Imperia – The countdown has begun in Imperia, where, between Friday and Sunday, the specialists of the J/70 class will once again cross bows for an event that will have dual significance: on the one hand, as the 2025 Italian J/70 Championship, and on the other, as the final stage of the 2025 J/70 Cup.

Organized by the Porto Maurizio Yacht Club in collaboration with the J/70 Italian Class, the event, which follows the Livorno, Malcesine, and Riva del Garda districts, is expected to feature over twenty-five boats representing nine nations, confirming the widespread popularity of the one-design boat produced by J/Boats, which, between October and November, will put the overall world title up for grabs in the waters of Buenos Aires. Let’s remember the resounding success of the first edition of the J/70 Mixed Plus World Championship in Torbole at the end of June. It surpassed fifty entrants, drawing nearly thirty Olympians, for a total of fifteen Olympic medals.

Among the expected protagonists of the Ligurian event, which is expected to be characterized by the typical thermal breeze of Imperia, are the circuit standings leader Denizcik, owned by Turkey’s Gulboy Guryel and tactician Lorenzo Bressani; Mauro Roversi’s J-Curve, which, with Giulia Conti and Stefano Cherin aboard, is second overall; Manfredo Toninelli’s T-One, which counts on Matteo Ivaldi in the cockpit; Yann Inghilesi’s Cyclone with Francesco Marrai; and the Corinthian standings leader White Hawk, owned by Gianfranco Noè.

Among the pre-race favorites, we can’t forget Luca Domenici’s Notaro Team. The defending champion, a regular at the J/70 Italian Class events for over a decade, has announced his return to defend the title he won last year in Lerici. He will be sailing with the same crew, Dino Negri, Michele Mennuti, and Davide Bortoletto. All eyes will then be on the winner of the Malcesine leg, Matteo Marenghi Vaselli’s gSpot, which will have Karlo Hmeljak and Alessandro Franci on board, among others.

“Another season is drawing to a close with results that confirm the trend of a class that, thanks to the introduction of new formats, is continually renewing itself, and of an organization, that of the J/70 Italian Class, capable of taking on and successfully completing every new challenge thanks to a well-established organization and the availability of the owners, to whom I extend my thanks for the constructive atmosphere that supports our work. In this regard, we are already planning next year which, although it promises to be full of international commitments, we hope to make it unique by introducing a new, stimulating event,” explains Federico Siragna, president of the J/70 Italian Class, who will be racing in Imperia on JB Sailing Team with Francesco Ivaldi as tactician. Siragna added: “For the Imperia leg, where the national title will be up for grabs, I’ll be counting on a talented crew, thanks to Checco’s addition. We’ve prepared for the trip as best we can, carrying out a series of training sessions that we hope will bear fruit. In any case, it will be an interesting event, given the competitive fleet that is gathering and the hidden pitfalls on the race course.”

The 2025 J/70 Italian Class season is supported by Lincoln International, Gottifredi Maffioli, Garmin, VelaMania, North Sails Collection, UtilGraph, Gin Vento, and Cantine Tinazzi.

To view the entry lists for the 2025 Italian J/70 Championship, click here.

To view the provisional standings for the 2025 J/70 Cup, click here.