Momentous season ahead for the J/111 Northern European Class
by Louay Habib 8 Feb 2018 15:09 GMT
22-26 August, 2018
Tight racing at the top mark © Rick Tomlinson
The J/111 Northern European Class (J/111 NE Class) has a full programme of events for 2018. The sleek, speedy, one-design 36 footer is the ultimate one design flexible race boat.
The Northern European circuit offers friendly yet highly competitive one-design racing over eight months. The showcase event will be the J/111 World Championship, to be held at WV Breskens, Netherlands from 22-26 August, 2018.
"A fleet J/111's planing across the Solent at 20kts is an awesome sight and one that we saw frequently at the 2016 World Championships from Cowes in 2016. We are looking forward to the same excitement for our 2018 season with the Worlds back in Europe again. Whilst it is spectacular for our spectators, it is much more fun when you are on board and you do tend to see J/111 crews smiling a lot." commented J/111 Class Association President, Chris Jones.
The early part of the 2018 season will see the J/111s racing as part of the new Performance 40 Class, mixing it up with yachts of similar size and speed racing under IRC. J/111s will be out in force racing at the RORC Easter Challenge, Warsash Spring Series and the Royal Southern YC May Regatta. The Van Uden Reco Stellendam Regatta Netherlands, will also feature J/111s in action.
In May, The first J/111 NE Class events will be the RORC Vice Admiral's Cup followed by the J/111 UK National Championship, as part of the J-Cup, hosted by the Island SC. The Royal Southern YC's June and July Regattas will also be J/111 NE Class events.
In August, the J/111 NE Class has a mouth-watering programme of events; Lendy Cowes Week will host the inaugural J/111 Euro Cup, followed by the J/111 Pre-Worlds, and the sixth edition of the J/111 World Championship, staged in Breskens, Netherlands.