The J/70 Alcatel OneTouch Italian Trophy Italian Championship kicked off in fine style in Monaco where the first of five acts took place, the others being scheduled for Sanremo, Cervia and Lake Garda. Twenty-eight teams were out on the water at the instigation of Italian J/70 Class President, Vittorio di Mauro, in collaboration with the Yacht Club de Monaco and the J/70 Monaco Class Association, headed by Jacopo Carrain. “It is thanks to my friend Jacopo Carrain that Monaco has without a doubt the biggest concentration of J/70s in Europe, while the YC Monaco is one of Europe’s most dynamic clubs, having organized the five-act J/70 Sportsboat Winter Series that started in October, the Primo Cup J/70 class and not forgetting the J/70 European Championship in October. So it seemed only natural that we should launch our Italian Championship in Hercules Bay, and we hope to continue this collaboration in the years to come,” said Vittorio di Mauro. The YC Monaco’s Race Committee, led by Olivier Roinson, managed to run five races in spring conditions with sunshine, a calm sea and a 6-14 knot breeze over the two days. These were ideal conditions for racing with everyone jostling for position on the start and arriving in groups within three minutes. Just back from Bacardi Miami Sailing Week, the Swedish team on ROCAD RACING, led by Ingemar Sundstedt won the event with two race wins, although only two points separated them from Luca Dominici’s NOTARO Team in second. One final light air race concluded the regatta when collective hopes of any racing were quite low after a long on land postponement, but a light breeze finally materialized. The J/70 fleet enjoyed the last race where, strong from the start, Alessio Marinelli’s UJI UJI blistered the course, with ROCAD RACING and NOTARO TEAM challenging them all around the race track. Finally, Marinelli took his first win, followed by Sundstedt and Domenici in second and third, respectively. A heated battle for the third through the fifth positions raged between Franco Solerio on L’ELEGAIN, Pierluigi Orsoni on INTOXICA and Jacopo Carrain on CARPE DIEM. In the end, Solerio took the bronze followed by Orsoni and the top local boat Carrain’s CARPE DIEM in fifth. Congratulations to Pelle Nihlmark on REDEDGE who won the Corinthian Prize for the 100% amateur team, while the Masters Prize (average age +49 years) was won by the Monegasque team on JALAPENO (Ian Ilsley). Team LEVANTE, helmed by Guillaume Holin from the YCM Sports Section, took the Juniors Prize (Under 25 years). To experience the people, the regatta and the venue, please be sure to check out this YouTube sailing video of the J/70 Alcatel OneTouch Italian Trophy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEUFNqiriPE. The J/70 teams now prepare for the next events of the J/70 Alcatel OneTouch Italian Trophy at Sanremo, Italy on April 25-26 and May 16-17. For more Alcatel OneTouch Italian J/70 Series sailing information, please contact Veronica Tondelli via http://www.j70.it.