It is a sight many sailors have looked forward to as much or even more so than the America’s Cup itself – Seven J Class, the largest fleet to ever assemble in the 87 history of the class, raced in their own regatta either side of the first weekend of the America’s Cup finals.

The J Class also performed a stunning exhibition race on the America’s Cup course on the Great Sound on Saturday, shortly before the first America’s Cup match, for the thousands of fans in the America’s Cup village. (The shallow, reef-strewn depths of the Great Sound make it very tricky to set a proper course for the J Class, hence the actual races were held off the north coast of the island).

A combination of having some of the world’s best photographers here and the J Class racing on translucent turquoise blue seas means the resultant photographs (below) make for a visual treat.

Lionheart scored a first and second on the final day to win the J Class regatta, which concluded in a light breeze off the north coast of the island. It was reduced to a two day, five race event after Friday’s racing was canceled due to light wind.

The fleet was also without its newest member Svea for the final three races, after she suffered rig damage durig the second race (pictured below). But the crews at the prize giving were all delighted with how close the racing was in the light, flat water conditions – a fleet divided and decided literally by seconds.

Here is the best of the Js in Bermuda in pictures

Seven J Class hit the startline for the first time ever. The smaller Shamrock chose port hand starts to keep clear air – Studio Borlenghi

JK7 Velsheda and JS1 Svea add some colour to the otherwise black and white sail wardrobe – Studio Borlenghi

The long aft overhangs of JK6 Hanuman during Monday’s triple race day – Chris Cameron

The precarious pointed bow of a J Class highlights the skill of the bowman. Topaz on the greener, clearer waters of the Great Sound – Ricardo Pinto

The Js dance elegantly around the Great Sound off the America’s Cup village during the J Class exhibition – Ricardo Pinto

The exhibition saw staggered starts in a light breeze but a perferct opportunity to see the skills involved with getting the vast sails up and down around a simulated race course – Ricardo Pinto

Hanuman leads Ranger and Svea during the first day of the windward/leeward J Class Regatta. The final results came down to seconds. Chris Cameron

The view from the weather rail of Shamrock as the six other Js round the mark ahead, Velsheda leading. The smaller Shamrock can only try and compete with the others on handicap.

Preparing to hoist on the foredeck of Hanuman. She has been highly optimised and is the only J to use a snuffer to allow faster kite drops on mark roundings. Ricardo Pinto

The view from the America’s Cup village as the J Class perform their exhibition race. Sander van der Borch

Kristy Hinze Clark, Hanuman’s owner, enjoys helming the boat during the exhibition match – Studio Borlenghi

Onboard the newest J Svea, with her clean deck layout and extra large wheel, with Ranger and Hanuman chasing – Studio Borlenghi

Velsheda’s foredeck crew, led by Jeff Reynolds and Eduard van Lierde prepare to hoist the red white and blue spinnaker – Ingrid Abery

Weight forward on Lionheart on their way to winning both the Superyacht Regatta and J Class regatta in the light airs of Bermuda – Ingrid Abery

The seasoned competitors Ranger (left), Velsheda and Lionheart find their lane at the leeward end of the line – Studio Borlenghi

A seven strong fleet means it’s a gutsy affair at the pre-start and a good reason why the top pros are needed aboard to make the split-second calls  – Studio Borlenghi

Bermuda’s picture postcard conditions. The combination of enticingly clear, flat water, ideal temperatures, light breezes and welcoming locals makes for a spectacular venue – Ricardo Pinto

The newest J Class, a Hoek rework of a Tore Holm design, looked superb in her first regatta and was going well until she suffered rig failure (below) in her second race. Studio Borlenghi

There was a loud bang as Svea approached the top mark – the headstay swivel broke and the stay and genoa collapsed. The crew reacted quickly to release the mainsheet and runners and crank on halyards to the foredeck to keep the mast standing. It is hoped Svea will be fixed in time for the J Class Worlds in Newport in August. Studio Borlenghi

The race to the downwind gate and who can get the vast genoas up and kites down quickest – Ingrid Abery

The red socks of Ranger in support of Emirates Team New Zealand (famously worn by Sir Peter Blake) – Gilles Martin-Raget

Following a poor start and a tense finish to the last race, Lionheart wins the America’s Cup J Class Regatta. It marked triple success for the JH1 team in Bermuda, after also winning their class and the overall prize in the Superyacht Regatta. Some of her Falmouth based crew hoist the Cornish flag in celebration – Ingrid Abery

The post J Class picture highlights: spectacular images of 7 J Class sailing together at the 35th America’s Cup appeared first on Yachting World.

