In what has become nearly a tradition in the Italian J/24 National Championship, it was yet another triumphant race around the track for the familiar team on LA SUPERBA, led by skipper Ignazio Bonanno from the Italian Navy Sailing Club and his talented crew of Alfredo Branciforte, Francesco Picaro, Simone Scontrino and Vincenzo Vano. Such was their dominance over the fleet that they chose to not sail the final race. Sailing took place in the heart of Costa Smeralda on the Gulf of Cugnana, with the Cala dei Sardi Yacht Club hosting a fleet of 25 teams from all over the country. Day 1: After the measurement checks, the completion of the registrations and the traditional practice race, the first three races went off like clockwork on the first day of the regatta. “On this first day of the Championship, after the well-attended briefing in the splendid park of the Marina Cala dei Sardi restaurant, we completed the first three of the 10 scheduled races as scheduled,” explained the Committee President Stefano Giusti. “The wind remained at 12 knots in the first two races and dropped a bit in the final one. It was great racing for the fleet, not too much, not too little.” The first two races were won by Bonanno’s LA SUPERBA team, the reigning Italian J/24 Champion eight times (starting in 2011) and also J/24 European Champion twice in 2012 and 2019. The third race of the day was won by Maddalenino Mariolino Di Fraia on BOTTADRITTA. After protest hearings were settled, the leaders after the day were LA SUPERBA in first with a 1-1-2 tally, followed by BOTTADRITTA with 6-2-1 scores, and then sitting third was Italian J/24 Class President Pietro Diamanti on JAMAICA with a 2-5-3 scoreline. Day 2: Three more races were scheduled and three more were completed for the second day of racing. The CSYC Race Committee and PRO team did an admirable job of setting courses and firing off the starts promptly. Winners for the day saw a new face at the top of the leaderboard, with Antonello Ciabatti’s GIULIETTA winning the first and third races of the day, with LA SUPERBA again winning the second race. Given those results, the provisional standings after two days of racing with six races counting was LA SUPERBA in first with a 1-1-2-2-1-2 tally for 7 points. Second on the leaderboard was BOTTADRITTA with a 6-2-1-6-16-3 tally for 18 points, then sitting in third was GIULIETTA with a scoreline of 14-6-10-1-4-1j for 22 points. Rounding out the top five was Aurelio Bini’s VIGNE SURRAU in fourth and Diamanti’s JAMAICA in fifth place. Day 3: After 10 hard-fought and spectacular races, the XLII Italian J/24 Championship successfully concluded. The victory once again went to the Italian Navy team on LA SUPERBA. Bonanno’s crew closed the regatta with two more deuces, didn’t sail the last race, and counted only firsts and seconds in their scoreline. The podium was completed by Mariolino Di Fraia’s BOTTADRITTA in second place (crewed by his son Camillo, Ezio Diana, Davide Schintu and Andrea Tirotto), then taking the third position was Antonello Ciabatti’s GIULIETTA with a crew of Eugenio Basciu, Marco Naldoni, Sergio Contu and Walter Marcello Troiano. Rounding out the top five was Diamanti’s JAMAICA in fourth place, sailing with his crew of Fabrizio Ginesi, Paolo Governato, Antonio Lupo and Matteo Tronfi. Then, in fifth place, it was Aurelio Bini’s VIGNE SURRAU with a crew of Evero Niccolini, Roberta Piras, Mauro Pisanu, Pietro Alvisa and Michela Piu. “It was a truly exciting and fun Italian J/24 Championship, thanks to a good wind, four splendid sunny days, an excellent regatta course and a splendid location! A round of applause to the crews, the organizing club and the guys from the Olbia Nautical Institute, who helped us on the support boats, on the Committee Boat, and the buoy-laying dinghies: good and efficient,” commented the President of the Regatta Committee Stefano Giusti. “Cugnana and the Cala dei Sardi Yacht Club was a perfect choice for the 2023 Italian J/24 Championship: an excellent organization both at sea and on land,” concluded the President of the Italian J/24 Class Pietro Diamanti. “Sardinia is always a wonderful place for regattas, where we will return next year for the J/24 European Championship.” For more Italian J/24 National Championship information, visit https://www.yccds.it/campionato-nazionale-j24/.

