Sailing has always been a sport of skill, endurance, and adventure. But, it’s also a community— a network of passionate sailors coming together to push their limits, celebrate tradition, and embrace innovation. From the legendary waters of Monte Carlo and the windswept Pacific shores to the sun-drenched Caribbean islands, every regatta tells a story of determination, teamwork, and the pursuit of excellence.
As 2025 continues to unfold, the world of sailing is buzzing with thrilling events. Women sailors will take center stage in Monaco’s J/70 Trophée Virginie Hériot, honoring a pioneering Olympic champion. Offshore racing in Southern California is in full swing, with the Islands Race delivering challenging conditions and unforgettable moments. Across the globe, Chile’s Semana de la Vela ESMAX showcased breathtaking mountain-lake sailing, while in Hong Kong, the J/80 fleet battled it out for championship glory.
But sailing is not just about competition; it’s about evolution. From historic races like Edgartown’s Round-the-Island to groundbreaking developments in AI-powered, sail-driven cargo vessels, the sport continues to blend tradition with innovation. Whether you’re a seasoned racer, a weekend cruiser, or simply someone who loves the open sea, there’s never been a more exciting time to be part of the sailing world.
J/Boat “Open Days” are back for 2025!
Come sailing with us and explore the “J” range!
(Hamble, England)- J/UK will again be hosting its “J/Open Days” this spring so that you may learn more about the latest J/Boats and even take them sailing on the Southampton Water and the Solent. Get on the water and enjoy the full-on “J” sailing experience. Find out why J/Sailors are so passionate about the remarkable sailing performance of J/Boats. On hand will be a J/70, J/99, the new J/36, the new J/40, and a J/45.
Mark these dates on your calendar:- Friday- March 28th- Friday- April 25th- Friday to Sunday- May 9th to 11th
Join us on the water and experience what makes J/Boats special! Please sign up now and make an appointment with a J/UK representative today! Go to this link and please fill out the form.
Women J/70 Trophée Virginie Hériot Regatta Preview
(Monte Carlo, Monaco)- On the 2025 International Day of Women in Sport, the Yacht Club de Monaco announced that it will host a J/70 regatta exclusively for women from March 13th to 16th, 2025. In collaboration with the Fédération Monégasque de Voile and the Fédération Française de Voile, the Trophée Virginie Hériot, named in honor of a pioneering woman sailor, will feature four days of events and races in the waters of the Principality.
This event celebrates Virginie Hériot, known as ‘Madame de la Mer,’ the first woman to win an Olympic sailing gold medal as part of a male team in Amsterdam in 1928.
Read more here.
J/111 Wins the Islands Race Overall!
J/Teams Garner Lots of Silverware- a Sweep in ORR E Division! (San Diego, CA)- Southern California’s much-anticipated offshore racing season kicked off the 2025 season with the 15th annual Islands Race, co-hosted by the San Diego Yacht Club and Newport Harbor Yacht Club. Thirty boats started the 142.0 nm race, departing from Long Beach Harbor and making their way around Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands before finishing in Point Loma.
Last week when looking ahead to this year’s race, the expected conditions were slower than most years. Newport Harbor YC PRO Charlie Welsh managed the start of the race. “Racers were greeted at the starting area in the vicinity of Pt. Fermin bout with sporty 11-16 knots of breeze with a considerable bump. All starts got off on time with the breeze waning as the sun peeked through the clouds. Our most exciting start was the ORR-E and EZ classes as two boats were over early. The RC team acted swiftly and both boats cleared and continued racing. All racers looked as if they’d stay on starboard tack for the majority of the first leg to the west end of Catalina. It was a great way to kick off the 2025 Islands Race! Thank you SDYC for another great collaborative event with both clubs working seamlessly.” Read more here.
Gorgeous Mountain Lake Sailing @ Chile’s Semana de la Vela ESMAX
(Frutillar, Chile)- Sailing under the imposing profile and shadow of the massive Osorno volcano on the eastern side of the lake, Chile’s famous Semana de la Vela ESMAX took place on the gorgeous Lago Llanquihue. The regatta was organized by Cofradia Nautica de Frutillar, Club Deportivo Colegio Puerto Varas, and Yacht Club de Chile and featured one-design classes for J/105s and J/24s and an IRC handicap cruising class.
The regatta is focused on great social events every evening ashore with a combination of fun buoy racing as well as random leg point-to-point racing. The regatta starts on the northern part of the lake off the quaint village of Frutillar, then moves down to the southern end for the finale in the city of Puerto Varas. Read more here.
JAMMIN’ Skates to J/80 Hong Kong Championship
(Hong Kong, China)- This year’s J/80 Hong Kong Championship brought a solid turnout of 18 boats, amongst them Hong Kong Olympians Nicholas Halliday & Stephanie Norton, guided by a crewmate and 2016 HK J/80 Champion, Jacqueline Truhol.
