 2026. The event will celebrate the 200 years of the independence of Cuba from the Spanish Empire!
Chile Regatta photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/1e2VwMyi3_Gs-t7U5QiSq_43ibGP-Q6Tt

(Turgutreis, Turkey)- The 2025 Turkish J/70 Championship was shaping up to be quite the battle between several veteran teams of the Turkish J/70 circuit over the past few years.
The two-time winners of the J/70 Turkish Championship 2023-2024, the winners of the TIC Winter Series 24/25, and the silver medalist of last year- TENZOR TEAM helmed by Andrey Pushkin- were aiming to defend their title. But, their main rivals- Russian BOGATYRS team, DOLCE VITA, NAUTIQUE YACHTING, CHEESE SAILING, EKER KAYMAK, AMEERA JET, and DENIZCIK- have all been podium finishers in past J/70 Turkish Championship and Tenzor International Cup events, and they promised to show their best skills as well.

“We’re really looking forward to the upcoming regatta and intense winter season with Tenzor International Cup Series,” said Erman Ayvaz, helmsman of HAPPY HOUR JR team. “Our team came together this year, and every event has been a step forward in building our rhythm and chemistry on the boat. It’s a great chance for us to line up against top teams and see where we stand. The level of competition is exactly what we need as we prepare for the World and European Championships next season”.
Women sailors are especially making their presence felt at each regatta as they continuously improve their performance. Lady helms such as Nevra Eker, Inna Balashova, and Elvira Pinchuk are certain to keep the men on their toes. Here is how it all went down for the twenty J/70 teams for the four-day regatta on the eastern end of the sunny Mediterranean.

Day 1The opening ceremony and skipper briefing were held at D-Marine Turgutreis. The occasion marked the official start of the Turkish J/70 Championship, the final Leg of the Türkiye Tour, and the opening stage of the Tenzor International Cup Winter Series.
Organizers welcomed the fleet, explaining that the event is growing year to year. “Great teams are here to test against the best of the best. We’ve seen well-prepared boats and a lot of professionals among the Open and One Pro divisions. Plus, a good number of Corinthians crews are here also to fight for class honors,” remarked Burak Zengin, CEO of Tenzor Sailing Club Türkiye.
“We used the VAKAROS system for the first time in Türkiye to set up the starting line. In this regatta, both TAYK’s robotic buoys and the VAKAROS system were used in an integrated manner, with the two systems working together seamlessly to ensure a smooth and successful outcome,” commented Can Giray, the Principal Race Officer of the regatta.
The first race began in 12-knot winds from a 120-degree direction and was completed smoothly in around 57 minutes.
Igor Rytov’s Russian BOGATYRS finished first ahead of Elvira Pinchuk’s PTICHKI SAILING TEAM and Andrey Pushkin’s TENZOR TEAM. The best Turkish team in this race was Gunay Kaptan’s CHEESE SAILING, finishing 5th just after Bars Sailing Team.
Among the Corinthians, AYAZ JR TEAM successfully started with the win, followed by MYSK and EKER EFSANE YOGURT.
Preparations were then completed for the same course for the second race, which started immediately. This race was also completed without incident in the same time.
Race action was hot. BOGATYRS led the fleet pole-to-pole with TENZOR TEAM finishing second in this race. Third across the line was Turkish Ates Cinar’s FENERBAHCE DOGUS YELKEN.
The wind began to change, and it started to rain for the third and final race of the day. After the start, before the second leg began, the RC team shortened the leg length and moved the mark# 1 to 160 degrees. Despite the decreasing wind speed and rain, the race was completed on time.
The Corinthian Batu Ozonur’s MYSK-GELNER SAILING TEAM remarkably showed the best time, second at the finish line was Emir Icgoren’s AMEERA JET, followed by BOGATYRS taking 3rd place in this race.
“The first day of the Turkish Championship took place in a beautiful breeze blowing from the south. With every team having a real chance and the competition at the highest level, the racing was truly on a World Championship standard. We completed three races, during which we tested the new VAKAROS system, and thanks to its flawless performance, it provided great convenience for all competitors. It was a challenging and intense day for us”, commented AMEERA JET’s skipper, Emir Icgoren.
After three races, Russian BOGATYRS was placed at the top of the leaderboard in a tie with Elvira Pinchuk’s PTICHKI SAILING TEAM.
“The most interesting situation on the water was at the first upwind of the last race of the day, where we were on the left side, and all the fleet was on the right side of the course. We took a huge gap, and we were first on the top mark. But then the wind dropped, and unfortunately, we lost some position. But we are happy because during the day we were quite stable. Tomorrow we will try to catch BOGATYRS,” said Egor Terpigorev from PTICHKI SAILING TEAM.
Top women skipper Inna Balashova’s DOLCE VITA took the 3rd position at the end of Day 1, followed by TENZOR TEAM and DENIZCIK finishing with equal points.
In the Corinthians, MYSK-GELNAR SAILING TEAM was in the top position, AAYZ JR and EKER EFSANE YOGURT took second and third place, respectively.

