Spain's Padron-Torrent crowned J/80 World Champion
by J/Boats 20 Jul 2024 16:43 BST
6-13 July 2024
Padron-Torrent wins the J/80 World Championship © J80 Worlds
The Société des Régates Rochelaises, the École de Voile Rochelaise, and La Rochelle Nautique were able to run eleven races for this year's 2024 J/80 World Championship held in La Rochelle, France.
Seventy teams from seven nations competed in the four-day regatta; including Belgium (5), China (1), Spain (16), France (45), Hong Kong (1), India (1), and The Netherlands (3).
It was a battle to the final race for the French team of CV AILEE- ECOLE NAVALE led by skipper Pierre Laouenan and his crew of Christian Ponthieu, Jean Queveau, Tiphaine Ragueneau, and Damien Iehl. After taking the early lead in the first two days, they were fighting to maintain their composure against the onslaught of the top Spanish teams.
In the end, it was an amazing closing scoreline of 1-1-2-2-1-1 in the last six races by Javier Padron Torrent's Spanish team on EUROFRITS & AVIKO- NEWIND FOODS (Jon Arrazabal, Alberto Padron, Daniel De La Pedraja, and Alba Ponce) that took home the J/80 World Championship title!
Pierre Laouenan's CV AILEE- ECOLE NAVALE had to settle for the silver medal just three points back. Rounding out the podium with the bronze medal was Iker Almandoz's Spanish team on ENBATA 80 (Ligo Jauregui, Ligo Sanchez, and Borja Ponte).
Rounding out the top five were two former J/80 World Champions from Spain. In fourth was Jose Maria "Pichu" Torcida's FREDA LA ESTRELLA DEL NORTE, losing the tiebreaker at 56 pts behind ENBATA 80. Taking fifth place was Jose Azqueta's BIOBIZZ with 84.9 pts.
More information at j80worlds2024.com