If Svea’s third place in her first race yesterday was impressive for the debutante J Class member, her victory over the seasoned fleet today was quite a phenomenal achievement. It was a race that saw Svea go from zero to hero after she lost a crewmember overboard less than a minute before the start.

Lionheart’s second place finish today meanwhile earned them victory in the three day regatta overall. A delighted Bouwe Bekking, a seven time veteran of the Volvo Ocean Race, spoke to Toby after stepping ashore on the buzz of racing here and what it takes to win.

The Superyacht Regatta that concluded today may have been seen by the J crews as the ideal warm-up to the America’s Cup J Class Regatta which starts tomorrow, but all were taking the racing just as seriously. The round the cans format to the races, which include reaching legs, doesn’t suit the J Class as much as the windward/leewards that will be used for their own event from tomorrow. But it’s still a case of picking the best shifts.

Today’s race was Svea’s second downwind start in a row, a manoeuvre they had yet to practice before the Bermuda event. But as tactician Charly Ogletree told us directly after the race, it could have gone a lot worse for Svea. “This race start was more chaotic than yesterday,” he said matter-of-factly. “We had a MOB 40 seconds before the gun!”

The crewmember was scooped up by the chase boat and delivered back aboard, but it created “a late deploy and not exactly a perfect start,” said Ogletree, an ex Olympic Tornado sailor.

JH1 Lionheart leads the J Class fleet on her way to a Superyacht Regatta victory in Bermuda

Ogletree went on to explain how Svea’s break came during the 16 mile race when Hanuman blew out their spinnaker and stopped in front of them – “so we gybed to get away from them and found more wind.” This resulted in them briefly making a handsome 9.5 knots to the rest of the fleet’s 8 knots, he said.

Continues below…

The J Class brings timeless elegance to the America’s Cup during their first day’s racing in Bermuda

Five J Class yachts raced in Bermuda today, making up one quarter of the 20-strong fleet of superyachts in a…

Inside J Class yacht Svea – what it’s really like to race on board the newest member of the fleet

Svea, the newest addition to the now nine-strong J Class fleet, is one of the most outstanding new yachts of…

On the way back into Bermuda’s Great Sound this afternoon, the J Class fleet were treated to a Top Gun style flyby from the America’s Cup defenders. Bouwe Bekking took this footage of the Oracle Team USA catamaran clipping their ensign.

The other five J Class crews then cheered Svea in as she reversed back to the dock in Hamilton this afternoon. It is an amazing feat to record a victory this quickly – Velsheda and Ranger have been racing together for over 10 years, it took Lionheart a couple of seasons to get up to speed, and Topaz is two years old now and yet to find winning form.

Sharp crew work aboard Lionheart at the America’s Cup Superyacht Regatta

So what is the key in these light to medium flat water conditions? “Picking which way to go and boat management,” says Ogletree. He admits their focus is on the windward/leeward format of the J Class Regatta to come and the J’s World Championships in Newport in August.

“Any result we get is a bonus – we have a great team onboard and a good boat.”

Bouwe Bekking makes the tactical calls for Lionheart’s owner-driver

Svea missed the first day of racing on Tuesday so couldn’t realistically challenge for the overall regatta. Lionheart collects her trophy this evening and tomorrow the three day America’s Cup J Class Regatta  begins.

This event, which runs on June 16, 19 and 20 , will welcome the addition of Shamrock V to the fleet and will be the first time seven J Class have ever raced. The racing format for the Js also changes to windward-leeward contests, two per day, and will be sailed off Murrays Anchorage.

All pictures courtesy of Ingrid Abery

The post Svea rules the day and Lionheart wins the J Class Superyacht Regatta in Bermuda appeared first on Yachting World.

We expected her to be fast, but would the new J Class Svea be competitive too? It is a tall order for a boat, which in two years has gone from being bought as a bare aluminum hull to a race-ready J, to be on the starting line against the largest fleet yet.

