J/Newsletter- October 17th, 2025

As autumn deepens across the northern hemisphere, the J/Community finds itself at a crossroads — one part wrapping up championship season, another already looking ahead to winter adventures. The past few weeks have offered a striking snapshot of the sport’s reach and vitality: from New Orleans to Barcelona, Annapolis to San Francisco, sailors continue to chase excellence in every corner of the map.

In the deep South, LE TIGRE roared to victory at the J/80 North American Championship in New Orleans, while across the Atlantic, MARNATURA captured the J/70 Spanish Cup after a fiercely contested regatta in Barcelona. Collegiate sailors brought their own energy to the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta in Larchmont — a weekend that saw 49 teams, 384 sailors, one massive nor’easter, and more than a few soggy smiles.

This week’s stories also shine a light on the diversity and depth of the “J” sailing world: from the women-led Red Bra Regatta in San Francisco and the upcoming Heidi Cup on Lake Thun, to the international Masters Regatta in San Diego and the enduring East Coast Championships for J/22s and J/24s in Annapolis. Offshore, the horizon widens further— from Malta’s legendary Rolex Middle Sea Race in the Mediterranean to the ever-popular J/Fest Southwest in Texas, both drawing fleets that reflect the same spirit of competition and camaraderie that defines the class.

And as the northern winds start to bite, the J/70 Winter Series calendar is already heating up— with sailors setting their sights on warmer waters in Florida, Monaco, Spain, Mexico, Portugal, Turkey, and beyond. Whether it’s a winter escape or serious training for next year’s championships, there’s always another adventure waiting just over the horizon.

Speaking of adventures, be sure to read about the on-going odyssey of the J/46 SWEET RUCA in the J/Community section below. A couple and their dog embarked on the world cruise of a lifetime; starting in Newport, then Maine, then Caribbean, then cross Atlantic to the Azores/ Canaries, south trans-Atlantic to Puerto Williams and Cape Horn, north up through Chile’s Patagonia, and now the South Pacific. It’s an epic journey and the blog is a great read!

From championship triumphs to charity regattas, from collegiate fleets to seasoned masters, this season’s stories remind us that J/sailing never really stops — it simply changes hemispheres! Wherever you find yourself sailing next, here’s to fair winds, warm friendships, and a season that continues to inspire.

LE TIGRE Roars to J/80 North American Championship!
(New Orleans, LA)- Twenty-one J/80s from across the United States and Canada descended on New Orleans, LA, for the 2025 J/80 North American Championship, hosted by Southern Yacht Club. Excitement has been high leading into this match-up, after recent championships in the North/Northeast of the continent. READ MORE HERE.

MARNATURA Wins J/70 Spanish Cup
(Barcelona, Spain)- Luis Bugallo’s MARNATURA, from the Real Club Náutico de Vigo, was crowned champion of the J/70 Spanish Cup, held last weekend in the waters off Barcelona.

The event, which brought together seventeen teams from three nations (Spain, Germany, and Hungary), was held in conjunction with the second round of the J/70 Barcelona Winter Series, organized by the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona.

Over three intense days, crews from the Canary Islands, Galicia, Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, the Valencian Community, and other parts of Europe put on a top-level performance, completing nine of the twelve scheduled races. READ MORE HERE.

College of Charleston Crowned STC Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta Champions!
49 Teams, 384 Sailors, 120 Volunteers, and 1 Nor’easter
(Larchmont, NY)- The 2025 Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta (IOR), presented by ShopRite of Carteret, organized by the Storm Trysail Club, and supported by the Storm Trysail Foundation, welcomed 49 teams and 384 collegiate sailors for a weekend of spirited big boat racing. Notably, 34 of the boats were passionate J/Boats owners- 72.0% of the fleet!!

Teams arrived Friday to find cool fall conditions as they took to the water for practice aboard boats generously donated by local owners. Some of those boats were delivered that morning from as far away as New Jersey — their owners bundled up in layers for the trip north.

Adapting to the Nor’easter
Given the forecast of a significant nor’easter on Sunday, organizers made the early call on Friday to cancel Sunday racing for the safety of the sailors and boats. The first warning signal on Saturday was moved up one hour to capitalize on the favorable conditions expected before the storm. READ MORE HERE.

Women J/Crews Love The 13th Red Bra Regatta 
(San Francisco, CA)- The South Beach Yacht Club on the southern part of San Francisco Bay hosted its 13th annual Red Bra Regatta 2025. The event was all about fun and supporting other women. Specifically, the regatta supported “Girls United” for the seventh year this September! 

Girls United for Kenya
Girls United is an amazing organization that organizes clubs and student-led advocacy for girls in Kenya, as well as training female teachers to be role models for these girls. 

Run out of Flying Kites Academies, Girls United empowers young women in many ways, including skill-building workshops as well as providing access to information on important topics like reproductive health. The aims of Girls United are clearly aligned with those of the Red Bra Regatta and its motto- “Empowered Women Empowering Women.”  READ MORE HERE.

