Spain presents a powerful fleet at the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds 2024

On Friday 13th September, the Spanish Navy and the Naval Commission for Regattas will begin the arduous and complex process of measuring the entire participating fleet of the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds 2024, organized by the Real Club Nautico de Palma (RCNP) from 13th to 22nd September.

For three days, each of the 97 boats registered in the competition, from 26 different countries, will have every aspect and weight of their boats measured, as well as the entire sail inventory. An official training regatta has also been programmed for Monday 16th September, the last day of measurement, as well as the official presentation of the event, to be attended by the president of the J/70 class, Vittorio di Mauro, and the RCNP president, Rafael Gil.

Spain presents 13 teams

The J/70 class has been present in Spain since 2014, with the launch of seven boats in Vigo, that held their first competition at the El Corte Inglés Máster 2014. The class has since grown throughout Spain with two particularly important hubs in Vigo and Barcelona, with a total of thirty boats.

In 2023, the national J/70 class achieved its classification ranking, with the results obtained in the Spanish Championships and the Copa de España 2023. Luis Martínez Doreste’s “HSN Sailing Team” from the Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria achieved maximum points, followed by Luis Bugallo’s “Marnatura” from the RCN de Vigo, Pablo Garriga’s “Tenaz” from the RCN de Barcelona, Jorge Martínez Doreste’s “HangTen – Hnos. Berga” from the CN de Gran Canaria and Luis Martín Cabiedes’ “Noticia” from the RCN de Barcelona.

Spain will also be represented by the brothers Jorge and Luis Pérez Canal from RCN de Vigo competing on “Abril Rojo” and “Abril Verde” respectively, Luis Albert’s “Patakin”, María Bover’s “Balearia,” and Miquel Coll’s “Nautia” three teams representing the RCNP. Likewise, Marcelo Baltzer and Juan Calvo Boronat’s “Let it Be,” from the RCN de Denia and Andrés González Cominges’ “Pazo de Cea” will also compete for the RCN Vigo.

In summary, one team from Valencia, two from the Canaries, three from Mallorca, three from Barcelona and four from Vigo.

Great international rivalry

The class has an important North American influence, as the birthplace of the One Design, and in just over a decade has seen already close to 2000 boats built.

The favourites in the competition include the defenders of the title, British team, Charles Thompson’s “Brutus II” from the Royal Southern Yacht Club, and the north American team Richad Witzel’s “Rowdy” from the Chicago Yacht Club, Joel Ronning’s “Catapult” from the Wayzata Yacht Club, Douglas Rastello’s “Good to Go” from Newport Harbor Yacht Club and Brian Keane’s “Savasana” from Beberly Yacht Club.

From South America, the main favourites are Argentine team Guillermo Parada’s “Nildo” from the Club Náutico de San Isidro, Mexicans Ignacio Pérez Moret’s “Zaguero” from the Vallarta Yacht Club, the Brazilian teams Selmo Nissenbaum’s “Highlanders,” and Ralph Vasconcellos’ “Mindset” both from the IC Río de Janeiro.

Alongside the Spanish fleet, other representatives, include the title defenders, and British team Jonathan Calascione’s “Calypso” from the Royal Yacht Squadron, Italian team Alessandro Molla’s “Viva” and from the Curling Yact Club in Australia, Sam Haynes’ “Celestial.”

Big names for the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds

The first day of racing in the Bay of Palma is a priori programmed for Tuesday 17th September, and as well as the main favourites participating, the World Championships at the RCNP will be seeing some big names in the world of sailing. Such is the case of world champions Charles Thompson and Thomas Mallandine, European champions Jonathan Calascione, Vasco Serpa, Luca Domenici and Sofia Gondi, and multiple times World, North American and Open European champion, Joel Ronning, and likewise Doug Rastello.

Spaniard Luis Bugallo made class history with his world Corinthian title (amateur), as well as Gianfranco Noe and Nick Zeltner, who will be joined on the docks of the RCNP by South American champion, Renato Faria.

Manu Fraga, director of the RCNP, concluded,

“We are naturally extremely happy with the high level of participation. The number of boats registered and the quality of the teams and sailors competing at the Worlds is promising a spectacular week of racing and quite possibly some very close competition.”