Sailing world’s eyes riveted on Monaco
J/70 World Championship | 14-22 October 2022
Tuesday 11th October 2022. Official start today of the first J/70 World Championship to be organised by Yacht Club de Monaco, in partnership with the Monegasque Sailing Federation, FxPro, Xerjoff, Sebago and technical sports clothing brand Slam which is supplying garments for all crew members on the podium.
For the 2022 edition, more than 400 sailors from 23 nations and 90 boats will be on the race area. “All eyes are riveted on Monaco. I don’t think you can bring so many talented sailors together in the same place and at the same time. We are very proud to organise this meeting,” said YCM General Secretary Bernard d’Alessandri. It’s been 46 years since the last Worlds in Monaco, that being in 1976 with the Vaurien class.
Cream of the crop
Sailors who have descended on the Principality have a track record as thick and solid as Monaco’s Rocher. Nearly half the competitors have already seen their names on trophies be it at the Olympics, America’s Cup or other one design circuits. Luis Bugallo, Marshall King, Ian Wilson, Peter Duncan, Jud Smith and Paul Ward, who’ve been crowned J/70 World Champions in recent years roam the quays. Luca Domenici, José María Torcida Seghers and Jonathan Calascione complete the class line-up with their European results.
Olympic stars are shining like Will Ryan, silver in Rio and gold in Tokyo in the 470, Saskia Clark, Olympic 470 Vice-Champion in London and gold in Rio, and Brazilian legend Torben Grael who has five Olympic medals to his name. There are around 20 sailors here who’ve had the honour of representing their country at the Olympics, testifying to the level of the event.
First toe in the water for 90 teams
J/70 World Championship
14-22 October 2022
Some 400 sailors, 90 teams, 23 nations and as many promises of results are on the menu for the J/70 World Championship organised by Yacht Club de Monaco in partnership with the Monegasque Sailing Federation, FxPro, Sebago and technical sports clothing brand Slam which is supplying garments for all crew members on the podium. After what was a first glimpse of the race area for some during a warm-up race this afternoon, sailors opened the World Championship in style at the Opening Ceremony.
90 teams and 23 nations set for the meeting
J/70 World Championship | 14-22 October 2022
Monday 10th October 2022.In a few days, 90 international teams from 23 nations will be descending on the Principality for the J/70 World Championship being organised for the first time by Yacht Club de Monaco. Designed by Alan Johnstone and built in 2012, the J/70 is one of the most popular one design classes among sailors.
The event is being held in partnership with the Monegasque Sailing Federation, FxPro, Xerjoff and technical sports clothing brand Slam which is supplying garments for all crew members on the podium, as it has been doing for the Primo Cup for over 30 years.
Dress rehearsal before the Worlds
J/70 – European Championship – Hyères – 10-17 September 2022
Saturday 17th September 2022. With less than a month to go before the J/70 World Championship, being held in Monaco for the first time (14-22 October 2022), Monaco J/70 teams were to be found in Hyères for a full-scale dress rehearsal at the European Championship. A total of 88 teams from 19 nationalities took the start at this venue in the Var which lived up to its reputation, forcing crews to adapt quickly between the brisk breezes and light airs that were on the programme.
Like at home
Convincing and formidable in Monaco, Junda led by Ludovico Fassitelli claimed a bronze medal in the Corinthian (amateur) category. A result that bodes well for the rest of the season and the Worlds in October. In the same category, Ferdinando Matteo Scandolera (Irruenza) finished 22nd. In the overall ranking, Ludovico Fassitelli (Junda) was the first Monaco crew, ranked 17th ahead of Nico Poons (Charisma V) 31st, Loïc Pompée (Sailing Racing Team) 32nd, Pierrik Devic (Leonteq) 39th, Ferdinando Matteo Scandolera (Irruenza) 58th and Stefano Roberti (Piccinina) 79th.
Noah Garcia the new French ILCA 4 Champion
French Espoir Championship – 20-25 August 2022 – Martigues
Thursday 25th August 2022. Results are not just down to the generation as evidenced by these young sailors from Yacht Club de Monaco, flying the flag to the highest level with the France Espoir Champion title in ILCA 4 (former Laser 4.7). That was the title awarded to Noah Garcia from the Sports Section who leaves this event in Martigues with honours.
Promising beginnings
It was at a Summer Camp in 2016 when the very young Noah, like other kids before him, discovered sailing on Optimists. He progressed rapidly up the rankings, gaining experience with every season and clearly enjoying himself. If there is one over-riding trait in his character it’s his good nature. Sailing to win, yes, but always for fun!
After coming 2nd in the 2019 Monaco Optimist Team Race, that same year he won the YCM Youth Awards prize presented by YCM President, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.
Lady First III and Tonnerre de Glen big winners of 17th edition
The 17th Palermo-Montecarlo, a classic offshore race on the Mediterranean circuit, has just ended. Organised by Circolo della Vela Sicilia in partnership with Yacht Club de Monaco and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda since 2005, the 480 nautical mile event is a stage in the Italian Offshore Championship circuit (organised by the Italian Sailing Federation), IMA’s Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge and the Class40 Mediterranean Trophy. “Wind and sea conditions were quite difficult this year, which made it all the more exciting,” said a delighted Agostino Randazzo, President of Circolo della Vela Sicilia.
