J/70 European Championship 2026 at Real Club Nautico de Barcelona - Day 3

J/70 European Championship 2026 in Barcelona - Day 3 © Torveo

Hang Ten Takes Overall Lead with Outstanding Consistency

Day three of the J/70 European Championship confirmed that consistency is becoming the defining factor in the battle for the continental title. After races five and six, and with the discard coming into effect, the Spanish team of Guillén / Castellví / Cañellas (ESP 1706) on Hang Ten moved to the top of the standings, rewarding one of the most consistent performances in the fleet since the Championship began. Barcelona presented a very different racecourse from the previous two days. A light east-southeasterly breeze required the Race Committee to exercise patience before successfully completing the day's two scheduled races.

Haroldo Solberg (BRA 641) on OceanPact claimed victory in the fifth race after a highly tactical contest, finishing ahead of Hang Ten, while Monaco's GSpot rounded out the top three. The sixth race produced yet another different winner, with Denmark's Sirena Chico crew crossing the finish line first. Hang Ten once again finished second, posting back-to-back runner-up finishes to confirm the team's impressive form. American Rowdy placed third.

The day's biggest development came after race five, when the Championship's discard was applied. While the discard contributed to the change at the top of the leaderboard, it primarily highlighted the exceptional consistency Hang Ten had demonstrated throughout the event. After a difficult opening race, the Spanish crew compiled an outstanding series of finishes (2-4-1-2-2)—the most consistent scoreline in the fleet. With their 45th-place finish from the opening race discarded, that consistency was reflected in the overall standings, lifting the Catalan team from fourth to first with just 11 points.

The previous overall leader, Ricardo Terrades' (ESP 1214) HSN Sailing Team, also benefited from the discard by dropping a 46th-place finish. However, a more modest day on the water prevented the team from holding onto the lead, and they now sit second overall with 34 points. Both leading Spanish teams are competing in the Corinthian Division. American skipper John Heaton's (USA 169) Empeiria completes the provisional podium with 45 points, while the standings continue to reflect the remarkable depth of the fleet, where every point is becoming increasingly valuable.

Ricard Castellví (Hang Ten) said, "Today was a challenging day with very little wind and highly technical conditions. We managed two second-place finishes, which was a great result in a day like this, and now we're leading the provisional standings. Overall, the week has been going very well for us. We've raced in a mix of light and moderate winds, always with a fair amount of wave action—conditions we know very well and that suit the teams who sail regularly in Barcelona."

Event Information and Results at www.j70eurobarcelona2026.com