Keith Whittemore’s Furio of the USA, with team Willem van Waay, Marianne Schoke, Brian Thomas and Melanie Edwards, have been crowned 2023 J/24 World Champions. Whittemore, who also won the 2019 J/24 World Championship in Miami, Florida USA, ended this event with only 25 net points in the full 10-race series. After discarding a 19 from race seven, the Seattle, Washington-based helmsman kept scores in the top seven including three bullets. Ignazio Bonanno’s La Superba of Italy compiled their reliable solid scores all week, winning two races, for 40 net points and the silver position. Tony Parker’s Bangor Packet, also of the USA, was in the hunt throughout the Championship, placing third overall with 52 net points. Parker has been sailing in the J/24 Class for all of its 45 years, and shipped his hull #58 to Greece.
Cillian Dickson’s Headcase of Ireland won the 23-boat Corinthian division, also placing fourth overall and tied on points with Parker. The crew included Ryan Glynn, Marcus Ryan, Louis Mulloy and Sam O’Byrne. The all-amateur podium was also comprised of Stephan Mais’ Running Men of Germany and Alexandros Tagaropoulos’s Hellenic Police of Greece.
The IJCA awarded its perpetual Youth Turner Trophy to Papanikitas Spiridon-Eleftherios’s Hellenic Naval Academy.
Competitors reveled in gorgeous conditions for five days at the Nautical Club of Thessaloniki in Greece. Saturday’s race winner was Kohei Ichikawa’s Gekko Diana of Japan.
Top Three Overall:
1) Keith Whittemore, Furio, USA, 25 points
2) Ignazio Bonanno, La Superba, ITA, 40 points
3) Tony Parker, Bangor Packet, USA, 52 points
Top Three Corinthian:
1) Cillian Dickson, Headcase, IRL
2) Stephan Mais, Running Men, GER
3) Alexandros Tagaropoulos, Hellenic Police, GRE
Thirty-five boats from 10 nations and four continents competed from Argentina, Australia, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan and the United States on September 12-16. A complete list of all J/24 World Champions can be found at http://www.j24class.org/about-the-j24/hall-of-fame/world-champions/. Complete event details may be found at http://j24worlds2023.ncth.gr/. Photos/video are available on the J/24 International Class Facebook page.
This is a live still pic that updates every minute
The stage is set for 36 boats from 10 countries to compete in Thessaloniki Greece from the 9th – 16th September.
Six Australian teams are competing:
Sean Kirkjian, Sydney – (Current National Champion)
Steve Wright, Sydney – (Immediate past Nat Champ and current Aust President)
John Crawford, Sydney – (NSW Measurer)
Dave West, Sydney – (NSW President)
Hugo Ottaway, Melbourne – (National Measurer)
Warren Slater, Melbourne – (Multiple Nat Champ in other classes)
So as you can see we have a considerable depth of talent in our Australian team, with multiple National Championship and State wins amongst them. All teams are chartering boats from Europe.
Races will be held in the Thermaikos Gulf. Participating boats will be moored in the marina of Nautical Club Thessaloniki, the second largest city of Greece, featuring an international airport and commercial port. The race area is characterized by the thermal breeze appearing every summer day early at noon, the wind varying from 8 up to 16 knots, gradually diminishing after sunset.
These mild but steady conditions are ideal for inshore, as well as daylight offshore racing. Racing will feature a mix of round the cans windward/leeward courses and offshore races, to fully test the teams’ skills on the waters of the Thermaikos Gulf. The challenge of close windward/leeward racing is likely to keep the fleet in close boat on boat battles, compared to the complexity of offshore racing. Interpreting the changing conditions and delivering consistency will reward with Championship success. Social activities for the 2023 J24 World Championship will take place at the premises of Nautical Club Thessaloniki, with renowned Greek hospitality throughout the week.
Here is a results / competitor list here
The Worlds site is here
There are plenty of pictures on the Club FB page here https://www.facebook.com/nautical.club.thessaloniki
Photos of the pre racing set up from Linda Smith
