Hempel World Cup Series kicks off at Allianz Regatta

Hempel World Cup Series © World Sailing

The 2021 Hempel World Cup Series will kick off at the Allianz Regatta in Medemblik, The Netherlands today [2 June 2021] and will run through to 13 June with eight Olympic classes and world class talent on the water.

A total of 350 sailors from 47 countries will race across eight Olympic classes, in what will be the first Hempel World Cup Series event since the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

For many sailors, the Hempel World Cup Series - Allianz Regatta will serve as the final major competition before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The Hempel World Cup Series - Allianz Regatta has a rich past, building on the legacy of the Spa, Holland and Delta Lloyd Regatta. Since 1985, it has been a leader in the list of European Olympic sailing events, and is renowned amongst Olympic sailors as providing a tough test on a competitive racecourse.

The Hempel World Cup Series - Allianz Regatta will take place over two weeks, to allow sufficient time and space for sailors to compete while abiding by coronavirus restrictions regarding social distancing.

From Wednesday 2 to Sunday 6 June, the ILCA 6, ILCA 7, Men's and Women's RS:X and the Nacra 17 fleets will all take to the water. The 49er, 49erFX and Finn will follow from Wednesday 9 to Sunday 13 June. The Men's and Women's 470 were cancelled due to insufficient numbers but large fleets are expected in all other classes.

Dutch hopes for the Hempel World Cup Series - Allianz Regatta will be pinned on home favourite Marit Bouwmeester (NED) in the ILCA 6. The Dutch racer, gold medallist at Rio 2016, has faced injury setbacks throughout the Tokyo quadrennial but is focusing on returning to winning ways.

Fellow Rio 2016 podium finishers, Annalise Murphy (IRL) and Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN) will test themselves against Bouwmeester as they aim to upgrade their silver and bronze medals from five years ago at Tokyo 2020.

2018 World Champion Emma Plasschaert (BEL) joins the 69-boat fleet alongside Olympic medal hopefuls Paige Railey (USA), Tuula Tenkanen (FIN), Josefin Olsson (SWE) and Maria Erdi (HUN).

The ILCA 7 will feature 80 world class racers aiming for bragging rights ahead of Tokyo 2020. The fleet will be spearheaded by Rio 2016 silver medallist, Tonci Stipanovic (CRO) and London 2012 silver medallist, Pavlos Kontides (CYP). Further contenders include Juan Ignacio Maegli (GUA), Charlie Buckingham (USA) and Hermann Tomasgaard (NOR).

Dutch windsurfers Kiran Badloe and Lilian de Geus have been the dominant force in the Men's and Women's RS:X in recent years and will be firm favourites in their respective fleets.

Badloe will race in a 21-boat fleet that includes Tokyo 2020 rivals Tom Squires (GBR), Piotr Myszka (POL) and Thomas Goyard (FRA). A small, yet competitive 8-boat fleet will race in the Women's RS:X.

In the Nacra 17, Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Nacra 15 gold medallists Dante Cittadini and Teresa Romairone (ARG) will make their Nacra 17 senior debut. They will compete in a 13-boat fleet that features five strong French teams.

40-boats will face-off in the 49er fleet with strong presence from Danish, Dutch, French and German teams. Meanwhile in the 49erFX 28-boats will line up.

The 12-boat Finn fleet will include ten Dutch sailors, including the Tokyo 2020 bound Nicholas Heiner (NED). Overseas competitors include Facundo Olezza (ARG) and Vasilii Kravachenko (RUS).

Racing will take place across two race areas from 11:00 every day. The Medal Races will follow back to back on both Sunday's to conclude the competition.