Sail Melbourne to host 49er and 29er worlds at Sorrento

49er skiff action at Sail Melbourne © Jeff Crow / Sport the Library

Sail Melbourne, the annual international ISAF Grade 1 Olympic class regatta held in January each year, will kick start 2008 with a number of world championship titles, including those in the colourful and quick 49er and 29er skiffs, to be hosted by Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club from 2-9 January.

49er Worlds

With 13 nations qualified for the Beijing Games, including Australia, and a place automatically going to host nation China, the five remaining places will be decided at this World’s, putting the pressure on a number of international competitors. Some countries will select their Olympic representatives in Melbourne too; the game is on!

The Players

Australia’s Chris Nicholson, sailing with various crews, recorded a hat-trick of world championship 49er wins, from 1997 through to 1999, but the the top sailing nation, Britain, has had a stranglehold in this high-performance class since winning the 2003, 2006 and 2007 world titles.

Britain’s top pair, Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes scored victories in the 2006 European champions and in 2007, the Qingdao Olympic Test Event, worlds and Princess Sofia Trophy, along with lots of top three places at other Grade 1 events.

The pair arrived in Melbourne last Thursday to prepare for their defence of the world’s and in a warning to other competitors, the super two, who are undoubtedly the benchmarks in the class, have also been undergoing a strict training regime at home, both on and off the water, including attending a cycling camp and doing some climbing.

“It seems to have paid off,” says Rhodes. “At a recent fitness test, our results were pretty good. We’re now looking forward to getting sailing fitness back, but that comes with long hours of intensive on-water training. We’re both really excited, especially after the long break that we’ve had, and can’t wait to get back into training in Melbourne.”

Before them, fellow countrymen Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks, won the World’s in 2003 and 2006, were runners-up in 2004 and 2005, with a bronze medal from the 2004 Athens Games and Hiscocks' silver medal at Sydney 2000.

Talented Nathan Outteridge (21) and Ben Austin (25) will lead the Aussies into battle. Bronze medallists at the 2007 ISAF World Sailing Championships, they were poised to take Gold at the 2007 Qingdao Test Event, but leading the final race, gear breakage meant a fifth place. Outteridge, a former Youth champion, and Austin are improving all the time. The goal is an Olympic medal as they look to their first Games in 2008.

Other top chances are Athens Olympian brothers Pietro and Gianfranco Sibello (ITA), 2007 world’s runners-up Nico Delle Karth/Nikolaus Resch (AUT), respective Test Event silver and bronze medallists Iker Martinez/Xabier Fernandez (ESP), Athens silver medallists Luka Rodian/George Leonchuk (UKR) and two-time Olympian in the class, Marcus Baur, crewed by Max Baumann (GER).

Host venue, Sorrento, will proudly field its own entry with Will Phillips/Jon Newman who are coming up through the ranks. New to the class, former 29er champion brothers Clint (20) and Ty (22) from Lake Macquarie on the NSW Central Coast will be there too, fresh from their first major competition at the Australian 49 Championship and SIRs regatta.

“We hope to have a bit of experience by the time we get to the World’s. We’re hoping there’ll be some boats behind us when we cross the finish line,” laughs Ty. “We’re looking at doing an Olympic campaign later and Sail Melbourne will be a good gauge for us,” adds Clint.

29er Worlds

So far 68 entries have been received in this Youth class skiff from Argentina, Australia, Croatia, Denmark, Great Britain, Germany, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore and the USA. In these entries will no doubt be some future Olympians.

The 29er Australian Championship is being held close to Sorrento and just prior to the World’s at Safety Beach Sailing Club. A number of internationals are expected to compete, so it will give a good indication as to how the World’s might pan out.

Matias Eurnekian Gainza/Frederico Villambrosa (ARG), 2007 world champions, are expected to defend their title, but are yet to enter. Henrik Sogaard/Soren Kristensen (DEN), 2007 Volvo Youth Sailing Championships gold medallists, are keen early entries.

Taking Girl’s Bronze at the ISAF Youth Worlds, culminating in Australia winning the Volvo Trophy, Hannah Nattrass/Michelle Muller will be sailing for gold this time. It is expected rivals and gold medallists Emily Dellenbaugh/Briani Provancha will also compete. Eighteen year old Dellenbaugh is the daughter of America’s Cup sailor and tactical guru Dave.

Among the entries are other competitors from famous sailing backgrounds. Late ocean racing legend Peter Kurts’ grandson Phil (AUS) has moved up from a Sabot into a 29er under the watchful eyes of his father Simon, a noted sailor himself.

Freya Vickery (AUS) from Victoria gets her sailing genes from father Stewart, a champion 14ft skiff sailor, whilst Haylee Outteridge (AUS) is the sister of newly nominated Olympian, Nathan, who is sailing in the 49er class.

Some Aussie skippers have upped the ante enlisting the help of medal winning Youth champions. Sean O’Rourke has co-opted Evan Walker, and Rayshele Martin will crew for Shane Smith.

Walker has won Youth Sailor of the Year awards for his numerous match racing triumphs, and with Kyle Langford, was the first Australian to ever win Gold at the ISAF Youth World Championships in the Hobie 16 multihull in 2005. Like Walker, West Australia’s Rayshele Martin too has match racing trophies and has won Youth awards for her efforts across a variety of classes including 29er and 420.

Nine pairs from leading sailing nation Britain are already entered, amongst them two sisters, Becky and Hannah Diamond. The two skippers will compete against each other and join several other female skippers whose number increase in the class each year.

The skiffs

Both skiffs were designed by Australian Julian Bethwaite, the double trapeze 49er debuting as an Olympic class at the Sydney 2000 Games. The single trapeze 29er is an international youth class, giving young sailors with Olympic ambitions the opportunity to rise up to the ranks to the 49er.

The two-crew skiffs feature colourful spinnakers and are exciting to sail and to watch, particularly in big breezes where the ‘thrills and spills’ nature of both make great viewing.

Race Dates

Following a welcome and practice races, the format is qualifying races followed by a final series in both events. The qualifying rounds will be conducted from 4-6 January, then the fleet will be split into Gold, Silver and possibly Bronze fleets (based on the number of entries) for the finals, to be sailed from the 7-9 January.

Courses

All courses will be windward/leeward with a gate at the leeward end of the course. Situated on the Mornington Peninsula, a picturesque holiday destination, Sorrento offers challenging conditions for skiffs, with currents up to 1 knot, sandbars, deep water channels to negotiate and stable winds.

The 49er and 29er World’s will be sailed under the Sail Melbourne banner and Yachting Victoria is the organising authority in co-operation with the International 49er Class Association and the Australian 49er Class Association.

Special thanks go to sponsors: State Government of Victoria; Parks Victoria; Mercedes Benz; Helly Hansen; Bayside City Council; Mornington Peninsula Shire Council; City of Kingston; Schenker Australia; Yachting Australia; Ronstan International; Ribsport; Silver Marine

For all information on the 49er and 29er worlds, including current entry lists, go to www.sailmelbourne.com.au