Porto Cervo’s J/70 fleet came alive on the second day of racing as teams fought through delayed starts and shifting winds to keep their championship hopes very much in play. With just one day remaining in the combined J/70 Cup and Italian Class Championship, the gap between first and second place sits at a mere two points, setting up a tense finale.
J Curve, steered by YCCS member Mauro Roversi, holds the provisional lead after three races in steady easterly winds around 10 knots. Light conditions forced Race Committee officials to push the starting signal back from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM, but once the fleet got going, competitors tackled two additional windward-leeward courses that sorted the wheat from the chaff.
Tenzor Team’s crew took the opening race, holding their advantage from the first windward mark through to the finish. Swish and CAIM Jeniale rounded out the top three. Yet it was J Curve’s second and third races that grabbed attention. After a fourth place start to the day, Roversi’s team delivered back-to-back victories, most notably clawing their way from the back of the fleet in race five to cross the line first. The comeback showed the kind of tactical nous and crew work that matters when margins are paper-thin.
CAIM Jeniale proved they belong in the fight too. The team banked two second place finishes across the remaining races, holding off One More Time and Anemology respectively. At six races completed, the discard rule now comes into effect, meaning teams can drop their worst result. This changes the calculus heading into the final day.
The podium positions remain wide open. Ciclone has muscled into third place overall, though One More Time sits equal on points in the battle for bronze. With two races to come tomorrow, the Scirocco forecast of 10 to 12 knots with gusts reaching 20 knots should provide the kind of testing conditions that separate the sharp crews from the rest.
Roversi’s narrow two point lead feels precarious given how competitive the fleet runs. CAIM Jeniale sits right there, hungry and consistent. The final day promises the kind of racing that reminds you why sailors put up with early mornings and unpredictable weather. Teams will gather at Piazza Azzurra afterwards for the prize-giving ceremony.
