Ireland's Cillian Dickson and his Headcase crew have won five of seven races sailed at the J/24 European Championships, and they are on target to retain their European crown in Porto Cervo, Italy.

After yesterday's four races in a Mistral wind, today, the J/24 fleet sailed a further three races in a Scirocco breeze that built from an initial 12 knots to reach 20-22 knots. Steep waves over a metre high made for challenging conditions for the fleet, which demonstrated impressive technical ability on the race course.

Big breeze at the 2024 J/24 European Championship. Photo: Daniele Macis

Reigning European champion Headcase was the uncontested star of the show today, claiming victory in all three of the races held. The Irish team proved themselves to be a cut above, thanks to great teamwork and having trained in similar conditions. With five bullets and a third-place finish, Headcase leads the provisional classification with just eight points in total and one more race day to go. From the fifth race of the series, each team can discard their worst result - a 14th place on the first day in the case of the provisional leader.

Louis Mulloy, bowman on Headcase: “Today we came away with three bullets, but it was pretty tricky racing. In the first race we only managed to get to the front of the fleet on the last downwind leg, in the second race we really had to work very hard to get into that lead position, and even harder to hold onto it. In the last race the breeze was building again, and we got into conditions that we are comfortable in, we pushed really hard, and we’re happy to have come away with another bullet in that one as well.”

La Superba, the J/24 representing the Italian Navy, sits in second place (two fourths and a second place today), on a total of 18 points. Further back in third place, with 33 points, is Jamaica, owned by the President of the Italian J/24 Class, Pietro Diamanti, who has consistently placing in the upper ranks of the classification, and today discarded the result of the last race due to a breakage.

“Jamaica is a historic boat,” said Diamanti, “I have been racing with her since 1995. I am happy to be here in Porto Cervo, a unique location, in the company of friends and having fun together. We are very satisfied with how the races are going and I have to admit that we are achieving results above our expectations in this European Championship.”

Yesterday's leader, Hungarian boat J.Bond, slips back to fourth place with 39 points, followed by Aurelio Bini's Vigne Surrau, just one point behind in fifth place.

La Superba, the Marina Militare (Italian Navy) team racing in the Range Rover J/24 European Championship. Photo: Daniele Macis

For tomorrow, the final day of racing, the first start has been brought forward to 10 a.m. CEST, with a westerly wind forecast of 15-16 knots. The intention is to run three races.

The event is organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda with the International J24 Class Association and the Italian J/24 Class Association, and the support of title sponsor Range Rover.

2024 J/24 Europeans results after 7 races 

2024 J/24 Europeans results after 7 races 

Wicklow Sailing Club is preparing to host the inaugural Little Dragon sponsored J24 Southern Championships on July 27th and 28th, 2024.

Promoters say the event will spotlight the J24 class for the first time in Wicklow and is the result of dedicated efforts by J24 sailors and club committee members Conor Haughton and Johnny Flood.

"Hosting the Little Dragon J24 Championships is a significant achievement for Wicklow Sailing Club," Johnny Flood, WSC Cruiser Commodore, told Afloat. "Our volunteer-led club works tirelessly to host the prestigious Round Ireland Yacht Race biennially. Introducing another keelboat regatta to our calendar was no small feat, but we see the J24 class as an accessible opportunity for our members and juniors. We hope it will inspire more of our own members to pursue keelboat racing."

Flood says the event is anticipated to draw 75 - 100 J24 sailors from across Ireland. Online entry here and download the Notice of Race below.

Irish J24 competitors gathered at Foynes Yacht Club this past weekend for the Western Championships on the Shannon Estuary.

Saturday's races saw challenging conditions, with four races completed in 10 to 12 knots of breeze. Anticipating calm conditions on Sunday, participants were greeted with beautiful sunshine and a steady 6 to 9 knots of breeze, setting the stage for an exciting day of competition.

Derek Bothwell, the Race Officer, was praised for setting a perfect course of three laps of windward-leeward and efficiently finishing the race by shortening the course, allowing for a total of five races for the Westerns.

Headcase once again showcased an outstanding performance, securing first place and earning best wishes as they prepare for the J24 European Championships in Sardinia.

Racing downwind on the Shannon Estuary at Foynes Yacht Club for 2024 J24 Western honours 

The Silver Fleet also celebrated as Hung Jury emerged victorious. The high standard of sailing displayed by all competitors was a joy to watch and drew accolades from spectators.

