Year: 2025

(Berlin, Germany)- The 2025 German J/70 Sailing League competed for the coveted championship trophy for sailing clubs on Berlin’s Wannsee Lake. Going into the finale, only a few points separated the three frontrunners from the overall title – Mühlenberger Segel-Club (MSC), Joersfelder Segel-Club (JSC), and Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (NRV).
The final races promised thrilling competition. Only one point separated the defending champion MSC (Hamburg) from its closest rival, the Berlin JSC. With a further point separating them, the record holder NRV was lurking, waiting for its chance to reclaim the title.
For MSC, helmsman Max Augustin started with his well-practiced team, while NRV relied on its successful J/70 junior crew with helmsman Mats Schönbeck in the duel of the Hamburg clubs.
An idea that became an institution“We are looking forward to a thrilling season finale with the best league sailors from German clubs,” said Sailing Bundesliga manager Anke Nowak. “It’s an idea that has become an institution over the past decade: The Segel Bundesliga has revolutionized the sporting standards in the participating sailing clubs. League teams and training on the J/70 are now an integral part of German club sailing.”
For many clubs, the Segel Bundesliga has long been a central component of their club strategy. Depending on sporting ambitions and performance level, the league – the Sailing Bundesliga and the international SAILING Champions League – offers top-level sailing almost all year round.

NRV sails to eighth Bundesliga championshipThe race for the coveted championship trophy of the German sailing clubs was decided in convincing fashion: for the eighth time in the thirteen-year history of the Segel Bundesliga, the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (NRV) team from Hamburg won. The Joersfeld Sailing Club (JSC) from Berlin became runner-up, achieving their best season result to date. The defending champion, the Mühlenberg Sailing Club (MSC), came in third.
With a strong performance and high tension right to the end during the three final days, the team of champions from the Outer Alster Lake showed they deserved the championship title. The young team presented themselves as a perfectly coordinated crew, able to adapt quickly to every new situation, and demonstrating real composure in the final, very calm races.
The Young NRV team shows all-around qualities.The helmsman was the 22-year-old Mats Schönbeck, who had already won the German J/70 National Championship title with his crew last year and has been part of the club’s first-division squad since this year. For the Bundesliga final, his championship crew was comprised of Henrik Peters, Moritz Gießelmann, and Ferdinand Pfund.
“We had difficult conditions in Berlin, but we found our feet on the first day. The strong winds at the beginning suited us, but it got tricky after that,” said Mats Schönbeck, pointing out that the club had made a good start with veteran Tobias Schadewaldt at the helm. “We are very happy about the title and were a little nervous today because Joersfeld sailed to many first-place finishes.”
NRV wins the championship and the final match dayThe NRV team not only won the championship, but also the final match day in Berlin, followed by the Joersfeld SC and the host Berliner YC.
“Over the three days, we experienced the full spectrum of weather and utilized almost every Beaufort scale,” says Segel Bundesliga manager Anke Nowak. “On the first day, we had a storm with gusts exceeding 40 knots, forcing us to suspend the races after the J/70s threatened to capsize under jib only. Yesterday, the wind was lighter with frequent shifts, and today, unfortunately, the wind gradually decreased, forcing us to issue ‘AP over Alpha’ at 3:08 p.m., ending the championship after twelve flights.”
Bocholter Yacht-Club champions of the 2nd leagueThe Bocholt Yacht Club (BOH-YC) won the championship title in the 2nd Sailing Bundesliga, with the Württemberg Yacht Club (WYC) taking second place. The Wuppertal Sailing Association (SVWU) finished third. These three clubs will now be promoted to the 1st Sailing Bundesliga, along with the fourth-placed Explorers and Seafarers Promotion Association (EnSFR) from Hamburg-St. Pauli.
“We are incredibly happy to have finally made it to the 1st Bundesliga,” said Thorsten Willemsen, helmsman of the Bocholt Yacht Club. “We’ve had six demanding years in the 2nd league, with lots of training and the right motivation.”
The Essen Gymnastics and Fencing Club (ETUF) won the final match day of the 2nd Sailing Bundesliga, ahead of EnSFR and the Hansa Münster Sailing Club.
The exciting final races were broadcast live on the Sailing Bundesliga’s YouTube channel. On the final day, Lorenz Buchler, experienced race director at the BYC, and MSC Bundesliga helmsman Till Krüger commented on the decisive races. Sophisticated camera technology and numerous drone shots allowed viewers and fans to follow the races live, cheer on their clubs, and keep their fingers crossed.
The final of the 2025 Sailing Bundesliga was jointly hosted by the Berlin Yacht Club and the Sailing Association of 1903 Berlin. After the awards, sailors gathered for the evening at the SV03 premises for a wonderful Halloween party.
“We have had a successful season, with the clubs showcasing top-level sailing,” emphasizes Sailing Bundesliga initiator Oliver Schwall. “We thank our partners, the organizing clubs, and the many volunteers for their support on and off the water. Together with them, we have built a highly professional sailing league over the past 13 years, which has now been adopted in more than 21 other sailing nations and continues to serve as a model. These include numerous countries in Central Europe, as well as in the Asia Pacific and the USA.”
For more German J/70 Sailing League informationhttps://deutsche-segelbundesliga.de/events/6-2/

