Sandberg Estates J/70 World Championship at Real Club Náutico de Palma - Day 1
by Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds 17 Sep 19:30 BST
13-22 September 2024
This Tuesday, the bay of Palma has witnessed a spectacular start of the event organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the J/70 class International Association.
With the first two races completed, Douglas Newhouse and Jeremy Wilmot's, USA, "Yonder" is leading the overall ahead of two Brazilian teams: Bruno Bethlem's "Arete" and Ralph Vasconcellos' "Mindset".
Great start of the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds. The event organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP) and the J/70 class International Association has opened the scores with the dispute of the first two races programmed. With a first and a seventh, Douglas Newhouse and Jeremy Wilmot's, USA, "Yonder" is the first leader of an overall that today has been marked by the irregularity of the fleet.
With about nine knots of wind from the northeast, the race committee blew the first starting horn just fifteen minutes late, at 11:45 am. After nearly an hour and a half of intense competition, it was Newhouse and Wilmot's "Yonder", from the New York Yacht Club, who took the win ahead of Douglas Rastrello's "Good to go", also racing under the U.S. flag representing Newport Harbor YC. Third place in this first race of the World Championship went to a Spanish team, Luis Albert's "Patakin" from the Real Club Náutico de Palma.
The second and last race of the day started around 14h30 with a wind that, although more unstable, was increasing in intensity up to twelve knots in the race course of the Bay of Palma.
Charles Thomson's British "Brutus II", sailing under the Royal Southern YC flag, and coming from a 23rd place in the opening race, did not forgive and managed to score his first partial victory in the second leg. The current class world champion was followed by Brazilian Bruno Bethlem's "Arete" from the IC Rio de Janeiro and American Laura Grondin's "Dark Energy" of the New York Yacht Club/GLPYC, second and third respectively.
With these results and after a day marked by the irregularity of the fleet, "Yonder" becomes the first provisional leader of the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds 2024. The podium is completed by "Arete" in second place after scoring 14 and 2. Third goes to the also Brazilian Ralph Vasconcellos' Mindset, with a fifteenth and a fourth place.
Tuesday, will be the second day of competition with two new races scheduled from 11:00 am.
The Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds 2024 is organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the International Association of the J/70 class, with the sponsorship of Sandberg Estates and the institutional collaboration of the City Council of Palma, the Spanish Navy, the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands, the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation and the Balearic Sailing Federation.
Results after Day 1: (top five, 2 races)
1. [USA] Yonder, Douglas Newhouse/Jeremy Wilmot, 8pts
2. [BRA] Arete, Bruno Bethlem, 16pts
3. [BRA] Mindset, Ralph Vasconcellos, 19pts
4. [GBR] Jelvis, Martin Dent, 20pts
5. [GBR] Brutus II, Charles Thompson, 24pts
More information at www.rcnp.es/j70worlds