Fifteen nations open J/70 European Championship
by Julie & Christopher Howell 5 Sep 12:18 PDT
2-9 September 2023
Sunny skies, warm temperatures and varying winds of 8-10 knots greeted 48 boats for the J/70 European Championship hosted by Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy in Great Britain.
Leading after three races is Zaguero (MEX1655) with team of Ignacio Perez Morett, Alfredo Gonzales, Santiago Pérez Soltero, Manu Weiller and Carmen Ruiz at 10 points. Tim Ryan's Vamos (AUS1667) holds second place at 15 points, one ahead of Douglas Rastello's Good to Go (USA1046). Top European boat is Pär Svärdsson's Happy Yachting (SWE1563) with 20 points.
Fifteen nations are on hand: AUS, ESP, FRA, GBR, GER, IRL, MEX, MON, NED, POL, PRT, SUI, SWE, TUR, USA. More than half of the fleet is competing in the Corinthian (all-amateur) division.
In summer-like temperatures, shifty breeze and lumpy seas, competitors set off for the first of five days of the Championship. Perez Morett's Zaguero opened with the victory, trailed by Ryan's Vamos and Svärdsson's Happy Yachting. Race two was abandoned due to a significant shift, and when started gain was won by Pierrik Devic's Leonteq. William Edwards' Sardonyx and Rastello's Good to Go followed. Ahmet Eker's Eker Kaymak claimed the final battle, while Rastello's Good to Go moved up to second and Ryan's Vamos returned to the top three.
Racing continues through Saturday. Complete results may be found here.