J 24 Class Association

J24 worlds final wrap up from Mexico

Close racing takes J24 Worlds to a nerve wracking finish




The UBS sponsored, J 24 World Championship closed in particularly testing conditions for competitors at Banderas Bay, Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.

As 2006 World Champion, Mauricio Santa Cruz of Brazil retained his title with a race to spare, seven competitors battled for the runner-up spot.
Chris Snow of USA held the spot overnight having sailed a careful series. Third placed Mark Hillman of USA hoped to move up whilst Britain’s Ian Southworth led Mike Ingham of USA for fourth place. Also poised to pounce were the Japanese crews of Sakamoto and Funazawa.

The race officer moved the start of race 9 forward by one hour forward by one hour, but the wind had decided not to join in. This resulted in an attempt to start in 5 mph wind with current pushing the fleet up into the committee boat. The resultant raft saw damage, a general recall and a black flag start.

Wataru Sakamoto led the charge and was black flagged, while 54th placed Keith Whitemore of USA, sailing Tundra Rose, wriggled clear to take his first win of the day. Argentine sailor Alejo, was second with Ken Porter of Mexico, sailing Comex, finished third. Porter had a great week in the light, local conditions to finish 14th overall.

Series hopefuls headed for their calculators as Chris Snow picked up a 36th place. European Champion, Ian Southworth, sailing Inmarsat, finished 17th, after being blocked by the starting raft, slipped to 5th overall.

Competitors scoured the course for wind but none was to come.

As on many previous occasions during the week, the Race Officer struggled with the local tidal effects. His three boat line system had not worked well. The middle boat, from which he sought to control the race, was often ahead or behind the line. Competitors were further stressed by race spectators, who moved ever closer to the weather mark to cheer friends, before endearingly powering their Sunseekers down around the fleet to the Leeward Mark. Light winds and motorboat chop are not a happy mix.

Race 10 started with a general recall and a further black flag. It was a rerun of the morning. 5 mph winds, chop, spectator wash and a raft of boats and collisions as boats sought to start starboard end and tack right. Local, Ken Porter led the charge and got black flagged as did eleven other boats.
Tundra Rose took the lead from Wataru Sakamoto in Siesta and Luis Grimaldi of Argentina. Mark Hillman recovering from a morning 26th finished 4th the Local Mexican crew of Murieta and Beho, sailing GQ Mexico, took 5th.

As the dust cleared, Mike Ingham, 4th in the morning had moved up to a well deserved 2nd overall ahead of Mark Hillman with a crew that included 2005 World Champion, Anthony Koutoun as tactician. Yasutaka Funazawa of Japan, sailing Cerezo, scored a 5th and a 12th to grab 4th overall and on arrival at the dock, Wataru Sakamoto discovered he had passed Ian Southworth by a single point to take 5th place. The Argentine crew of Alejo and Gonzalez then discovered that they had pushed previously second-placed Chris Snow into 8th, while Rossi Milev of Canada came within two points of also beating the leading USA crew. Taking 10th place was Luis Grimaldi of Argentina, who did just enough with a last race 3rd to beat Ryan Cox, USA to a place trophy.

This was a highly competitive series, sailed in predominantly light airs. Seventy boats were extensively measured by internationally qualified judges over three days and the Race Committee worked hard to provide great racing. Once again the J24 Fleet showed itself both competitive and good humoured, even on days when there were over thirty protests to be heard.

Elite corporate sponsorship from UBS Bank, the Regional Puerta Vallarit Regional Government, Globalstar, Lincoln Cars, Scappino Clothing and American Express made the 29th J24 World Championship “The Best Ever” and set a high bar for the Italian Fleet, hosts of the 30th World Championship at Porto Rotundo, Sardinia in 2008.

Ian Southworth comments “What a championship, very hard racing and on the last day so many could still get second place. My congratulations to Mauricio Santa Cruz and his team, who did so well and my thanks to our sponsors, Inmarsat plc, to Henri Lloyd for the clothing that kept us cool and to technical helpers, Harken GB. We look forward to Sardinia.

Ian Southworth’s crew were: Andy McLelland, Cockpit; Max Skelley, Tactics; Chris McLaughlin, Mast and Chris Crockett, Bow. They used Ullman Sails On a Charleston Spar and an Italia J Boat hull.


Other British placings were: Bob Turner in Serco Defence, 28th and Gareth Chalmers in 33rd. Both were sailing charter boats.

J24 Worlds from the water.

Jay Ailworth
Strange Bird Photography


Inmarsat steps up

Inmarsat,(GB), sailed by triple J24 European Champion, Ian Southworth continues to progress through the World Championship fleet here at Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. The championship has attracted 70 boats from 17 countries and continues to test some of the world’s best helms.