J24 Western Championships Race Officers Derek and Gaye Bothwell 

Acknowledgements were made to those who contributed to the event's success, including Derek and Gaye Bothwell for their exceptional Race Management, Mark Usher, President of the J24 Association, the FYC members for their assistance throughout the weekend, and Commodore Bev for organising a fantastic event. Special recognition was given to Pat Lawless for crafting the beautiful trophies, BCS Crane Hire for their exceptional service, and Shannon Foynes Port Company for their regular updates on Shipping.

As the weekend came to a close, sailors eagerly looked forward to the next event in Wicklow at the end of July.

J/24 One Design keelboat enthusiasts are in for a treat as the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) teams up with the International and Italian J/24 Classes to host the J/24 European Championship in 2024.

The event is open to all J/24s and is scheduled from 10th to 16th June. The 2023 Irish 'Headcase' winners will defend their title in Porto Cervo.

As regular Afloat readers know, the story of the restored J/24 Headcase in recent years has been a particularly heart-warming one of all-Ireland camaraderie and success, and in August, the emphasis was firmly on international success with a final race victory to give a two-point win in the J/24 Europeans on Lake Balaton in Hungary, racing against 42 boats from eight nations.

The 2024 championship will officially open on the evening of 12th June with the Skippers' Briefing, followed by a Welcome Cocktail on the panoramic terrace at the YCCS.

The eagerly awaited event will comprise of a total of 10 races scheduled from 13th to 16th June, with a maximum of four races to be held each day. 

The YCCS is delighted to welcome a fleet that has contributed significantly to the popularity of sailing, and the championship will definitely be one of the most sought-after events of the 2024 season for the Class. 

Entries are now open and will be accepted until 10th April 2024.

Cillian Dickson’s 'Headcase' of Ireland won the 23-boat Corinthian division at the J24 World Championships in Greece on Saturday, but a last race tilt for an overall podium place in the open championship saw the Irish drop from second to fourth when they scored a lowly 21st in race ten. 

The Corinthian title completes a successful summer for the Headcase crew, who lifted the J24 Euro title late last month in Hungary.

Keith Whittemore’s Furio of the USA, with team Willem van Waay, Marianne Schoke, Brian Thomas and Melanie Edwards, has been crowned 2023 J/24 World Champions.

Whittemore, who also won the 2019 J/24 World Championship in Miami, Florida, USA, ended this event with only 25 net points in the full 10-race series.

Cillian Dickson’s Headcase of Ireland are Corinthian J24 World Champions for 2023 Photo: Nikos Pantis

After discarding a 19 from race seven, the Seattle, Washington-based helmsman kept scores in the top seven, including three bullets. Ignazio Bonanno’s La Superba of Italy compiled their reliable solid scores all week, winning two races, for 40 net points and the silver position. Tony Parker’s Bangor Packet, also of the USA, was in the hunt throughout the Championship, placing third overall with 52 net points. Parker has been sailing in the J/24 Class for all of its 45 years, and shipped his hull #58 to Greece.

Cillian Dickson’s Headcase of Ireland won the 23-boat Corinthian division, also placing fourth overall and tied on points with Parker. The crew included Ryan Glynn, Marcus Ryan, Louis Mulloy and Sam O'Byrne. The all-amateur podium comprised Stephan Mais’ Running Men of Germany and Alexandros Tagaropoulos’s Hellenic Police of Greece.

The IJCA awarded its perpetual Youth Turner Trophy to Papanikitas Spiridon-Eleftherios’s Hellenic Naval Academy.

Competitors revelled in gorgeous conditions for five days at the Nautical Club of Thessaloniki in Greece. Saturday’s race winner was Kohei Ichikawa’s Gekko Diana of Japan.

Top Three Overall:
1) Keith Whittemore, Furio, USA, 25 points
2) Ignazio Bonanno, La Superba, ITA, 40 points
3) Tony Parker, Bangor Packet, USA, 52 points

Top Three Corinthian:
1) Cillian Dickson, Headcase, IRL
2) Stephan Mais, Running Men, GER
3) Alexandros Tagaropoulos, Hellenic Police, GRE

A win in race nine has put Cillian Dickson's sole Irish crew into the silver medal position with one race left to sail at the 35-boat J24 World Championships in Greece.

The recently crowned Irish Euro Champions have recovered from a U Flag result earlier in the series to count a stunning 2, 3, 1 on the penultimate day at the Nautical Club in Thessaloniki. 

Seattle's Keith Whittemore sailing Furio sustained his hold on first place, although it was feast or famine for the American team with a bullet and a 19 on the day (the 19th becoming their discard). They have 21 net points, now being chased by the Irish on 30. Ignazio Bonanno’s La Superba of Italy is lying third on 37.