(Buenos Aires, Argentina)- The Yacht Club Argentino hosted the 2025 edition of the J/70 World Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the first time “down under” in the southern hemisphere. There were seventy-one teams participating from sixteen nations; including Argentina (22), Australia (1), Bermuda (1), Brazil (14), Chile (5), China (1), Spain (2), Great Britain (2), Germany (1), Italy (3), Portugal (1), Switzerland (1), Sweden (2), Turkey (3), Uruguay (7), and USA (13).
Sailing started on Tuesday, October 28th, and concluded on Saturday, November 1st. The entire top fifteen of the leaderboard experienced a severe case of “chutes & ladders”, as the teams moved up and down the top ten like yo-yos on a string. There were no exceptions. And, ultimately, the winner was Laura Grondin’s DARK ENERGY from the USA, the first woman helm and owner to win the J/70 World Championship.
After ten races over five days, shifting tides and reshuffled leaderboards, the regatta came to a dramatic close on the final race on the final day. The entire top five was wide open for any team that could demonstrate enough consistency, avoid the “down the mineshaft” result, and grab the proverbial “brass ring” to the top of the leaderboard.

For the first time in Class history, the J/70 World Championship was held in South America. South American teams earned four out of the top five positions and swept the Corinthian top five.
The outcome was decided in the final moments of the final race, but it took years to build to this moment. “It’s been a five-year run,” said Grondin. “None of this happens by itself. It takes a team. What makes us the world champions? The ability to be resilient. We’ve stood on a lot of podiums, but being first is different. It just is.”

The J/70 World Champion title is one of the most coveted in sailing — and now it belongs to Laura Grondin and her team on DARK ENERGY- tactician Taylor Canfield, back-to-back champion Ted Hackney, Ian Liberty, coach Robby Bisi, and husband Rick Grondin. Her win was far from easy, with Taylor commenting that it was the “most difficult regatta he’s ever sailed”. There are good reasons why he said that. Their average score was a 9.77 over the nine races counted, an amazingly high figure. They only had three podium finishes- 1-3-3. They had three MASSIVE double-digit “down the mineshaft” scores- 18-40-42. The rest of their scores were 6-9-4-4. Their final two races on the last day of 3-4 “saved their bacon”, resulting in a 4-point win over the second-place team. Here’s a killer statistic for the regatta winner, their no throw-out scores for 130 pts total would have resulted in a 13th average score and third place overall instead of first!
“I’m so stoked to be the first female driver to win this, and I want there to be many more,” said Grondin. “I hope this is just the beginning. There were five women helms at this event, which is remarkable— but we need to have more. To all the women who competed on any boat: my shout-out to you. Keep going!!”
Next on the podium was silver medal winner Guillermo Parada’s NILDO from the host YC Argentino. Their’s was a remarkable comeback given the fact that NILDO at one point stood in the low 20s overall halfway through the regatta. They were the only other boat in the entire regatta that posted three podium finishes, the other being DARK ENERGY. Parada’s NILDO team of Mariano Parada, Jorge Emilio Engelhard, and Juan Pablo Engelhard did not start the regatta with guns blazing and any hope of even a top-five finish. They had flashes of brilliance in one race. Their tally of 21-24-17.2-1-15-6-29 kept them stuck in the high teens in the provisional standings. However, with one day to go, they rediscovered how they won the fourth race and posted a 3rd in race 8 on the penultimate day. Feeling good about themselves on Saturday, they simply had the sailing conditions figured out better than anyone else on the race course that day, posting a remarkable 4-1 to snag the second step on the podium, much to their ecstatic delight, celebrating wildly on the podium with lots of champagne! Rightfully so, they should’ve been celebrating, as their no throw-out scores were 121.1 pts total, good enough to have won the World Championship on that basis!

Taking the third step on the podium to earn the bronze medal was the Brazilian team of ARETE, skippered by Bruno Bethlem. Bruno’s team of Rafael Martins, Pedro Tinoco, and Alberto Vita also sailed the second most consistent scoreline in the fleet behind NILDO, posting 124 pts with no throw-outs total. The ARETE team had only ONE score in the top three, a 2nd in race 3, but they managed to just squeak by fellow Brazilian Haroldo Solberg’s VIKING OCEANPACT by 2 pts on the last day to take the bronze.
Imagine for a moment how incredibly close the final discard race scores were for the top four boats; the outcome could easily have been dramatically different. One bad tack, a lousy take-down, getting fouled at the leeward gate, a port/starboard gone wrong, anything could’ve upset the scoreline. Grondin’s DARK ENERGY finished with 88 pts net, Parada’s NILDO had 92.2 pts net, and Bethlem’s ARETE had 94 pts net. Then, Solberg’s VIKING OCEANPACT finished with 95 pts net! WOWOW! Just 7 pts separated the top four boats with the highest average scores in J/70 World Championship history!
Solberg’s VIKING OCEANPACT team of Geison Mendes, Mario Tinoco, and Gabriel Silva sailed a relatively consistent series to take fourth place. Yet another fellow Brazilian team, Sam Albrecht’s EL ENEMIGO and crew of Gustavo Thiesen, Rayco Tabares (a 3x J/80 World Champion), and Silvio Morelli managed to also sail a consistent regatta to take fifth place with 118 pts net.

