Italian J/70 Cup Heads to Lerici for Second 2026 Event

(Lerici, Italy)– The Circolo Della Vela Erix will be hosting the second event of the Italian J/70 Cup series on the “Golf of Poets” for a fleet of nineteen boats. The race course offered by the Gulf of Poets is tactically challenging and well-known to J/70 specialists, who are set to vie for victory between Friday and Sunday amidst weather conditions that are forecast to be unsettled.

Eight races are scheduled for a fleet that—compared to the first leg—arrives in greater numbers, despite the absence of two top contenders: Rich Witzel’s ROWDY and Matteo Marenghi Vaselli’s G-SPOT. The fleet now includes representatives from no fewer than eight nations. A crew to watch closely will be Mauro Roversi’s J-CURVE- relying, as always, on the support of Giulia Conti. While the American team aboard FURIO (led by former J/24 World Champion Keith Whittemore), Manfredo Toninelli’s T-ONE, and the formidable Corinthian entry- Gianfranco Noe’s WHITE HAWK- must also be counted among the favorites.

The program of shoreside events serves as a testament to the exceptional hospitality guaranteed by the CDV Erix. Over the weekend, they will host not only the customary after-race parties, but also a crew dinner and a tasting of Gin Vento, a partner of the J/70 Italian Class for several seasons.

“Lerici and its CDV Erix has been a key destination for the J/70 Italian Class for several seasons now. In this region, which boasts unique scenic beauty, the organizational capacity is of an exceptionally high standard, and the hospitality we have consistently received is rarely matched elsewhere. Added to this is a race course that has proven challenging enough to keep the outcome of every single race in doubt right up to the finish line. This choice of venue is also highly appreciated by our boat owners, as evidenced by our rapidly expanding entry list,” commented Federico Siragna, President of the J/70 Italian Class.

“Once again this year, we have the pleasure of organizing the J/70 Class regatta— serving as the second leg of the 2026 J/70 Cup. We anticipate seeing fiercely contested races featuring crews of the very highest caliber. On behalf of myself and our members, I am honored that such a prestigious one-design class has once again chosen Lerici and the Circolo Della Vela Erix as the venue for this event,” commented Carlo Stefanini, President of CDV Erix.

The J/70 Italian Class, which utilizes the Vakaros RaceSense system to manage race starts, is supported by Lincoln International, Garmin, VelaMania, North Sails Collection, UtilGraph, Gottifredi Maffioli, and Gin Vento.

For Italy J/70 Cup sailing information
https://www.j70.it/j-70-cup-2026-lerici/