* J One-Design Expertise Helps! Past J/24 World Champion John Kostecki (right) led the Farr 40 Worlds fleet home sailing on TRANSFUSION. Another former
J/24 Champion Chris Larson (left) was doing the same further down the ladder. Great story, consistency is King, as they say in tight, college-style fleets.
In race nine Transfusion's crew were coughing dust for the first upwind leg and appeared to lack boat speed while defending champion Nerone was sailing hotter angles out in front on the first downwind run. Transfusion's US tactician, John Kostecki, now a three-time
winner in the Farr 40 Worlds, lived up to his reputation as one of the world's best as the local boat clawed its way back to finish second behind Nerone, and win the title! While five different boats won races during the series, Transfusion won only once, but never dipped below a seven. Consistency pays.
Start sailing any one of the large International J/One-Design classes- J/22 (
http://www.j22.org), J/24 (
http://www.j24class.org), J/80 (
http://www.j80.org)- and you'll learn darn fast! Or, why do you think top women sailors have a hard time winning the Rolex Women's Worlds sailed in J/22s or many of the top USA skipper/ tacticians and European or Australian skipper/ tacticians often started in the middle of the pack of J/22, J/24, or J/80 fleets at some point in their life learning how to sail better, faster, smarter? Takes practice to get good, lots of it.
* Two sailors who have raced J/22s and J/80s extensively over the course of the past half-dozen years were just awarded the ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year- namely, Anna Tunnicliffe for Women and Iker Martinez and Xabier Fernandez for Men. While Iker and Xabier have raced 49ers and other classes, they also share some of their time with family and friends sailing J/80s in Spain-- right now they're in a horse-race to win the Volvo Ocean Race on their V70 TELEFONICA. Likewise, Anna has sailed J/22s in many women's events with her team, most recently finishing 2nd in the Rolex Women's Worlds in Rochester, NY and winning the Santa Maria Cup in Annapolis, MD. For more ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year award information 
