Kieler Woche - J/70 European Championship opened with 96 boats

by SVG Verlag on 23 Jun 2016 It is the second European Championship of the young J/70 class, and the registration numbers for the European Championship of the keel boat did almost rise up to 100.

96 boats from 15 nations are in the list of registered crews to start tomorrow the J/70 Europeans, which will take place during Kiel Week (18. until 26. June). Even a crew from Chile and one from Brazil did travel to Kiel. And also the Mediterranean nations are at the start line in the North. Five Italian crews, that were dominating the European Championship in 2015 in Monaco, two Spanish and two Monegasque crews did register.

The European Championship was started with the parade of the nations this Wednesday, 22. June at 7:30pm and the following opening ceremony in the Kiel Week Lounge in Kiel-Schilksee, before the boats will be fighting to gain the title from Thursday, 23. June, until Sunday, 26. June, on race course Delta. Altogether elven races are scheduled on four race days (with the first start on Thursday at 12pm).

But it is not just the quantity being good in Kiel. Names such as Alberini (Italy), Carrain (Monaco), Jablonski (German poles) and Rossi (Italy) are on the list of the J/70 European Championship and promising high-class sailing sport. Carlo Alberini (Italy) will be starting as the reigning Vice World Champion in Kiel, and Jacopo Carrain (Yacht Club of Monaco) is the winner of the Monaco J/70 Sportsboat Winter Series. Claudia Rossi did register from Italy with her 'Petite Terrible'. Her father Alberto Rossi did win the ORC Worlds with 'Enfant Terrible' 2014 in Kiel.

The German fleet is with 50 boats the biggest on their home territory. And it also applies here: More and more big names are starting to sail in the boat type of the national German sailing league. So the former 505 World Champion Claas Lehmann will be sailing for the Blankenese Sailing Club, the ten-time Ice Sailing World Champion and the Admiral's Cup winner Karol Jablonski (54) is on board with Pit Finis from Duesseldorf, and the multiple World Champion Carsten Kemmling will be at the start line for the Norddeutscher Regatta-Verein, which has another good team at the start with Sven Erik Horsch (former X-41 European Champion, Platu 25 and Match Race Champion) and his team.

The reigning champion of the national German sailing league from Starnberg also has good chances. The German Touring Yacht-Club, which is still at the top of the fleet of the national German sailing league after the second match day, was the best German crew at the European Championship 2015 with rank nine.

Around 400 sailors did fill the festival tent at the opening ceremony. Minister of the Interior Stefan Studt did welcome the participants of the European Championship together with the President of the international class association Juergen Waldheim and Kiel Week head of organisation Dirk Ramhorst.

'The fact that the J/70 European Championship is being held in Kiel is a proof of Schleswig-Holstein's position as the world's leading sailing venue', said Schleswig-Holstein's Minister for Sports Stefan Studt today (22 June) at the official opening of the J/70 European Championship in Kiel. The state government of Schleswig-Holstein is providing a million euros each year for 2016 and 2017 in funding for top-class sailing events. Supported by these funds, the J/70 European Championship will now be held in Schleswig-Holstein and take place on the waters of Kiel/Schilksee during the Kiel Week.

'This is also shown by the extremely positive response among sailors themselves, with a record number taking part in this European Championship. Speaking on behalf of the state government of Schleswig-Holstein, we will continue our efforts to maintain and build upon this exceptional position', said Studt. More than 90 teams from 15 countries will be competing on the waters of Schilksee. This is comparable with the 64 teams from 11 countries which took part in the first J/70 European Championship last year in Monaco.

The J/70 class was introduced in 2012 to meet the growing demand for powerful standardised keel boats. Boats and yachts taking part in regattas are described as a standard class or 'one design' if they are built following a specified design and are therefore almost identical in construction. The J/70 boat class, which is also the standard boat used in the first and second division of the national sailing league “Segel-Bundesliga”, is now sailed in more than 20 countries.

Kieler Woche (18. until 26. June):

Part 1 (18. until 21. June):

29er, 505, Albin Express, Contender, Europe, Flying Dutchman, Folkboat, F18, Hobie 16, J24, Laser 4.7, Laser Radial (open), Musto Skiff, OK Dinghy.

Part 2 (22. until 26. June):

2.4mR (IGC), 470 (W), 470 (M/both with JWC), 49er, 49er FX, Finn, Laser Radial (W), Laser Std (M), Nacra 17, Sonar (IGC).

Part 2 (23. until 26. June):

Melges 24, J/70 (EC), J/80, 420.

Part 3 - Offshore (18. until 25. June):

Welcome Race 1. race (Sat, 18. June) Kiel-Eckernfoerde, 2. race (Sun, 19. June) Eckernfoerde – Kiel: ORC Club I-IV, Mulithulls 3 classes (>39 ft, 30 up to 39 ft, < 30 ft), Albin Ballad.
Senatspreis (Thu, 23. June): ORC Club I - IV.
Silbernes Band (24. until 25. June): ORC Club I - IV.

Offshore (Seesegel-) IGC (International German Championship):

Long Distance (Sat, 18. June, until Sun, 19. June): ORCi I - IV.
Kiel-Cup Alpha (Mon, 20. June, until Wed, 22. June): Short races: ORCi I - IV.