{"id":82717,"date":"2025-11-03T12:03:34","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T17:03:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/?p=82717"},"modified":"2025-11-03T12:47:22","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T17:47:22","slug":"grondins-dark-energy-wins-j-70-world-championship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/racing\/grondins-dark-energy-wins-j-70-world-championship\/","title":{"rendered":"Grondin&#8217;s <i>Dark Energy<\/i> Wins J\/70 World Championship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"449\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251030_HLN_J70_Worlds_6-2-1024x575.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"J\/70 class world championship fleet races upwind in Argentina\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251030_HLN_J70_Worlds_6-2-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251030_HLN_J70_Worlds_6-2-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251030_HLN_J70_Worlds_6-2-768x431.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251030_HLN_J70_Worlds_6-2-1536x862.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251030_HLN_J70_Worlds_6-2.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">The J\/70 class world championship fleet races upwind in Argentina, the first South American host of the class&#8217;s world championship.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Hannah Lee Noll<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>After ten races over five days, shifting tides and reshuffled leaderboards, the 2025 <a href=\"https:\/\/yca.org.ar\/2025\/01\/15\/2025-j70-world-championship\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">J\/70 World Championship<\/a> came to a dramatic close at Yacht Club Argentino. Laura Grondin and her team Dark Energy (USA) made history, becoming the first helmswoman to win it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe id=\"x8aa2rgac1\" src=\"https:\/\/Sailingworld.dragonforms.com\/x8aa2rgac1\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"width:100%;height:165px;border:none;overflow:hidden;\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>Family values prevailed in the Corinthian division; Andr\u00e9s Ducasse\u2019s Ducasse Sailing Team (CHI) claimed top Corinthian honors in a heartfelt finish that brought the crowd to its feet for a father, four sons onboard, and a son coaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The outcome was decided in the final moments of the final race, but it took years to build to this moment. \u201cIt\u2019s been a five-year run,\u201d said Grondin. \u201cNone of this happens by yourself. It takes a team. What makes us world champion? The ability to be resilient. We have stood on a lot of podiums, but being first is different. It just is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The J\/70 World Champion title is one of the most coveted in sailing \u2014 and now it belongs to Grondin and her team of tactician Taylor Canfield, back-to-back champion Ted Hackney, Ian Liberty, coach Robby Bisi, and husband Rick Grondin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251101-2025-J70-Worlds-mc-13842-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"2025 J70 World Championship, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Yacht Club Argentino. October 24 - November 1, 2025\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251101-2025-J70-Worlds-mc-13842-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251101-2025-J70-Worlds-mc-13842-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251101-2025-J70-Worlds-mc-13842-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251101-2025-J70-Worlds-mc-13842-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251101-2025-J70-Worlds-mc-13842-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Laura Grondin&#8217;s <i>Dark Energy<\/i> team celebrates its world title win.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Mattias Capizzano<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>For the first time in Class history, the J\/70 World Championship was held in South America. South American teams earned four out of the top five positions and swept the Corinthian top five.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs the father of these kids, I\u2019m grateful to God, grateful to sailing, and grateful for having taught my children and watched them become such excellent sailors. Above all, I thank my sons for the opportunity to compete by their side,\u201d said Corinthian champion Ducasse. \u201cWe\u2019ve done five Worlds and many South American championships, and this one has been the best organized of them all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251101-2025-J70-Worlds-mc-13902-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Ducasse Sailing Team\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251101-2025-J70-Worlds-mc-13902-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251101-2025-J70-Worlds-mc-13902-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251101-2025-J70-Worlds-mc-13902-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251101-2025-J70-Worlds-mc-13902-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251101-2025-J70-Worlds-mc-13902-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Andr\u00e9s Ducasse\u2019s Ducasse Sailing Team, from Chile, emerged as the top Corinthian team.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Mattias Capizzano<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m so stoked to be the first female driver to win this, and I want there to be many more,\u201d Grondin added. \u201cI hope this is just the beginning. There were five helmswomen at this event, which is remarkable\u2014but we need to have more. To all the women who competed on any boat: my shout-out to you. Keep going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A testament to the deep level of competition, a different team won each race. There were no repeat winners. Olympic medalists, past J\/70 World Champions, America\u2019s Cup legends, SailGP athletes, TP52 champions, and a stacked field of Corinthian talent made up the deep fleet of 71 teams from 16 countries. Qualified teams are here from Argentina, Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Chile, China, Germany, Spain, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Uruguay, and the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m here to win,\u201d Grondin told the Class earlier this week. \u201cSomeone once asked me if it\u2019s my goal to beat the other women. I said, \u2018I\u2019m out to beat everybody.\u2019 That\u2019s what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ten races in a wide variety of conditions and challenging river current were held on the shallow R\u00edo de la Plata, the widest river in the world. The 2025 edition ran October 28 to November 1 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, hosted by Yacht Club Argentino, one of the most prestigious yacht clubs in the Southern Hemisphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overall Top 3<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>1. Laura Grondin\u2019s <em>Dark Energy<\/em> USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2. Guillermo Parada\u2019s <em>Nildo<\/em> ARG<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3. Bruno Bethlem\u2019s <em>Aret\u00ea<\/em> BRA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Corinthian Top 3<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>1. Andr\u00e9s Ducasse\u2019s Ducasse Sailing Team CHI<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2. Dennis Bariani Koch\u2019s <em>Gabriela<\/em> BRA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3. Maximo Videla\u2019s <em>Whisky<\/em> ARG<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:19px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Woman Helm:<\/strong> Laura Grondin\u2019s <em>Dark Energy<\/em> USA<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>One-Pro:<\/strong> Ezequiel Despontin\u2019s 707 ARG<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Young Crew:<\/strong> Bruno Centanaro\u2019s <em>Pura Joda <\/em>URG<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mixed-Plus: Laura &amp; Leif <em>Sigmond\u2019s Norboy<\/em> USA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Laura Grondin becomes the first helmswoman to win J\/70 Worlds as Argentina delivers a standout regatta.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":82716,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Hannah Lee Noll","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"","hydra_display_updated":false,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","arc_story_id":"","arc_website_url":"","custom_permalink":"","arc_subtype":"","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"sponsored_image":false,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":true,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","ad_targeting":"","ad_settings_ads_on_this_page":true,"ad_settings_automatic_ad_injection_into_the_content":true,"sponsored_url":"","social_share":true,"alternate_title_newsletter":"","alternate_content_newsletter":""},"categories":[159],"tags":[3051,335,3052],"class_list":["post-82717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-racing","tag-dark-energy","tag-j-70","tag-laura-grondin"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82717"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82717\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}