Eighty-Seven Teams Set for J/70 European Championship in Barcelona
(Barcelona, Spain)- The Real Club Nàutic de Barcelona (RCNB) is hosting the J/70 European Championship 2026, one of the premier events on the international J/70 calendar. From July 18th to 26th, the championship will bring together 87 boats in the waters off the Catalan capital. There are teams from 24 countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Monaco, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
The leading contingent is certainly being fielded by the host nation Spain, with many of its top sailors participating, like Luis Martin Cabiedes’s NOTICIA, Manuel Roca’s DUC IN AUTUM, Jorge Perez Canal’s ABRIL ROJO, Luis Perez Canal’s ABRIL VERDE, Luis Albert’s PATAKIN, and Luis Martinez Doreste’s HSN SAILING Team.
Amazingly, perhaps the next strongest contingent are many of the top Brazilian teams that sailed the recent J/70 World Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Many of those teams also have extensive European sailing experience, such as Alberto Gurarishci’s THREE MUSKETEERS, Renato Cunha’s TO NESSA, Ralph Vasconsellos Rosa’s MINDSET, and Haroldo Soberg’s OCEANPACT. That’s a band of mercenaries if there ever was one in sailing!
There are two top American teams sailing, both from Chicago Yacht Club: Rich Witzel’s ROWDY and John Heaton’s EMPEIRIA.
The long-distance award goes to the Australian team from the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron- Robert Davis’s NUTCRACKER.
Denmark has three strong teams: Frederick Hvalsoe’s SASSY TOO, Sten Mohr’s LADY IN RED, and Peter Buhl’s SIRENA CHICO. Estonia’s LENNY, by Tonu Toniste, has been a contender in a few European events. France has two solid teams participating, including Dennis Infante’s EURO-VOILES and Beatrice Joyaud’s JOUR J. The four teams from Great Britain have all proven to be formidable contenders, such as Martin & Ruby Dent’s JELVIS, Patrick Liardet’s COSMIC, Tony Hayward’s SERIOUS FUN, and Ian Dobson’s SARDONYX. The top German teams include Kai-uwe Hollweg’s DIVA, Florian Krauss’s VOICE OF ITZHOE, Mats Schonebeck’s PAINT IT BLACK, and Juergen Waldheim’s WAIKIKI. Throwing his hat in the ring is Ireland’s top team- William Twomey sailing WILDCARD. The leading Italian teams include Gianfranco Noe’s WHITE HAWK, Massimo Rama’s CAIM# JENIALE TEAM, and Mauro Roversi’s J-CURVE. Monaco’s two top teams are Pierrik Devick’s FRASER YACHTS and Stefano Roberti’s PICCININA. The two leading teams from Portugal are Anna Smotrova’s ACTIVE SAILING and Vasco Serpa’s SAIL CASCAIS. The contenders from the large Swiss contingent include Alexander Ott’s APROTEC- VILLE DE GENEVE, Nick Zeltner’s DIRTY SEVEN, and Stefan Seger’s AILOA. The three musketeers from Sweden are all dangerously fast and smart; they include Per Roman’s GARM, Filip Engelbert’s ELVIS, and John de Champs’s LEXIE- all from the Royal Swedish Yacht Club (KSSS). The Turkish contingent has been getting significantly stronger because of their winter-long series; they include Ahmet Eker’s EKER, Gully Burial’s DENZICK, and Erman Ayvaz’s HAPPY HOUR JR.
For more J/70 European Championship sailing information
https://www.j70eurobarcelona2026.com/