Corinthians DivisionFamily values prevailed in the Corinthian division; Andrés Ducasse’s DUCASSE Sailing Team (CHI) claimed top Corinthian honors in a heartfelt finish that brought the crowd to its feet for a father, four sons onboard, and a son coaching. The Ducasse family crew was Ignacio, Rodrigo, Andres Jr, and Francisco.
“As the father of these kids, I’m grateful to God, grateful to sailing, and grateful for having taught my children and watched them become such excellent sailors. Above all, I thank my sons for the opportunity to compete by their side,” said Corinthian champion Ducasse. “We’ve done five Worlds and many South American championships, and this one has been the best organized of them all.”
Taking the silver medal was Dennis Bariani Koch’s GABRIELA from Brazil. His crew consisted of Pedro Koch, Mateus Koch, Tiago Quevedo, and Felip Mallmann Fraquelli. Then, garnering the bronze medal was Maximo Videla’s WHISKY team from the host club YC Argentino. Maximo’s crew was Franco Greggi, Juan Cruz Albamonte, Santiago Palkin, and Eugenia Jasson.
Women’s Helm DivisionOf course, the winner of the Helen Johnstone Memorial Trophy was Laura Grondin, skippering DARK ENERGY. The silver medal went to Cate Muller-Terhune’s CASTING COUCH with her American crew of Steve Hunt, Will Ryan, and her husband Allan Terhune. Then, the bronze medal winner was another American- Maggie McKillen’s MAGATRON- with crew of Orrin Starr, David Gilmour, and Scott Norris.
Other trophy winners included the following:- One-Pro: Ezequiel Despontin’s 707 from Argentina- Young Crew: Bruno Centanaro’s PURA JODA from Argentina- Mixed-Plus: Laura & Leif Sigmond’s NORBOY from Chicago, Illinois, USA
Sponsors included Life Seguros, Almarena Madero Urbano, Galeno, South American Rigging/Marlow/Velo, Ansilta, Eximia, Windsail, Emergencias, Fantoche, and Vacalin.
Social mediahttps://www.instagram.com/j70class
Thanks to Media Manager- Hannah Lee Noll at WindDance Creative in Newport, RI.Inquiries: hannah@winddancecreative.com
Sailing photos by Matias Capizzano https://capizzano.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/2025-J70-Worlds/C0000IQHv30m._o8
For J/70 World Championship sailing information and resultshttps://viramos.com/championships/814266b9-7043-4391-bd4e-e05350b94417
For more Yacht Club Argentino regatta informationhttps://yca.org.ar/2025/01/15/2025-j70-world-championship/

As the calendar edges toward year’s end, the rhythm of J/Sailing keeps pulsing across both hemispheres — from the spring breezes of Buenos Aires to the autumn tides of Annapolis and Hamble. October has been a month of contrasts and continuity, where new champions were crowned, fleets flourished, and traditions renewed.In Argentina, seventy-one teams from sixteen nations are dueling for the J/70 World Championship. Standings shift daily in a thrilling ‘chutes and ladders’ battle on the muddy waters of the Río de la Plata. Across the Atlantic, Naples delivered a spectacular finale for the J/22 Worlds. The Bay’s shifting moods — from calm mornings to roaring Grecale gusts — tested sailors’ seamanship. Farther north, the Solent again proved itself as a top proving ground. The 44th Hamble Winter Series tested J/crews under every kind of English sky.In North America, San Diego celebrated another Lipton Cup in classic SoCal style. The home team at SDYC defended its title in a fleet filled with top clubs from both sides of the border. Meanwhile, Annapolis reaffirmed its place as the heart of J/105 sailing. Fleet 3 enjoyed record participation, and GOOD TRADE finished as Chesapeake Bay Champion.And in London, the Royal Ocean Racing Club marked its centennial year, a fitting reminder that the spirit of offshore adventure endures, with J/Teams once again earning silver across the RORC’s legendary season of races.From Naples to Newport, the stories this month remind us that while the seasons shift, the sense of purpose remains the same — wind, water, and the endless pursuit of a perfect race  sailing with friends and family.

