J/70 World Championship at Clube Naval de Cascais - Day 1
by Press CNCascais 9 Sep 06:26 BST
4-12 September 2026
Vasco Passanha got off to a flying start at the J/70 Worlds in Cascais, claiming victory in the opening race. The Clube Naval de Cascais sailor emerged victorious from a highly competitive fleet of 100 boats, finishing ahead of some of the biggest names in the sport.
American sailor James Murray crossed the line in second place, while Luis Albert of Spain completed the opening race podium. Tiago Morais also delivered a solid performance. The Portuguese national champions finished seventh, further strengthening the home fleet's presence at the top of the standings.
In the second race of the day, Nuno Espírito Santo put Portugal back among the frontrunners. Sailing with Olympians Hugo Rocha and Frederico Melo, he secured an impressive second place, finishing behind the Brazilian crew led by Haroldo Solberg.
After the opening day, Solberg's Brazilian team are leading the overall standings with 10 points. Spain's Luis Bugallo sits in second place, with American James Murray completing the provisional top three.
The J/70 World Championship continues on Wednesday with two more races scheduled in Cascais, and the battle for the title is still wide open. Organised by Clube Naval de Cascais, the World Championship brings together 99 boats and some of the J/70 class's leading international crews. The 2026 J/70 World Champion will be crowned on Saturday, 12 September.
Full results so far can be found here.