Dickson’s 'Headcase' crew preserved their hold atop the 23-boat Corinthian division. Check them out leading to a mark at eight seconds on this Facebook vid timeline from Day three below.

Race eight began on schedule at 1500 local time on Friday; however, was twice abandoned due to 30-degree wind shifts shortly after the start. When finally underway, Whittemore’s Furio added their third victory of the Championship, ahead of Ignazio Bonanno’s La Superba of Italy. Multiple teams suffered BFD penalties in race 9, but thriving was Dickson’s Headcase taking line honours, plus Manolakis Antonios’s Aurora–Spanopoulos runner-up and Whittemore third. Day four vid highlights are below.

The final championship race will be sailed on Saturday.

Ireland will defend its J24 European title at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Italy, next year.

With the 33rd edition of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup now wrapped up (in which an Irish crew won Maxi Division A), work on the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda's 2024 sporting calendar continues. 

From 10th to 16th June 2024, the European Championship for the J/24 class, one of the most popular one-design keelboats in the world, will be organised by the YCCS Association in Porto Cervo in association with the J/24 Class.

As regular Afloat readers know, the story of the restored J/24 Headcase in recent years has been a particularly heart-warming one of all-Ireland camaraderie and success, and in August, the emphasis was firmly on international success with a final race victory to give a two-point win in the J/24 Europeans on Lake Balaton in Hungary, racing against 42 boats from eight nations.

This week, the plucky Irish crew are contesting the World Championships in Greece, where day one saw a great start with two third places only to end with a UFD score in the third race as Afloat reports here

Despite a promising start of two third places for Ireland's newest European sailing champions at this week's J24 World Championships, the Irish 'Headcase' crew suffered a setback on the final race of the opening day at Nautical Club Thessaloniki, Greece, when they scored a 'UFD'. 

The Cillian Dickson-led Corinthian crew are the sole Irish entry in the ten-nation event and are lying 11th overall in the 35-boat fleet. 

UFD means U-Flagged - a ruling where a boat is deemed to have prematurely started a race that is started under “U” Flag and is disqualified from that race and awarded the maximum number of points unless that race is subsequently restarted.

In a thrilling race to the finish, American sailor Keith Whittemore's boat 'Furio' held on to a narrow lead to emerge victorious in the first three races of the J/24 Class World Championship. The Championship, which marks the 45th anniversary of the event, saw sailors compete in ideal conditions of 8-10 knots and bright blue skies. The event was hosted by the Nautical Club of Thessaloniki in Greece and saw 35 boats participate, representing Argentina, Australia, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and the United States.

Despite a strong start by Italian sailor Ignazio Bonanno's boat 'La Superba', which won the first race with style, Whittemore's 'Furio' soon took the lead, with two second-place finishes and a first-place finish in the final race. Bonanno's 'La Superba' held on to second place with 11 points, while Alexandros Tagaropoulos's 'Hellenic Police' of Greece came in third overall at 16 points, also topping the 20+ boat Corinthian division.

Dickson's 'Headcase' may have had an opening day setback, but he has already proved his mettle by winning the J/24 European Championship in Hungary just two weeks ago, as Afloat reported here.

Tony Parker's 'Bangor Packet' of the USA won the second race, with Whittemore and Dickson again runners-up.

Racing continues until Saturday. Results below.

In the J24 national championship, where 20 boats compete as part of the ICRA National Championships at Howth, Kinsale Yacht Club's Under 25 crew on Kinsailor has lost its early lead to Bray Sailing Club's Hard On Port.

The one-design class was the only fleet to complete a single race on Friday's first day of racing, so it now has five results with any of six boats in the hunt for the title.

With two race wins, Hard on Port has eight points, with Kinsailor on 11. Third is Tadhg Loingsigh long travelled Janx Spirit from Tralee Bay Sailing Club on 12.

Racing contnoues on Sunday.

The story of the restored J/24 Headcase in recent years has been a particularly heart-warming one of all-Ireland camaraderie and success, and in August the emphasis was firmly on international success with a final race victory to give a two-point win in the J/24 Europeans on Lake Balaton in Hungary, racing against 42 boats from eight nations.

Yet even with a team effort of this quality, we have to narrow the “Sailor of the Month” to one identifiable individual, and helmsman Cillian Dickson of Lough Ree YC and Howth YC has emerged as “The Face of Headcase”, spokesman for a close-knit yet multi-background squad which includes Marcus Ryan and Louis Mulloy of Mayo SC, Ryan Glynn of Ballyholme YC, and Sam O’Byrne of Howth YC