Magic Marine Marblehead Worlds at Gouda, The Netherlands - Overall
by UK M Class 13 Jul 2014 18:51 BST
5-11 July 2014
After a tense wait for the wind to arrive and only 2 full rounds completed, Brad Gibson GBR has retained the Marblehead class World Champion title by scoring a 2,3. Graham Bantock GBR after a tough regatta and some brilliant sailing took a very well deserved 2nd place from Croatian skipper Ante Kovacevic in 3rd. Local skipper Joop de Jong NED sailed a steady event to finish in 4th place ahead of another GBR skipper, Peter Stollery who rounded out the top 5. It was a good result for GBR skippers with 4 making the top 10, continuing the form of recent International events after 20 full races were sailed with 4 discards.
The week long event was a fantastic advertisement for the Marblehead Class with a range of conditions and course variations challenging skipper race skill and boatspeed. Boat designs used in the overall top 10 and by A fleet heat winners varied from the latest designs of Gibson (Grunge), Bantock (Quark) and Pomerade (Tramontane) through to the 20 year old Margo design sailed by Frenchman Remi Bres for to masterful light air wins. Home design and builds are making a solid return to the class as seen by the very narrow Honcho of Joop de Jong in 4th, the Kokillo of Roberto Zanassi in 12th and the Chiwawa of Massimo Apostoli in 18th of which all had fine placings in the A fleet over the week. As with the Margo sailed by Bres, designs such as the 15 year old Bantock ROK sailed by Darin Ballington and Walliki Skalpel sailed by Gilles Di Crescenzo showed that well rigged and sailed older designs are more than competitive at the highest level in the sport.
On the subject of class management, interested skippers gathered mid event for an evening discussion with regards to the future of the class and the prospect of moving in the direction of a class owners group or association, thus relieving the ISAF - IRSA International Radio Sailing Association of taking care of class related matters of housekeeping and handing any future ownership over to the owners. A working party comprising of Matteo Longhi ITA, Brad Gibson GBR, Lincoln McDowell AUS, Nigel Winkley GER and Patrice Montero FRA have agreed to look at the best way to communicate with class owners across the globe as to how the class should continue its renewed growth, with a view to any further outside interested parties being most welcome to contribute and step forward in any class world owner association for position.
Expressions of interest were sought for hosting of the 2016 Worlds with a couple of options currently in the negotiation stage, yet not in a position for any announcement.
www.rmworlds2014.com