Swiss J/70 HEIDI CUP Preview
(Spiez, Switzerland)- The Yacht Club Spiez in Spiez, Switzerland, will again be hosting fourteen women’s teams on Lake Thun for the 2025 edition of the Heidi Cup. Like their colleagues in Scandinavia, the women’s sailing circuit in Switzerland continues to grow quite strongly. The big question is how teams that fared well in the 2024 season continue their winning ways.  

In the 2024 Swiss Women’s Sailing League finale, the top five were Thunersee Yacht Club, Zürcher Segel Club, Regattaclub Oberhofen, Regattaclub Bodensee, and Club Nautique Morgien. Then, in the final women’s regatta of the summer season, the Heidi Cup on Lake Thun, the top five were Regattaclub Oberhofen, Regattaclub Bodensee, Segelclub Oberer Zurichsee, Cercle de la Voile Vevey, and Cercle de la Voile d’Estavayer..  READ MORE HERE.

Don Trask J/105 Masters Regatta 2025 Preview
(San Diego, CA)- The 43rd running of the Don Trask Masters Regatta returns to San Diego Yacht Club October 20-22, 2023. This year’s slate of twelve competitors brings together a truly international cast of Master skippers from Canada, Germany, Mexico, and the United States. Over the three days of racing, teams will compete using chartered J/105s in a round-robin format in South San Diego Bay.

Historically, this invitation-only regatta has attracted some of the world’s best master sailors, including iconic names like Elvstrom, Buchan, Burnham, Tillman, Trask, Irish, Harken, North, and Holland (just to name a few). This year is no exception.  READ MORE HERE.

J/24 & J/22 East Coast Championship Preview
(Annapolis, MD)- It’s that time of year again when the annual fall East Coast Championships for J/22s and J/24s takes place on the Chesapeake Bay. Hosted for the 47th time by the Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis, MD, the fleet of thirty-four J/24s and fourteen J/22s is looking forward to another weekend of fun & frolic sailing off the mouth of the Severn River. 

Back in the pandemic year of 2020, Sam McGuire was interviewed by Sail-World.com’s David Schmidt, himself an avid J/24 sailor in the Pacific Northwest J/24 fleet in Seattle. Sam offered a great perspective on the meaning of this regatta for members of the J/24 community. 

“Fall can be a bittersweet time for East Coast sailors. Winter isn’t far over the horizon, yet fall brings cooler temperatures, markedly less humidity, and some of the year’s best breeze and racing conditions. This is especially true for the Chesapeake Bay, where the J/22 and J/24 East Coast Championships, which are being organized by the Severn Sailing Association, U.S. J/24 Fleet 8, and U.S. J/22 Fleet 19, are set to unfurl on the waters near the mouth of the Severn River.  READ MORE HERE.

ROLEX Middle Sea Race Preview
(Gzira, Malta)- The 46th ROLEX Middle Sea Race, which starts on Saturday, 18 October 2025, has amassed a fleet of 118 yachts. The entrants represent thirty countries and territories: from Australia and New Zealand to Finland and Norway, and from the United States to Romania. It is an outstanding, wide-ranging, and highly competitive fleet. The Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC) and its race organizing committee are thrilled with the continued enthusiasm shown for this classic race.

“The Royal Malta Yacht Club is truly delighted to welcome such a diverse and talented fleet to this year’s Rolex Middle Sea Race,” said Commodore Mark Napier. “This October promises an extraordinary international gathering, ready to take on one of the world’s most captivating race courses. We look forward to extending our renowned Maltese hospitality and, together with our partners, creating an unforgettable experience for every crew.” Several J/Teams are participating in the race.  READ MORE HERE.

J/Fest Southwest Regatta 2025 Preview
(Houston, TX)- The J/Fest Southwest Regatta is celebrating its 15th Year in 2025 and is one of the most popular regattas for J/Boat owners across the region. It welcomes all J/Boats, including J/22, J/24, J/70, J/105, J/ORC, J/PHRF, and J/Cruise classes. The regatta features strong competition, a festive atmosphere, and draws participants from both near and far, with diverse J/Boat fleets represented. Here are the currently registered teams looking forward to a fun weekend sailing on Galveston Bay. READ MORE HERE.

J/70 Winter Calendar Announcement
(Newport, RI)- As the northern hemisphere cools off, the J/70 calendar heats up all around the world. Whether you’re looking to escape the cold for a warmer weather weekend or training for the big show next year, now’s the time to set your schedule. 

The J/70 Class continues to grow across continents, and these winter regattas offer the perfect chance to sail in warm weather all around the world all year long! What a concept, a true “bucket list” class to sail in! Where will you be sailing this season? Here’s a look at some of the upcoming racing.  READ MORE HERE.

The J/46 SWEET RUCA’s Adventures
This 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:  JB2025HS

For 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