03/07/2026
🏆 Corinthian National Champions: Calypso
Ali Hall’s Calypso successfully defended their Corinthian National Championship title at the 2026 J/70 UK Nationals, finishing fourth overall after a closely fought weekend on the Solent.
We caught up with main trimmer Benno Marstaller to hear his thoughts on the championship:
“The nationals really delivered this year giving us a wide range of conditions, from extremely tactical light winds to full planing conditions. Sunday was absolutely the highlight of the weekend, with 4 (and a bit) races in a classic Solent breeze. Going into the day with our discard already used up, we managed to sail 3 great first races, a 1, 2, 3.
The final race turned into an epic battle between us and Jeepster, knowing that if they sailed us down the fleet they would lift the Corinthian title. Despite their speed, we managed to retain the lead throughout the race, allowing us to defend the title and finish 4th overall - one point behind Lady Khumbu.”
Now into his second full season with Calypso, Benno also shared why he enjoys racing in the J/70 class:
“I think the J/70 class is one of the best there is. The one design element allows for tight racing, the level of the sailors is world class, and the socials are amazing!
As a Corinthian, competing alongside the best professional talent is extremely rewarding, and every day we learn something new. We were also recently at the Corinthian Worlds in Marseille, sailing in a fleet of nearly 100 amateur teams from across the globe - all one on start line! Even without the presence of the pros, the level of the fleet is second to none. We are already looking forward to next year in Vigo, Spain, and hope to see lots of other British teams there!”
The J/70 class continues to grow, offering some of the closest and most competitive one-design racing in the UK and on the international stage.
📸 Rick Tomlinson
🎥 Optical Marine | Noah Fitzgerald
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