It’s not often that you get to sail in a fleet of 95 boats,but that is the challenge provided by sailing at the J70 World Championships, which each year since 2014 has provided a fleet approaching 100 boats.

This year the event was held at Real Club Nautica Palma in Mallorca.  There were 23 countries represented with the best sailors that the class has to offer.

Australia was represented by five boats.

In the end after 5 days of racing, the American team of Yonder skippered by Jeremy Wilmot took the prize, from the  Brazilian  Team of Mindset and Charles Thompson’s British team skippered by Tom Mallindine.

The first Australian boat was Tim Ryan’s Vamos which finished 5th.  Vamos was crewed by Rob Greenhalgh, Jess Grimes and Charlie Gundy.  In a regatta where a 25th was regarded as a good score Vamos sailed a consistent regatta, ending the first day in 15th place and steadily climbing the ladder from there.

The regatta provided challenges unique to large fleet racing.  The starting line measuring 1 kilometre in length just one of them.  Constantly variable winds on the Bay of Palma race track meant that getting the start wrong could see you 100 metres behind very quickly.

Ryan said, “this was our best result at the Worlds and we very pleased after placing 10th last year.  Rob, Jess Charlie and I have done a lot of sailing together now, and it shows in the results this year. 

In other Australian results Sam Haynes Celestial finished 32nd, Ambition (Chris Dare) finished 42nd, Swish Steven Proud) 61st and Kangaru (Kristyn Gills) 87th.

Overall Results

Read the full report from the J/70 International Class Association HERE