World Sailing has approved the J/24 Class Rule, which are published on the World Sailing website and now effective. You can view the Class Rules & Class Rules Changes directly on the World Sailing website at https://www.sailing.org/classes/j24/#Documents.

JOANNA Wins Cervia Winter J/24 Championship: With the last three races held last Saturday and nothing happening on Sunday due to adverse weather conditions, the curtain fell on the XVI Winter Championship – XVII Stefano Pirini Memoria hosted by the Circolo Nautico Cervia from October 23, 2022 to March 12, 2023. In the lead since the first event, it was the CN Cervia member Amici della Vela’s JOANNA ITA 271 (skippered by Fabrizio Dallacasa) that took the final victory with just 19 points total. Second overall was Guido Guadagni’s CAPTAIN NEMO ITA 499 from CV Ravennate with 32 points. Then, rounding out the bronze step on the podium were the two brothers: Alessandro and Alberto Errani who sailed ITA 505 with their skipper Marco Pantano with a total of 34 points. Rounding out the top five were Mauro Martelli’s VENTO BLUE ITA 382 with 41 points in fourth place and Marco Maccaferri’s KERMESSE ITA 402 in fifth with 48 points. Thanks to all the competitors, to the Organizing Committee, to the Regatta Judges Ettore Bonaguri, Franco Minotti and Enrico Pozzani Pavirani, and to those who contributed to the success of the Winter Championship.

JAMAICA Wins Marina Spring J/24 Championship of Carrara: Sailing off the port of Marina di Carrara, and hosted by the Nautical Club Marina di Carrara, the traditional opening event of the sailing season was the Marina Spring Championship. Sailors looked forward to their first event of the season, but the weather gods were not cooperating. Adverse marine weather conditions on Saturday prevented the smooth running of the scheduled races, so an “AP over A” was soon flown by noontime. Sunday dawned with significantly better weather, permitting the RC team to run three races in good breeze and wave conditions. The winners of those individual races included ITA 304 FIVE FOR FIGHTING, ITA 212 JAMAICA and ITA 483 PERCINQUE. Pietro Diamanti’s team on ITA 212 JAMAICA (Antonio Lupo, Mario Iazzeri, Costanza Brusoni and Fabrizio De Peppo) were dialed in to the conditions on Sunday, posting a hot 3-1-2 to take the title. Second went to Eugenia de Giacomo’s ITA 304 FIVE FOR FIGHTING, followed in third place by Antonio Criscuolo’s ITA 483 PERCINQUE. The Regatta Committee for the Nautical Club Marina di Carrara was made up of the President Admiral Luigi D’Amico and by Gigi Porchera and Tiziano Menconi.

LA SUPERBA Crowned Winter Champion of Anzio-Nettuno Again: It was once again the J/24 from Centro Vela Altura Napoli, Ignazio Bonnano’s ITA 416 LA SUPERBA, that won the XLVIII Championship of the Gulf of Anzio and Nettuno. The Winter Championship consisted of 19 races over five events from December 2022 to March 2023. A total of 18 teams took part in the series, a real sign of strength for the Class in Italy. For this regatta, Bonnano’s winning crew included Alfredo Branciforte, Francesco Picaro, Simone Scontrino and Vincenzo Vano. Behind them on the podium, it was Lucas Silvestri’s ITA 458 ENJOY DUE that took the silver. Settling for the bronze was Michele Potenza’s ITA 358 ARPIONE with a crew of Elisabetta Centrone, Caterina Spagnolo, Panfilo Del Beato Corvi and Italo Paulini, Rounding out the top five for the series was Gianni Riccobono’s ITA 428 PELLE ROSSA in fourth place, then in fifth was Paolo Cecamore’s ITA 447 PELLE NERA! “We are happy with the victory of this winter season,” commented the winning LA SUPERBA skipper Bonanno. “In the last races, the presence of the Hungarian crew allowed us to better test the speed of the boat given the next national and international regattas taking place in Hungary (the J/24 Europeans) and in Greece (the J/24 Worlds).”