A Fresh New Take on the Small Keelboat- the J/7 CRUISING WORLD Review(Newport, RI)- A fresh take on the small keelboat, the J/7 brings performance, stability, and simplicity to a modern daysailer.With the new J/7, J/Boats has distilled nearly five decades of design experience into a modern 23-foot keelboat that’s as approachable as it is spirited. Designed to be trailerable behind a midsize SUV, the J/7 offers seating for up to six in a deep, secure cockpit, a compact cabin for storage and overnights, and a simple sail plan that delivers the crisp handling J/Boats are known for. Aimed at families, beginners, and club programs— but with enough sparkle to keep experienced sailors engaged— the J/7 promises to double your sailing days with a blend of comfort, stability, and pure fun on the water.The J/7’s layout emphasizes comfort and ergonomics without over-complication. The cockpit spans 8.5 feet with long bench seats, angled backrests, and space for six adults.  READ MORE HERE.

J/70 World Championship Update(Buenos Aires, Argentina)- The Yacht Club Argentino is hosting the 2025 edition of the J/70 World Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the first time “down under” in the southern hemisphere. There are seventy-one teams participating from sixteen nations; including Argentina (22), Australia (1), Bermuda (1), Brazil (14), Chile (5), China (1), Spain (2), Great Britain (2), Germany (1), Italy (3), Portugal (1), Switzerland (1), Sweden (2), Turkey (3), Uruguay (7), and USA (13). Sailing started on Tuesday, October 28th, and continues to Saturday, November 1st. So far, the top of the leaderboard is experiencing a severe case of “chutes & ladders”, as teams move up and down the top ten like yo-yos on a string. Day OneThe initial leader on the first day was Laura Grondin’s DARK ENERGY, the first time in the history of the J/70 class that a lady helm led the top of the leaderboard at a World Championship! Local knowledge directed race one when Fernando Gwozdz’s PETRO GREEN RACING (ARG) went wire to wire, and Juan Diego Figueroa’s HOMERO (ARG) was runner-up. Continuing their hot streak after winning the Corinthian World Championship last month, Alec Cutler’s HEDGEHOG (BER) placed third. Women helms made a statement in fifth and sixth places: Maggie McKillen’s MAGATRON and Laura Grondin’s DARK ENERGY (both USA). Winds came from the Southeast around 12-15 knots with choppy waters upwind and mode changing downwind in planing conditions.  READ MORE HERE.

Spectacular Finale for the J/22 World Championship in Naples 
(Naples, Italy)- The 2025 J/22 Worlds in Naples came to a close after an intense week of competition, with nine races completed in a wide range of conditions— from light morning airs to steady south-westerly sea breezes and strong north-easterly “Grecale” wind gusting up to 25 knots. Throughout the week, the Bay of Naples displayed its full range of moods: bright days with summer-like temperatures and sparkling sunshine alternated with cloudier skies and even one day of heavy rain, when racing went ahead in challenging, but manageable conditions. The variety of wind, weather, and sea states provided a complete test of skill and endurance, perfectly capturing the versatility that defines the J/22 class.The Dutch FRAPORITA team, a multiple-time J/22 World Champion, once again demonstrated remarkable consistency and control to claim the 2025 world title. Led by skipper Jean-Michel Lautier and crew of Giuseppe D’Aquino and Denis Neves from VW Brassemermeer sailing club, they started out with three straight bullets to dominate the fleet on day one. They never let their foot off the gas pedal for the next three days of racing. In fact, the team “firewalled” the gas hard to close with three more bullets for a remarkable “podium-only” scoreline of 11 pts net in nine races.  READ MORE HERE.

44th Hamble Winter Series Reports(Hamble, England)- The 44th running of the Hamble Winter Series is now in its fourth weekend of sailing on the infamous, capricious Solent Water between Southampton and the Isle of Wight. Yet again, J/teams across the board are enjoying a wide range of conditions from wet & wild to sunny and benign. Here are the reports from the first three weekends. Week 1 ReportIn the build-up to the 44th Hamble Winter Series, all eyes were focused on the GRIB weather prediction files to see how Storm Amy would affect the proceedings. Try as they might, the Race Team could not find a forecast that would allow racing on Saturday, 4th October. This made the decision easy for Matt Stein, the RC/PRO for the Hamble One-Design Championship. He was able to cancel racing on Friday morning, giving those competitors who had to travel, including one from Italy, plenty of notice.By Sunday, Amy had lifted up her skirts and headed East. She left behind a good sailing breeze, interspersed with a number of interesting gusts. Matt Stein took the CV Flightwing out to 4S (Royal Southern buoy) with the intention of giving the J/111s and J/70s four races to compensate for the missed Saturday. RC/PRO Peter Bateson headed towards 4V (Hamble Yacht Services) before settling the line for the IRC classes half a mile East of 4S.On the One-Design line, nineteen teams started in the J/70 fleet. This was the last of their Grand Slam events for the 2025 season, so no pressure! Three J/111s started first and went to a further windward mark. The windward mark on Race 2 for the J/70s arrived as a strong gust met the fleet. There proceeded to be a number of boat handling challenges as the kites went up.  READ MORE HERE.

