2026 J/80 World Championship at CORK Sail Kingston - Day 3
by Julie & Christopher Howell 24 Jul 01:04 BST
July 20-25, 2026
James Buley and the Le Tigre team delivered a flawless performance on Thursday, winning all four races to extend their lead at the 2026 J/80 World Championship hosted by CORK/Sail Kingston at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour.
After two races were completed on Wednesday following the weather-delayed opening day, Thursday proved to be the pivotal day of the Championship. Competitors enjoyed sunny skies and a building seabreeze ranging from 15 to 20+ knots, rewarding focus, stamina and boat speed through choppy waters. Efficient race management, supported by Vakaros RaceSense, allowed the Race Committee to complete an ambitious four-race schedule, bringing the fleet to six races overall.
With the discard now in effect, Buley's remarkable scoreline leaves Le Tigre atop the standings with just 5 net points. Sailing with Jackson Benvenutti, Bill Hardesty and Skip Dieball, Buley has now won five of the six races completed and carries a commanding advantage into the final two days of competition. The battle behind the leader remains tight. Daniel Wittig's Turbo Sloth and Michael Grau's Paint it black are tied on 15 net points, with Wittig holding second place on the tiebreak.
Buley set the tone immediately by winning Race 3 ahead of Jesse Thompson's Tubby and Grau. He followed with another victory in Race 4, where Thompson again finished second and Wittig took third. Race 5 saw Buley lead Grau and Jason Balich's OverAchiever across the line, before completing the sweep in Race 6 ahead of Wittig and Christopher Hobbs' Lifted. The Corinthian Division continues to showcase outstanding competition of its own, with Conor Hayes' More Gostosa maintaining its lead among the amateur teams.
With six races complete and the discard factoring into the results, the Championship enters its final stretch on Friday and Saturday. While the racing has been fiercely competitive, the camaraderie ashore has been just as strong, reminding everyone that the J/80 World Championship is as much about enjoying time on and off the water as it is about the results.
Complete results can be found here.
Photos are available on the J/80 North American Class Association Facebook page, www.facebook.com/j80na