For more J/24 Italy information, visit https://www.j24.it/.

John Mollicone’s Sparcraft with crew Geoff Becker, Nick Turney, Dan Borrer and Jeff Hayden have been crowned 2023 J/24 Midwinter Champions. Two final light-air races went in the books Sunday for a total of seven at Eau Gallie Yacht Club in Indian Harbour Beach, FL. Al Constants’ Blitz topped the 19-boat Corinthian division with family crew David, Michael and Steve, and David Hammond. Mollicone and Constants earned berths for the 2024 World Championship in Seattle, WA (one Open and one Corinthian). Tony Parker’s Bangor Packet won both of Sunday’s matches to claim second place on a tie-breaker over Travis Odenbach’s Honeybadger.

Top Three Overall:

1. Sparcraft, John Mollicone, [9/SCP]-1-1-1-4-2-2- ; 11
2. Bangor Packet, Tony Parker, [12]-2-5-8-2-1-1- ; 19T
3. Honeybadger, Travis Odenbach, 4-3-3-3-1-[13]-5- ; 19T
   Top Three Corinthian:
4. Blitz, Alfred Constants, 8-5-[16]-4-5-5-11- ; 38
5. Caramella, Frederick Wiedeke, [15]-12-12-7-7-9-3- ; 50
6. Classic, James Howard, 5-10-[20]-14-12-6-4- ; 51
   Twenty-eight boats competed from February 24-26. Photos are posted on the USA J/24 Class Facebook page, and complete results are available at https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/25481#_home.

