J/Newsletter- August 13th, 2026

As August gathers pace, the J/Boats calendar is delivering another international mix of championship racing, offshore success, one-design intensity, and late-summer regatta previews. From Kiel and Copenhagen to Sydney, Chicago, Newport, Marblehead, and the Jersey Shore, J/Teams are competing across three continents in everything from all-women league racing and mixed-crew world championships to doublehanded ocean racing and major summer keelboat events.

In Kiel, the Women’s SAILING Champions League brought eighteen of the world’s top all-women club teams together for fast-paced J/70 racing on the Kiel Fjord. Representing nine nations and qualifying through national sailing leagues involving more than ninety women’s teams worldwide, the fleet showcased the growing strength of women’s team racing on a tight, challenging, spectator-friendly course.

In Copenhagen, the J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship opened with thirty-seven teams from thirteen nations racing on the Baltic Sea north of the city. Three opening races in 8 to 14 knots immediately produced a close leaderboard battle, reinforcing the strength and international appeal of mixed-team J/70 racing.

Offshore, a famous J/99 delivered a remarkable performance in Australia’s 384.0nm Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, finishing second overall on IRC while sweeping IRC Division 3, Corinthian IRC, Corinthian PHS, Doublehanded IRC, and Doublehanded PHS.

In the United States, Chicago Yacht Club’s Verve Cup Offshore Regatta delivered strong J/105 and J/109 one-design racing on Lake Michigan. At the same time, Newport’s Safe Harbor Race Weekend confirmed its rise in New England as one of the most popular keelboat regattas of the season. With seventy-six boats racing on Narragansett Bay and Block Island Sound, J/Fleet teams collected silverware in five divisions. Farther south, J/Teams dominated the Blue Water Regatta off Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, sweeping the PHRF Offshore Division on Raritan Bay. 

Looking ahead, Newport’s Ida Lewis Distance Race will offer another 24-hour offshore test for ORC, PHRF, Double-Handed, Youth, and Collegiate Challenge teams. In Marblehead, Eastern Yacht Club will host the Storm Trysail Club Ted Hood Regatta, featuring ORC, PHRF, J/105 one-design racing, distance racing, and doublehanded options.

From women’s league champions in Kiel to mixed teams in Copenhagen, from a trophy-laden J/99 performance in Australia to strong J/Fleet showings across the United States, this week’s stories capture J/Sailing in full late-summer motion: international, competitive, inclusive, and ready for the next starting line.

Hamburger Segel-Club Wins J/70 Women’s SAILING Champions League in Kiel

(Kiel, Germany)- Last weekend, the Women’s SAILING Champions League (WSCL) took place in Kiel, hosted at Hotel Kieler Yacht Club. The world’s premier all-women’s sailing clubs gathered on the Kiel Fjord to battle for the ultimate international league title in fast-paced J/70 one-design sailboats.

Kiel’s role as host was a natural fit: operating under the Kiel.Sailing.City brand, the port city recently reclaimed its place among Germany’s top ten strongest city brands, reinforcing its standing as a premier destination for international elite sports. The tight race course, combined with commercial ship traffic and massive cruise liners, creates wind shadows and unpredictable shifts. At the same time, the close-to-shore layout offers prime spectating along the Kiel promenade. 

Eighteen teams representing nine nations took to the starting line, with entries from Germany, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Poland, the United Kingdom, the USA, and Australia. The fleet was comprised of ambitious crews that qualified for their spots through their respective National Sailing Leagues; over 90 women’s teams competed for that honor worldwide! Returning contenders included last year’s champions from Deutscher Touring Yacht-Club (GER), alongside former winners Hellerup Sejlklub (DEN in 2018) and Hamburger Segel-Club (GER in 2023). READ MORE HERE

J/99 DISKO TROOPER Crushes Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race
(Sydney, NSW, Australia)- This year’s Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Race started on July 25, 2026, covering 384 nautical miles (711 km) from Sydney Harbor to Main Beach, Gold Coast. Participating in the IRC Doublehanded fleet was past ROLEX Sydney Hobart Race winner- the J/99 DISKO TROOPER Contender Sailcloth.

DISKO TROOPER backed up a remarkable race with second overall on IRC, on top of sweeping IRC Division 3, Corinthian IRC, Corinthian PHS, Doublehanded IRC, and Doublehanded PHS, a clean sweep of nearly every category this race boasts! In short, an unprecedented, never-before-accomplished feat to win so many trophies in one race!

It nearly came unstuck five hours from the finish. Chasing down BACK-2-BLACK, co-skippers Jules Hall and Alex Knight had a wave catch the boat while trimming, tangling the mainsheet around the tiller, making the boat round up and wrapping the spinnaker tightly around the forestay three or four times.  READ MORE HERE. 

YUPI Leads J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship in Copenhagen

(Copenhagen, Denmark)- The Royal Danish Yacht Club (KDY) is hosting a fleet of thirty-seven teams from thirteen nations (Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Great Britain, Hungary, Norway, Turkey, United States, Japan, Germany, and Finland) for the 2026 edition of the J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship. Sailing is taking place on the Baltic Sea north of Copenhagen. Here are the reports from the first two days of the regatta.

Day 1
Racing launched Wednesday with winds ranging from 8-14 knots, providing excellent conditions for three races on the opening day.

