J/80 Open National Championship – Preview

by Louay Habib on 14 Jun 2017 Hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club, in conjunction with the UK J/80 Class Association, 19 teams from three different countries will be competing in the Solent.

Three days of intense competition will decide the national champion. The forthcoming J/80 World Championship, also hosted by the Royal Southern YC, has a attracted a high class fleet for the J/80 Nationals.

Defending UK National Champion, Scotland's Kevin Sproul, will be out to win his sixth national title. Last year's runner up, Jonathan Powell, has been in fine form this season racing at the Royal Southern YC, as has Andy Ash-Vie racing out of the Royal Lymington YC. Olympic Silver Medallist, Scotland's Luke Patience, will be taking part in his first major J/80 regatta.

Alfred Mayrs will be at the helm of a the Downes family crew, all from Antrim, Northern Ireland, and Patrick O'Nell's team is from Dublin, Ireland. French hopes rest with Rémy Hurdiel from Dunkirk, Normandy. The championship will be a family affair for Royal Southern YC members, Chris and Annabelle Body. Father and daughter will be competing against each other, with the final races taking place on Fathers' Day in the UK.

“The Royal Southern Yacht Club is hosting World, European and National Championships this year, and we are delighted to host the J/80 Open National Championship, and welcome all of the competitors to the regatta.” commented Royal Southern Rear Commodore Sailing, Robert Vose. “Our highly experienced race management team is one of the main reasons we are chosen for major regattas and this weekend, led by Stuart Childerley, the club will provide great racing on the water. The facilities at the Royal Southern Yacht Club are purposed built for regattas, the perfect environment for the competitors and their boats.”

Nine windward leeward races are scheduled over three days, with a target time of 60 minutes for each race. Weather forecasts are promising the warmest weekend of the year so far, with sea breeze conditions likely to develop, to deliver spectacular racing conditions.