Last month, Peter Hecht of Kiel, Germany was named the new Chairman of the J/80 Class Association, taking over from Jean-Baptiste Bernard of France, who led the class through 2+ years of tremendous growth, including the addition of three new national classes (Spain, Benelux & Italy) and a new comprehensive measurement website.

Peter is known to many J/80 sailors as the co-owner of Needles & Pins GER 508 along with his partner Uli Muenker. He has sailed at most of the European and World Championships since 2003 and most recently finished 3rd place at the 2007 Worlds. Peter sails frequently with his son Erik and wife Ute. In fact he and his wife double-handed the J/80 from Kiel to Stockholm in 2006.

Peter looks forward to welcoming J/80 sailors to his home town of Kiel, Germany for the 2008 J/80 Worlds in July.

| 07 April 2008 | 

In a recent letter to J/80 Class Presidents, class President Jean-Baptiste Bernard confirmed that:

"Following our discussions during the world championship in La Trinit and the official invitation received from the Santander Yacht Club, I am glad to inform you that the J80 World Championship 2009 will take place in Spain in the Real Club Maritimo de Santander from June 27 to July 5th.

Thank you to the Spanish J80 class to welcome us!

| 18 February 2008 | 

The J80 world championship 2009 will take place in Spain in the Real Maritimo Yacht Club of Santander from June 27th to July 5th.

Thank you to the Santander Yacht Club, the Spanish Sailing Federation, the Cantabrian Sailing Federation and the Spanish J80 owner's Class to welcome us or this event.

| 14 February 2008 | 

A Swedish J80 has just crossed the Atlantic.We all knew the J80 was fast and strong. Need to be convinced?
Here is a piece of their blog:
"My friend Kim wondered what it was like sailing a J80 in the middle of the Atlantic. There are not many similarities with racing around the buoys in Baggensfjrden (the place for J80-racing in Stockholm), not even with the off shore race Around Gotland.
Were we are now there is always lots of wind. Seldom below 20 knots and, at least during our crossing, often close to 40 knots. The wind is easterly so at least it's blowing from the right direction. The waves are also a lot bigger than at home. Lots of nice long surfs. The drawback is that it tends to be a bit messy when they break over the boat.
Another difference is that we rarely steer the boat by hand. Instead there's a rubber band and a rope that through two pulleys are connected to the jib sheet that steers the boat. It works fine for most of the time and it's actually the rubber band that holds the current top speed record of 19.8 knots.
We are often forced to sit inside the cabin to get away from the constant spray from waves. In the beginning it was a very eerie feeling when the boat surfed down a wave in 12-13 knots without anyone steering. In rough weather this happens once every minute or so so after a while you hardly think about it. The boat is unbelievably stable especially at high speed with the rubber-band steering system and it has never broached nor jibed at speeds over 10 knots.
The few times we are forced to steer the boat by hand is during extreme conditions. At that time all three reefs in the main has been used and the jib is replaced by the storm jib. Despite the tiny sail area the boat is heavily over powered and is constantly planing. Waves are washing down over the boat all the time and it has happened more than once that I've wished that I had brought my ski goggles for protection against the spraying water.
The last two days the weather has been a lot nicer though. Around 12 knot winds and the deck of the boat is actually dry for the first time in many many days. It's great to sit in the sun for once. :-)
Only 599 nm to go"

| 29 January 2008 | more on the following link | 

With only three races in, two days cancelled, and the fleet in a 3 hour postponement, it wasnt looking pretty 11am Thursday during Acura Key West Race Week. But then the ON switch was activated, and Premiere Racing's expert race management team ran off five races in the last day and a half, to ensure another successful week at Key West and the J/80 US Midwinter Championships.

John Storck of Huntington, NY aboard RUMOR captured the J/80 Midwinters over perennial champion Kerry Klingler of Larchmont, NY and Magnus Tyreman from Stockholm Sweden. Storck, with son Eric driving and daughter Katie trimming, managed an impressive 6 bullets in 8 races. Fleet participation was up from last year, and all indications are that 2009 will be a banner year - the 15th with the J/80 in attendance!

Special recognition goes to Magnus Tyreman (Sweden), Neil Martin (UK), Terry McKenna (Canada) and Curt Johnson of Marina del Rey, CA, for the long distance awards.

TOP FIVE OVERALL

John Storck, RUMOR 8 pts
Kerry Klingler, LIFTED 19 pts
Magnus Tyreman, PANEKILLER JANE 27 pts
Geoff Pierini, USA176 29 pts
Al Minella, RELENTLESS 31 pts

| 29 January 2008 | Read more | 

The J/80 recently debuted in Asia at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's Maersk Asian International Sportboat Championship, where two out-of-the-box J/80 yachts took the top two spots, finishing ahead of a mixed fleet of custom and production built sportboats from China, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. Jeff Johnstone of J Boats and his all-Hong Kong crew edged out colleague Jeff Brown of San Diego to complete the one-two sweep. Brown, with partner Hudson Wang, recently opened the J Boats Asia dealership with an office in downtown Hong Kong and with plans for a mainland China office in early 2008.

The Asian debut comes at a time when J/80 activity is booming worldwide. The recent J/80 World Championship in La Trinite-sur-Mer, France had 124 competing teams - a record for the Class, and momentum continues to build. "The J/80 is a solid all-around performer that's really easy to sail," Johnstone said. "It's more stable than most sportboats, and so attracts and rewards sailors from a wider age and ability range."

Jeff Brown is equally enthusiastic about the J/80's Asian debut. "We see Hong Kong, China, and Asia as great opportunities for J/80 sailing and for the J/80 Class," said Brown. "There is no better small keelboat for new sailors - the J/80 combines the speed and responsiveness of a small boat with the comfort and stability of a larger yacht. With momentum so strong around the world, we're hoping to host the J/80 Pacific Rim Championship in a few years!"

The J/80 will be on display at the Shanghai International Boat Show next April.

| 23 November 2007 | www.jboatsasia.com |