Circolo Vela Torbole (Lake Garda) to host the first-ever J/70 Mixed Plus World Championship in 2025

Circolo Vela Torbole on Lake Garda © Paul Wyeth / www.pwpictures.com

Circolo Vela Torbole, in conjunction with the J/70 Italian Class, has been selected by the International J/70 Class Association to host the inaugural edition of the J/70 Mixed Plus World Championship.

The event will be held in Torbole on Lake Garda from June 26-29, 2025 for the fastest growing one-design Class worldwide, with close to 2,000 boats built in the past decade.

To understand what defines a Mixed Plus team, it is sufficient to refer to Section I.11 of the J/70 Class Rules which specifies that "...a crew shall consist of four or more persons and contain no more than two males over 18 years of age." In short, the only restriction is that a team may include no more than two men over the legal age. This allows a huge number of team combinations. The Rule was introduced to encourage more participation for women in sailing, and this is still an overall goal of the J/70 International Class. Additionally, one of the key aims of this Rule is to create more opportunities for families and young sailors to join J/70 events.

It is precisely the flexibility of the Rule, allowing for a wide range of team combinations, that has sparked the interest of numerous boat owners. They have begun to explore alternative crew lineups in hopes of being contenders in this eagerly awaited event.

"We were delighted to immediately accept the J/70 International Class'request to organize the first edition of this international event, much like we did when entrusted with launching the J/70 Corinthian World Championship, which has since become a staple for the International Class. I am confident that the Mixed Plus format, with its focus on familyoriented crews and greater female representation, could be the key to further accelerating the success of what is already recognized as the leading one-design Class," said Federico Siragna, President of the J/70 Italian Class.

"The new Mixed Plus World Championship seeks to promote yet another dimension of J/70 sailing by providing our community with a new exciting opportunity for international racing and another great sailing experience", said Vittorio Di Mauro, President of the J/70 International Class. "As a truly global one-design keelboat Class, we aim to provide sailing opportunities for all demographics, budgets and abilities. From regular weekend club racing to an unprecedented three World Championships per year, on alternating continents, where you can meet and compete with some of the best keelboat sailors in the world...only the J/70 can do it."

For more information on the International J/70 Class Association, visit j70ica.org.