San Diego YC Repeat Winners @ Lipton Cup J/105 Regatta(San Diego, CA)– After an exciting weekend of tight racing in quintessential San Diego weather, the 110th Challenge for the Sir Thomas Lipton Cup concluded on Sunday, October 26. The prestigious, invitational-only regatta brought together 12 highly competitive yacht club teams from across the United States and Mexico including Club de Yates de Acapulco, Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, American Yacht Club, Balboa Yacht Club, Bayview Yacht Club, California Yacht Club, Coronado Yacht Club, Long Beach Yacht Club, New York Yacht Club, Newport Harbor Yacht Club, San Diego Yacht Club, and San Francisco Yacht Club. Regatta Chair, Dave Vieregg, stated, “We had an incredible collection of highly skilled teams racing in the 2025 Lipton Cup. It was an honor to host them at SDYC and watch the competition. The Challenge for the Lipton Cup is Southern California racing at its finest.”The regatta kicked off on Thursday, October 23, with registration, weigh-ins, and a practice race so the teams had a chance to get their bearings on the member-loaned J/105 boats they would be racing over the next three days. To keep racing as fair and even as possible, the Lipton Cup regatta is structured in a round robin format where each team sails one race on each of the twelve J/105s, switching between races from the temporary floating dock brought down to the South Bay for the event.  READ MORE HERE.

Silverware for J/Teams @ RORC Seasons Points Championship 2025(London, England)- The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2025, a milestone marking a century of dedication to ocean racing and yachting excellence. Since the 1930s, the RORC has organized a full season of offshore races. In 2000, the Club introduced the first RORC Season’s Points Championship, scored under the IRC Rating System. A quarter of a century on, the RORC Season’s Points Championship has become the largest and most prestigious offshore racing series in the world. The 2025 edition attracted over 600 boats and over 7,000 sailors representing six continents. Over time, various J/Teams have won their respective IRC Divisions or won it Overall. This year, two more teams silvered on the podium.  READ MORE HERE.

J/105 Fleet 3 Shines with Strong Season and New Regatta(Annapolis, MD)- While many one-design classes across the country are facing participation challenges, the J/105 Fleet 3 on the Northern Chesapeake continues to thrive, with competitive turnouts, lively events, and an enthusiastic community spirit centered in Annapolis.Annapolis YC’s 2025 Wednesday Night Racing showcased the fleet’s depth, fielding 27 boats in Series 1 and 29 in Series 2— the largest class in either series. Beyond weeknight racing, the J/105s have also dominated many weekend regattas, including the Helly Hansen Sailing World Series, AYC Fall Series, and the Chesapeake Championships, frequently drawing 20 or more J105s—figures rivaling those of recent national championships.  READ MORE HERE.

GOOD TRADE Wins Chesapeake Bay Championship(Annapolis, MD)— Peter Bowe’s team on GOOD TRADE won the 2025 Chesapeake Bay Championship in an extremely tight 20-boat fleet in what host Annapolis Yacht Club called “epic conditions.”The two-day event had better-than-expected wind on Saturday and “the breeze we yearn for all year on Sunday,” according to Annapolis YC.Saturday: Shifty Southerly and Tight RacingPRO Steve Kling posted an AP on Saturday while waiting for the breeze to settle in across the course. The first race got underway around noon against a strong ebb tide, which caused two general recalls.Throughout the day, a shifty southerly built from 6 to 10 knots, making for great sailing for the 20 competitors. After three races, Kyle Bollhorst’s JUGGERNAUT won the day— living up to its name by closing with two bullets. MAYHEM was only a point behind, followed by WARBRIDE, the winner of the AYC Fall Regatta against another 20-boat fleet.  READ MORE HERE.

The J/46 SWEET RUCA’s AdventuresThis is an ongoing story about a couple that bought a J/46 and, with little offshore experience, decided they wanted to sail around the world. The crew consists of Kate, Curtis, and Roxy the dog. Their introduction is quite amusing. “One day we woke up, saw a boat on the Internet (the J/46), and in less than 24 hours, we had the winning bid!! Kate and I purchased the boat in January 2019 with the intention of refitting her and sailing her around the world. We sold our house, left Ohio, and moved onto the boat in Newport, Rhode Island, in July 2019. That’s before the global Covid-19 pandemic!”Since then, this American couple from the Midwest has had quite the adventure cruising around the world on SWEET RUKA. Here is the short story of their travels to date. READ MORE HERE. 

J/Gear HOLIDAY Special- 20% off!(Newport, RI)- We’re offering the J/Holiday Special from October through November 15th, 2025! 20% off on ALL orders!But the 1/2 hull models are exempt from this offer.Order early to ensure a Happy Holidays delivery!Holiday discount coupon:  JB2025HSFor any clothing, hats, blankets, and so forth, choose your J/Class logo and customize with boat name and sail number as an option. Browse all products here on the J/GEAR website:https://jgear.vsport.biz

(Hamble, England)- The 44th running of the Hamble Winter Series is now in its fourth weekend of sailing on the infamous, capricious Solent Water between Southampton and the Isle of Wight. Yet again, J/teams across the board are enjoying a wide range of conditions from wet & wild to sunny and benign. Here are the reports from the first three weekends.