At the end of this first day, Sten Mohr’s LADY IN RED (DEN) and Simon Perry’s JIRAFFE (GBR) are tied at the top of the overall standings with 14 points. Reigning 2025 champion Joan Cardona Mendez’s YUPI (ESP) sits third with 16 points, tied on points with Kim Christensen’s SOFFE (DEN) in fourth and Till Krüger’s JANE (GER) in fifth.

The Mixed-Plus World Championship places a special emphasis on female and youth participation at the highest level of J/70 competition. Under the event format, each crew must consist of four or more people and may include no more than two males over 18 years of age. READ MORE HERE

J/105 FIVE and J/109 COURAGEOUS Win Verve Cup Offshore Regatta

(Chicago, IL)- Chicago Yacht Club’s Verve Cup, an annual world-class sailing event attracting many national and international sailors to sail on Lake Michigan, just completed the offshore edition this past weekend. Racing took place off the beautiful Chicago lakefront, with the skyline in view. The regatta featured one-design fleets for J/105s, J/109s, as well as PHRF/ ORC offshore handicap racing. There was blistering hot competition over the weekend, especially in the 105 class. Here’s how it all went down. READ MORE HERE

J/Fleet Collects Silverware in Five Divisions at Safe Harbor Race Weekend

(Newport, RI)- During a New England heat wave, there was no better place to be than on the water, and for the 75 sailing teams competing in the 2026 Safe Harbor Race Weekend, it was the perfect setting for three days of keen competition across 10 classes. Light to moderate breezes of 8 to 14 knots prevailed on Narragansett Bay, where nine classes raced, while a sportier 14 to 17 knots filled Block Island Sound, where five Superyachts competed. Off the water, competitors and their families enjoyed lively social events at the end of each racing day, including Friday’s traditional New England clam bake, which served up a feast for 1,100 hungry sailors and their families.

With seventy-six boats participating, the 2026 edition of the Safe Harbor Race Weekend cemented its status as the most popular offshore keelboat regatta during the busy Newport sailing season. Sailors enjoyed world-class “apres sailing” events onshore at Safe Harbor’s world-class yacht harbor facilities. The great food, huge tent, and great bands on Friday and Saturday evenings proved universally popular, and the parties drew crews ranging from 30-footers to 100+ foot super yachts. Here is how it all went down for the various classes.  READ MORE HERE

J/Teams Ready for Youth, Collegiate and Offshore Action at Ida Lewis Distance Race
(Newport, RI)- The Ida Lewis Distance Race is a premier 24-hour offshore sailing competition held annually in Newport, Rhode Island. Celebrating its 21st anniversary on August 14–15, 2026, the race features a variety of challenging courses through New England waters. It accommodates ORC, PHRF, and Double-Handed classes, as well as Youth and Collegiate Challenge categories. Starting at Fort Adams and concluding with a signature champagne finish inside Newport Harbor, this event attracts both seasoned and emerging sailors seeking a true test of endurance and skill.

Ida Lewis Distance Race Expects Strong Youth and Collegiate Turnout
The Ida Lewis Yacht Club is continuing its commitment to strengthening the future of offshore sailing by encouraging yacht clubs throughout Narragansett Bay and beyond to field teams in the Youth Challenge and Collegiate Challenge divisions of the Ida Lewis Distance Race presented by Kiel James Patrick.

The Ida Lewis Yacht Club is continuing its commitment to strengthening the future of offshore sailing by encouraging yacht clubs throughout Narragansett Bay and beyond to field teams in the Youth Challenge and Collegiate Challenge divisions of the IdaLewis Distance Race presented by Kiel James Patrick.

The special divisions have long been part of the annual 24-hour New England classic, which starts Friday, August 14, at 11:00 AM off Rose Island in Narragansett Bay. By providing meaningful offshore racing opportunities for younger sailors, the event has become an important step for the sport’s next generation. READ MORE HERE. 

J/105 Fleet Ready for Storm Trysail Club Ted Hood Regatta
(Marblehead, MA)- The annual Storm Trysail Club Ted Hood Regatta is being hosted by Eastern Yacht Club this coming weekend. The regatta features divisions for PHRF and ORC offshore racers and a J/105 one-design class. Plus, there is a Distance Ocean Race Friday night for full-crewed or Double-Handed racers, and Jib & Main classes.

J/105 Class
The 105s are enjoying a nice turnout of eight teams from across New England. It will be interesting to see if the “pecking order” established in the earlier Sailing World Marblehead Regatta will prevail again for the Ted Hood Regatta! The odds-on favorite to win should be Charlie Garrard’s IDALIN. Nevertheless, giving them a run-for-the-roses will be Ric Dexter’s BROUHAHA, Matt Herbster’s NO QUARTER, and Marty Galligan’s ATALANTA. READ MORE HERE.

J/112E #BIGSANDWICH Tops Blue Water Regatta
(Atlantic Highlands, NJ)- This past weekend, the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club held their annual Blue Water Regatta offshore on Raritan Bay. The regatta is a popular highlight of the summer sailing season for those racing up and down the New Jersey coastline.

In the end, J/Teams virtually crushed all of their colleagues, posting a clean sweep of the PHRF Offshore  Division. READ MORE HERE.

J/Gear August Special- 20% off!

The J/Twill Cap is a six-panel cotton cap with the J logo embroidered on the front. It is adjustable with a back strap, and you may customize it with your boat name and sail number.

Order your J/Twill Cap here – CLICK HERE