Thessaloniki, Greece—Keith Whittemore’s Furio of the USA, with team Willem van Waay, Marianne Schoke, Brian Thomas and Melanie Edwards, have been crowned 2023 J/24 World Champions. Whittemore, who also won the 2019 J/24 World Championship in Miami, Florida USA, ended this event with only 25 net points in the full 10-race series. After discarding a 19 from race seven, the Seattle, Washington-based helmsman kept scores in the top seven including three bullets. Ignazio Bonanno’s La Superba of Italy compiled their reliable solid scores all week, winning two races, for 40 net points and the silver position. Tony Parker’s Bangor Packet, also of the USA, was in the hunt throughout the Championship, placing third overall with 52 net points. Parker has been sailing in the J/24 Class for all of its 45 years, and shipped his hull #58 to Greece.
Cillian Dickson’s Headcase of Ireland won the 23-boat Corinthian division, also placing fourth overall and tied on points with Parker. The crew included Ryan Glynn, Marcus Ryan, Louis Mulloy and Sam O’Byrne. The all-amateur podium was also comprised of Stephan Mais’ Running Men of Germany and Alexandros Tagaropoulos’s Hellenic Police of Greece.
The IJCA awarded its perpetual Youth Turner Trophy to Papanikitas Spiridon-Eleftherios’s Hellenic Naval Academy.
Competitors reveled in gorgeous conditions for five days at the Nautical Club of Thessaloniki in Greece. Saturday’s race winner was Kohei Ichikawa’s Gekko Diana of Japan.
Top Three Overall:
1) Keith Whittemore, Furio, USA, 25 points
2) Ignazio Bonanno, La Superba, ITA, 40 points
3) Tony Parker, Bangor Packet, USA, 52 points
Top Three Corinthian:
1) Cillian Dickson, Headcase, IRL
2) Stephan Mais, Running Men, GER
3) Alexandros Tagaropoulos, Hellenic Police, GRE
