Contender World Championships at Lake Macquarie, Australia

Contender World Championships at Lake Macquarie, Australia - Overall

by Ed Presley 9 Feb 2014 21:01 GMT 19-25 January 2014

Contender World Championships at Lake Macquarie © Jantine Vogel

Sixty-eight boats made the journey to Belmont 16ft club on the shore of Lake Macquarrie to compete for the 2014 Contender World Championships. This championship has been greatly anticipated after the success and excitement of the 2013 worlds at Como and once again the fleet that arrived contained the best Contender sailors in the world with one exception; current champion Soren Dulong Andreason would not compete meaning that a new world champion would be crowned. In his place the Australian fleet had brought a great number of sailors of real class, from new faces to the world scene to ex World and National Champions returning to the fleet.

The form guide pointed to GBRs Simon Mussell who narrowly lost out to Andreason in 2013. With the expected 18-25 knots Si would fly, but the Australian fleet boasts arguably more big breeze experts. In 2010 Queenslander Matt Mulder proved that he has a different gear in the 20+ knots zone but with no international presents since, the face off would be fascinating. Ex world champ Jono Neate's superb boat handling skills would keep him out front and the blistering downwind pace of Christoph Homier of Germany would also make him a threat. Other Major players include multiple World Champion Andrea Bonezzi who loves the breeze and 2012 World Champion Antonio Lambertini who would be dangerous if the conditions lighten. The Pre world regatta (and Aussie Nationals) were ably won by Mark Bulka who has made huge advances through the Contender fleet in a short time culminating with a 3rd in 2013, these escalating results made Mark the favourite on his home waters.

The Pre Worlds were held in Perfect conditions of 25 knots and 30 degrees and left more questions than answers with many of the top boys keeping their powder dry or suffering gear failure. A slick measurement left time on shore for the fleet to wildly speculate and fiddle with boats. When day one arrived an overcast sky kept the sea breeze from kicking in and resulted in lower winds, the scene could scarcely look more like a spring day on the south coast. Despite this everyone was keen to get going which was proven by the obligatory Contender restarts.

Contender World Championships at Lake Macquarie - photo © Jantine Vogel

Day 1. Race one belonged to young Brit Tommy Hooton who showed massive confidence to lead the race from start to finish to win his first Worlds race, in 8-10 knots of breeze that he loves. He even took time to lee bow ex World Champion Jono Neate into 2nd place at the finish; ballsy move. Mark Bulka showed his versatility by coming in 3rd. The second race allowed mark to throw down another warning by winning with Jono following and Dan Kohlman showing the strength of Aussie depth by rounding off the top 3.

The first day had removed the form guide as the expected wind had mixed up the order from the off, even so Mark Bulka and Jono Neate looked to be perfectly happy with the adjustment. Day 2 offered more wind at the leeward end but withering back to 10 knots at the top making the racing close with lots of place changing. The experience of Andrea Bonezzi and Simon Mussell were able use this fickle wind to take first and second in the first race of the day with Jono 3rd, keeping his fight alive by gaining ground on Mark who finished 6th. Jono's gains would be blown away in the 2nd race as 4 separate incidents of gear failure would send him in for and early bath. This bad luck was made worse by the metronomic consistently of Mark Bulka who capitalised to take the bullet. 2nd and 3rd went to the contrasting styles of Matt Mulder and Christoph Homier who were enjoying the building breeze. Matt showing that he can sail lower and faster upwind than anyone out there, and Christoph using his aerobic fitness to be in a different gear downwind.

Contender World Championships at Lake Macquarie - photo © Jantine Vogel

Day 3 would prove to be the lightest yet with race one starting in solid trapezeing weather off the line but dropping to 8 knots after the fleet made the windward mark. The day belonged to Antonio Lambertini with double wins and making it look easy with Andrea Bonezzi, Christoph Homier keeping European dreams alive with 2nds. Only top junior Harry Morton got Australia into the medals with a third. This day had stirred the pot as Mark Bulka and Jono Neate had allowed the rest to catch up. Antonio Lambertini now jumped to 3rd and Christoph Homier not far behind.

The big talk at the bar centred on the fact that the wind forecast for the final two would be big, followed by Massive. Big for day 4 would allow the fleet to get 3 races done so that if day 5 turned ugly there would only be one race to lose. Either way the next races would give a different mix of hopefuls.