Day 2With a good, but shifting wind, the races on Friday were very challenging, and it didn’t disappoint; three fair, fun, and hard-fought races were done for the 20-boat fleet.
“While the start procedures were being carried out, the boats that were OCS (on the course side) identified themselves via the VAKAROS system and restarted. After the finishers had crossed the line, the RC wasted no time in giving the start signal for the day’s second race and the fifth race of the series. The VAKAROS system worked perfectly again, and the four OCS boats headed back to the starting line. Shortly before the start of the final race of the day and the sixth race of the series, the wind shifted by more than 40 degrees, forcing the RC to change the course completely. With five races completed, the teams began discarding their worst scores. The excitement will continue,” commented Can Giray, the PRO of the regatta.
BOGATYRS with Igor Rytov at the helm hold on to the top of the leaderboard. With one race win and the two scores behind the top-10, they saved the small gap ahead of Andrey Pushkin’s TENZOR Team, who managed to climb up two positions.
It was a very strong, consistent day for Gulboy Guryel’s DENIZCIK, steadily improving with scores of 2-3-3. Just off the podium, chasing one point behind was Pinchuk’s PTICHKI SAILING TEAM.
Maksim Batrakov’s BARS SAILING TEAM finished the day strong with victory in the last race of the day and moved up to 5th position in the leaderboard.
The incredibly high level of the fleet is clear when you consider that many strong teams, such as DOLCE VITA, NAUTIQUE YACHTING, AMEERA JET, and EKER KAYMAK, with professional sailors on board, currently sit in sixth to tenth places overall!
The top Corinthian team was Haluk Babacan’s ORIENT EXPRESS, in 12th place overall. Close behind were Ozone’s MYSK-GELNER SAILING TEAM, just three points adrift. They were followed by Arif Ayaz’s AYAZ JR, with 8 points further back.

