J70 World Championship at La Rochelle, France - Overall
by Société des Régates Rochelaises 12 Jul 2015 08:14 BST
6-11 July 2015
Sun and wind were there for this World Championship and the J70 provided a spectacular show, this week in La Rochelle. Superb sailing conditions and fierce competition have marked this week, which has finished with victory for the Mexicans on the FLOJITO Y COOPERANDO (MEX 384) and their skipper Julian Fernandez Neckelmann. For the Corinthians, it is the English of Simon LING on the RAF TEAM BENEVOLENT FUND SPITFIRE (GBR 123) who win the trophy.
The J70s on Saturday morning had the final two races of championship. With a slightly cooler temperature than yesterday and a 5-10 knot wind from around 300 degrees for the race 9 and 260-270 for the last race, the conditions were gathered for a formidable and intense final day. Two good starts this morning, and two shifts in the wind during race 9 that surprised even the best. There was a surprise on the finish line since it was the Australian Steve Mc CONAGHY (AUS 007) on VAMOS who won the race followed by the English team LITTLE LOUISE (GBR 769) and the French team from Marseille with Elisabeth Vaillant helming TRISKELL (FRA 39412). The favourites of the championship, who took the right hand side of the course, were behind during the first beat. Despite a great recovery during the rest of the race, they failed to finish in the top 10.
The RELATIVE OBSCURITY (USA 49) team ended victorious in the tenth and final race of the Championship, followed closely by the Mexicans on FLOJITO Y COOPERANDO (MEX 384) who finished this Championship with a very nice race.
The Mexicans on the FLOJITO Y COOPERANDO (MEX 384) have performed a near perfect World Championship. Having taken the overall lead since the start of the competition and with only one race in which they did not finish in the top ten, the crew convincingly won the title.
The Italian Carlo Alberini on Calvi NETWORK (ITA 456), Midwinter J70 Champion in 2015, took a well deserved second place in the championship.
In third place, after a fierce competition with the English from the BOATS.COM (GBR 557), Tim Healy on the American boat HELLY HANSEN (USA 2) took the third step of the podium.
Among the French teams, LULU THE NANTAISE (FRA 257) with Ludovic SENECHAL's crew took 20th place ahead of HEMON CAMUS (FRA 722) and skipper Laurent SAMBRON (22nd) and the ENTENTE CORDIALE (GBR 836) of Philippe Briand (25th).
As for the Corinthians, the English have clearly led the competition all week. Finishing in the top 10 of the overall rankings and with some nice races yesterday and the day before, TEAM BENEVOLENT FUND RAF SPITFIRE (GBR 123) and skipper Simon LING won the Corinthian Trophy. Just behind and following closely were the GILL RACE TEAM (GBR 259) of Ian WILSON in second place. The French team of Ludovic SENECHAL on LULU THE NANTAISE (FRA 257) finished up in fifth position with some very good races during the championship.
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