And when you consider that four of her opposition in Velsheda, Ranger, Lionheart and Hanuman have raced and trained with a seasoned crew for years now, it would be easy to presume she might be out muscled from the off.

Not so. For although Lionheart and Ranger put in a near faultless performance to finish the 14 mile triangular cum round the cans shaped course in first and second place, Svea was never far off their heels. See more about the J Class Svea below.

Here is some video action from the view of the press photographer’s boat today, in near ideal flat-water conditions with wind ranging from 7 to 13 knots.

With all six Js looking very evenly matched on the water, it was all about the downwind start today – and when Lionheart and Ranger picked the left side and found favourable breeze they just needed to sail smartly and cleanly to maintain their lead.

Lionheart leads Ranger with the red spinnaker of the J Class Svea chasing in third – by Chris Cameron

Svea’s quick decision to gybe early away from Velsheda and Hanuman and join the left side, was one that earned them third place. Not bad considering one of her crew later told me they hadn’t yet practiced a downwind start.

Tidy crew work as ever aboard the original J Class Velsheda

Svea, the newest addition to the now nine-strong J Class fleet, is one of the single most outstanding new yachts of modern times. Svea’s build programme has been a ruthless, unrelenting one since her American owner bought the bare hull. A serial yacht owner and experienced racer, his sights were firmly set on the Bermuda J Class regatta this June.

Continues below…

The J Class brings timeless elegance to the America’s Cup during their first day’s racing in Bermuda

Five J Class yachts raced in Bermuda today, making up one quarter of the 20-strong fleet of superyachts in a…

Inside J Class yacht Svea – what it’s really like to race on board the newest member of the fleet

Svea, the newest addition to the now nine-strong J Class fleet, is one of the most outstanding new yachts of…

In just 17 months from signing the contract to her delivery, Svea was transformed from bare hull to a race-ready superyacht at Vitters – and one that was ready to sail across the Atlantic to her first race, just as the original Js were designed to do.

Her lines and minimalist deck are kept spectacularly clean, thanks in part to the compact wheelhouse, sunken wheel and wonderfully low boom.

Svea, and her wonderful 8ft diameter wheel, on the race course for the first time

The lines for JS1, the J Class Svea, are from a Tore Holm design from 1937, the last J drawn but never built. Holm was one of the most gifted metre class designers. Andre Hoek reworked the design to make it competitive and applicable to modern day racing, his third J project in recent years following Lionheart and Topaz.

Even compared to these ‘Super Js’ Svea is big. She is (by six inches) the longest J overall at 43.6m /143.1ft LOA, with an ultra ergonomic deck layout that helps keep her lines uncluttered.

Svea’s deck layout is optimised for modern racing thanks to a large cockpit directly in front of the wheel from which the main, genoa and running backstays are all controlled.

Francesco de Angelis guides Svea’s owner on the helm during her first race

During their last training day in Palma in March, I sailed with Svea in race mode in similar conditions to today and spoke to Francesco de Angelis (the ex-Luna Rossa skipper hired as owner’s coach).

Tomorrow, Thursday 15 June, is the last day of the Superyacht Regatta fleet racing before the Js start their own showcase J Class regatta on Friday. With Shamrock joining the mix to make it seven Js for the first time ever, it will certainly be a spectacle.

The post Brand new J S1 Svea stars in a record J Class racing fleet at America’s Cup appeared first on Yachting World.

Five J Class yachts raced in Bermuda today, making up one quarter of the 20-strong fleet of superyachts in a superyacht regatta that is being held as a showcase event to the 35^th America’s Cup.

On Friday 16 June, the J Class will commence their own three day regatta, for which a record fleet of seven Js are expected to race for the first time in the near 90 year history of this illustrious class.

And it was announced today that on Saturday, during the first day of the finals of the America’s Cup, the J Class are due to put on a match racing display in the Great Sound for the thousands of fans viewing from the water and race village.

The J Class will put on a match racing display on Saturday 17 June in the Great Sound, Bermuda

Both the brand new J Class Svea and the oldest J, Shamrock V, remained on the dock today.

Svea’s owner, who couldn’t make today’s race, is due to take the helm of his new yacht for the first time competitively tomorrow, while Shamrock is only entered in the official America’s Cup J Class Regatta that runs on 16, 19 and 20 June.

