An interview with Jay Leon and Keith Whittemore regarding the 2024 J/24 World Championship
by David Schmidt 25 Sep 08:00 PDT
September 28 to October 5, 2024
J/24 Worlds day 5 at Boltenhagen, Germany © Pepe Hartmann / J/24 worlds
Yacht designer Rod Johnstone was unaware of the impact he would create on the sailing scene when, in 1975, he launched Ragtime, his self-designed 24-footer, from his Stonington, Connecticut garage. Johnstone pursued yacht design through a correspondence course at the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology and spent years crafting a design for a fast, family-friendly, and easily trailerable raceboat. Once completed, he enlisted family and friends for the construction, and by the summer of 1976, he won every major regatta in southern New England.
It’s no surprise that news of his design spread fast; while Johnstone is a skilled sailor, it was clear that his neat home-built raceboat was a won-game.
Orders soon arrived, and nearly 50 years and over 5,500 hulls later, the J/24 stands as the world’s most popular keelboat.
With the design’s popularity and affordability, it’s no shock that competition levels in this international One Design class are intense. Securing a J/24 Worlds title is—and has always been—a monumental task requiring serious teamwork, training, focus, and skill.
Consider the 2024 J/24 World Championship (September 28 to October 5, 2024), organized by the Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle, the International J/24 Class Association, and the U.S. J/24 Class Association, with hosting duties from the Port of Seattle. Currently, the entry list boasts over 55 boats from ten countries and includes multiple national and world champion skippers and teams. Racing is set to take place on Puget Sound waters and, aside from thrilling competition, teams will hopefully enjoy expansive views of the Olympic Mountains to the west, Mount Rainier to the south, and Mount Baker to the north.
I connected with Jay Leon, press officer for the 2024 J/24 Worlds, and Keith Whittemore, the 2019 and 2023 J/24 world champion skipper and assistant regatta chair, via email to gather insights about this prestigious one-design regatta. Both are collaborating closely with regatta chair Jon Anderson to bring this event to Seattle.
Can you provide a quick update on the health and status of the J/24 class in the Pacific Northwest? What about on a national and international level?
JL: Reports indicate that Seattle’s Tuesday night J/24 fleet is the largest weekly gathering of J/24s across the country, consistently drawing over 20 boats.
J/24 Fleet #1 at Wayzata Yacht Club on Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota recently hosted the 2024 J/24 Nationals. The top four teams from that event will also be competing in the 56-boat fleet for the Seattle worlds. The J/24 fleet has historically drawn numerous professional sailors, making it compelling to track the leading non-professional, or Corinthian, teams. The top Corinthian team at the J/24 Nationals was Siesta, led by skipper Nobuyuki Imai from Japan. We anticipate four boats from Japan at the Seattle event.
In 2023, there were 35 boats at the Worlds in Greece; in 2022, there were 38 participating in Texas, while the 2021 event in the UK was canceled due to Covid.
Where are the majority of entrants coming from? Is there a geographical hub in the USA or internationally?
Argentina: 1, Australia: 1, Canada: 1, Great Britain: 3, Germany: 1, Greece: 1, Ireland: 1, Italy: 3. Japan: 4, Puerto Rico: 1, USA: 39.
How competitive do you anticipate this year’s J/24 Worlds will be compared to previous editions of this esteemed event?
KW: The 2024 J/24 Worlds should match or exceed the competitiveness of the last couple of championships. The Seattle-Puget Sound racing venue is fair, showcasing varied conditions that will give teams ample opportunity to show their skills.
Many top teams are based in the U.S., which, coupled with the regatta location in Seattle, facilitates attendance. It’s been several years since the J/24 Worlds featured sixty competitors battling on the course.
What is the typical weather like on Puget Sound in late September/early October? What are the best-case and worst-case scenarios?
JL: It’s late enough in summer for wind yet early enough in fall for warmth. Being in Seattle, we may experience some rainy days, but we can also expect stunning fall days with clear mountains and colorful leaves.
Puget Sound often experiences strong tides and variable winds. Do you have any tips for teams participating?
KW: Jonathan McKee, a Seattle local and multi-time world-champion sailor, will provide a comprehensive weather and tide briefing for all competitors at the event.
The Sound is an excellent sailing venue as winds are clearly visible, unlike in many other locations. Additionally, sailors will face the challenge of significant tidal ranges, presenting opportunities to manage currents effectively.
On September 29th, the fleet will practice in a notable ten-foot flood, but as the week progresses, the flood will decrease to a five-foot “Hold-Up,” leading to minimal current with a shift from northerly ebb to southerly flood during racing.
Puget Sound is “not” a place where deep corners typically yield winning outcomes.
The J/24 Worlds races will occur north of Meadow Point, off Carkeek Park, generally regarded as the fairest racing area in Puget Sound. Nevertheless, both the wind and current can be erratic near Meadow Point (especially during southeasterly winds), so the PRO will maintain a northern course to mitigate Meadow Point influences.
Are there particular entries you anticipate for podium finishes? Any dark horses you believe could surprise once racing starts?
KW: At many J/24 World Championships, around five or six teams vie for the top spot. The listed competitors below have all won notable national and international events, and they are well-prepared:
Louis Mulloy (Ireland), Nobuyuki Imai (Japan), Ignazio Bonanno (Italy), Paul Abdoullah (USA), Mike Ingham (USA), and Travis Odenbach (USA)
Several strong Seattle teams, including Scott Milne, Mark Laura, and Harry Dursch, will also be competitive.
Can you share any initiatives you’ve implemented as regatta organizers to reduce the event’s environmental footprint or enhance sustainability?
KW: Regatta chair Jon Anderson prioritized sustainability during the planning of this Worlds. You’ll see this commitment reflected throughout the event, from skipper bags to parties, trophies, and on-water practices.
We are proud to have achieved platinum status as a Clean Regatta by Sailors for the Sea; these lessons learned will guide environmentally friendly practices for future CYC events.
The Worlds will employ five MarkSetBots as the only race marks, allowing us to minimize our water footprint and reduce fuel consumption typically associated with setting and retrieving inflatable marks using gas-powered mark boats. This not only lowers the carbon footprint but also lessens the impact on the tidal ecosystem by avoiding sensitive sea floors and tribal fishing areas.
Is there anything else you wish to share regarding the 2024 J/24 Worlds?
JL: Two-time J/24 world champion Keith Whittemore has been instrumental in bringing the 2024 Worlds to Seattle and is working closely with regatta chair Jon Anderson to ensure a world-class event.
Expect a sizeable fleet, excellent competitors, and top sponsors including Beechers Handmade Cheese (beechershandmadecheese.com), Bank of America (www.bankofamerica.com), and the Port of Seattle (www.washingtonports.org).
The event will have distinguished race officials, including PRO Mark Foster and judge Willi Gohl from Germany.
For more details, including spectator options and live tracking, please visit the event website: www.j24worldsseattle.org/home