Day 3There was enough wind to pull off three scheduled races on the third day of racing. Principal Race Officer Can Giray revealed the wind “began to blow at approximately 12 knots from 150 degrees. RC went out to sea 120 minutes before the start and set up the course.”
The top three for the first race of this day (7th overall) were TENZOR TEAM, PTICHKI SAILING TEAM, and HAPPY HOUR JR. After the finishes of the first race were completed, the RC wasted no time and gave a start for the second race.
Seemingly on a roll, TENZOR TEAM got the second race win ahead of PTICHKI and BOGATYRS.
The RC began the third race without delay, but was concerned about the wind, which it predicted would lighten in the afternoon. As predicted, by the time the third race ended, the wind had begun to lose its strength. But all programs were done perfectly.
The third race was the most challenging and brought a lot of surprises. CHEESE SAILING did their maximum to show the best time, TENZOR TEAM finished second, and proved its leadership in the overall standings. The next three lucky teams in this race were DENIZCIK, NAUTIQUE YACHTING, and DOLCE VITA.
In the overall standings after nine races, TENZOR TEAM had ascended to the top of the leaderboard, followed by DENIZCIK and PTICHKI SAILING TEAM. Due to a bad result behind the top 10 in the last race, BOGATYRS lost 3 positions overall and sat in 4th position.
“Today provided warm, nice weather for us, but tricky and tough day for all I believe,” commented Doga Aribas, tactician of NAUTIQUE YACHTING. “The wind was good, but tricky, and the competitive fleet provided really close racing. For us, we managed to get consistent results and fought our way to the top 5. After a bad start on the first day it helped us a lot. Tomorrow is the last day of racing with points are pretty close. So it’s all to play for tomorrow and we hope that light winds will let us race.”
In the Corinthians division, the leader continued to be ORIENT EXPRESS. Their two rivals- MYSK-GELNER SAILING TEAM and AYAZ JR continued to fight for 2nd and 3rd places with an equal number of points. EFSANE YOGURT and ASPAT Team completed the top 5 after 9 races with only 1 point between each other.

Day 4- The FinaleIt had been predicted that the final race day may be a day off in Turgutreis Marina for the fleet. And, that is exactly what happened!!
The fleet was on the water in time and racing commenced at 12:00 PM but very light winds did not allow to finish the race number 10 and it was cancelled. The teams were waiting for awhile for a breeze to materialize, but due to lack of the wind, the fleet returned back to the marina.
Of course, it was a frustrating day for sailors and organizers alike, who had waited for the new challenging races to complete the full program. But, finally, everybody was happy to have nine races in their pocket.
“We were lucky to have three days out of four with good wind and nine races completed,” commented Daniil Odintsov from the winning TENZOR TEAM. “The turning point was on Day 3 for us. We went through it well and were able to make a breakthrough in the standings, which allowed us to win the regatta at the end. We played our game in the beginning, and started tracking our closest rivals only on the last race day. Thanks to the joint efforts of the team that the great result is achieved for us!”

Pushkin’s winning TENZOR TEAM was comprised of Danil Odintsov, Aleksandr Audrianov, and Nikita Ushkov. Taking second was Guryel’s DENZCIK team of Ali Tezdiker, Massimo Bortoletto, and Ben Saxton with 32 pts net. Then, taking the bronze medal was Pinchuk’s PTICHKI SAILING TEAM, consisting of Ilia Polishchuk, Egor Terpigorev, and Aleksandr Grishunin.
Rounding out the top five was Rytov’s RUSSIAN BOGATYRS in fourth place with a crew of Konstantin Besputin, Anton Sergeev, and Aleksandr Patrushev. They were followed by Onur Ererdag’s NAUTIQUE YACHTING in fifth place with crew of Doga Aribas, Arda Baykal, and Cem Gozen.
The top woman helm was Inna Balashova’s DOLCE VITA with her crew of Valentin Uvarkin, Andrei Dmitriev, and Ilya Strakh. Her team just missed the top five by 2 pts, taking 6th overall.
“I would like to thank organizers and all people involved, because all was great and professionally hosted. We won last year Turkish Championship and this year defended our title and won again. We are happy! Beautiful weather, we enjoyed sailing and the wind a lot. The participants were very competitive, so all of us had a great racing in a strong fleet,” stated Gulboy Guryel, owner and helmsman of DENIZCIK team.
Corinthians DivisionWinning this division was Haluk Babcan’s ORIENT EXPRESS with his crew of Arif Gurdenli, Bugra Hadimoglu, and Efe Sezik. Second place went to Batu Ozone’s MYSK-GELNER SAILING TEAM with a crew of Dalyan Onur, Soysalan Poyraz, Belgen Can Gungordu, and Ugurhan Ozkan. Then, rounding out the podium with the bronze medal was Arif Ayaz’s AYAZ JR team with crew of Ugur Ayaz, Melih Altinkut, and Mehmet Turkmen.
BOGATYRS wins Turkiye J/70 Tour 2025In the final accounting for the 5-stage Turkey J/70 Tour, it was Russian BOGATYRS that was awarded the gold medal. They were followed by TENZOR TEAM in second place and NAUTIQUE YACHTING getting the bronze.
In the Corinthian division, the best three were MYSK-GELNER SAILING TEAM, EFSANE YOGURT, and ORIENT EXPRESS, respectively.
“We’re so happy and proud to be hosting this big, important regatta here in Turgutreis D-Marin together with J/70 Turkish Association and Tenzor Sailing Club. It was fantastic sailing and competition, all the teams from different yacht clubs and countries showed up, and it was an exciting whirlwind of an event,” said Burak Zengin, CEO of Tenzor Sailing Club Türkiye at the prize-giving ceremony.
For more J/70 TENZOR INTERNATIONAL CUP sailing informationhttps://www.ticows.com