But even tied up stern-to the dock in Hamilton, these elegant craft make a simply dazzling sight – this video shows six alongside each other.

Today’s 16-mile triangular single race was held in very light breeze off the north shore of the island. Despite being over early at the start and having to re-cross the line, Hanuman, helmed by America’s Cup commentator Ken Read, showed unmatchable pace in the light airs to come back and take the win.

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Svea rules the day and Lionheart wins the J Class Superyacht Regatta in Bermuda

If Svea’s third place in her first race yesterday was impressive for the debutante J Class member, her victory over…

Inside J Class yacht Svea – what it’s really like to race on board the newest member of the fleet

Svea, the newest addition to the now nine-strong J Class fleet, is one of the most outstanding new yachts of…

The victory is the first of the three scheduled races at the America’s Cup Superyacht regatta and follows Hanuman’s win in the six strong J Class fleet at the St Barths Bucket in March.

Ken Read steers Hanuman to victory on the opening day of the Superyacht Regatta in Bermuda

Hanuman chose the preferred side for the first upwind leg and were already challenging then leaders Velsheda at the first mark. When Hanuman set a reaching spinnaker they extended away to win from Ranger in second place.

The dock talk is all still about the new J Class Svea, how fast she could be and whether she’ll be able to match the race-seasoned Js assembled here.

The racing can be followed here http://www.tractrac.com/web/event-page/event_20170

Here are some more shots from the day courtesy of Ingrid Abery

Pictures by Ingrid Abery

The post The J Class brings timeless elegance to the America’s Cup during their first day’s racing in Bermuda appeared first on Yachting World.

The sight of a J Class yacht sailing never fails to take your breath away. But time can dull even the grandest impressions. It has been three years since the Js last raced in UK waters, so it is both refreshing and magnificent to get up close to three of them again in Falmouth – and to be reminded of their imposing grace.

Velsheda, one of the three original Js still sailing, and replicas Ranger and Lionheart are competing in Falmouth all this week, with the final race due to take place on Saturday 27 June. To see them square up to each other, to watch their army of crews work the narrow, exposed decks, and to hear the reverberating groan of a highly loaded Dyneema sheet being eased off a winch drum, is captivating. And then there are the stats…

“Their mainsheets are 100m long – which would reach as high as the top of Big Ben. Their genoas are typically 400m2, so would cover the 25m Truro swimming pool three times…” local sailor and dentist Donal O’Halloran shot round after round of statistics like this off during his commentary today. He was aboard the press boat with me, and his enlightening commentary continues during racing on VHF Channel 68 all week.

Also onboard the rather luxurious Cockwells motor launch was Anna Varle from the BBC Spotlight team. You can catch her round up that went out live this evening on iPlayer by clicking here: Spotlight  {the J Class footage is between 18 and 21 minutes into the programme.}

Our press boat spoiling the shot of Velsheda’s spinnaker hoist

There are two official J Class events this year, and they are both in the UK. That the owners of Velsheda, Ranger and Lionheart have chosen to return to Falmouth just three years after last sailing here, shows how much they enjoyed sailing in the green waters of the westcountry.

Indeed following the race today, comments were made about the welcome received and the amount of support vessels on the water – more than at any Med event reportedly. “There was a Firefly, an A-Class cat and a Shrimper out there – fantastic!” said J Class Secretary Louise Morton, referencing the sheer variety of spectator vessels alone.

Lionheart’s bowman Juan Pablo Marcus checks on rival Ranger

The day belonged to Lionheart. Despite a poor start, where she was muscled onto port by Ranger, Lionheart soon showed her speed in the light airs (Or was it the local knowledge? Lionheart has five Falmouth sailors aboard). She sailed through Velsheda and Ranger on the first beat and could not be touched thereafter.

Velsheda Bowman Jeff Reynolds prepares for a hoist as Lionheart leads downwind

The finish saw youngest first across the line, with two minutes separating each J. The 2010 built Lionheart, followed by the first replica built, Ranger (2003) and finally the 82-year old Velsheda.

Lionheart, with five local sailors aboard, wins the first day at Falmouth

It marked a gentle start to a five-day regatta – a light breeze, warm sunshine and flat waters – perfect for the 30-strong J crews to ease into the racing.

