J/24 World Championship - Preview

by J Boats on 13 Sep The Port Credit YC of Mississauga, Canada, will be hosting the 2017 driveHG.ca J/24 World Championship. The J/24 is an international One-Design keelboat class and the most popular racing keelboat in the world with over 5,480 boats built and being sailed in 165 fleets and 110 countries.

Over 400 yachtsmen and women on sixty-nine boats will be participating in this year’s Worlds representing ten countries- Argentina, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Peru and the USA.

The opening day of the 2017 Worlds at Port Credit YC will feature three-time J/24 North American Champion and World Champion Will Welles of North Sails, speaking at 5 pm about performance racing, along with fellow J/24 World Champion Tim Healy, the North Sails One-Design President.

The host country is showing a bit of resurgence in J/24 activity, with twenty teams participating in this year’s event on Lake Ontario. Top crews include Canadian Champion Rossi Milev steering CLEAR AIR, as a member of PCYC, clearly the hometown favourite. Joining is Evan Petley-Jones’ LIFTED from Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron in Halifax, and Katie Coleman Nicoll’s Quick Nick also from PCYC.

The largest, and arguably most talented, contingent comes from the USA, with thirty-four teams lining up on the starting line. In that line-up are several past J/24 World Champions, European Champions and North American Champions. An impressive group, to say the least. Heading up that group are John Mollicone’s Newport team on Helly Hansen, with fellow World Champion Tim Healy on board. Fellow Newport colleague Will Welles will be racing his familiar Bogus. Then, yet another J/24 World Champion, Mike Ingham’s crew from Rochester Canoe Club in New York will be racing USA 5443. J/22 World Champion Mike Marshall will be racing with his Newport-based crew on Pipe Dream.

Tony Parker’s famous Bangor Packet should be in the hunt with his talented crew, so will be Scott Milne’s Tremendous Slouch for Seattle, WA, Aidan Glackin’s Mental Floss from Lloyd Harbor YC, Al Constants’ BLITZ from Long Island Sound, Todd Fedyszyn’s Spoony Tactics from St Petersburg, FL, Erica Beck Spencer’s Sea Bags Women’s Sailing Team from Portland, ME, Carter White’s You Regatta from Portland, ME, and Mark Laura’s Baba Louie from Seattle, WA.

The top South American crews include the entire trio from Argentina- Sergio Pendola’s Cacique, Matias Pereira’s Carrera and Nick Cubria’s Elvis- all from Buenos Aires and Club Nautico Olivos- all Argentinian or South American Champions. Joining them is Mexico’s National Champion- Ken Porter on Monster Fish from Club Nautico Valle de Bravo. In addition, are two Peruvian Champions- Luis Olcese’s Scaramoush and Javier Arribas’ Wayra.

From Europe are a number of competitive women's teams, including Ann Taylor’s Rockely Watersports from Parkstone YC in England, Ann-Kathrin Frank’s Hamburg, Germany crew sailing Juelssand and Lizzy McDowell’s’ Howth YC team from Dublin, Ireland sailing Scandal.

Finally, a substantial Asian contingent is looking forward to sailing on Lake Ontario’s “sweet water”. Four Japanese teams are on hand, including Nobuyuki Imai’s Siesta and Tokuma Takesue’s GEKKO. Plus, Gyeongwon Jo’s crew from Korea will be sailing KOR 7777 Summer Santa!

For more information visit event website.