The J70 class came to an end and the Spanish owners association published the national ranking. A total of 30 boats participated throughout the year both in the local regattas held in Barcelona, Vigo and Palma de Mallorca as well as in the two national events, and number 1 is the ‘W Clinics’. The Canarian team shines in the first position of the national ranking after finishing in fourth position in the Spanish Cup and signing a second in the Spanish Championship.
The second place is for ‘Marnatura 1′ of the Galician Luis Bugallo from RCN Vigo, thanks to two third parties in the two national events. The third drawer of the podium is occupied by ‘Tenaz’ by Pablo Garriga (RCN de Barcelona) after his second place in the Spanish Cup and a fourth in the Spanish championship. ‘Hang Ten’ by Jorge Martínez Doreste, did not have such good fortune in Barcelona and finished in seventh place and after winning the title of Spanish champions, they have an overall score that places them in fourth place in the ranking. And the Top-5 of the ranking is closed by the ‘Noticia’ regatta team led by Luis Martín Cabiedes (RCN Barcelona) after a sixth and a fifth.
It is important to point out that following the regulations of the international class J70, the national rankings of each country refer to the skippers and not to the boats or teams, that is, the one who qualifies is the skipper and it is mandatory that he haggle in both qualifying events. In addition, in Spain, the rule was added that at least two crew members including the skipper should be maintained in each boat in both events.
The 2023 ranking enables the first six classified to participate in the world championship that will be held next year in Palma de Mallorca, during the month of September. Due to the merits achieved in previous international championships by Luis Bugallo and Pichu Torcida, it means that these skippers already have their place for the Palma World Cup, with which they run for a place and for the moment the first seven classified will be the ones who have the option of sailing the 2024 World Cup representing Spain. But they will not be the only Spaniards to haggle, as the Real Club Náutico de Palma, as the organizing club, has another four places that it will distribute according to its criteria, starting with the Mallorcan teams such as ‘Nautia Yacht Insurance’ by Miquel Coll, ‘Patakin’ by Luis Albert and ‘Balearia’ by María Bover. The holder of the last place in play will be communicated during this summer.
The J70 class and the first 10 classified in the ranking will have their moment of glory during the next Copa del Rey Mapfre, a regatta in which several J70 teams will also participate. The RCN de Palma, as the organizing club for the next World Cup and in support of the class, will coordinate, together with the national class, the awards ceremony for the Top-1p in the ranking on Friday, August 4. Each winning team will also have a commemorative trophy with an important gift given by the sponsors and collaborators of the J70 class in Spain. The teams that will take the stage will be:
1st. “W Clinics”, Luis Martínez Doreste: (4ºx0.4 + 2ºx0.6) = 2.8 points
2nd. “Marnatura”, Luis Bugallo: (3ºx0.4 + 3ºx0.6) = 3 points
3rd. “Tenacious”, Pablo Garriga: (2ºx0.4 + 4ºx0.6) = 3.2 points
4th. “Hang Ten”, Jorge Martínez Doreste: (7ºx0.4 + 1ºx0.6) = 3.4 points
5th. “News”, Luis M. Cabiedes: (6ºx0.4 + 5ºx0.6) = 5.4 points
6th. “Red April”, Jorge Pérez Canal: (8ºx0.4 + 8ºx0.6) = 8 points
7th. “Green April”, Luis Pérez Canal: (11ºx0.4 + 9ºx0.6) = 9.8 points
8th. “Let it be”, Juan Calvo: (12ºx0.4 + 6ºx0.6) = 3.4 points =10.8 points
9th. “Pazo de Cea”, Javier Porto: (9ºx0.4 + 14ºx0.6) = 12 points
10th. “Seneca SW”, Willy Alonso: (14ºx0.4 + 11ºx0.6) = 12.2 points