Week 1 ReportIn the build-up to the 44th Hamble Winter Series, all eyes were focused on the GRIB weather prediction files to see how Storm Amy would affect the proceedings. Try as they might, the Race Team could not find a forecast that would allow racing on Saturday, 4th October. This made the decision easy for Matt Stein, the RC/PRO for the Hamble One-Design Championship. He was able to cancel racing on Friday morning, giving those competitors who had to travel, including one from Italy, plenty of notice.
By Sunday, Amy had lifted up her skirts and headed East. She left behind a good sailing breeze, interspersed with a number of interesting gusts. Matt Stein took the CV Flightwing out to 4S (Royal Southern buoy) with the intention of giving the J/111s and J/70s four races to compensate for the missed Saturday. RC/PRO Peter Bateson headed towards 4V (Hamble Yacht Services) before settling the line for the IRC classes half a mile East of 4S.
On the One-Design line, nineteen teams started in the J/70 fleet. This was the last of their Grand Slam events for the 2025 season, so no pressure! Three J/111s started first and went to a further windward mark. The windward mark on Race 2 for the J/70s arrived as a strong gust met the fleet. There proceeded to be a number of boat handling challenges as the kites went up. EV Experts, Tim Collins, managed to show a keel and test the buoyancy all at the same time. Everyone on board was fine, and the EV Experts headed home to Hamble. As is always the case, consistency prevailed in the J/70 fleet. Max Clapp’s JEEPSTER went 4-3-3-7 in the four-race, no discard, series. Hector Simpson’s DADS’N’LADS was 4 points back. Arthur Farley’s GENIUS was in third, regretting a 17th in the first race, after which they went 1-2-3!!
In the J/111 class, it was JOURNEYMAKER 11, with Louise Makin and Chris Jones, that had a clean sweep with straight firsts! In second behind them was Ella Wollmann’s FREQUENT FLYER, then Paul Griffiths’s JAGERBOMB in third position.
Back in the HRSC clubhouse, Key Yachting presented some very welcome prizes to the windswept participants. Bubbles, Beer, and Chocolates are always well received after a hard day’s play on the Solent.

Week 2 ReportFor the second week running, wind was the major discussion point as the weekend approached. This time, however, it was an apparent lack of breeze, particularly on the Saturday. Not one to be put off by less-than-favorable forecasts, RC/PRO Peter Bateson messaged the fleet by WhatsApp on Friday to give them his thoughts. His message finished with, “We are certainly going to go out and try!” Oh, the power of positive thinking. Peter and his Race Team completed the whole five-race program for the Hamble IRC Autumn Championship, including three races on a puffless Saturday.
To add to the fun, there were mean spring tides in the Solent, which have a big influence on light airs. In an attempt to mitigate this, Peter and his No. 2, Kathryn Clark, took the CV Baldur, inshore of the North channel, to start near 4Q (John Fisher). Even so, the effect of the tide was significant. With the breeze from the NE, the windward mark at 0.7 miles from the CV ended up near the shore, which made things very shifty.
A simple windward/leeward, with a spreader mark giving a short hitch up tide to improve the runs, was the plan for the first two races. Race 1 had two laps and Race 2 had three. Finally, a round-the-cans of 6 to 7 miles for the different classes was set for Race 3, but this had to be shortened to 2.7 miles as the breeze veered and dropped. Notwithstanding this, Peter Bateson was “delighted to have got three races in” and so were the 38 teams out on the racecourse.
Simon Shillaker’s J/92S JAMBO was leading IRC 2 with ten points, closely followed by the J/109s, JUKEBOX and JEANIE, of John Smart and Rosie Berry, respectively, with 12 points.
Sunday brought less tide and a better breeze, mostly around 8 knots, again from the NE. The CV set up at 48 (Paul Heys) with windward marks at up to 1.2 miles, again close to shore and quite shifty. Only one windward/leeward was required on Sunday, followed by a decent round-the-cans race of between 7 and 8½ miles for the different classes. Once again, the Race Team and the competitors managed to get both races in, and “the sun came out!” boasted the PRO.
IRC 2 was equally packed with Solent experts. The J/109 JUKEBOX banged in a couple of firsts to take the class.
Back at HRSC, Tom, the Manager from Force 4 at Port Hamble, was there to present the prizes. There were some very impressive waterproof bags given out, as well as vouchers to use in the store.

