Dramatic win for Enfant Terrible in the J/70 European Championship
by Louay Habib 16 Jun 2018 12:58 PDT
12-16 June 2018
After five days of spectacular racing in the stunning Ria de Vigo, the final race of 13 high-octane battles produced a fitting climax to a sensational event. The J/70 European Championship Trophy will be returning to Italy, to the same town, and the same house but with a new name inscribed on it.
The 2018 J/70 European Championship was decided in the final downwind leg of Race 13. Tied on points going into the last race, Alberto Rossi's "Enfant Terrible" (ITA) crossed the line just ahead of reigning J/70 World Champion, Peter Duncan's "Relative Obscurity" (USA). Enfant Terrible won the open championship by a single point, coming back from a disqualification in Race 8. Claudia Rossi, Alberto's daughter has won the trophy for the last two year, presented it to her father, the Rossi family are heading back to Ancona Italy for major party. Claudia was the top woman helm for the championship.
"We sailed well as a team and technically speaking and we had a lot of fun, which is the best way to win." commented Alberto Rossi. "We made a good recovery and we realised the win was possible only in the last race. We are thrilled that the trophy will be going back home with us. Enfant Terrible has won the TP52 Worlds and the Farr40 Worlds. Both Claudia's team and mine will be in Marblehead, USA trying to win the 2018 J/70 World Championships, we are father and daughter but we are very competitive with each other. I will also be competing in the Farr40 Worlds in Chicago this year. I still love the Farr40 Class and it has many similarities with the J/70; great racing, highly competitive and a lot of fun." Alberto Rossi
"Congratulations to Alberto and his team, they sailed very well." commented Relative Obscurity's Peter Duncan. "We did not perform well towards the end of the regatta and we paid the price. I must say a big thank you to the organisers, this was a well organised event both on and off the water, and we have been made very welcome. I am sure we will see some of the top European team in Marblehead for the worlds. It is a venue that can give a big variety of conditions, and there will be some very competitive American teams racing."
Luis Bugallo's "Marnatura" (ESP) is the 2018 J/70 European Corinthian champion. Bugallo's team representing the host club, Real Club Nautico de Vigo was third in the Open Class. Luis is just 22 years old and is born and bred in Vigo.
"The team has been fantastic, nearly all of us are under 25. In the last race we had to take a big risk, and it paid off, we are so very happy to win the Corinthian Class in our home Vigo!"
Runner up for the Corinthian Class was Paolo Tomsic's Società Nautica Grignano (ITA) and completing the podium was Luis Pérez Canal's Abril Verde (ESP) from the host club, Real Club Nautico de Vigo.
For full results of the 2018 J/70 European Championships visit www.j70europeans2018.com