(Sydney, NSW, Australia)- Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron hosted a highly competitive fleet of fourteen boats for the 2025 J/70 NSW State Championship, with Tim Ryan’s VAMOS taking overall victory after a thrilling final day on Sydney Harbour. Ryan’s crew (Rob Greenhalgh, Jess Grimes, and Charlie Gundy) returned to form after a year apart, sailing consistently across variable conditions to secure the championship title.

“What looked like being a disappointing weekend after light winds was saved by a classic Sydney nor’easter on Monday,” said Ryan. “It was our first time sailing together since the Worlds in Palma over a year ago, but the teamwork clicked straight away. Our recent European regattas definitely helped us stay sharp in a very competitive fleet.”
Despite delays early in the regatta due to unstable winds, the race committee delivered a full schedule, with the final day producing ideal 11-20 knot easterly conditions and planing speeds of up to 14 knots — a fitting finale for the growing Australian J/70 fleet.

Second overall went to Rod Warren’s JOUST70, sailing with Malcolm Page, Mark Bulka, Aaron Cole, and Paul Mitchell. “RSYS always puts on a great event,” said Warren. “Congratulations to Tim Ryan, who continues to set the benchmark for the class.”
Third place was claimed by Chris Dare’s AMBITION, sailing with Lachlan Dare, Jeremy O’Connell, and Will Sargent. “It was our first J/70 event in six months, and Sydney Harbour delivered a full mix of challenges,” said Dare. “We’re thrilled to have secured our 2026 J/70 Worlds qualification with an event to spare.”
Corinthians Division1. ORA- Eliza Ewart, Josh Griffith, Aaron George, Kieren East2. JABIRU- Karyn Gojnich, Danielle Gerace, Natasha Miller, Annie Wilmot3. TRAMONTANA- Liam Robinson Hounsell, Beth Tedstone, Alice Endersbee, Lulu Di Sciascio, Max O’Connell
Young Crew Division (Under 30):1. JEDI- Miles McLennan, Max Brennan, Samuel Ezra, Thomas Quinlan2. ORA- Eliza Ewart, Josh Griffith, Aaron George, Kieren East3. SLINGSHOT- Chelsea Williams, Nathan Gulliksen, Hamish Vass, Nick Drummond, Charlie Watts, and 10-year-old Carol Cheung, the youngest sailor in the fleet
Mixed-Plus Division:1. JABIRU- Karyn Gojnich, Danielle Gerace, Natasha Miller, Annie Wilmot2. TRAMONTANA- Liam Robinson Hounsell, Beth Tedstone, Alice Endersbee, Lulu Di Sciascio, Max O’Connell
Recognized by World Sailing as one of the fastest-growing keelboat classes globally, the J/70 continues to thrive in Australia, attracting new owners and competitive sailors nationwide.
For more Australian J/70 Class sailing informationhttps://www.j70australia.org/

(Blairgowie, VIC, Australia)- The Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron hosted this year’s 2025 Victorian J/70 States Championship for a big, competitive fleet of twenty-three teams from across eastern Australia. Boats came from near and far to test their mettle against the best the Australian J/70 fleet had to gather together.

