J/70 Worlds Coming to San Francisco

Since it first splashed in March of 2012, the J/70 Class has enjoyed a meteoric rise, with more than 900 boats now sailing in more than 20 countries, making this speedy sportboat the most successful One Design keelboat since Rod Johnstone built the first J/24 in his garage in 1975.

This year marks the third J/70 World Championship and the first on the West Coast, with St. Francis Yacht Club set to host the event on San Francisco Bay from September 27 to October 1, 2016. To date, 40 boats from 13 countries have entered the regatta, headlined by Julian Fernandez Neckelmann (MEX), who won the 2015 J/70 World Championship and 2017 J/70 North Americans.

“The competition at the San Francisco Worlds will be fantastic,” said Neckelmann, who described San Francisco Bay as one of his favorite international racing venues. “I can think of six or seven European boats that will be in the hunt, seven North American boats that will be right up there, and two or three South American boats that should be contenders.”

Eighty boats are anticipated, and San Francisco Bay’s prevailing strong westerly sea breeze in September and October will place the event solidly in the sweet spot for high-adrenaline racing.

“We can’t guarantee breeze, but we can guarantee a world-class race committee that will keep the racing smooth and tight,” said Susan Ruhne, who is serving as the Regatta Chairwoman for the 2016 J/70 Worlds. “We have parties planned for each evening, and for those who want to explore our vibrant city, San Francisco offers countless great restaurants, bars and evening-entertainment opportunities.”

For teams that want to gather more local knowledge before the Worlds, the St. Francis Yacht Club’s Big Boat Series (September 15-18) will be including a J/70 class. Seven J/70s are currently registered for the Big Boat Series, and this number is expected to swell as teams finalize their fall sailing plans.

Event website: https://www.stfyc.com/j70worlds2016

Source: StFYC