J/80 China Winter Series

(Xiamen, China)-  There was light air this weekend, but no lack of turnout again for the second week of racing.  With 8 boats on the water and over 50 people attending to help with committee or sail, things have been going very well.  Since the overall participants in many cases have not sailed J/80's before, the first two weeks of light air have allowed teams to start to figure out the best ways of handling the asymmetrical spinnaker sets, jibes and take downs.  

We had two races and tried to get a third but lack of wind lead to abandoning the last race.  Boat #6 driven by Jacky Chen showed consistent first place finishes to win the day.  I must say that it is great to see so many kids joining the sailing.  Last week we had Laura and Phil Harvey with 4 small kids on board and this week we had Alain and Sacha Vermeulen and Pieter van der Plas sailing with their kids.  You will notice from the photo that the kids are driving when they got 2nd in the first race.  

I am glad to see that everyone is having a great time.  We have changed the schedule a little to help with the holiday travel schedule.  We will be racing Dec. 19th, Jan. 9th, Jan 16th, Jan. 23rd and finishing on Jan. 30th.  We are keeping track of the overall score but it is good for people to realize that this is just for fun and that we are all out just bettering out sailing ability.  I look forward to seeing everyone this weekend, We will be trying to get the first start off at 1:30pm sharp if we have breeze this weekend so don't get too far from the starting area.   

Xiamen J/80 Winter series

(Xiamen, China)- The first annual J/80 winter series started this past weekend.  Nine boats are participating in a 7 week series in Xiamen, China.  The event starts each week with a 30 minute lesson followed by boat assignments and then first race at 1:30. No starts after 3:30.  This is open to anyone that would like to join each sunday until the end of January (Space Limited). 58 people showed up for the first event.  Too many for the nine J/80's, but with support boats available everyone was able to have a great time.

There were three races to start the series with each being won by a different boat.  There was a tie for second place and winning the day was David Zhou with 2-1-2.  Current was a major factor in this days racing and consistent starts played a big role with the current pushing most competitors over the line early at least once during the day.  Reports Jim Johnstone, "We look forward to a fun series and the sailors are all quite happy to be on the water regularly in this new series."

  

J/80 Class Growing- 2011 Package Deal!

New 2011 J/80 Special Package
(Newport, RI)- You know a class is strong when two months after a World Championship you can't find a used boat.  The J/80 Class momentum keeps building with the next stop Key West, Florida.  New production is back-logged to February-- still time to get a boat for the 2011 season! For J/80s ordered in the next 60 days (prior to February 1st), the special program is: 2011 Model US Watercraft J/80 for $53,900 USD with a Waterline Systems faired keel and Triad tandem axle galvanized trailer.  For more J/80 Special Package information.  Contact J/Boats at P- +1-401-846-8410 or email at info@jboats.com.  Sailing Photo credit- Allen Clark/ photoboat.com

  

J/80 Sailor- Torcida Awarded As Spanish National Sports Hero

(Santander, Spain)-  In the Cantabrian region there are many excellent, world-class sportsmen.  Many are cycling, soccer and basketball stars that win medals at an Olympic level or play professionally on such teams as Real Madrid or Barcelona.  In that rarified air is none other than Pichu Torcida.  A jury of the board of the Sports Press Association of Cantabria (APDC) and the heads of the major sports media in the region, selected eleven winners across a range of sports.  Pichu's team is recognized as the "Best Team of Cantabria 2010" for their victory in the J/80 Worlds in Newport, RI.  The entire team won the award, including his team-mates Carlos Martinez, Javier de la Plaza and Juan Gonzalez of Real Club Maritimo de Santander.  For more info on Pichu's awards for sailing.

  

ECC VIVIENDAS Wins J/80 Autumn Championship

(Santander, Spain)- The Spanish J/80 teams are at it again.  No matter how many J/80 World Champions they have, their fellow J/80 sailors are simply having fun getting out on the water and thrashing around the buoys before retiring after the race for some great Spanish paella and vino rojo.

The wavy conditions and good southwest 10-20 knot winds, combined with the flexibility of the Race Committee, allowed three good sets of races to play out on Santander Bay for the weekend.  It was fortunate that three sets of six races were completed, it's been a nasty few weeks for storms that have lashed the coastline.  The winner Pichu Torcida on ECC VIVIENDAS sailed to a very consistent 3-3-5 score.  Second place went to NEXTEL ENGINEERING sailed by Ignacio Camino and Armando Gutierrez and bronze was won by the BANCAJA-AVIVA, raced by Javier Lopez-Vazquez and Alvaro Mazarrasa.  Rounding out the top five were MABLE in 4th sailed by Alberto Padron and Jose Miguel Oriol, winning on a tie-breaker over Jaime Piris on FONESTAR (5th overall).     For more J/80 Autumn Championship sailing information.  Sailing photos courtesy of Chapifoto.com

  

Santander J/80 Mundialito Regatta

SLAM RACING's Gorostegui Wins

(Santander, Spain)-  Last Saturday it was a freezing cold November day, but the sailors were undeterred. They headed out for their version of a "mini-J/80 Worlds" (e.g. "mundialito").   Hosted by the Real Club Marítimo de Santander, the event is a traditional friendly and festive trophy "Mundialito" which brought into Cantabria many renowned Spanish sailors.

On Saturday afternoon the race committee sent the 27 teams around windward-leeward courses for a series of good, tactical racing.  By Sunday morning, the PRO's instead ordered a special tour and unusual hitch, starting with coastal stretch down the coast and back and finishing off the RCMS after a final double windward-leeward laps halfway between Santa Marina and Camel Beach. The conditions were tough, because a strong hailstorm struck the sailors when sailing against upwind to the first mark.   It was in this race that SLAM RACING took control of the regatta, winning by a comfortable margin.  Unfortunately, one of the contenders in the race, current J/80 World Champion Pichu Torcida, had to retire due to some painful muscle injuries in the difficult weather conditions.  Overall, the results were SLAM RACING in first sailed by Tonio Gorostegui and Harry Lavin, 2nd was Fernando Rita and Jaime Piris sailing the picturesque FONESTAR, 3rd was Ignacio Camino racing his familiar NEXTEL ENGINEERING, 4th was a new face amongst the leaders, Chuny Bermudez de Castro sailing COMPESCA and tied for 5th were Jesus Amaliach on RAITA and Angel Herrera on GROUP RHIN, the latter getting 6th on the tie-breaker.    For more J/80 Santander sailing information.  Sailing photo courtesy of Chapifoto.com

  

J/80 Sailor Bruno Trouble- Announces Louis Vuitton & AC34 Partnership

* Louis Vuitton Cup For AC34- Bruno Trouble (J/80 sailor extraordinaire from France), Russell Coutts, Yves Carcelle, Richard Worth, and Pietro Beccari celebrated their new partnership between Louis Vuitton and the 34th America's Cup!  Amazing, from the ashes a Phoenix yet rises again-- gotta hand it to Bruno, brilliant man and a French gentleman who knows how to get the job done.

Continuing its 30-year long association with the America's Cup, the Paris-based fashion house will present the prize, the Louis Vuitton Cup, to the winner of the America's Cup Challenger Series, as well as serve as Official Timing for the 34th America's Cup. "We are thrilled to announce today the continuation of our 30-year partnership with the America's Cup. Having met with the team several times, we believe that the 34th edition will be the best America's Cup yet," said Yves Carcelle, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton Malletier.