J/122 Wins Slow Annapolis to Newport Race

David Askew's J/122 FLYING JENNY VI Wins IRC II

(Newport, RI- June 8th)- The Annapolis to Newport race is one of the most historic and well-known of the US East Coast blue water races. Linking two seaports dating from our nation's birth, Annapolis and Newport, the race provides an enormous contrast between the country's largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay, and the stormy, brooding Atlantic Ocean. 

The course heads south for 120 miles from Annapolis to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, then east to the Chesapeake Light and hence northeast to Newport. After navigating the shallows and currents of the Bay, navigators have to decide if they want to sail the rhumbline to Newport, go in towards the shore or head further into the Ocean.

The J's had a good showing in this year's event with David Askew leading the pack on-board his J/122 FLYING JENNY VI, taking 1st over strong, experienced offshore competitors in IRC2 like the two J/44s- Leonard Sitar's VAMP and Jack Neades' GLORY.
The Yacht Club Challenge was won by the Annapolis Yacht Club with an entire J/Team comprised of FLYING JENNY VI (J/122), DOLPHIN (J/42) and WINDBORN (J/120). Photo credit- Don Dement. For more info

Pen Azen Wins Trophee Atlantique

The UNCL/ FFV IRC1 French Championship Dominated by J/122s

(Port des Minimes, La Rochelle, France- May 21-23)- The hosts at Société des Régates Rochelaises- Yacht Club Les Minimes put on a splendid regatta for the competitors vying for honors at the SIV Habitables Regatta and for the ultimate honor of winning the UNCL/ FFV Trophee Atlantique- emblematic of the French offshore spring championship series. With eighteen entries in IRC Classes 1, 2 and 3 it was not going to be a walk-over for any of the competing teams at this highly regarded event. Nevertheless, Philippe Delaporte and team on his J/122 Pen Azen again managed to sail a solid series, winning by one point over fellow J/122 Damacle with the world-renowned Christinne Briand as tactician. Both boats easily dispatched two very competitive Archambaut 40s (Batistyl and Stamina3) who finished third and fifth behind them, respectively. For more info

J/122 Pen Azen Victorious at Grand Prix du Crouesty

The Grey-blue French Rocketship Continues Domination of French IRC Offshore

(Crouesty, France- May 30-June 1)- The third major event of the French UNCL/ FFV offshore sailing season had excellent representation from passionate J owners from France, in particular. The Yacht Club du Crouesty Arzo hosted a wonderful event; the J's represented 50% of the fleet of the Grand Prix du Crouesty and forty one J/80s were present to do battle; not far behind in attendance were the J/22 and J/24 classes.
In the J/80's, Sylvain Pelissier won in a highly competitive fleet. In IRC1, the J122 Pen Azen again confirmed their supremacy over IRC1 competitors, beating stablemate J/122 Damacle with the renowned Christine Briand on-board as tactician. Also doing well was the J/109 Poulico, 3rd in IRC2 (beating three very competitive Archambaut A35s). For more info.

J/122s At New York YC Regatta

J/122 One-Design Warm-up for North Americans

(Newport, RI- June 14-16)- Nine very competitive J/122s are entered to race one-design in this year's New York Yacht Club's Annual Regatta held off Newport, RI. This classic event starts with the fun and challenging Around Jamestown Island Race on Friday and then proceeds to course racing on Saturday and Sunday off Brenton Point, about four miles southeast of Castle Hill. Teams are coming from as far away as Annapolis, MD, Denver, CO and Irvington, TX. Come down to NYYC's Harbour Court during the weekend and see why these J/122 owners are having such a fun time! For more info.

J/Mediterranean Cup

Enjoy the best the Med has to offer racing your J

On June 6-7, J/Europe distributor K-Yachting is sponsoring its third annual J/Med Cup event. This regatta has a passionate following amongst those J sailors cruising and racing in the Mediterranean. The locations have been terrific and this year's event promises to be every bit as fun as they have been the past two years. Pierre Duchein at K-Yachting promises that it will another fantastic year. For more details, please visit the K-Yachting website or download the NOR.

J/122 Growing and Winning Worldwide

North Americans @ BI Week, One-Design @ NYYC Regatta, IRC Champions in Europe!

The J/122 continues its winning ways in regattas around the world this spring. With that rare combination of speed, comfort, great modern looks and competitively rated in IRC and PHRF, J/122 owners continue to collect silverware and have seen increased participation of J/122s in events this year.

