Please select your home edition
Edition
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic Range

Etchells Worlds at Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Cowes - Overall

by Fiona Brown 1 Jul 2007 11:21 BST 25-30 June 2007

Beadsworth, Strugstad and Fry are crowned World Champions

Despite constant rain and poor visibility the final race of the Etchells World Championship in Cowes was an absolute stunner. At last the wind had moderated although conditions were still extremely testing with constant shifts in the south westerly breeze which varied from 8 to 15 knots as the bands of rain came through.

2006 World Champion Jud Smith, sailing USA1361 with David McClintock and Steve Girling, bowed out of his tenure as World Champion in true style by giving the rest of the fleet a master class in Etchells sailing to win the final race and take second overall. But the day belonged to Andy Beadsworth, Oscar Strugstad and Simon Fry, sailing GBR1361, as they took on and ultimately trounced Ante Razmilovic, Jez Fanstone and Stuart Flinn sailing GBR1333, in a stunning final show down for the championship.

Going into the final race Beadsworth knew that Ante Razmilovic was his only rival for the title and the two boats came off the line side by side just to the left of centre. Beadsworth was to weather as they headed off on starboard but Razmilovic had a little more speed and began to climb out eventually forcing Beadsworth to tack and initiating a gripping match race style dog fight. The main body of the fleet had gone right and before long the two boats were out on their own going at it hammer and tongs. The atmosphere was electric and spectators held their breaths each time the boats came back together. Beadsworth's greater match racing experience showed and although Razmilovic briefly had the upper hand it wasn't long before he was back in control as the pair rejoined the main body of the fleet at the top of the beat.

At the weather mark it was Tom Hughes, sailing USA1306 with Ron Rosenberg and Steve Hayles, leading with Jud Smith second, Jake Gunther, sailing AUS1244 with Andrew Cooper and Russell Tyson, third and Nils Razmilovic, sailing GBR1340 with Brian Hammersley and Charlie Cumbley, fourth. Despite the distractions of their dog fight Beasdworth still rounded ninth with Ante Razmilovic 12th.

The leading four held their positions down the first run while Beadsworth pulled up into eighth and Ante Razmilovic dropped down to 14th. On the second beat Smith was perfectly in tune with the shifts and sailed round Hughes to lead at the second weather mark. Nils Razmilovic had picked up a place to round third just ahead of Gunther, while Beadsworth held eighth and Ante Razmilovic came back up to 12th.

The leading group held their order on the second run but behind them Beadsworth moved up into sixth place and Ante Razmilovic to 11th. As the boats rounded the final mark ready for the long beat to the finish Beadsworth was the first boat to go for the right side of the gate. He tacked back left immediately but the move was to prove a crucial one as it gave him clearer air and put him onto the edge of a slightly stronger lifting breeze band.

Smith and Hughes were clear of the pack, but behind them it was a joy to watch Beadsworth, Strugstad and Fry who kept right of the group and had one of those perfect sailing moments in absolute tune with the wind. Each time they came back towards the fleet they'd gained. First they overtook fifth placed Peter Duncan, then picked off Jake Gunther for fourth. At they approached the finish they were neck and neck with Nils Razmilovic vying for third. Yet again they were on top of the breeze and as Nils Razmilovic took a final hitch right they stayed left and gained one final place to finish third and take the championship convincingly.

At the prize giving ceremony outgoing World Champion Jud Smith, for whom this is a fifth second place at an Etchells Worlds, paid tribute to the new world champions declaring them worthy winners and thanking them and the rest of the fleet for a great competition.

An elated Andy Beadsworth paid tribute to his co-owner Oscar Strugstad and team mate Simon Fry - "Simon and I had a crack at it last year with a different co-owner as a last minute thing and we were competitive. At that time we were already committed to this programme which was very much targeted at trying to win these worlds. We talked about doing something with Oscar and discussed whether he drove or I drove or what ever and we decided that trying to win the worlds was our goal and this was the best way we could do it together as a team. Since then we've worked hard to put the programme together in the best way we possibly could.

"We bought the boat in America at the beginning of the year and did Miami, then came back here and did all of the UK events. We've had great competition from the UK fleet which has been vital in helping us to raise our game to this level. I think the thing I'm most proud of in winning this Worlds is that we led on the opening day and we've led every day since so I feel we can be very happy with ourselves.

"Oscar has been fantastic. It's been a really fun campaign and he's made fantastic decisions and has been a really integral member of the team. It's very rare that you get somebody like Oscar who does this sort of thing. He's put a lot of effort in and as he said at the prize giving some of the best and worst sailing moments of his life have been in the Etchells. I can remember days when we've been going upwind and Stirfry's been shouting 'hike harder!" and I've looked at him and he's been so determined that he's almost had tears in his eyes and I've had to say, you know, relax, this is supposed to be for fun."

