The 2019 Nationals will be held at the CYCSA in Adelaide with the 2nd as a set up, measurement and register day, racing is from 3 – 6 January.
Jim Townsend is known for his off water party catering with the delights of SA’s wine and food available at previous BBQs, so the social side of the regatta will be as much fun as the great Adelaide sailing.
Interest in the regatta is starting to snowball and already we have an expected fleet size of around 15 boats with several from Sydney Harbour, a possible 4 from the South Sydney Fleet and a possible 6 entries from Melbourne, plus the local entries.
Here is a November background featuring another great Luis Ferreiro pic from the 2018 Nationals. To set as your background, click on the pic above and then right click to set it as your background.
Want to go fast !
Ok its a North Sails promo – but a very useful one so here is the link to this updated kit. You’ll even find our own ‘Mr J24’ Hugo ottaway’s name listed in it.
By the way, at yesterday’s Vic AGM, ‘Mr J24’ was presented with pretty much every Vic trophy for the year – well done Hugo !
Following the 2018 world championships, our six representatives came back enthused by the state of the J24 Class world-wide. The regatta entry list of 97, from 14 countries, boasted a pedigree including multiple Olympic, World and National champions from within the class and further afield. The title was won by twice world J24 champion American Will Welles sailing Kaster, who mixed his crew with two other Americans and two Gold medal Italian sailors, second were the top Japanese crew skippered by Imai Nobuyuki in Siesta and third was American Keith Whittemore in Furio.
There were six different countries in the top ten, which proved that the depth of talent within the class reaches far and wide. The Aussies despite not featuring in the places, were by no means outdone, our teams mixed it with the best in every race, only being out classed by big fleet experience. Final placings were: Brendan Lee 19, Steve Wright 32, Hugo Ottaway 45, Kirsty Harris 59, David West 61 and Simon Grain 62.
The real winner was the class, the influx of the “next generation ” of young, mixed gender J24 sailors taking advantage of competitive, cheap J24’s that are coming onto the market, was stunning. Three all-female youth crews from Germany, a University crew from Tokyo and many junior sailors from Britain and Italy.
This influx is also being observed at home where the local Victorian fleet has now grown to 21, with more potential. The interest in crews wanting to go to the 2019 Florida USA & 2020 Poole U.K. worlds is encouraging, and the active numbers in the chilly Victorian winter series 12+ fantastic. The Gosford regatta has just concluded with 15 starters, winner Brett Lee from Lake Macquarie, with others from Sydney Harbour and Victoria.
The 2018 /19 season starts next week and the feeling around Australia and the rest of the world is that this may be one of the best seasons J24 Class have seen in years.
Here is an August background featuring another great Luis Ferreiro pic from the 2018 Nationals. To set as your background, click on the pic above and then right click to set it as your background.
There has been a fair bit of talk going around regarding the 2019 Nationals. There have been some erroneous rumours and comments regarding the location, this has been due to a couple of hiccups in SA.
The committee has met and discussed all the options and at this stage no decision is to be made till 30 Sept.
Plan A is Adelaide, Plan B is Adelaide, Plan C is somewhere around Sydney.
The committee is quite well aware of this being a late decision but this has been due to unforeseen circumstances. We are doing all we can to make it happen in Adelaide as we are aware of some crews already having booked travel and accommodation there and it is their turn in the normal rotation.
We will be posting an official decision in early October.
Final score for the J24 World Championship? A magificent success!
A little ‘blue on the podium with Andrea Casale and Giuliano Cattarozzi. And so many reasons to be satisfied.
Riva del Garda. For the record-breaking J24 World Championship held successfully in the waters of Riva del Garda by as many as 89 crews representing Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Estonia, France, GranBretagna, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Holland, Sweden and the United States is time for budgets.
From the regattas to the technical and organizational staff of the Fraglia Vela Riva, from the representatives of the International and Italian J24 Class to the members of the Jury and FIV Regatta Committee, from the numerous escorts to tourists who have witnessed spectacular regattas (and especially departures) the high number of crews and the different weather conditions found), the opinion is unanimous: this 40th edition was a real success and will be remembered with great emotion by everyone.
“We are really very satisfied with how the J24 World Championship took place and the reasons for it are certainly many. – commented the President of the Italian Class Pietro Diamanti also on behalf of the Board – Having lined up at the start, after forty years of activity, almost ninety boats is the most beautiful testimony of how the J24 Class is ever more alive and vital and that characterized by the simple and genuine passion of the crews who do not necessarily seek the latest technological innovations but live sailing in the essence of pure seafaring. I also want to think that our rigor in enforcing the measurement regulations is contributing to the success of our class and in this regard I would like to thank all those who worked in the space set up inside the Palavela built by the engineer Marini with the consultancy of the measurers Emanuela Donati and Paolo Luciani: the path that allowed thorough checks in spite of the high number of boats and weather conditions that are not always favorable. Satisfaction also to be able to conclude ten tests characterized by different weather conditions that have enhanced even more the level of the crews in the race and allowed to respect the values in the field. By all accounts, the organization on the ground and in the water was unexceptionable, everything worked in the best way and for this I would like to thank the staff of Fraglia Vela Riva and its president Giancarlo Mirandola who has been able to welcome each of us in the best of the ways. All the crews, even those who have closed in the last positions of the classification, have left Riva enthusiastic for taking part in an unforgettable championship.
I can also be satisfied with the ranking … Kaster’s victory for the US Champion of the world in 2014, Will Welles, was definitely deserved and then, this J24, represented well this World: in addition to two other Americans already champions of the world in Newport 2014, to the tactics of Kaster was the Ligurian Andrea Casale (world champion in Cannigione in 2008 on Fiamma Gialla) and to the tree the Trentino Giuliano Cattarozzi. Wells, moreover, declared that this World Championship was a success for the whole J24 class and that he was not surprised at the numerous participation because anyone who once in his life has to race in Riva del Garda. I’m also happy with the excellent second place of the Japanese Siesta, very regular throughout the championship and third of the other Americans, led by Keith Whittemore with his Furio, many times in the race in our National Circuit. Germany won the women’s ranking with Derbe Kerle helmed by Lynn Wolgast, while the Italians of Ottobrerosso with the helmsman Pietro Parisi, Matteo Bertolotti, Martina Peschetta, Gianluca Burlon, Gian Marco Venturi and Luca Cattarozzi won the special prize reserved for Under 25, leaving hope for the future of the Italian class. Maybe some Italian crew deserved or hoped for better positions … well, we could say that we were perfect hosts but, in reality, the lead positions were all deserved, as well as the 25th world title went to the Americans.
And finally, the Italian Class was very happy also for having been joined by a brand like Alce Nero that for over forty years is so attentive to nature and to real biological quality. Therefore, thank you to our technical sponsor Alce Nero, the brand of farmers, beekeepers and organic processors committed since the ’70s in producing good food, fruit of an agriculture that respects the earth and its fertility: the RazioneKBio (gallette, nectars, cereal and honey bars, shortbread and much more) and the fruit distributed daily by each crew was very appreciated and appreciated by everyone. It is my hope that the success of the participation we have registered at Riva will be repeated in the next editions: many sailors from many countries are a beautiful sign of how a sporting passion can bring together people and cultures of different nations. And now it’s time to think about the new stages of our 2018 National Circuit … “