Week 3 ReportSaturday saw the start of the second weekend of the Hamble One-Design Championship. RC/PRO Matt Stein took the CV Artimis near 4R (Darling Buoy). He was ably assisted by Kathryn Clark as ARO, with PRO Peter Bateson lurking onboard doing menial tasks. In addition, HRSC Rear Commodore Sailing- Mark Benton- skippered the boat, under the watchful eye of Dian Galpin. Helen O’Connor and Ann Russell completed the crew. What a Team!
With the breeze averaging circa 15-17 knots from 140 degrees, the plan was to run three windward/leeward races for the J/111s with a 1.5-mile leg.
In the J/111s, JOURNEYMAKER 11 of Louise Makin and Chris Jones, who were leading the competition from the first weekend, had a disappointing second place in Race 1. Cornel Riklin’s JITTERBUG took advantage of their slip-up to record the bullet. Paul Griffiths’s JAGERBOMB was third. JOURNEYMAKER 11 recovered their poise in the next two races, winning both, leaving them in a pretty uncatchable position with one day to go. JAGERBOMB was second, and JITTERBUG recorded a DNC.
The PRO messaged both fleets on Saturday night to confirm that “we are expecting brisk conditions tomorrow and are planning to go racing.” He didn’t mention the rain! The J/111s sent in a note from their Mum to say they would not be going out in the rain.
Thanks for these report contributions from Trevor Pountain
Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth-http://www.pwpictures.com
For more Hamble Winter Series sailing informationhttps://www.hamblewinterseries.com

(Buenos Aires, Argentina)- The Yacht Club Argentino is hosting the 2025 edition of the J/70 World Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the first time “down under” in the southern hemisphere. There are seventy-one teams participating from sixteen nations; including Argentina (22), Australia (1), Bermuda (1), Brazil (14), Chile (5), China (1), Spain (2), Great Britain (2), Germany (1), Italy (3), Portugal (1), Switzerland (1), Sweden (2), Turkey (3), Uruguay (7), and USA (13).
Sailing started on Tuesday, October 28th, and continues to Saturday, November 1st. So far, the top of the leaderboard is experiencing a severe case of “chutes & ladders”, as teams move up and down the top ten like yo-yos on a string.

Day OneThe initial leader on the first day was Laura Grondin’s DARK ENERGY, the first time in the history of the J/70 class that a lady helm led the top of the leaderboard at a World Championship!
Local knowledge directed race one when Fernando Gwozdz’s PETRO GREEN RACING (ARG) went wire to wire, and Juan Diego Figueroa’s HOMERO (ARG) was runner-up. Continuing their hot streak after winning the Corinthian World Championship last month, Alec Cutler’s HEDGEHOG (BER) placed third. Women helms made a statement in fifth and sixth places: Maggie McKillen’s MAGATRON and Laura Grondin’s DARK ENERGY (both USA). Winds came from the Southeast around 12-15 knots with choppy waters upwind and mode changing downwind in planing conditions.
A wind shift caused a short postponement before race two as the breeze ebbed off a bit. A pack of Americans charged forward, led by Grondin’s DARK ENERGY (USA). The leeward gates were quite busy with multi-lingual commotion. Teams used wing-on-wing maneuvers to slay the downwind legs. Samuel Albrecht’s EL ENEMIGO (BRA) and Brian Keane’s SAVASANA (USA) took the silver and bronze spots in race two.



The top five overall: 1st- Laura Grondin’s DARK ENERGY (USA)- 7 pt; 2nd- Sam Albrecht’s EL ENEMIGO (BRA)- 11 pts; 3rd- Travis Odenbach’s HONEYBADER (USA)- 18 pts; 4th- Peter Duncan’s RELATIVE OBSCURITY (USA)- 18 pts; and 5th- Haroldo Solberg’s VIKING OCEANPACT (BRA)- 18 pts. 

Day TwoSailors were giddy on Wednesday after two more races in wet and wild conditions on the Río de la Plata. Under sunny skies, 15-18 knots of breeze paired with a running river current to equal a lively day off the shores of Yacht Club Argentino.
A new leader emerged in Travis Odenbach’s HONEYBADGER (USA) and also two fresh names in the top five— Brian Keane’s SAVASANA and Rich Witzel’s ROWDY (both USA). Cate Muller Terhune’s CASTING COUCH (USA) ascended to sixth overall, leading the group of five women helms.

“The HONEYBADGER team likes to have fun and keep it loose. It’s unique to have this amount of talent on a boat that also happens to be really good friends,” said Odenbach.

In race three, Odenbach’s HONEYBADGER (USA) made it look easy in the heavy air. Bruno Bethlem’s ARETE (BRA) and Peter Duncan’s RELATIVE OBSCURITY (USA) also excelled in the dramatic weather, as boats churned rapidly on the downwinds.

The exhilarating racing lasted into race four, where local knowledge ruled as Guillermo Parada’s NILDO (ARG) took line honors, ahead of Keane’s SAVASANA (USA) and John Heaton’s EMPEIRIA (USA). 

Top five overall: 1st- Travis Odenbach’s HONEYBADGER (USA)- 24 pts; 2nd- Peter Duncan’s RELATIVE OBSCURITY (USA)- 25 pts; 3rd- Haroldo Soberg’s VIKING OCEANPACT (BRA)- 38 pts; 4th- Brian Keane’s SAVASANA (USA)- 40 pts; 5th- Rich Witzel’s ROWDY (USA)- 46 pts.  Click here for J/70 Worlds Day 2 results overall (PDF file).