In the end, it was the globe-girdling team on VAMOS, led by their veteran skipper Tim Ryan, that started off with four straight bullets and never looked back. After the eight race series, they counted six 1st and a 3rd for 9 pts net, a breathtaking performance theirs was! Ryan’s crew included Drew Barnes, Rob Greenhalgh, and Charlie Gundy.

The battle for the balance of the podium was fought between two Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron members- Steven Proud’s SWISH and Kim Ketelbey’s ANEMOLGOY. Both teams traded top-five finishes over the three days of racing, but in the end, it was Proud’s SWISH crew of Billy Sykes, Finn Alexander, and Shaun Connor that took the silver medal with 22 pts net. Also posting nearly all top five results was Ketelbey’s ANEMOLGOY team of Jed Cruickshank, Murray Jones, and Aiden Mansley, finishing with 26 pts net.

The balance of the top five was nearly determined by a tiebreaker at 31 pts each. Nevertheless, Bryan Northcote’s JEDI team (Max Brennan, Tom Quinlan, and Sam Ezra) took fourth place by a whisker with 31 pts net. Just one point behind was Sandringham Yacht Club’s own Rod Warren and his team (Mark Bulka, Aaron Linton, and Chris Newman) on JOUST70 with 32 pts net.
For more Victorian J/70 States Championship resultshttps://bit.ly/4odrf8i
For more Australian J/70 Class sailing informationhttps://www.j70australia.org/

(Monte Carlo, Monaco)- As they have since 2013, the Yacht Club de Monaco launched their Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series, offering J/70 teams a window of competition in the middle of winter on one of the most consistent venues in the Mediterranean.

Twenty-five teams from seven nations competed for Act 1 from November 6th to 9th, with YC Monaco members fielding a particularly strong fleet. In fact, YC Monaco currently boasts one of the highest concentrations of J/70s in the Mediterranean, with seventeen boats registered in the J/70 Monaco Class Association. As a result, every year the Principality attracts international teams looking to train under race conditions against a competitive and well-represented fleet. With steady breezes, clear seas, and well-oiled organization, it has become a popular winter training ground to test equipment, rotate crew, and validate tactical decisions ahead of the major competitions.
The series of monthly regattas continues into the spring. Last year saw twenty races completed, testimony to the consistent, yet often technically challenging, weather conditions. The format remains the same, the aim being to launch back-to-back short races with no downtime in between.
The new season opened with a title up for grabs. Last year’s champion, Monegasque sailor Stefano Roberti’s PICCININA, returned to the fleet with one goal in mind: to defend his crown. There is no shortage of contenders, including the French EURO-VOILES team, finalist in the last championship, Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio’s G-SPOT, FRASER YACHTS helmed by Pierrik Devic, Graeme Peterson’s MOONLIGHT II, and a number of foreign teams already very familiar with the Monaco race area.

The suspense was short-lived as YC de Monaco member Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio’s G-SPOT took control from the start to win five of the eight races for a total of 9 pts net. His crew consisted of Franci Alessandro, Karlo Jmeljak, and Tonci Stipanovic. Relentlessly consistent whatever the conditions, the Monegasque G-SPOT team finished nine points ahead of the Italians on ALICE, the only ones to keep pace with them in Saturday’s closely contested races. Taking the silver medal was Federico Leproux’s ALICE and crew of Alessio Marinelli, Nevio Sabadin, Gabrielle Benussi, and Massimo Gherardincci, who managed to win two races in their 18 pts net performance.
The French on EURO-VOILES completed the podium with the bronze medal after a solid performance on the last day. Led by Denis Infante, his French EURO-VOILES team included Louis Barbet, Franciois Barbet, and Theo Di Guglielmo.

