The fifth and final day of the Audi J/70 World Championship ended with the victory of the American Relative Obscience team, led by Peter Duncan.
The competition, organised by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, in collaboration with the International J/70 Association and title sponsor Audi, and supported by Quantum Sails, took place in Porto Cervo and began on 12 September with the scandalous disqualification of seven boats.
The finale was an extravaganza and thrilling. The intense battle was accompanied by bright sunshine and warm westerly winds reaching 30 knots.
Peter Duncan's team never dropped out of the top three over the five days and came in first three times. So it was no surprise that they took the championship gold.
Second place in the final race also went to Americans - Savasana crew of Brian Ke ane, who lifted them to second place in the overall standings.
Rounding out the top three winners of 2017 was the Notaro Team, led by Italian Luca Domenici and tactician and Olympic Star class champion Diego Negri.
The black flag on a false start on the last day of racing took Team Petite Terrible down to fourth overall, denying Claudia Rossi the chance of becoming the first female skipper to win the J/70. Nevertheless the young Italian admits that she was the best this week and is determined to prove herself at next year's event.
The next J/70 World Championships will be held from 22 to 29 September 2018 and will be hosted by the Marblehead Yacht Club of American Massachusetts.
