Italian J/24 Championship: in Cala dei Sardi wins La Superba

The Italian J/24 2023 Championship was held in Cala dei Sardi, Costa Smeralda, in which 25 boats from different parts of Italy participated. A total of 10 races were held in the waters of Sardinia, with a ranking that, apart from the Navy winners who dominated, was very balanced with many champions on the water such as Tommaso Chieffi, who was present at the regatta.

Almost 50 years after its inception, the J/24 proves to be a boat that can still give dovertimento, as well as a fleet that not all modern one-designs can boast.

Italian J/24 Championship, who won

With a day to spare, victory once again went to the Navy ‘s Naples Sailing Center’s J24 ITA 416 La Superba helmed by Ignazio Bonanno in crew with Alfredo Branciforte, Francesco Picaro, Simone Scontrino and Vincenzo Vano: the defending champions, in fact, thanks to four victories of the day and regular partials won the J24 Challenger Trophy and the ninth tricolor title in the J24 Class for the sixth consecutive year, which are added to the two J24 European titles.

Completing the podium is the ITA 460 Bottadritta of Magdalenian Mariolino Di Fraia, crewed by his son Camillo, Ezio Diana, Davide Schintu and Andrea Tirotto, and the J24 bearer of the organizing club, ITA 420 Giulietta armed by NSS Yachting, skipperEugenioBasciu and helmed by Antonello Ciabatti.

J/24, a myth boat

More than a boat practically a myth. Even today, regattas dedicated to this monotype gather thousands of enthusiasts around the world. In 1976 Rod Johnstone built Ragtime, a 24-foot prototype in his garage that was able to free itself from IOR tonnage.

Four of the first five hulls were purchased by owners named John, so the boat was named J-24. In the first 20 years of production, J-Boats churned out as many as 5200 examples. Great Italian sailors competed aboard J-24s, winning the Worlds: Francesco De Angelis, Lorenzo Bressani, Andrea Casale and Vasco Vascotto