In the USA, Robin Team's TEAMWORK won PHRF A going away in both Charleston Race Week and the Ft Lauderdale-Charleston Race. Robin reported hitting 20+ knots during the Charleston race while out in the Gulf Stream. They beat two well sailed, competitive STP 65s on handicap in this IRC event. During the American Yacht Club Spring Series, the J/122 class had 5 boats. Perennial campaigner Andrew Weiss and his capable team aboard CHRISTOPHER DRAGON, comfortably won by a six point margin. Mike Bruno's WINGS hung in there for 2nd with John Chapman's team on board SCREAMING EAGLE finishing 3rd. For more info, news and scores see the American YC's site.

In the Caribbean, Jamie Dobb's LOST HORIZONS was dominating Antigua Race Week and looked to have a lock on the Big Boat class win. However, in epic conditions with big seas and big winds they broke their boom and a chance to walk home with an armful of silverware.

In Europe, PEN AZEN sailed by Frenchman Philippe Delaporte continues to dominate, winning a highly competitive IRC1 Class in the prestigious Obelix Trophy. The Obelix Trophy is one of the most prestigious events on the French offshore racing circuit each spring. The J/122 beat the latest IRC-influenced offerings from several builders, including the new Beneteau 41, Archambault 40RC and others. Also campaigning their J/122 successfully in European waters is John Patterson's PANACEA. They were the overall series Champion at the RayMarine Warsash Spring Series in England sailing against all the newest IRC boats in the 37-44 foot size range. The Black Group fleet were set long courses, using much of the central Solent, for the entire series of weekend events. PANACEA had taken a healthy points lead into the final day's racing, ultimately winning and taking the IRC1 Championship handicap honors. PANACEA won by six points over Bill Blain's BATFISH III, a well-sailed J/133. The Big Boat class included a number of J/133s, J/122s as well as a range of other designs - Comet 41, Farr 52, TP52, Ker 39 and Corby 40 and a new Santa Cruz 37.

It's clear the J/122 continues to be the "40 foot boat to beat" in international and regional IRC competition. This solid, all-around performer continues to be the best combination of cruising and racing in the 40 foot category. Competitive boats are "niche-oriented" and become "type specific" in terms of breeze/conditions they're targeted at-- many are extremely tender, hard-to-sail "twitchy" boats.

If you haven't tried one, hop aboard a J/122 in your local area, see them at the J/122 North Americans at STC Block Island Race Week or the New York YC Annual Regatta in Newport. Or contact J/Boats for a dealer/owner near you who can fill you in on why the J/122 has been such a fun, competitive boat to sail

J/122 hits the Jackpot in Australia

Ray and Sandra Entwistle’s J/122 ‘Jackpot’ is turning heads in Sydney’s IRC racing circuit. ‘Jackpot’ tied for first place in the Short Ocean Point Score Series, a six race series sailed off the Sydney coast and run by the CYCA. Sandra shared this report:

The first race in the series was the 173rd Australia Day Regatta, the oldest continuously-conducted sailing regatta in the world, held on January 26, the day the City of Sydney was founded in 1788. We had a great day sailing, a perfect 28c and 15-20kt breeze for the 35nm mile race to Botany Bay and back. This was our first serious race, and the J/122 behaved just as we had hoped, a smooth beat down the coast, and an effortless but exciting run back with the 155m2 kite. We came 3rd on IRC in this race, but couldn’t believe it when we found we had missed 2nd place by 1 second in the 4 ½ hour race. The fleet of 35 yachts were the cream of Sydney’s highly competitive racing circuit, attracting TP52’s, Swan 60, 47.7’s, and a trio of Cookson 12’s to name a few.

The rest of the series were windward-leeward courses and the boats performance improved as we fine-tuned the stock J/122. Our local sail maker ‘Ian Short Sails’ did a superb job on the sail wardrobe, particularly the running kite allowing us to sail at 165 TWA.

Our worst result was a fourth, and the last race was down to the wire with 4 yachts within 1 point of each other. It was a nail-biter from start to finish with some exciting tactical racing and all the yachts performing at their peak to try and take the top prize. In the end ‘Jackpot’ scored equal first in the series with a professionally skippered Swan 60.

We are extremely pleased with the J/122, and like our prior J/109 she has proved to be exceedingly competitive out of the box. We are now looking forward to fitting the dodger and taking her cruising over the Easter holiday break whilst we decide which winter race series to enter.