The J24 will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2008 but the racing continues to be fresh and close as competitors choose to sail this strictly controlled, one-design boat.

The Puerta Vallarta World Championship has provided difficult conditions with most racing in less than 6 knots and shifts of 20 -25 degrees a regular occurrence.

Mastering the conditions to date is current World Champion, Mauricio Santa Cruz of Brazil, sailing Bruschetta, a newly-built Italia J-Boat, paid for by Corporate sponsors, Globalstar. The boat will be presented to the Mexican Class for use by members on the Texas circuit in 2008.

Globalstar has provided individual tracking devices on each boat to enable web watchers to see how individuals are doing.

For the leading group, today will be about avoiding errors. Twenty points separate Mauricio Santa Cruz from 5th placed Wataru Sakamoto of Japan, who was second at the 2006 World Championship. Each of the top four competitors can, mathematically, win the title and conditions will be very testing again. The race officer has moved the start forward to noon, but to date there has been little or no wind at that time, while local uncharted tide flows make starts and approaches to marks difficult to judge.

The current positions are a who’s who of J24 sailors. Santa Cruz and his team of Brazilian Olympic sailors needs no introduction. In second is Chris Snow of North Sails, USA, who has won many North American titles. Third placed Mark Hillman,(USA) of Quantum sails has 2005 World Champion Anthony Koutoun as his tactician.

Joint fourth placed Mike Ingham of North Sails, USA is facing a re-run of the 2006 Worlds where Britain’s Ian Southworth took third position from him.

Sakamoto and countryman, Yasuka Funazawa hold 5th and 6th positions, while Rossi Milev of Canada is in 7th. Luis Grimaldi of Argentine is in 8th pl”ace.

Said Ian Southworth: “ This is a very hot fleet. We have no discard so that will dictate or approach to risk today. We are going to sail each race in isolation and see if we can improve”.

Ian Southworth’s crew is: Andy McLelland, Max Skelley, Chris McLaughlin and Chris Crockett. They are using Crockett’s Italia J Boat, with Charleston spars and Ullman sails. Inmarsat plc, the mobile satellite communications group have supported them, as have Henri Lloyd and Harken UK.

Southworth Wins Omega match racing in Bahrain

Photo: Prince Nasser (centre right in polo shirt) and Sheikh Kalifa (centre left) present trophies and Omega watches to the British crew



Southworth Wins Omega match racing in Bahrain

Three-times J-24 European Champion, Ian Southworth, has won the Omega Bahrain Match Racing championship, held at the Bahrain Saling Club, Al Jazira beach.

The event, raced in matched J-24s, was delayed for one day as 25 mph winds unexpectedly blew across the course area. Their cause was the Shamal – a local warm air breeze that blows in from Iraq toward the island of Bahrain.



The compressed round-robin event saw Southworth unbeaten in eight races across two days as wind gradually moderated to 8 -10 mph. In the opening race, one mast was broken, due to an unexpected chain-plate failure, but with great ingenuity it was sleeved and welded over-night – then
straightened by Southworth and cockpit-man, Andy McLelland, with assistance from winches on two other boats, manned by crews from across the fleet!



Third and Fourth places were hard fought between Pakistan and Bahrain 2, with Pakistan winning the first, Bahrain 2 the second and a close-covering battle in the final race, that saw Pakistan take third place overall.



With the wind lightening, Southworth and his four crew hoped for a change up to Genoas for the Final. But race organisers and the international Jury, led by Luca Babini of Italy, stuck to jibs. Race one, saw Southworth control the start and lead the Bahraini team from start to finish. But the locals, and previous years’ winners fought back in race two. Using local knowledge, they tried to get Southworth to run-aground off the harbour entrance. Spectators peered down from the
wall above enjoying a birds-eye view of both crews as they tried not to be first to ground. Southworth broke clear to lead again from start to finish.



Some of the entrants were new to the J24 and preparing for the forthcoming Asian Games. The GB team helped set boats up and gave handling tips to these crews. Sailing and Match racing is being
encouraged and supported by Sheikh Kalifa bin Abdulla al Kalifa, who founded the Sailing Club and oversees its development. The Sheikh is encouraging development of sailing and enjoys the support of the Royal Family in his efforts.



Prince Nasser bin Hassan al Kalifa, recently returned from Sandhurst Military Academy, presented Omega watches to the British team of Ian Southworth, Andrew McLelland, Chris McLaughlin and Julia Scott.



Comments Ian Southworth: ” Its early days for match racing and competitive sailing in Bahrain. But it was a privilege to take part in this event. Sailors were treated to brilliant sunshine, sparkling seas and wonderful Bahraini hospitality. We hope to be invited back next year and to encourage Gulf J24 sailors to build-up for the Worlds to be held in Sardinia, Italy in 2008”.