J/80 and inaugural J/70 UK National Championships preview

by Gemma Dunn on 13 Nov 2012 The 2013 J/80 UK National Championships and the inaugural J/70 UK National Championships will be hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes from Friday 14th-16th June 2013. The Notice of Race will soon be online here and on the new J/80 class website.

Expectations for next year are high amongst the J/80 fleet following a stellar 2012 season. The J/80 World Championships came to the UK for the first time in seven years, and hosted an incredible seventy-six boats from nine nations including the USA and Hong Kong. Twenty-six boats then went on to compete in the J/80 UK Nationals in September. The trophy was taken by Nic Barnes and Rob Larke on J2X, who scored five bullets of a possible six. The 2013 National Championships will provide a nice warm up for the 2013 World Championships in July, where more than 130 boats are expected to travel to host city Marseille.

The J/70 UK National Championships will be the first UK one design regatta for J Boats’ newest sportsboat. J/70 crews will then be able to go on and sail one design at Cowes Week and at the infamous J-Cup Regatta at the end of August.

The J/70 is the latest sportsboat design from market leaders J Boats, and is already the fastest selling model ever for the boatbuilder. The slipway-launchable keelboat, which arrived on UK shores in July, has already received more than twenty orders here. Build slots have reached 240 in the US and topped sixty in the first month of French production, leading to delivery dates for new UK orders being pushed back to March.

The alliance of these two formidable sportsboats will undoubtedly result in one of the most thrilling regattas of the summer. With incredible success stories and proven race performances behind them, no doubt shore side enthusiasts will eagerly await the results from each race.

The first of the weekend’s eight scheduled races is set to take place on the afternoon of Friday 14th June, followed by an opening drinks ceremony at the Royal Yacht Squadron. After four races on Saturday, competitors will enjoy a hearty supper at the club, and the prizegiving will take place on Sunday afternoon after the morning’s final two races.