The Royal Cornwall YC planned to run two races each day, but this morning’s race was cancelled due to light winds, leaving just one windward-leeward race in the afternoon. Winds averaged just 6 knots (5.7 knots to be precise), according to the measurements taken from a wind wand on the committee boat. It is interesting to learn however that the average was more like 8–9 knots when taken from the 55m/178ft tall masthead of a J.

Racing on Wednesday is scheduled to be a three hours coastal course for the Kings Hundred Guinea Cup. The wind is expected to gradually increase towards the end of the week, so Saturday could prove a real spectacle.

Velsheda’s foredeck crew in action

Ranger picks the pin end of the start and forces Lionheart off to port

Ranger and Velsheda cross in the opening race of the J Class Regatta in Falmouth

All photos by Graham Snook And Emma Jones

For more on the J Class, the yachts, history, news, pictures and video – go to the dedicated section of our website here

Here is the offical report from the race today:

Lionheart started the 2015 J Class racing year in the same way they did their 2014 season, with a win. But as they crossed the finish line off Falmouth’s picture postcard Pendennis Castle to take the first winning gun of the J Class Falmouth Regatta it partly atoned for a disappointing finale to last year in Saint Tropez and also marked the first race victory since Olympic medalist John Cutler joined as tactician.

In the light 6-8kts S’ly breeze Cutler, in concert with new navigator Aksel Magdahl (Nor), called the first two miles windward leg to perfection, rounding the top mark already with a small lead over Ranger. They made their key gain during the final third of the first beat, extending away after a close call when they close tacked only just ahead of Ranger. Their move was green flagged by the on-the-water umpire, a new initiative for the class regattas this season, and for the remainder of the two upwind, two downwinds course in the shifting breeze, Lionheart were not challenged.

The start to race 1 was delayed until 1400hrs until the light breeze settled in. Velsheda, with Tom Dodson calling tactics, made the best timed start on port tack, heading inshore in to the bay. Lionheart was not quite as fleet footed off the line while Ranger worked the early left, offshore.

Around the course Lionheart proved slightly quicker in the light wind pressure, Cutler and Magdahl soon identified the extra breeze offshore on the upwind, a tactic which Murray Jones recognised early on Ranger. But Lionheart, as is often the case in the gentler airs, proved to be faster and could extend progressively, winning by 1 minute and 24 seconds on corrected time.

Velsheda rolled in to challenge Ranger for second a couple of times but the St Tropez regatta runaway victors had to settle for second as Cutler delivered his first win on Lionheart. He paid tribute to the Lionheart team and the team at Falmouth’s Pendennis Shipyard where the boat was refitted through the winter. That it came out from the yard in perfect, ready to race condition gained them three good, essential days of training before this regatta. Cutler commented on the dock: “The boat is going really fast. The Owner was really locked in today and did a great job. And the boat is just out of Pendennis where it has been for six months.”
And to take the first winning gun of the season means a lot: “It feels good. We struggled a lot in St Tropez and so it was good today to be going pretty fast, to be going the right way. It was nice. I did the Falmouth regatta on Ranger in 2012. Then it was foggy, raining and cold but it is a great place to go racing, really pretty, such a beautiful part of the world.”
Second placed Ranger’s skipper-helm Erle Williams concluded: “It was a good race. It was a bit light for Ranger and Lionheart is a lighter boat. We had a good start and were going well, but Lionheart just had the legs on us on the first beat. We need 10-11-12kts. It was just on the light side. We were not bad but Lionheart just had the legs on both of us. We were close with Velsheda, they came into us a few times. We have a lot of crew changes – 14 since the last regatta – and we have some guys doing the Volvo and so on – but we had three really good training days and the crew sailed really well today. Lionheart is very hard to beat in these conditions.”

Racing on Wednesday is scheduled to be a three hours coastal course for the Kings Hundred Guinea Cup.

Result Race 1 (Corrected Times)
1 Lionheart 1hr 21m 19s
2 Ranger 1hr 22m 43s
3 Velsheda 1hr 24m 33s

Live tracking can be followed on jclassyachts.com

The post Three J Class yachts are racing in Falmouth – see the pictures and highlights from the first race here appeared first on Yachting World.