Thanks for this contribution from “casual, unbiased observer” Megan Aulich from the recent Australian J/24 Nationals, hosted by the Cronulla Sailing Club, just south of Sydney Harbour, for a fleet of 18 teams: The last time we towed our boats up the Hume for a National Championship in Cronulla was in 2017. Jack was a new owner of TWO DOGS, and SAILPAC would take out the podium position. This time around, we had a strong contingent from Victoria lining up to compete – BRUSCHETTA VI, JAB, JET, JOYRIDE, POKER FACE and TWO DOGS (plus Brendan Lee jumping on to helm the NSW boat KAOTIC). While some had left their boats to marinate on Magoo’s infamous lawn after the NSW States in November, others made the trek north in the first few days of 2023. Racing was scheduled to run from Thursday 5th to Sunday 8th, January 2023 with an aim to complete a dozen races. Tropical Storm Hughie had other ideas. Racing for Thursday was canceled the day before and replaced with a lunchtime welcome BBQ by our gracious hosts Cronulla Sailing Club. On Friday, crews fronted up to CSC only to eventually have racing abandoned for a second day due to the weather. Suddenly the four-day event had been compressed into a two-day panic session, and the pressure was heaped on. The sacred discard race was no longer a given when there were no guarantees about how many races would (or could) be completed. For those following along on the J/24 Victoria Facebook page, you would have seen some bloody impressive photos (Thanks to Marg’s Yacht Photos) from Saturday. There was a bit going on, so to speak (e.g., it was pretty bloody wild!). While the stories on shore were all quite varied (not surprisingly… sailors tell sea tales?? hahaha), there was consensus that the conditions were at the upper limits for J/24 sailing. Day Three: In Race 1, CONVICTS REVENGE, INNAMINCKA and SAILPAC showed us how it was done, taking out the first three places, respectively. Among the top 10 spots, Team Sandringham YC on TWO DOGS placed fourth, seventh was BRUSCHETTA VI and eighth was JAB. Unfortunately, POKER FACE had to retire after a spectacular wave surf, brisk gybe and unfortunate bump to the head. They were one of four retirements from the race, with EL FIDELDO breaking their mast in two places. In Race 2, the conditions remained challenging with gusts peaking beyond 30 knots at times. Five SYC boats started race 2, but only four made it to the finish line. TWO DOGS were undone by gear failure as their rudder snapped in two on the downwind leg, resulting in some impressive (and involuntary) circle work. BRUSCHETTA, JET and JAB all secured top 10 places in fifth, 7seventh and ninth place, respectively. In the last race for the day (Race 3), there were five SYC starters with BRUSCHETTA taking out fourth place, JET in eighth place and JAB in 10th. Day Four: Sunday would be the day that would make and break hopes and dreams of qualifying for the J/24 Worlds in Greece later in 2023. The sun was shining, and with all crew back on board, POKER FACE was back in the action along with EL DOGGO (Two Dogs + El Fideldo’s rudder) bringing our SYC starters back to six boats. As if the anticipation of getting underway wasn’t enough, sailors endured three false starts (one general recall and two postponements during the sequence) before the dreaded black flag raised its head in Race 4. The stakes were on. All boats played by the rules with a clear start. POKER FACE were early leaders of the race with a cracking start, before TWO DOGS pulled into the lead around the top mark the second time around. They maintained the lead, finishing 27 seconds before second place. BRUSCHETTA wasn’t far behind in third place with POKER FACE (eighth) and JAB (10th) also placing in the top 10. For Race 5, there were some headsail swaps, and Team SYC was getting in the groove. BRUSCHETTA finished second followed by TWO DOGS (third), JET (seventh), JAB (eighth), POKER FACE and JOYRIDE. The last race of the regatta was Race 6. Completing this race would qualify all boats for one drop which was always going to play havoc with the overall places. JAB finished strongly in third place, followed by TWO DOGS (sixth), JET (seventh), BRUSCHETTA (eighth), POKER FACE and JOYRIDE. Despite moments of brilliance across the board, ultimately our friends up north took out the podium spots. After the first three races, Stephen Quigley’s CONVICTS REVENGE posted a 1-3-1 for 5 points to be leading over their friends on SAILPAC skippered by Sean Kirkjian that had posted a 3-1-2 for 6 points. However, the ensuing races saw the CONVICTS lose a bit of their “mojo,” posting an 11-6-2 to close out the championship with 13 points net, sufficient to take the silver medal. Meanwhile, Kirkjian’s SAILPAC crew busted out their can of “whupass” and raced to the overall victory with a mind-numbing 6-1-1 for an 8 points net total score! Rounding out the podium in third place was Stephen Wright’s TINTO. The balance of the top five included Hugo Ottoway’s BRUSCHETTA VI in fourth with 21 points and Brendan Lee’s KAOTIC in fifth place with 26 points. Congratulations to all participants. It was a tricky regatta in conditions that many would not have experienced before on a J/24. Also, congratulations to BRUSCHETTA and TWO DOGS for qualifying for Greece’s 2023 J/24 World Championship. Special mention to JOYRIDE who finished every race in their first interstate national championships. No mean feat! Thank you to the Cronulla SC PRO (John Allan), Cronulla Sailing Club and all those who made us feel at home over the last week. For more Australian J/24 Nationals information, visit http://j24.com.au/.

Thank you to NCAs who participated in the 2022 virtual World Council Meetings. The minutes of the Open and Business Sessions are now posted at http://www.j24class.org/organization/class-documents/wcm-minutes/.

Travis Odenbach’s Honeybadger, with team Jay Miles, Chris Morgan, Monica Morgan and Terry Shannon, are the 2022 J/24 North American Champions. Seven races were completed in the series, although none on Sunday due to lack of breeze, at Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis, Maryland. Odenbach tallied 18 points, one better than Mike Marshall’s American Garage who took the silver. Kohei Ichikawa’s Gekko Diana of Japan claimed the bronze position with 27 points. Evan Petley-Jones’ Lifted (crew Evan Burns, Spenser Dalzell, Ben Maloney and Matt Soosalu) topped the 17-boat Corinthian Division, followed by Finn Hadlock’s Boreas and Al Constants’ Blitz. Odenbach summarized, “Annapolis had great breeze this weekend. I think the team did a phenomenal job. Jay was unbelievable in keeping me calm. Having the team together as good friends was the reason for success.”

