After the success of the third edition, which last year attracted 30+ J/70 teams, the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series 2016-2017 is back. Divided into five acts scheduled once a month from October 2016 to March 2017, these regattas are designed to give experienced professional and amateur crews a chance to prepare at the highest level for the upcoming season’s big meetings. Beautiful weather greeted the 150+ J/70 sailors competing in the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series, organized by the Yacht Club de Monaco in collaboration with technical clothing manufacturer SLAM. The 33 teams consisting of Brazilians, Turks, Russians, Italians, Norwegians, Austrians, Germans and French all fought hard all weekend long in the wide variety of weather conditions that ranged from light to moderate breezes to fresh onshore winds with enormous swells. Leading after the first weekend of racing with a consistent record of 2-2-1-2 was TEAM JUNDA- BANCA DEL SIMPIONE with skipper Ludovico Fassitelli from the YC Monaco. Russian sailor Valeriya Kovalenko was not only the top women’s skipper, but she and her crew were second overall on ARTTUBE and were the only team to post two firsts, scoring a 5-1-4-1 for 11 points. Emir Icgoren’ AMEERA JET from Turkey sailed fast and consistent, posting a 4-8-2-3- for 17 points to hold on to third place. Rounding out the top five were Mario Beraha’s SASAH GREY from YC Chiavari in Italy with 23 points, and sitting in fifth place is Vincenzo Onorato’s MASCALZONE LATINO. For more J/70 Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series information, click here.