Clean Report
The most democratic of big one-design racing fleets gets underway tomorrow in Porto Cervo, just days after the most exclusive racers in the world go home. And unlike the Maxis, you can’t just buy your championship with champagne and briefcases full of cash – not that some J/70 owners aren’t trying! In fact a number of top boats failed to measure in during the Worlds measurement. It’s nothing new for a J/70 Worlds, as there has been nasty chatter, cheaters called out, protests, and even measurement DSQs at every J/70 Worlds (who can forget the famous Greenwald carbon rudder in Newport?). Never has it been at an event this big – at least not since the J/24 days and the infamous keels of a certain RI family…
With an astounding 175 boats from 24 countries on the entry list, the measurement issues at the YCCS are extreme, according to Italian sailing blog Adesso Vela, which writes that [paraphrased/translated] “almost no one will tell you about dozens of boats who disappeared after they found out boats were being failed at measurement, while others are replacing their keels completely in order to race at Worlds.”
We dig the response of the Italian J/70 Class, which is not the organizer of Worlds but sure does seem pissed off about the cheaters. And those cheaters may just include a past World Champion or two, some Olympians, and at least one of Italy’s most illustrious yachting families…
Regardless of whether the boats are accepted by the Worlds Organizers, the Italian J/70 Class reserves the right to take disciplinary actions against Italian Class Members responsible for illegal tampering with their boats.
Our own Senior Editor “Mr. Clean” just picked up a plane ticket for Sardinia, and he’s heading over there to report on the big drama at the biggest sportboat Worlds in history. Live morning shows, live streaming commentary of the racing, interviews, and plenty of shots of gorgeous italian girls…follow along on this front page and on Facebook here.
