J 70 Midwinter Championship
Brazil’s Haroldo Solberg and his OceanPact team delivered a masterclass to win the 2026 J 70 Midwinter Championship, becoming the first Brazilian team to claim the title. Alec Cutler’s Hedgehog complete a three-peat to win their third consecutive Corinthian title at this event.
The 45-boat fleet represented 10 countries.
Sailing with Carlos Robles, Mario Tinoco, and Gabriel Silva, Solberg’s team rose from ninth on Day 1 to first overall on Day 2, then held their position when racing was abandoned during a rain squall on the final day.
After two days of unstable, shifty conditions, Sunday brought one final twist. The fleet launched for racing before a dramatic rain squall rolled down Biscayne Bay, reducing visibility to mere feet. Race committee abandoned the race and ultimately the day, locking in Saturday’s standings as final.
The regatta was defined by unpredictability. Across six races, sailors faced patchy pressure, 30-degree shifts, and a battle between sea breeze and gradient over Biscayne Bay’s warm spring water. Gains and losses came quickly, producing multiple leaderboard inversions and rewarding teams who stayed composed.
Robles, competing in just his second regatta as OceanPact tactician, highlighted the strength of the teamwork. “It’s a super well-oiled machine. Everyone is on point doing their job, which makes mine easier. Haroldo is a great leader. He stays calm, even when things aren’t going well. That makes a big difference.” The team plans to compete together at the J/70 European Championship in Barcelona this summer and the J/70 Open World Championship in Cascais this fall.
In the Corinthian division, Alec Cutler’s Hedgehog / Old NADS secured a third consecutive J 70 Midwinter Championship title. Sailing with tactician Keith Davids, Charles Pucciariello, and Brad Rodi, the reigning J/70 Corinthian World Champions continue to set standards in the class. Since joining the fleet at the 2024 Midwinter Championship, where they nearly won overall, Hedgehog has consistently performed at the top of both the Corinthian and Open leaderboards.
Joel Ronning’s Catapult won the Mixed-Plus division and finished fifth overall with the star-studded squad of world champion helmsman Ronning, tactician Jeremy Wilmot, Olympian and Women’s America’s Cup Champion Giulia Conti, Olympian Stephanie Roble, and world champion Beccy Anderson. Canadian entry Federico Donzino’s Lifted topped the One-Pro division. The podium was completed by J 70 International Class President Martin Dent’s Jelvis in second and American entry James Murray’s Hestia in third.
Hosted at Shake-A-Leg Miami by Twelve USA Inc., and sponsored by Bacardi and Regatta Brokerage – the Brian Kamilar Team, the Midwinter Championship marked the fourth and final J/70 regatta in Miami this winter. PRO Mark Foster and race committee delivered efficient racing across a wide range of Biscayne Bay conditions.
The J 70 Class continues to offer sporty, fun one-design racing around the world, with three annual World Championships and a strong international and local calendar.
Overall Results: (top ten)
1. OceanPact — Haroldo Solberg
2. Jelvis — Martin Dent
3. Hestia — James Murray
4. Empeiria — John Heaton
5. Catapult — Joel Ronning
6. Mindset — Ralph Vasconcellos Rosa
7. Aretê — Bruno Bethlem
8. Level 5 — Al Minella
9. Good to Go — Doug Rastello
10. Elvis — Filip Engelbert