The balance of the top five included two more local YC Monaco members, Nico Poons’s CHARISMA V and Pierre Devic’s FRASER YACHTS, in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Corinthians DivisionEURO-VOILES also won the Corinthian category, ahead of the two Swiss teams on TARTE-3NUITS.COM and RHUBARBE-3NUITS.COM. Here, too, there was not much between them with tight finishes on several of the races. The second-place TARTE-3NUITS.COM team was led by Lorenz Kausche with a crew of Emmanuel Muller, Pascal Abegg, and Timon Kausche. The third-place RHUBARBE-3NUITS.COM team was led by Max Haensler with a crew of Fred Haensler, David Dillier, and Loic Renevey.
Next regattaThe J/70 fleet will be back out on the water for Act II, December 4th to 7th, 2025. There is everything to play for as the gaps seen this weekend point to an exciting season ahead, where each race could have a significant impact on the final results.
For more Monaco J/70 Winter Series sailing informationhttps://yacht-club-monaco.mc/en/event/sport-event/monaco-sportsboat-winter-series/

(Valle de Bravo, Mexico)- At the gorgeous lake high in the mountains in Valle de Bravo, west of Mexico City, a fleet of thirty J/70 teams from across Mexico participated in the four-day Mexican J/70 National Championship. Hosted by the most gracious and accommodating club one could ever imagine- the Club de Vela La Peña- the sailors enjoyed not only good racing on the lake, but plenty of the famous hospitality onshore after the racing. As has been described by sailors familiar with the club, it’s truly a family affair, and everyone is made to feel part of their extended family.

After a total of seventeen races sailed, with fourteen races to count (3 discards), it was the Perez family from Vallarta Yacht Club that dominated the top of the podium. In fact, it was a “nip & tuck” battle between the two family boats until the very last race! Winning by just one point was Ignacio Perez-Morett’s ZAQUERO with crew of Santiago Perez Soltero, Manuel Weiller, and Rodrigo Cuellar Dipp. Their remarkably consistent scoreline filled with podium finishes produced a net total of 33 pts in 14 races for a 2.36 average!
Not to be outdone, Alejandro Perez’s ALGARETE with crew of Diego Fructuoso, Rayco Tabares, and Juanma Barrionuevo also had an equally impressive scoreline, including six bullets (!), for a net total of 34 pts! Who beat who in the last race determined the winner, with ZAQUERO taking 2nd to ALGARETE’s 3rd place! Noteworthy about Alejandro’s ALGARETE team was his inclusion of two-time J/80 World Champion Rayco Tabares as his tactician from the Canary Islands in Spain! That’s not exactly a “hop, skip, and a jump” from Gran Canaria Airport, Canary Islands, to Mexico City International Airport!

Rounding out the podium was another long-time, prominent yachting family in Mexico- the Brockmanns. Taking the bronze medal was Ricardo Brockmann’s VINCITORRE with crew of Erik Brockmann, Jeronimo Maristcacal, and Palo Guzman. Counting three bullets and three deuces in their scoreline, it wasn’t nearly sufficient to overcome the sheer dominance of the Perez’s consistency, with VINCITORRE finishing with 56 pts net.
The balance of the top five included Marco Sparveieri’s BUENA JUNTA in fourth place and Eduardo Cano Seija’s CHILCANO in fifth place.
Corinthians DivisionWinning the Corinthians was Sparveiri’s BUENA JUNTA with crew of Leopoldo Risotto, Ramon Benitez, and Gerardo Benitez with 113 pts net. Taking the silver medal was Cano Siena’s CHILCANO with a team of Luis Olcese, Hugh McCarthy, and Natalia Pellicer with 123 pts net. Then, rounding out the podium with the bronze medal was Manuel Vazquez’s 4 LOCOS with crew of Eduardo Oething, Cesar Ruiz, and Rodolfo Carballo with 139 pts net.