Contender World Championships at Lake Macquarie - photo © Jantine Vogel

Day 4 delivered a nice 15 knots + all day and gave up some glorious racing, good reaches and lots of upwind speed. The first man to handle the situation was Mark Bulka who battled with Jono Neate all the way round the course to prove that these two where good in all conditions. This was the same situation in the 2nd even breezier race with one difference; Matt Mulder annihilated the fleet with a ridiculous show of upwind speed leading Mark Bulka to comment that "Bob Miller never design the boat to be able to go that fast uphill". Mark was now starting to eek out a few point s lead over Jono and these two were pulling away. 3rd place was looking like a battle between Homier and Mulder as Lambertini suffered in the heavier winds. The RO decided to stick in a 3rd race as everyone was clearly enjoying it. The wind dropped back to 15 knots and Jono Neate did everything he needed to give himself a chance at the title by winning with Mark Bulka capsizing in the prestart and still managing to get back to 5th, only obstructed by the not too shaby trio of Bonezzi, Homier and Mulder.

This result set up a superb final day with Jono now 2 points ahead of Mark. The rest of the fleet just hoped the conditions allowed us to go out and witness this 1 race showdown between the two standout talents of the Championships.

Contender World Championships at Lake Macquarie - photo © Jantine Vogel

Day 5 started off hot with not much breeze but the locals kept all sailors in check by predicting that the direction and sea breeze would combine to make it gnarly. They were right; by launch time 30 knots of breeze had settled in with a confused wave pattern to help things a bit. The race got away on the first attempt but the reality of a big fleet sailing in this became very real soon after with the first work littered with big bear away ducks, fluffed tacks and plenty of capsizes. This sort of nonsense did not affect the leaders; Brett Holly showed how he prefers rancid condition by beating Matt Mulder to the windward, Matt commented that even he was just all over the place whilst Brett looked totally serene. Just behind these were Mark and Jono, nip and tuck down the first fairly broad reach with Andrea Bonezzi and Simon Mussell with them to keep it interesting. Jono capsized at the gybe mark allowing Mark to get a up into 2nd behind Matt Mulder. Jono battled back past Bonezzi and Mussell to get back up to Bulka. He managed to over haul him up the final beat coming 2nd behind Matt Mulder who had clinched 3rd overall from Homier with this performance.

So it seemed that Jono Neate had sailed well to take his 2nd Worlds title but the close sailing between him and Mark Bulka had resulted in a protest to be lodged. Neate was the windward boat. Contact was claimed between the end of Neate's boom and Bulka's back. Bulka won the protest with a member of the jury having witnessed the incident. This result gave the World title to Mark Bulka with Jono in second. The Female World Champion is Jacqueline Ruefenach, from Switzerland who retained her title. The Junior World Champion is Harry Morton from NSW, Harry was 26th, Masters (over 50) Phillip Evans from Queensland who came 10th overall, Grandmaster (over 60) Joachim Harpprecht from Germany, coming 15th overall.

Contender World Championships at Lake Macquarie - photo © Jantine Vogel

At the Championship dinner Mark thanked Jono for the battle they had had all week and conceded that he would have preferred to win it on the water. Mark had been in superb form all week and it had become very difficult to part the two front runners. He is a deserving Champion and once again the standard at the front of the fleet has been raised by his performance.

The standard of sailing in the fleet is improving all the time. This year Australia showed their strength as they claim the top 3 places, everyone commented on how difficult it has become to crack the top ten with winners of the past having more competition than ever. This year was the first win for a plastic epoxy boat with the top ten split between wood and epoxy 50/50.

