Formula 18 World Championships at Lake Balaton, Hungary
by 2B Sailing 10 Jul 2011 15:08 BST
10 July 2011
Darren Bundock & Jeroen Van Leeuwen in the F18 World Championships © Andrea Mag
His need for speed enticed him onto the water at the start of his career but it was Australian skipper Darren Bundock’s skill in the light which saw him pick up his 13th world sailing crown in Hungary this week.
The two-time Olympic medallist and crew-mate Jeroen Van Leeuwen raced off with the 2011 Formula 18 world crown on Lake Balaton in Hungary.
“I know lots of sailors have heaps of superstitions but I have never been one of them”, said Bundock, who raced a C2 Formula 18 at the event..
“But even I am glad to have got the 13th without any sort of mishap, just some really close, good racing”.
“It wasn’t an easy one to win and I think that makes it that little bit more special for me”. Bundock has now won an extraordinary seven world titles in the Tornado catamaran class he raced at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics, four F18 World titles and two ISAF world sailing crowns.
“It was a fitting end to 12 months of sailing together since teaming up after last years world championship. Since teaming with Jeroen we have had a virtual winning streak”.
It was Van Leeuwen’s 2nd world title having also won the Formula 18 crown in 2008.
Bundock and van Leeuwen finished the qualifying series in third place and had to fight their way back to the top of the scoreboard at the regatta.
“It seemed every race in the qualifying series was tricky, shifty and frustrating in some way,” Van Leeuwen said. “Normally we’d have two days of finals but there wasn’t any wind on the first day”.
“So it all came down to the last day and it was a ripper...Lake Balaton at it’s best with 12-15 knots. Just fantastic sailing”, said a elated Van Leeuwen.
Bundock and Van Leeuwen raced to a 3rd, 8th, 2nd and first to claim the title at a regatta contested by 100 boats and world-class sailors.
Bundock’s partner Carolijn Brouwer and Wouter Samama finished fourth on their C2 Formula 18, the best placed mixed crew at the regatta.