Inaugural J/70 World Championship at Newport - Day 2
by Jan Harley 11 Sep 2014 08:11 BST
8-13 September 2014
Qualifying Series complete
Championship round of inaugural World Championship begins Thursday
Day two of the 2014 J/70 World Championship presented by Helly Hansen saw the completion of the Qualifying Series leading to the Championship Series of this inaugural world championship. With 86 boats racing, the fleet had been divided into four color-coded groups for the first two days of competition. Each group sailed two races today, which, when added to the three races sailed on the opening day, allows each team to count the best four out of five to determine whether they will sail in either the gold or silver fleet starting tomorrow.
Winning the final race of the day was Brazil's Mauricio Santa Cruz on Bruschetta, who stands fourth overall with 13 points after finishes of 5-[6]-4-3-1. Santa Cruz has only been racing the J/70 for a short time – in fact his first regatta was the J/70 North American Championship this past July in Rochester, where he placed fourth in a fleet of 71 boats. He is, however, a familiar face on the top of the podium, especially in the J/24 class in which he holds four world championship titles (2012, 2009, 2007 and 2006). He is racing in Newport for the first time since sailing a Tornado here during Olympic campaigns which resulted in his twice (2004, 2000) representing Brazil at the Olympic Games. That he is sailing the J/70 Worlds with a crew that he is never previously raced with (although all are familiar as members of the Rio de Janeiro Yacht Club) clearly does not slow him down.
Joel Ronning of Minneapolis, Minn., remains at the top of the overall standings after sailing Catapult to a 1-1-1-4-[8] for seven points. His three-point lead over local sailor Tim Healy (Jamestown, R.I.) on Helly Hansen was eroded today with Healy posting 2-2-2-1-[3] to tie things up on points.
2013 BACARDI® Miami Sailing Week class champion Brian Keane of Weston, Mass., at the helm of Savasana, retains third overall on finishes of 1-3-3-2-[11] for nine points, just four points ahead of Santa Cruz. New Wave's Martin Cullman, of St. Petersburg, Fla., rounds out the top-five with 17 points on finishes of 6-[24]-6-3-2.
The September 8-13 competition is being hosted by New York Yacht Club at Harbour Court, with regatta headquarters at Sail Newport, Rhode Island's Public Sailing Center.
For results, photos and additional information on the inaugural J/70 World Championship presented by Helly Hansen, please visit www.j70worlds.com.
Helly Hansen is presenting sponsor of the world championship, and North Sails is the Official Regatta Support Partner. Also enhancing the experience of competitors at the regatta will be Harken, Marlow Ropes, Newport Storm, Seadek Marine Products, Southern Spars, Torqeedo and Triad Trailers.