This event would not have been possible without the generous support of the many individual volunteers and members of the Cowes Etchells fleet who gave so generously of their time and supported the event in many different ways. In particular we would like to acknowledge the generous financial contribution made by Etchells owners Mike Till, Paul Kelsey, Doug Flynn, Robert Elliott, Ante Razmilovic and Nils Razmilovic. And last by no means least we would like to thank corporate supporters Greenhill & Co Investment Bank, Slam, North Sails and Mount Gay.

Overall Results: (top ten)

1 GBR 1361, Andy Beadsworth, 1 6 (7) 3 4 1 3 - 18 points
2 USA 1351, Jud Smith, (10) 2 2 6 8 6 1 - 25 points
3 GBR 1333, Ante Razmilovic, 5 (15) 3 1 6 3 11 - 29 points
4 GBR 1332, James Howells, 3 5 9 4 2 (18) 8 - 31 points
5 USA 1306, Tom Hughes, 6 (28) 6 12 3 9 2 - 38 points
6 AUS 1215, Noel Drennan, (26) 1 10 7 11 4 10 - 43 points
7 NZL 1058, Jon Andrews, 4 8 11 8 13 7 (14) - 51 points
8 GBR 1340, Nils Razmilovic, 2 34 1 (46) 7 5 5 - 54 points
9 USA 1327, Peter Duncan, (33) 23 4 5 16 2 6 - 56 points
10 AUS 1244, Jake Gunther, 23 (26) 5 13 9 10 4 - 64 points

Related Articles

Etchells Corinthian Cup set to rock Moreton Bay
A brand-new regatta that will take place in April The sailing community is buzzing with excitement as we announce the inaugural Etchells Corinthian Cup, a brand-new regatta that will take place on the stunning waters of Moreton Bay, the same course used for the 2018 Etchells World Championships Posted on 17 Mar
Volvo Ladies Helm 2025 at RHKYC
Female skippers aboard the 47 boats across seven classe On the International Women's Day on Saturday 8 March, the Club hosted the annual Volvo Ladies Helm Day on Saturday with female skippers aboard the 47 boats across seven classes joining forces to celebrate and recognise women's achievements worldwide. Posted on 10 Mar
Etchells Pacific Coast Championship in San Diego
Argyle Campbell and crew capture the title The 2025 Etchells Pacific Coast Championship, hosted by the San Diego Yacht Club, delivered an intense and tactical weekend of racing on the Coronado Roads, where Argyle Campbell and crew racing Rock On emerged as the overall winners. Posted on 24 Feb
Etchells Biscayne Bay Winter Series concludes
A season of challenges, triumphs, and tight racing The 2025 Biscayne Bay Series concluded with the US East Coast Midwinters, held February 14-16, delivering an exciting finale with eight races—doubling the total number of races sailed in the previous three events combined. Posted on 20 Feb
SDYC to host Etchells North American Championship
The event in San Diego expects to see over 50 boats registered San Diego Yacht Club (SDYC) and Etchells Fleet 13 will host the 2025 Etchells North American Championship May 14-18, 2025. Set in San Diego's ocean venue, Coronado Roads, this event promises exciting racing and world-class hospitality. Posted on 16 Feb
The engine room
Without them we are lost. This is about the things aloft both ahead and behind the stick. Without them we are lost. This is not about the tiny little room under the companionway stairs. Rather, it is about the things aloft both ahead and behind the stick.Yes. The rags. Only, they are anything but for wiping up spills. They are supreme tech. Posted on 9 Feb
2025 East Gippsland Etchells Championships overall
The two-day regatta became a one-day event due to storms on the second day Two last minute cancellations saw seven Etchells from the Metung fleet enter the East Gippsland Etchells Championship, on February 8, 2025. Posted on 9 Feb
Bushido claims victory at 2025 Bill Bennett Cup
Part of the prestigious West Coast Spring Series The waters off San Diego Yacht Club played host to another successful Bill Bennett Cup, part of the prestigious West Coast Spring Series (WCSS), with Chris Busch and Buschido (USA 969) securing an impressive overall victory. Posted on 24 Jan
Entries open for Cowes Week
199th edition of the world's biggest annual keelboat regatta Cowes Week Ltd is delighted to announce that entries for the 2025 Regatta are now open. Posted on 17 Jan
Etchells World Championship 2025 overall
Magpie match races to defend the title Magpie AUS1486 skippered by Graeme Taylor with James Mayo have defended their title in the 2024 Etchells World Championship with crew member Ben Lamb with a classic match race to finish off the series. Posted on 14 Jan