2015 J/24 World Champs: International fleet gathers

Published on August 31st, 2015

Boltenhagen, Germany (August 31, 2015) – Beginning Monday, August 31, 56 international crews will be competing for the prestigious 2015 J/24 World Championship at Boltenhagen on Germany’s Baltic coast. It is the first time that the German Class Association has hosted one of yacht racing’s top events. Anticipation is heightened by the highly competitive fleet that includes former World and European champions.

“We are very proud to be hosting the J/24 worlds”, said Jan-Marc Ulrich from the German Class Association. “An international committee decides where the worlds take place. With our application, we were successful against nations like Brazil.” A dedicated team of volunteers have been working for months to ensure the event will be unforgettable for the sailors, their friends and families.

International flair in the picturesque seaside resort of Boltenhagen: Sailors from all over the world have gathered on the Baltic coast for 5 days of championship racing and après sail fun. The line honours for the longest journey goes to 4 teams from Japan, but crews from Argentina, Peru, Barbados and Brazil also made the long trip to Northern Germany. However, the major part of the fleet (21 entries) comes from Germany, followed by Great Britain (7 entries) and Italy (6 entries).

The high calibre of J/24 teams gathered in Boltenhagen includes many world-class sailors: Among the entrants are former world champions and the current European Champion, Ian Southworth (GBR). The practice race already saw some very close racing on the water and raised the anticipation for the next 5 days of racing.

The practice race on Sunday gave the crews the opportunity to tune up and get a feeling for the waters off Boltenhagen. With the first race being held on Monday, August 31, by Friday September 4th, the J/24 class will celebrate their new world champion.

About the J/24 class
In 1976, US sailor Rodney S. Johnstone constructed a simple, cheap and fast boat for his son in his garage. Today, the J/24 is the world’s largest keel boat class. Its strict class rules keep racing simple and affordable, even for youth teams, and the strict “one design” concept makes competition even more fun. Many successful sailors began their career in J/24, including Ken Read (Skipper in several Volvo Ocean Race-campaigns), silver medallist and America´s Cup tactician John Kostecki, and America´s Cup winner Ed Baird.

Event Website – Results – Live Race Tracking – Facebook
Report by Event Media