An all-Mediterranean podium for the first ISAF J/70 “European” Championship, except the Swedish Team Fanny winner of the Corinthian Trophy.
– “It was a great championship! It was very intense both on the water and ashore with numerous protests. This new class really appeals to sailors and I am delighted to be returning this winter for the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series!” said Neven Baran, Jury president representing ISAF and head of umpire training, as this was the first J/70 European Championship to be recognised by the International Sailing Federation.
Six races was completed during the championship in widely varying conditions, with a steady wind filling in for the last races and light airs for the first, testing the seamanship of even the top sailors. Of the 60 teams competing, representing 11 nations, any one of the first 25 boats could have claimed victory. It is not by chance that no team managed to pull off a string of race wins. The Mexican World Champion Fernandez Neckelmann Julian for example won the fourth race which was their best performance, evidence of how fierce the contests were. Not once did the team leading the pack to the first mark win the race, with the downwind legs proving as tactically difficult as the upwind legs. All the finishes on a reach saw some dramatic luffs with spinnakers flying, delighting spectators and getting the adrenaline pumping.
There was everything to play for among the top ten right up to the last race as the slightest mistake on the start putting them OCS risked any hope of being on the podium. For example the Bretons Quentin Delepierre and Mathieu Salomon, J/80 European champions who came 3rd in the fifth race, will no doubt be regretting their performance in the sixth race and premature start in the first. This evening they are 8th.
The Italian Luca Domenici (Notaro Team), who is used to the Monaco race area having participated in the last Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series and Primo Cup-Trophée Credit Suisse, is the first ever J/70 European Champion ahead of his compatriot Franco Solerio (L’Elagain), winner of the 2015 Italian Championship. The Spaniard Hugo Rocha (New Territories), winner at Kiel Week completes the podium ahead of his compatriot Gonzalo Araoeja (Sailway).
First prize for the Corinthian teams went to the one Swedish boat, which has a Provençal name, Fanny, led by Oscar Lundqvist.
Final overall ranking (after 6 races, 1 discarded)
1st Notaro Team Italy 16 points
2nd L’Elagain Italy 20 points
3rd New Territories Spain 25 points
4th Sailway Spain 33 points
5th Carpe Diem Monaco 36 points
Corinthian Final overall ranking (after 6 races, 1 discarded)
1. Fanny Sweden 15 points
2. Marnatura Spain 17 points
3. Touring Junior Germany 17 points
4. Pensavo Peggio Italy 24 points
5. Baby J UK 30 points
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