Lady First III crowned
Once again, the meeting pulled in the crowds with some 40 teams from nine nationalities competing. As the first to make a beeline for the Principality, Lady First III coped admirably with the vagaries of the course from the start in Palermo, Sicily, on Friday 19th August at midday. Departing from Gulf of Mondello in a fleet of seasoned sailors, Jean-Pierre Dreau’s Lady First III helmed by the talented Nicolas Berenger crossed the finish Sunday evening at 23:47 after 2 days 11 hours 47 minutes 6 seconds of racing. “Everything went well,” explained Nicolas Berenger, “we had quite tough conditions for the first part of the course, crossing the Maddalena Archipelago then the Strait of Bonifacio and then managed to escape the whims of the Corsican coast to end on a good crossing from there to the continent, with the wind pushing us along in the right direction. Despite the last 25 miles being difficult, we managed to stay ahead of our rivals”. No question then that this crew well deserved to win the Giuseppe Tasca d’Almerita Trophy (first to finish in real time).
Lady First III takes line honours
It took 2 days 11 hours 47 minutes 6 seconds for Jean-Pierre Dreau’s Lady First III with French sailor Nicolas Berenger, already winner of the event in 2018 (Tonnerre de Glen), on board to cover the 480 nautical miles between Sicily to Monaco. An hour and minutes later another Frenchman, Dominique Tian on Tonnerre de Glen crossed the line to tie up in the YCM Marina, followed by the Italians on Carbonita. And so the record set in 2015 by the Maxi 100 Esimit Europa 2 of 47 hours 46 minutes 48 seconds remains intact.
Option taken pays off
Four boats had raced away from the fleet from the start on Friday 19th August in the Gulf of Mondello. Lady First III, Tonnerre de Glen, Sisi and Carbonita ate up the miles, keeping a good distance from the rest of the peloton before moving into top gear. Very quickly options emerged for this small group.
Cracking start for 17th edition
The 17th Palermo-Montecarlo, a 470 nautical mile race between Palermo in Sicily and the Principality of Monaco, got off to a cracking start in the Gulf of Mondello for the nigh on 40 boats taking part in an event that has established its place in the offshore racing calendar since 2005.
Big names
Organised by Circolo della Vela Sicilia in partnership with Yacht Club de Monaco and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the meeting always attracts big names as it has done again this year with the likes of Frenchmen Kito de Pavant (HBF Reforest’action) and Nicolas Berenger (Lady First III) in action.
Among the favourites is the Neo 570 Carbonita belonging to Manolis Kondilis, Circolo della Vela Sicilia’s boat and his crew of experienced sailors, and the Austrian Farr 65 Sisi, respectively first and second to the first mark followed by the French Solano of Pascal Feryn.
Nine nations are represented including three Monaco boats: Andrea Statari’s Gorilla Gang, K’Mena and Andreas Feichtinger’s Lung’Ta with two young members of the YCM Sports Section on board, Oscar Royneau and Jessica Klimeck, reflecting the Club’s ongoing commitment to fire up a passion for sailing among future generations.
Of note this year is the strong showing of professional sailors on small boats (circa 15m) with carbon masts whose weight ups the ante on the power of these vessels.
Nearly 40 boats set to line up!
Wednesday 10th August 2022 – Just over a week to go for competitors registered for the 17th Palermo-Montecarlo 2022 which starts from the Gulf of Mondello in Palermo. The offshore race has been organised by Circolo della Vela Sicilia in partnership with Yacht Club de Monaco Yacht Club Costa Smeralda since 2005.
The start gun will be fired at midday Friday 19th August to launch a race in which many sailing champions are again taking part, reinforcing an already consolidated tradition for this challenge.
Among those in competition is the Circolo della Vela Sicilia local team on Manolis Kondilis’s Carbonita which will have onboard Tommaso Chieffi, Alberto Bolzan, Gaetano Figlia di Granara and Diego Battisti, co-ordinated by co-skippers Edoardo Bonanno and Paolo Semeraro. Other big names include Ambrogio Beccaria and Alberto Riva (Alla Grande Pirelli), Gabriele Bruni and Giuseppe Angilella (Spirit of Nerina Lauria), Andrea Caracci (Solano), Mauro Pelaschier (Elo II), Stefano Raspadori (Karmak) and Frenchmen Kito de Pavant (HBF Reforest’action) and Nicolas Berenger (Lady First III).
Competing alongside them are three Monaco boats namely Gorilla Gang led by Andrea Statari, Andreas Feichtinger’s Lung’ta and K’Mena.
Curtain down
Italia Cup – J/70 – Riva del Garda – 15-17 July
Sunday 17th July 2022. The J/70 Italia Cup Championship ended this weekend after four stages, this last one being in Riva del Garda. Nearly 100 teams joined the Italian J/70 Class for the season, representing 16 nations from three continents.
Eight races were completed by the 70 boats present for this last meeting. They included seven teams from Monaco among them Pierrik Devic (Leonteq) who ranked 16th ahead of Cesare Gabasio (Tinj70) 33rd, Loïc Pompée (Sailing Racing Team) 34th, Nico Poons (Charisma V) 36th, Graeme Peterson (Moonlight II) 46th, Stefano Roberti (Piccinina) 58th and Leandro Casali (Zero) 61st.
The European Championship in Hyères mid-September is the next major event for the J/70 fleet before the long-awaited World Championship, held for the first time in the Principality (14-22 October 2022) when 90 boats will be out on the water.