Top Five Overall:

1. Honeybadger, Travis Odenbach – 2 –[11] -3 -2 -1 -1 -9 ; 18
2. American Garage, Mike Marshall – 10 –[12] -2 -1 -2 -2 -2 ; 19
3. Gekko Diana, Kohei Ichikawa – 3 –[17] -4 -5 -8 -6 -1 ; 27
4. Bangor Packet, Tony Parker – 4 -9 -5 –[11] -4 -4 -7 ; 33
5. Mental Floss, Aidan Glackin – 8 -7 -6 -4 -3 -13 –[17] ; 41
   The IJCA extends its appreciation to Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis for stepping in to host the Championship and to PRO Sandy Grosvenor. Competitors enjoyed exceptional onshore camaraderie with social events and chalk talks. Thirty-eight teams competed from October 28-30. Complete results may be found at https://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=15237, and photos are available on the International J/24 Class Facebook page.

A gorgeous day on the Chesapeake Bay allowed four more races at the J/24 North American Championship, bringing the total to seven. Travis Odenbach’s Honeybadger and Mike Marshall’s American Garage are duking it out for the title at Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis, Maryland. The discard race came into effect, and Odenbach’s Honeybadger is clinging to the top spot with 18 net points. Following a 2,2,1 Saturday, they closed with a ninth. Marshall’s American Garage ruled the day with a 1,2,2,2 for 19 net points to shoot up to second place. Japan’s Kohei Ichikawa Gekko Diana moved into third place at 27 points. Evan Petley-Jones’ Lifted leads the 17-boat Corinthian Division. The day started with blue skies and winds between 12-14 knots in choppy seas. Marshall set off with a victory, trailed by Odenbach and Al Constants’ Blitz. Odenbach went back-to-back in the next two matches, as did Marshall in the runner-up position. The bronze places went to Aidan Glackin’s Mental Floss and Finn Hadlock’s Boreas, respectively. As the breeze lightened, Ichikawa Gekko Diana led the fleet back to the docks, with Marshall again in second and then James Freedman’s LOL. Racing concludes Sunday for the 38 teams. Complete results may be found at https://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=15237, and photos are available on the International J/24 Class Facebook page.

The 2022 J/24 North American Championship launched Friday at Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis, Maryland. On the heels of a cold front, winds started in the mid-teens and slowly backed off throughout the three races. Evan Petley-Jones’ Lifted proved the most consistent with scores of 6,3,1 for 10 points. Travis Odenbach’s Honeybadger notched a second and third but, with an 11 in between, landed in second place with 16 points. Local Tony Parker’s Bangor Packet is two points further back in third. Al Constants’ Blitz leads the Corinthian Division. Constants’ all-amateur Blitz kicked off the Championship with a bullet, forward of Odenbach’s Honeybadger and Kohei Ichikawa’s Gekko Diana of Japan. George Braddon’s Bogus crossed the finish line first in the middle contest, while Mark Hillman’s Sisu and Petley-Jones’ Lifted rounded out the top trio. Petley-Jones secured the day’s top spot overall by way of winning the final battle, holding off Mike Marshall’s American Garage and Odenbach. Racing continues through Sunday for the 38 teams. Complete results may be found at https://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=15237, and photos are available on the International J/24 Class Facebook page.

Sailors have been attracted to Valparaiso because it often gets both weather system winds and localized seabreezes from the mountains surrounding the natural valley. Following their successful J/24 South American Championship in 2019, the Club de yates Higuerillas hosted the Chilean J/24 National Championship for 2022. The first day saw breezes of 25 knots, gusting to 30+ knots. Winning the nine-race (one discard) regatta was Patricio Rodriguez’s DEMENTE AL VIENTO team with 17 points net, winning four of the nine races sailed. Second went to Federico Bierwith’s MANUECA from the Chilean Navy Sailing team with 21 points net. Third place was another Chilean Navy Sailing team: Maximiliano Vera’s QUIQUE with 26 points net. Rounding out the top five were Mauricio Segura Jimenez’s IL MARGARITA in fourth and Javier Nunez’s BRIBON in fifth.

