Please select your home edition
Edition
Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca 2025

J/24 World Championships at Rhode Island, USA Overall

by Dana Paxton 30 Sep 2000 14:03 BST

Brad Read Wins MFS Regatta® J/24 World Championship – Day 5, Final

NEWPORT, R.I., USA – Brad Read (Middletown, R.I.) and his crew Jay Miles (Newport, R.I.), Gordon Borges (New Bedford, Mass.), Randy Borges (Bristol, R.I.), and Paul Grenauer (Buffalo, N.Y.) won the MFS Regatta J/24 World Championship in Newport, R.I. against a fleet of 73 international teams from 14 countries. Eight windward/leeward races were sailed on Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean from Monday, September 26 through Friday, September 29. Presented by US Watercraft and Cambridge Technology Partners, the regatta was hosted and organized by Ida Lewis Yacht Club, Sail Newport and Fleet 50 of the International J/24 Class Association.

The eighth and final race of the series started in 14 knots of wind from the North and flat seas. Almost perfect conditions led to an almost perfect race for Read and his Blind Squirrel team. After a conservative start, they rounded the first weather mark in the top 25 boats and had their work cut out for them over the next three legs. Compounding the tricky wind shifts that Principal Race Officer Peter Reggio (Essex, Conn.) characterized as ‘squirrelly,’ was the rapidly dropping wind speed. Down to 6 knots and falling and the fleet had one upwind leg left to sail. Only a mile and a half of sailing stood in the way of Read earning the coveted silver prize. By employing the mantra that has served them so well this week – Be Consistent -- they finished seventh. Not bad for a team with four bullets, and good enough to earn him a title that Read has chased since sailing his first world championship in 1986 with older brother and five-time world champion Ken Read. "It's neat to be part of the history of the class," said Read. "I‘ve crewed a lot in the class with Kenny and won the North Americans a few times with him."

Summarizing the week of racing Read said. "Monday was a good day. Tuesday’s 11 and 21 should have been a 5th in both. We came away from that day and Randy, who isn’t a pep talk kind of guy sat us down and said, ‘We survived this day. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. We sucked, but we are going to win this regatta because we had an 11th in this regatta and this is a race we’re gonna keep. We’re going to be able to win this regatta."

International J/24 Class Association Executive Director Wayne Clough (San Francisco, Calif.) summed up the significance of holding the 20th world championship in Newport. "It is the home of JBoats and the spiritual birth place of the Class," he said. "Newport has one of the biggest and best fleets in the world. Imagine being out on a Thursday night and lining up with Brad Read, Geoff Moore (’99 North American Champion, Newport, R.I.), Jeff Johnstone, Tim Healy (’99 Midwinter Champion), Jens Hookanson and a host of others. Newport is considered by many to be the Mecca of sailing. The sailing tradition and history runs very deep."

More Information:

Related Articles

J/24 Spring Cup at Plymouth
The build up to the world championship continues for the fleet 2025 is the year that the J/24 World Championship is hosted in Plymouth by the Plym Yacht Club and Saltash Sailing Club. Both clubs are actively building to an event in September that will see 60 plus J24's racing outside the breakwater. Posted on 27 Apr
Gorgeous sunny Spring Fest on San Francisco Bay
OIne-design fleets of J/24s, J/88s, and J/105s go racing The battle-hardened, hard-core sailors of San Francisco Bay, accustomed to the worst their Bay can dish out, were pleasantly surprised to contend with a very sybaritic weekend of sunny weather and light to moderate wind conditions! Posted on 21 Apr
Poole Regatta to Host IRC Europeans in 2026
4 days of competitive racing in a spectacular environment The enviable track record Poole has built for hosting unmissable regattas continues in 2026 with the inclusion of the prestigious IRC European Championship as an integral element of racing, alongside multiple class starts. Posted on 1 Apr
Bangor Packet takes J/24 Midwinter Championship
Bangor Packet closed with scores of 5,1,2 to net 27 points Class veteran Tony Parker's Bangor Packet stayed consistent through nine races to earn the 2025 J/24 Midwinter Championship in Miami, FL. Posted on 24 Mar
Registration open for the 2025 Yachting Cup
San Diego's Premier Spring Regatta San Diego Yacht Club (SDYC) is thrilled to announce that registration is now open for the highly anticipated 2025 Yachting Cup, San Diego's premier spring regatta. Posted on 4 Mar
Sydney Harbour Regatta champions decided
Another late start as a light sea breeze fought the land breeze on the final day Another late start as a light sea breeze fought the land breeze, making it hard on competitors and race officers alike earlier, but eventually everyone settled in and new champions and winners were declared. Posted on 2 Mar
The 2026 J24 Worlds announces Title Sponsor
Peerless Industrial Systems support the event in Melbourne, Ausutralia The 2026 J24 World Championship is being held at the iconic Sandringham Yacht Club in Melbourne from the 4 - 11th November. The Organising Committee is excited and proud to announce the confirmation of our Title Sponsor, Peerless Industrial Systems. Posted on 15 Feb
J24 Australian Nationals in Melbourne
The undisputed king picked up his 7th Nationals title Last week the undisputed king of J24s in Australia picked up his 7th Nationals title. Sean Kirkjian and crew dominated the racing, finishing ten races with five firsts to finish on 20pts, 10 clear of second place Brendan Lee. Posted on 19 Jan
2026 J24 Worlds set for Melbourne
Being held at the iconic Sandringham Yacht Club The 2026 J24 World Championship is being held at the iconic Sandringham Yacht Club in Melbourne from the 4-11th November. This will be the 4th Worlds to be held in Australia and the second at Sandringham YC. Posted on 17 Dec 2024
Enter now for Plymouth Race Week
Early Bird discount, with 100% money back guarantee if you cannot make it Plymouth is already getting ready for their annual Sailing Race Week. Devon's picturesque coastline will be the backdrop for another exhilarating Sailing Regatta 10-13th July 2025. Posted on 2 Dec 2024