Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds Practice Race
by Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds 16 Sep 11:19 PDT
13-22 September 2024
Practice Race at the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds in Palma © SailingShots by María Muiña
The world championships have commenced. Ninety-six teams from twenty-five nationalities are geared up for the initial race of the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds. Five thrilling days of competition lie ahead to determine the new class world champions, promising conditions that should lead to some exciting racing.
“For the initial days of racing, the forecast indicates a north-easterly wind starting at 15-18 knots on day one, tapering to 8-12 knots expected by Thursday,” stated Gaspar Morey, the lead race official for the championships.
The race committee may conduct up to ten races, implementing a discard rule for the lowest score after the fifth race. The competition format features nearly one hundred boats at the starting line, and the exceptionally high level of participants indicates very close racing until the finish.
“The races are expected to last between 80 and 90 minutes, with the goal of completing two races each day as conditions allow,” added Morey.
Daily racing will commence at 11:30 AM. In the afternoons, at the race village in the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP), sailors, skippers, and boat owners can enjoy live music and sample a variety of local foods.
On Monday, a training race will precede the official regatta opening ceremony.
On Monday, a scheduled training race took place ahead of the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds. This provided competitors the opportunity to assess their rivals on the racecourse, where the world championship will be contested, practice their starts, and familiarize themselves with the RaceSense system that accurately transmits each boat’s position relative to the starting line, enabling the race committee to swiftly identify any team that has an early start.
Following the on-water activities, the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the International J/70 Association formally welcomed all participants at the opening ceremony at 7:00 PM. The event was presided over by Rafael Gil, president of the RCNP, and Vittorio Di Mauro, president of the international class.
The president of the organizing club shared the following sentiment,
“I extend our heartfelt thanks to all the J/70 class representatives for choosing Palma as the host for this event, as well as to our institutional partners: Palma Town Hall, the Royal Sailing Federation, the Baleares Sailing Federation, and the Baleares Port Authority. We also appreciate our sponsors, Sandberg Estates, for their invaluable support in making this event happen.”
This world championship forms part of a busy racing calendar, reaffirming the Real Club Náutico de Palma’s position at the forefront of international sailing. We are an organization fully committed to our city and our sport,” he added.
Di Mauro, representing the J/70 association, stated,
“2024 is significant for the class as we celebrate our 10-year anniversary in such a remarkable city as Palma, and at the prestigious Real Club Náutico de Palma.”
The ceremony was also attended by Jaume Bauzá, councillor of Tourism, Culture and Sport for the Government of the Balearic Islands; Javier Bonet, first deputy mayor of Palma; Catalina Darder, president of the Baleares Sailing Federation; Antoni Ginard, director of the Port Authority; Guillem Mascaró, commander of the Local Police in Palma; Javier Núñez de Prado, director of the Baleares Naval Sector; and David Salom Fuentes, general director of sports for Palma Town Hall, among other dignitaries.
The Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds 2024 is organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the International J/70 Association, sponsored by Sandberg Estates, in collaboration with Palma Town Hall, the Spanish Navy, the Baleares Port Authority, the Spanish Royal Sailing Federation, and the Baleares Sailing Federation.
For more information, visit www.rcnp.es/j70worlds