The event was beautifully run by the Aussie Contender Association and Belmont 16's. The numbers for an Australian Worlds have risen from 2010 and the class appears to be getting stronger in Oz as well as Europe all the time. Next up is the European championships to be held at Kuhlungsborn in Germany, www.contender-2014.de

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Boat Name	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	Pts
1	AUS2571	BALANCE	Mark Bulka	3	1	[6]	1	[8]	6	1	2	5	2	21
2	AUS2323	AUS2323	Jono Neate	2	2	3	[68F]	4	8	2	3	1	[68Q]	25
3	AUS2408	CHEWBACCA	Matthew Mulder	[30]	6	4	2	10	[34]	6	1	4	1	34
4	GER551	SCHROEDER	Christoph Homeier	[17]	7	5	3	[17]	2	3	4	3	8	35
5	AUS2575	KNOTASHA	Daniel Kohlman	[26]	3	[36]	7	7	5	12	10	6	7	57
6	ITA2561	TALEA 2013	Antonio Lambertini	10	5	[14]	6	1	1	14	11	10	[16]	58
7	ITA11	RONSTAN	Andrea Bonezzi	[24]	19	1	5	2	19	[68F]	7	2	3	58
8	AUS2468	BELLA ANNA	Geoffrey Fisher	5	4	7	[68F]	5	[38]	8	20	11	6	66
9	GBR2420	CARRIE	Simon Mussell	[37]	21	2	8	16	[23]	5	14	7	4	77
10	AUS1753	STACEY	Phillip Evans	9	[28]	10	4	12	[30]	13	19	9	10	86
11	NED9	VERHALLEN	Paul Verhallen	[15]	15	11	14	[24]	11	9	9	12	12	93
12	AUS2434	STEALTH	Michael Brown	12	16	8	[68O]	11	16	7	12	18	[20]	100
13	GBR2315	HOLDEN	Ben Holden	28	27	15	10	[43]	[29]	4	5	8	11	108
14	ITA40	BONEZZI	Luca Bonezzi	11	9	[68F]	15	25	7	19	[28]	14	14	114
15	GER2555	FAJRANT	Joachim Harpprecht	4	12	16	13	15	3	23	[35]	[39]	32	118
16	NED2371	HEYNEN	Rene Heynen	13	11	9	[24]	20	10	15	21	[22]	19	118
17	NED2401	WESTERMAN	Winfred Westerman	6	8	19	16	19	4	31	[42]	[38]	18	121
18	GBR2572	STORMTROOPER	Ed Presley	[32]	25	18	17	6	[41]	10	16	19	15	126
19	AUS2530	COOK	Clay Cook	[68B]	18	27	21	[29]	12	11	8	20	9	126
20	AUS2237	BLACK TIE	Simon Barwood	25	24	[68O]	9	21	20	16	6	16	[26]	137
21	AUS2263	CHI CHI CHARLI B'INS	Richard Batten	18	10	13	29	[33]	[68R]	25	24	15	13	147
22	AUS2421	MORTENSEN SAILS	Josh Mortensen	16	33	22	11	[39]	[35]	18	15	28	17	160
23	GBR678	WILLY DO IT	Tommy Hooton	1	13	17	20	30	17	[40]	37	[44]	31	166
24	AUS2486	HITHER & YON	David Leask	[68B]	26	23	[68O]	14	32	17	17	13	24	166
25	GBR2522	RAPTOR	Chris Boshier	8	23	28	22.5	9	[36]	28	25	26	[46N]	169.5
26	AUS2566	ATB MORTON	Harry Morton	21	32	[68F]	[68C]	3	9	29	27	24	27	172
27	AUS2320	SLAMMER	Christopher Jones	7	31	[37.5]	18	26	15	30	[36]	30	23	180
28	NED2	RISTRETTO	Mark Thorborg	27	22	25	26	18N	28	[37]	[34]	21	33	200
29	NED3	LOCTUDEAL	Bart Thorborg	31	51	12	12	18	22	26	[68C]	[68C]	30	202
30	AUS2204	DEEPER WATER	Jeff Owen	[47]	[40]	26	30	27	24	21	31	31	25	215
31	AUS2577	PARIS	Paul Cohen	20	[41N]	20	25	22	31	32	32	37	[68F]	219
32	AUS2565	CLOUD CAR	Brett Holly	34	50	21	[68C]	[68C]	68C	24	13	17	5	232