Defending champions, JAMMIN’ (Frederic Azemard), were present in full force with a team strengthened by their experience of competing in the 2024 J/80 World Championships last summer.
Among a regenerated fleet of newer J/80 owners, were JAHOO (Frank van Kempen / David Salembier) and long-term stalwart of the J/80 class TIGRINA (Andrew Moore), with both boats regularly on the podium of the annual class championships. In fact, Frank and David’s JAHOO finished either 2nd or 3rd at the past four Hong Kong J/80 Championships! Would this finally be the year for JAHOO to take the title? Read more here.
TENAZ Wins Barcelona J/70 Winter Series IV
(Barcelona, Spain)- This past weekend was the fourth act of the Barcelona J/70 Winter Series, an international competition organized by the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona (RCNB). The event was marked by difficult weather conditions, with very weak winds and cloudy skies, which did not prevent a high participation in all races.
Once again, the regatta featured a high-level fleet, with twenty-nine teams from eleven nations (Germany, France, Hungary, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Ukraine, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Austria and Spain). Read more here.
Silverware Haul for J/Crews @ Three Tree Point Race
(Seattle, WA)- This past weekend, the first of the three races in the Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle’s Center Sound Series took place- the Three Tree Point Race. A good turnout ensured highly competitive sailing across the board in both the ORC and PHRF Divisions. Here is how it all went down last weekend. Read more here.
JAMAICA Leads the Italian J/24 Spring Championship
(Marina di Carrara, Italy)- Once again enjoying their famous Spring Regatta in the heart of the “marble world” (Carrera, to be precise) was the Italian J/24 class. The host for the eighteen-boat fleet Club Nautico Mariana di Carrara.
Pietro Diamanti’s JAMAICA and Eugenia de Giacomo’s FIVE FOR FIGHTING dominated the first seven races held last weekend, winning three victories each.
Read more here.
J/Community
What J/Sailors, family, and friends are doing around the world
Good Jibes #180: Ron Rosenberg on Learning to Sail Together
What a fun episode! This week we chat with Ron Rosenberg about learning to sail with family and friends, and his lifetime of coaching sailing. Ron has won five world titles, two 5.5 Meter Class Gold Cups, one European championship, and more than 50 national titles, and has competed in Olympic trials, been team captain, and/or coached in almost every Olympics since 1984.
Tune in as Ron shares with Good Jibes host John Arndt the moments that changed the trajectory of his sailing career, why sailing is a master class in self-improvement, how to become a sailing coach or hire a sailing coach, his sailing success with the J/Pod fleet of J/70s in the Pacific NW and coaching concept others can replicate, and how to help people create healthy habits on the water. Read more here.
Round-the-Island Race 2025 Announcement
(Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, MA)- For 2025, Edgartown Race Weekend will say goodbye to its two-day, Round-the-Sound Races of recent years and hello to a fresh new focus on its centerpiece Round-the-Island Race (RTI), which will be 88 years old when it begins on Saturday, June 21.
Although it’s one of yacht racing’s oldest distance events, the 55-mile circumnavigation of Martha’s Vineyard is anything but staid, thanks to host Edgartown Yacht Club (EYC). Lively shoreside parties and an early morning start with a same-day early evening finish mean the experience is not only festive but also manageable in terms of crew logistics.
ortunities continue to grow for women to compete in sailing at a professional level. Read more here.
J/24 Prototype Pioneers A.I.-Powered Autonomous Sail-driven Cargo Vessels!?
(Los Angeles, CA)- Who knew?! Right? A J/24 powering A.I. development in sailing? From 1977 to “infinity & beyond”?
The mission of Clippership is to transport palletized (LCL) marine freight quicker and more cost-effectively than existing methods. Clippership can do this by designing, building, and operating a fleet of autonomous sail-powered cargo vessels, that leverage advancements in robotics, aerodynamics, weather forecasting, and satellite connectivity. Palletized cargo will be handled at optimized terminals, avoiding containerized cargo logistics bottlenecks.
Clippership’s J/24 development platform has enabled them to demonstrate key technologies, such as an actively controlled wingsail and autonomous navigation. In short, the modified J/24 is fully capable of un-crewed autonomous navigation under sail, with optional onboard and remote crewing! Read more here.
J/Gear- Ronstan Roll Bag- March 25% Special
(Newport, RI)- The Ronstan Roll Duffel is a high-tech waterproof gear bag that is perfect for racing or cruising.
The J Ronstan all-new weatherproof bag is made from premium materials to create the lightest and most durable water-resistant bag on the market. Fully welded construction ensures a water-tight seal to the main bag compartments and water-resistant zippers protect the outer pockets from rain or spray.
Specification highlights:- Lightweight, yet durable- Water-resistant zipper to main compartment with roll top seal- Fast access external pockets with water-resistant zippers- Padded carry handles for over-shoulder comfort- Large compartment for all the gear needed to perform at your best.- Customize with your yacht name and sail number for the entire crew.
Order the J/Ronstan Roll Bag here.
