by Janet Laffitte
How do you keep amateurs engaged in racing when the professional sailors dominate not only the standings but the fleet itself. The J70 Class, nearing 2000 boats, is feeling that strain.

In the USA, there were five Corinthian teams out of 34 boats at the Miami Bacardi Cup; the Midwinters had ten out of 50. At our local level in the Pacific Northwest, we are experiencing an explosion of boats, thanks to the amazing generosity of pro coach Ron Rosenberg. (See North 48 June 2023 issue for more on that story).

Still, there are a handful of boats from our fleet that enjoy traveling and mixing it up with other sailors. We wouldn’t like to see the fleet die out because of the over-inclusion of pro sailors. I don’t mind sailing against pros but other amateurs may tire of always finishing deep.

What just happened in Riva del Garda, Italy started as a spark and is now a wildfire. An idea by the Italian J/70 Class to host the 2023 J/70 Corinthian World Cup on June 1-4 sold out in 90 minutes, initially capped at 80 boats and subsequently extended to 90 boats. READ MORE