33	AUS1752	FLIPPER	John Lindholm	44	[47N]	34	28	[56]	39	22	22	23	22	234
34	AUS2437	MAINTAIN THE RAGE	Scott Munro	38	[45]	24	27	36	[44]	27	30	34	21	237
35	AUS2411	CRUISING	Ross Brennan	14	29	29	22.5	[45]	42	34	[43]	40	28	238.5
36	ITA1111	VALIANT	Emilio Betta	[68B]	[48]	35	19	35	18	36	33	35	38	249
37	AUS2548	HB	Jonathon Vandervoort	45	14	32	34	23	13	43	46	[47]	[68F]	250
38	AUS2179	I'M IN A MEETING	Roger Grimes	23	34	44	[68F]	31	33	35	39	27	[68F]	266
39	GBR712	FOXY LADY	Rodger White	22	17	41	36	32	14	49	[68C]	[68C]	68F	279
40	GBR666	PRINCE OF DARKNESS	Bill Hooton	33	39	31	32	40	25	41	38	[45]	[68F]	279
41	AUS2521	BEAK	Adam Brett	42	[47]	39	35	42	[45]	39	23	29	36	285
42	ITA20	ASCIUGATI	Antonio Martini	35	30	40	39	41	21	42	[47]	[43]	39	287
43	AUS2136	RIVA DERCI	Ian Bowman	41	37	37.5	31	28	27	44	[52]	48	[68F]	293.5
44	AUS2349	OUTRAGEOUS 2	Stephen Ianna	[51]	46	30	42	37	40	[48]	29	33	37	294
45	AUS2281	SMOKE ON THE WATER	Scott McInerney	50	[68F]	42	41	38	[68F]	20	18	32	68F	309
46	AUS2443	HUP	Christopher McDonald	29	43	49	37	34	26	47	49	[68C]	[68F]	314
47	AUS2142	TAKE IT EAZIER	Ian Martin	[53]	[49N]	45	33	49	46	33	40	42	34	322
48	NZL1329	FRANTIC	David Harrison	46	35	47	38	[51]	[55]	46	48	41	43	344
49	AUS2562	ORCA	Sean Managh	[68F]	[68F]	50	68F	57	53	38	26	25	29	346
50	AUS2208	NAUTI BOUY	Patrick Moore	[55]	53	43	[68F]	44	50	45	41	36	35	347
51	AUS2567	THE BLACK PEARL	Glenn Dalton	48	[52]	46	43	48	49	[53]	50	46	42	372
52	UAE1641	RUEFENACHT	Jacqueline Ruefenach	36	38	48	45	46	37	57	[68C]	[68C]	68F	375
53	GBR2318	OLD DOG	Alan Mollatt	40	41	51	40	47	43	58	56	[68C]	[68C]	376
54	AUS2196	BATTLESHIP	Andrew Ianna	52	[68R]	52	44	50	47	56	45	49	[68C]	395
55	AUS2250	FOR SALE	John McLean	[59]	54	53	48	53	54	51	44	[68F]	40	397
56	AUS1583	FLY BY WIRE	Andrew Butler	43	49	[57]	46	52	48	55	55	50	[68F]	398
57	AUS231	RONNIES BOAT	Robert Stenta	[58]	57	[68F]	47	55	57	50	53	51	44	414
58	AUS230	THE BREAKER	James Meggison	54	[59]	55	51	58	56	54	54	52	[68F]	434
59	AUS2517	DUTCHIE	James Vandervoort	19	20	58	[68F]	[68C]	68C	68C	68C	68C	68C	437
60	AUS265	BULLET TRAIN	Bryce Reid	[68F]	[68C]	54	49	68F	68C	52	51	53	68C	463
61	AUS1328	GAYLE	Stephen Brierly	56	60	56	52	54	52	[68F]	[68F]	68C	68F	466
62	GER2622	TIMES LIKE THESE	Conny Schillo	49	56	[68F]	[68C]	64N	51	60	68C	68C	68C	484
63	AUS1773	TURTLE	Adrian Kiely	57	58	59	50	[68C]	[68C]	68C	68C	68C	68C	496
64	AUS2518	THE TERRAR	Ian Henderson	39	55	[68F]	[68C]	68C	68C	68C	68C	68C	68F	502
65	AUS2444	RONALD	Darren Nicholson	[68F]	[68C]	33	68C	68C	68C	68C	68C	68C	68C	509
66	AUS3	LIMITLESS	Thomas Young	[68F]	66N	65N	[68C]	68F	68C	59	68F	68C	68F	530
67	AUS2542	BLACK CAVIAR	John Fisher	[68B]	[68B]	65N	68C	68C	68C	68C	68C	68C	68C	541