Day ThreeThe roller coaster scorelines started to settle in on Thursday as the discard race came into effect, with now six races scored. The day began as a light air affair, the opposite of the initial two days, but picked up to a steadier pace for the day’s second contest. Laura Grondin’s DARK ENERGY (USA) returned to the top of the leaderboard, able to toss a prior 40th and land at 37 net points just after the halfway point of the Championship. Haroldo Solberg’s VIKING OCEANPACT (BRA) moved into the runner-up position, only two points behind.
The DUCASSE Sailing Team (CHI) of Andrés Ducasse, Ignacio Ducasse, Rodrigo Ducasse, and Francisco Ducasse is keeping hold of the 30-boat Corinthian Division. Winners of the 2021 Worlds Corinthian division, they remain eighth overall in Buenos Aires, aiming for a top-ten finish. “It’s a family business, there are seven of us,” said Andrés Ducasse. “My younger brother is our coach. My older brother is our tactician. My dad helps keep everyone calm on board. We’ve been sailing the J/70 for 10 years, and my brother and I raced 470 in the Rio Olympics. So yes, we’re Corinthians, but we’ve got hours on the water.”

Light air tactics determined race 5, won by Luis Albert’s PATAKIN (ESP), with John Heaton’s EMPEIRIA (USA), and Grondin’s DARK ENERGY extending on the rest of the 71-boat fleet. 

A little more breeze of 10-12 knots made for hectic mark roundings in race 6 when Samuel Albrecht’s EL ENEMIGO (BRA), Doug Rastello on Charles Thompson’s BRUTUS III (GBR), and Renato Cunha Faria’s TO NESSA (BRA) cracked the top three.
Top five overall: 1st-  Laura Grondin’s DARK ENERGY (USA)- 37 pts; 2nd- Haroldo Solberg’s VIKING OCEANPACT (BRA)- 39 pts; 3rd- Peter Duncan’s RELATIVE OBSCURITY (USA)- 42 pts; 4th- Travis Odenbach’s HONEYBADGER (USA)- 44 pts; 5th- Bruno Bethlem’s ARETE (BRA)- 49 pts.   Click here for J/70 Worlds Day 3 results overall (PDF file).

Day 4Friday was “shakeup day”, yet again, on a supremely sublime day. It was a sunny, beautiful day on the Río de la Plata with a ripping tide that challenged the teams. The standings continue to invert throughout this series, with eight of 10 planned races recorded. The final shootout is set for Saturday, after another new leader has materialized: Bruno Bethlem’s ARETE (BRA) with 68 net points, eight points ahead of Doug Rastello helming Charles Thomson’s BRUTUS III (GBR). Friday’s conditions could be referred to as a seesaw— when winds of 6-8 knots combined with significant current to test crews.

“The day was quite good. We were not too aggressive in the settings, so we could manage the tricky conditions of Buenos Aires,” said the new regatta leader. “My team? We’re all friends. We have been sailing in this Class together for a long time. They deserve this. I’m happy for them. We have no expectations. We’re just here to sail. We don’t think expectations are good, so we don’t make them. We just go out there every day and try to sail our best.”

Race seven saw Richard Witzel’s ROWDY (USA) forcing a gybe at the finish line to take the win over Mauro Roversi’s J-CURVE (ITA) and Filip Engelbert’s ELVIS (SWE).
After a brief postponement to reset the line, race eight was off with many on port tack right after the start. As boats turned downwind, a parade of spinnakers lit up the left side of the course. Cate Muller-Terhune’s CASTING COUCH (USA) earned the victory, ahead of Nuno Espirito Santo Silva’s BABA (POR), and Guillermo Parada’s NILDO (ARG).


Top five overall: 1st- Bruno Bethlem’s ARETE (BRA)- 68 pts; 2nd- Doug Rastello/ Charles Thompson’s BRUTUS III (GBR)- 76 pts; 3rd- Peter Duncan’s RELATIVE OBSCURITY (USA)- 80 pts; 4th- Laura Grondin’s DARK ENERGY (USA); 5th- Martin Dent’s JELVIS (GBR)- 87 pts.  Click here for J/70 Worlds Day 4 results overall (PDF file).

Sponsors include Vida Seguros, Almarena Madero Urbano, Galeno, South American Rigging/ Marlow/ Velo, Ansilta, Eximia, Windsail, Emergencias, Fantoche, and Vacalin

Sailing photo credits- by Matias Capizzano https://capizzano.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/2025-J70-Worlds/C0000IQHv30m._o8
For J/70 World Championship sailing information and resultshttps://viramos.com/championships/814266b9-7043-4391-bd4e-e05350b94417
For more Yacht Club Argentino regatta informationhttps://yca.org.ar/2025/01/15/2025-j70-world-championship/