The J/70 World Championship kicks off in Palma Bay

96 teams from 25 nationalities are all set for the first start signal of the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds, which will take place on Tuesday, September 17, in Palma Bay.

Ahead lie five intense days of competition to determine the new world champions of the class, and it looks like conditions will allow teams to deliver a spectacular performance.

“For the first days of competition, the weather forecast shows northeast winds, decreasing from 15-18 knots on the first day to 8-12 knots expected by Thursday,” explains Gaspar Morey, the principal race officer for the championship.

In total, the race committee can complete a maximum of ten races, and the worst result will be discarded after the fifth race. With nearly 100 boats competing and a high level of skill among the fleet, the championship is expected to be tight until the end. “The races are expected to last between 80 and 90 minutes, so the plan is to hold two per day, weather permitting,” says Morey.

Races will begin each day at 11:30 a.m., and the afternoons will feature live music and local product tastings at the village of the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP), where sailors, skippers, and owners can unwind.

As scheduled, the practice race for the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds was held on Monday, September 16. Along with testing their strength on the racecourse where the world title will be contested, the fleet was able to practice starts and familiarize themselves with the RaceSense system, which transmits the exact position of each boat in relation to the starting line, allowing for quick identification of early starters.

After the on-water activity, the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the J/70 International Class Association welcomed all participants at the 7:00 p.m. opening ceremony, presided over by RCNP President Rafael Gil and J/70 Class International President Vittorio Di Mauro.

In the words of the president of the organizing club: "I would like to express our gratitude to the J/70 Class representatives for choosing Palma as the venue for this competition, and to all our institutional partners: the City Council of Palma, the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation, the Balearic Sailing Federation, and the Balearic Port Authority. We also thank our sponsor, Sandberg Estates, whose support has been crucial in making this event a reality."

“This world championship is part of a packed regatta calendar that once again puts the Real Club Náutico de Palma at the center of international nautical attention. We are an organization committed to our city and to the sport,” he added.

Di Mauro, for his part, stated, “2024 is a special year for the class as we celebrate our 10th anniversary, and we are very happy to be in such a special place as Palma and at a great club like the Real Club Náutico de Palma.”