J/70 European Championship 2026 at Real Club Nautico de Barcelona - Day 2
by Julie & Christopher Howell 22 Jul 21:42 BST
20-26 July 2026
J/70 European Championship 2026 in Barcelona - Day 2 © Torveo
The J/70 European Championship saw a change at the top of the leaderboard on Wednesday as HSN Sailing Team delivered an outstanding performance to take the overall lead after four races. Barcelona again provided excellent sailing conditions. Under clear skies, with slight seas and a steady easterly breeze of 10-12 knots, the fleet completed both scheduled races.
HSN Sailing Team (ESP 1214), helmed by Javier Padrón—one of Spain's most experienced sailors—opened the day with a commanding victory in Race 3, finishing ahead of Gulboy Guryel (TUR 442) aboard Denizcik and Renato Cunha (BRA 1527) aboard Tô Nessa. A fifth-place finish in Race 4 was enough to propel HSN Sailing Team into the overall Championship lead and also among the Corinthian fleet.
Ricardo Terrades, trimmer for HSN Sailing Team, commented, "We're extremely happy with today's results. We posted a 1-5, although we were the second-best team of the day—Hang Ten was the best with a 4-1. Both of our teams regularly sail here at the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona during the Winter Series and Spring Series, and I think that familiarity with the racecourse helped us significantly."
Race 4 was another triumph for the home fleet as Hang Ten (ESP 1706), helmed by Món Cañellas, claimed the race win ahead of John Heaton (USA 169) aboard Empeiria.
With four races completed, HSN Sailing Team now leads the European Championship with 23 points. John Heaton (USA 169) aboard Empeiria sits second with 39 points, followed by Gulboy Guryel (TUR 442) aboard Denizcik with 43 points.
With six more races scheduled to be sailed, the J/70 European Championship is entering a decisive phase for the fleet of 82 boats representing 24 countries. Consistency continues to separate the frontrunners in an exceptionally competitive fleet, where every point could prove crucial in the battle for the continental title.
Event Information and Results at www.j70eurobarcelona2026.com