The 2022 Argentinean J/24 National Championship took place in Cordoba in the foothills of the eastern Andes Mountain range. Sailed on the mountain lake of Lago Salinas Grandes, the Club Nautico Cordoba hosted the fleet of 20 teams. The teams enjoyed amazing sailing over the four-day event/10-race series. In the end, it was Javier Moyano’s GRAN CARAJO team who were declared the Argentine 2022 National Champions. Sailing a very consistent series, the GRAN CARAJO team never sailed a bad race and won with 27 points net. Their conservative tactical strategy paid off on the very shifty race course. Nicolas Cubria’s RINA team and Campero’s JAIMANSO team ended up tied on points at 36 points each. Winning that countback was Cubria’s RINA team to take the silver, with Campero’s JAIMANSO team having to settle for the bronze. Rounding out the top five were Galvan’s SHELBY in fourth place and Trigo’s PURA VIDA team in the fifth position. For more Argentinean J/24 information, visit https://j24arg.blogspot.com/.

Every point matters. After 10 races among 34 boats, the J/24 European Championship hosted by Howth Yacht Club in Ireland concluded in a tie at 65 points with the third-place team only one more point back. Winning the tiebreaker and the European title was JMania (GRE) helmed by Stelios Sotitiou plus crew Chris Kifidis, Kynthia Skotida, Costas Tridimas and Ourania Vergou. Although their final race became their discard, JMania outlasted a surge from David Hale’s Cacoon (GBR) who sprang from fourth place to claim the silver. The Kinsale Yacht Club group led by Micheal O’Suilleabhain (IRL) on Kinsailor claimed a second place in Saturday’s final contest to end with 66 points and the bronze position. Denny Vaughan’s East Street (USA) closed the regatta with a light air victory in Race 10. Hale’s Cacoon (GBR) topped the 21-boat Corinthian Division, in advance of the Kinsale Yacht Club team (IRL) and Cillian Dickson’s Headcase (IRL).

Overall 1st GRE5367 Stelios Sotitiou – JMania
Overall 2nd GBR4269 David Hale – Cacoon
Overall 3rd IRL4236 Micheal O’Suilleabhain – Kinsailor

Corinthian 1st GBR4269 David Hale – Cacoon
Corinthian 2nd IRL4236 Micheal O’Suilleabhain – Kinsailor
Corinthian 3rd IRL4247 Cillian Dickson – Headcase

Youth 1st IRL4236 Micheal O’Suilleabhain – Kinsailor
Youth 2nd IRL680 Jack McMahon – Kilcullen
Youth 3rd IRL4188 Mary McCormack – Jasper 2

Over 50 1st GBR4269 David Hale – Cacoon
Over 50 2nd USA3746 Denny Vaughan – Easy Street
Over 50 3rd GBR4260 Nick McDonald – Mojosi

Ladies 1st IRL4188 Mary McCormack – Jasper 2

Presented with the Stuart Jardine Trophy for Youngest Sailor was 15-year-old Matthew Turner on the boat Jeb Stuart.

Six nations were represented: Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy and the United States. Complete results may be found at https://hyc.ie/j24-european-championships-2022#event-378, and photos are available on the International J/24 Class Facebook page.

The Irish teams benefited from home field advantage for races 8 and 9 of the J/24 European Championship hosted by Howth Yacht Club. In winds between 8-10 knots, the top three in both of Friday’s matches were comprised solely of boats from Ireland. However, it wasn’t enough to knock the Greek team of JMania helmed by Stelios Sotitiou from first place (now with 42 net points). By way of two bullets on the day, Cillian Dickson’s Headcase (IRL) leapt into the runner-up spot with 48 net points. Stefan Karsunke’s Schwere Jungs (GER) sits another two points back in third. Dickson’s Headcase leads the 21-boat Corinthian Division, trailed by David Hale’s Cacoon (GBR) and the Kinsale Yacht Club group led by Micheal O’Suilleabhain (IRL). The 34 teams waited ashore with a two-hour postponement while enough breeze filled in. Dickson’s Headcase won the day, although Tadhg O’Loingsigh’s Janx Spirit (IRL) wasn’t much off that pace, lodging a second and third. Mark Usher’s Headgehog (IRL) placed third in Race 8, and David Bailey’s Hard on Port (IRL) was second in Race 9. Six nations are represented: Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy and the United States. Racing concludes Saturday, and 10 total races are planned. Complete results may be found at https://hyc.ie/j24-european-championships-2022#event-378, and photos are available on the International J/24 Class Facebook page.