The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) hosted the J/70 Australian Championship on Sydney Harbour from October 19-20. A strong shifty westerly wind blowing from the land provided tough conditions on day one, with gusts over 30 knots and a particularly challenging top mark set in a leeward bay with very fluky winds. Day two saw a steadier 10-12 knot southeast wind with some very close racing throughout the fleet. The JUNO team (Reg Lord, Ben Lamb, Murray Jones, Tom Grimes) won each race to claim the title for the third consecutive year. Second overall and first Corinthian was JAMES helmed by Tim Ryan, also from the CYCA. Third was JABBERWOCKY (Middle Harbour YC) helmed by Australian J/70 Class President Andrew Thompson, with trimmer Noel Drennan on main. Behind the Corinthian’s winner JAMES was Peter Nash’s MAYBE-J in second and Andy McIntyre’s JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH in third place. The fleet is also scored using the SailSys PHS (performance handicap scoring) system, where teams carry ratings and scores. Winning the PHS Division was Thompson’s JABBERWOCKY, with second going to Lord’s JUNO, and third to Tony Landgren’s SPIKE. The 2020 Australian J/70 National Championship is scheduled to take place over Easter, hosted by Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron on Port Philip Bay in Melbourne, Victoria.