Please select your home edition
Edition
Switch One Design

J70 European Championships at Real Club Náutico de Vigo - Day 4

by Louay Habib 16 Jun 2018 02:58 AEST 12-16 June 2018
Shoreside on day 1 of the 2018 J/70 Europeans at Vigo, Spain ©Maria Muina / 2018 J70 European Championship
Jose María Torcida's “Noticia” (ESP) on day 1 of the 2018 J/70 Europeans at Vigo, Spain ©Maria Muina / 2018 J70 European Championship
Two Bullets for Gustavo Doreste's Fermax (ESP) - Day 4 - J70 European Championships © María Muiña
Day 3 of the Europeans in Vigo with a fleet of 69 ©2018 J/70 European Championships / www.sailingshots.es
Day 3 of the Europeans in Vigo with a fleet of 69 ©2018 J/70 European Championships / www.sailingshots.es
Day 1 of the 2018 J/70 Europeans at Vigo, Spain ©Maria Muina / 2018 J70 European Championship
Day 1 of the 2018 J/70 Europeans at Vigo, Spain ©Maria Muina / 2018 J70 European Championship
Day 1 of the 2018 J/70 Europeans at Vigo, Spain ©Maria Muina / 2018 J70 European Championship
Day 1 of the 2018 J/70 Europeans at Vigo, Spain ©Maria Muina / 2018 J70 European Championship
previous next
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12

69 teams from 17 different countries enjoyed yet another spectacular day of racing in the Ria de Vigo for the 2018 J/70 European Championships.

A thick sea fog cleared by late morning, switching on the sea breeze to provide two races with surfing conditions in stunning surroundings. The day belonged to Gustavo Doreste's Fermax (ESP), scoring two bullets to jump up the leaderboard to fourth, and in with a chance of making the final podium tomorrow.

"We have had two really clear starts today and chose the favoured side in both races, when you get clear of this fleet you have more time to get the rest right. We don't have an objective in place, we are just trying to get better day by day. If we keep on working as we did today with the manoeuvres, it will raise our confidence, and we will sail fast...... let's see how it goes tomorrow." Gustavo Doreste

Championship leader, Peter Duncan's "Relative Obscurity" (USA), sailed conservatively today scoring a 13-8. Alberto Rossi's "Enfant Terrible" (ITA) raced hard, scoring a 7-3, to narrow the gap on the leader to 14 points with just two races to go. Luis Bugallo's "Marnatura" (ESP) scored 4-4 today lifting the team from Vigo to third overall, and top of the leaderboard for the Corinthian Class.

Renato Cunha Faria's "To Nessa" (BRA) has travelled from Rio de Janeiro to compete in Vigo. Renato's team are hoping to qualify for the 2018 J/70 World Championships in Marblehead, USA. To Nessa scored their third podium result today, coming a very close second behind Fermax in the last race of the day.

"We got a good start and we have been very happy with our upwind speed, so we made the top mark in good shape, and an early gybe got us into clear air and good pressure. The second upwind leg went well. On the downwind to finish, Fermax was ahead of us, and we decided to settle for second and gybe to cover the fleet. The level of competition in Europe is very high, so we are delighted to have done well in a few races. This class is a lot of fun and very competitive, it is so nice to be racing in a big fleet with so many world class sailors. " Renato Cunha Faria

Clive Bush's "Darcey" (GBR) scored their best result of the championship so far, a second place in Race 10. The championship has not been a good one for the British teams. Prolific 49er sailor John Pink, calling tactics on Darcey, shares a few ideas why.

"We have been trying a few different set ups to increase our pace and it all seemed to come together in that race. We got a nice little shift up the middle of the beat and rounded top five, and we had a decent bit of pace downwind as well. This fleet is really competitive with lots of good sailors from many countries. I think in general the British teams are lacking a bit of pace against these guys, but we are catching up, and the way to do that is by competing at more events and developing our sails a little bit better." John Pink

Tomorrow is the final day of the 2018 J/70 European Championships. Up to two races can be held, sea breeze conditions are forecast for a fantastic finale.

For more information about the J/70 European Championships with live tracking of the racing: j70europeans2018.com

Related Articles

Royal Thames YC 250th Anniversary Regatta overall
Perfect Solent conditions and desperately tight racing for the conclusion Picture-perfect conditions of a building 8-18 knots from the south-west, bright sunshine and flat Solent conditions on the flood tide made for a glamorous conclusion to the Royal Thames Yacht Club's 250th Anniversary Regatta on Sunday. Posted on 16 Jun
The Ultimate Guide to Load Pins
Types, applications and uses for cruising and racing The use of load pins onboard yachts dates back to grand prix racing in the 1980s. And, while there are many different load sensing devices available today, for standing rigging on yachts 50ft+, the load pin remains king. Posted on 15 Jun
Behind the scenes at Long Beach Race Week
The inside scoop on the LBRW Race Management Team To pull off not just a good but a great regatta requires both a passion for the sport but also solid knowledge of sailboat racing and a healthy appetite for fun. Posted on 14 Jun
Royal Thames YC 250th Anniversary Regatta Day 4
Challenging summer Solent conditions test the fleets A brisk south-westerly breeze, with gusts above 20 knots at times, made for challenging top-end conditions for all the fleets on a very busy Solent for the Royal Thames Yacht Club 250th Anniversary Regatta. Posted on 14 Jun
Royal Thames YC 250th Anniversary Regatta Day 3
Patience rewarded on light air afternoon Conditions more akin to the Mediterranean greeted the 251 entries on day 3 of the Royal Thames Yacht Club's 250th Anniversary Regatta, with bright sunshine and a shut-down of air flow across the Solent racecourses. Posted on 13 Jun
Stage set for a stacked J/70 UK Nationals
35 teams are set to line up as part of the RTYC 250th Anniversary Regatta 35 teams are set to line up for this year's J/70 UK Nationals, hosted by the RTYC as part of the 250th Anniversary Regatta. With a strong turnout and a mix of seasoned teams and new faces, this year's Nationals promise some epic racing. Posted on 12 Jun
Royal Thames YC 250th Anniversary Regatta looms
The club has worked hard, along with over 100 volunteers, to ensure great racing and socials The Royal Thames Yacht Club, one of the oldest yacht clubs in the world today, is very much looking forward to welcoming competitors, their families and friends to what is shaping up to be a most remarkable summer festival of sail on the Solent. Posted on 9 Jun
British Keelboat League Women's Qualifier
Sunshine and breeze made for a memorable weekend at the Royal Southern YC Sunshine and breeze made for a memorable weekend of fast and fun racing for the British Keelboat League Women's Qualifier at the Royal Southern Yacht Club. The latest round of the series was hosted as part of the Women's Open Keelboat Championship. Posted on 6 Jun
The Spanish Navy set for 43 Copa del Rey MAPFRE
With four boats on the starting line The 43rd edition of the Copa del Rey MAPFRE will see a strong presence from the Spanish Navy, which will deploy a four-boat squadron across multiple classes, reaffirming its long-standing ties to high-performance sailing. Posted on 29 May
North Sails May Regatta 2025 at Royal Southern YC
Including Round 2 of the Cape 31 class UK series Last weekend saw the first event in the Royal Southern's flagship Summer Series for 2025 - the North Sails May Regatta. 67 boats competed across six classes on three race areas. Posted on 25 May
Hyde Sails 2024 - One DesignHenri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeRolly Tasker Sails 2023 FOOTER