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When the J/70 launched in 2012, J/Boats had envisioned a 23-footer that would offer a welcoming platform for Corinthian competition. It was a hit from the start, so much so that professional experts now had a flourishing class to earn a living, and their influence has increased the commitment needed to succeed.
When the 2022 J/70 World Championships are held October 14-22 in Monaco, it will attract not only the best sailors but also the keen eyes of coaches that will support their team. In this report, two North Sails J/70 experts share why they think this adds significant value:
North Sails expert Giulio Desiderato is a J/70 European champion, but for the first part of the 2022 season he has stepped away from the mainsail trimmer/ tactician role to coach Elvis—and says he’s learned a surprising amount.
“Off the boat, I can see the fleet from outside and also see the dynamics of the team. And every time, I find something that I want to try when I jump back on board. That’s not only interesting, and a great way to improve.”
Of course no coach can help sailors unless they really want to learn, he points out. “The Elvis guys are a Corinthian team, and they are really motivated to improve and become better overall sailors. As a coach, that definitely makes life easier when you can work with a team with this attitude, I’m sure that they will be on the top soon.”
Data Overload?
When he first started working with Elvis, Desiderato was concerned about overwhelming them with too much information. “What I tried to do is divide it up into different areas: the start, boat handling, boat speed, tactics, and communication. Then we tried to improve a little in each area every day.
“It’s been interesting, because compared to a professional team, they were very open to new ideas. We had to decide together: What’s the routine each day? What is the best approach to the starting line? How do we accelerate?” – Read on
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