6th 29er Worlds San Francisco - Overall

Action from the 29er worlds at San Francisco © 29er Class Association

Action from the 29er worlds at San Francisco © 29er Class Association

Action from the 29er worlds at San Francisco © 29er Class Association

This year the 29er World Championships was held at the St Francis Yacht Club, the premier city front yacht club of San Francisco. The club, founded in 1927 boasts outstanding sailing facilities and views of the sailing area in the Bay between Golden Gate Bridge and the island of Alcatraz. The Club is a year-round host of over 40 regattas on San Francisco Bay, including the annual Big Boat Series each September. As the 29er is recognised as one of the fastest and most thrilling fleets in the world, and was recently selected as the doublehander for the ISAF Championships in 2007, hosting the Worlds at St Francis brought the excitement and spectacle of first class 29er sailing to St Francisco Bay.

Great Britain was keenly represented by 8 29er Teams, 5 of which were RYA 29er National Squad sailors. The journey to San Francisco really started for these Teams very early one morning on May 14th, with the loading of boats into a container at the RYA base in Southampton, ably supervised and organised by Dave Hall of Ovington Boats. They joined Teams that comprised more than 150 sailors from 11 countries around the world to compete in the week-long competition,including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, China, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.S.A. The event began with a presentation of flags and anthems during opening ceremonies held Sunday, July 3rd and continued until Sunday July 10th, including a rest day on 6th July. Forty races were conducted over the course of the week-long competition. There was a qualifying series of 16 races followed by 10 additional races in the final series (8 for silver and 6 for bronze).

The event featured varied weather conditions, that included heavy currents, changing wind and wave conditions of the like that truly challenged the sailing skills of the competitors, yet provided close up thrills for spectators who were able to watch from the Club balcony. For instance lighter winds marked the competition on Tuesday calling for more strategic racing, whilst strong winds marked competition on Monday and Thursday. Overall it was shiftier and breezier than usual for the time of year, but that only added to competition. The result was a strong field of competitors demonstrating great racing and performance, between the fantastic backdrop of Golden Gate Bridge and the island of Alcrataz.

The weather pattern continued through from day one of qualifying through to the very last day of the finals. With the qualifying races completed the Final Series of the 6th Annual 29er World Championship stared after three days of fierce competition. The fleet were divided into Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets with the Gold fleet representing the top 25 boats in the competition. Britain's Dylan Fletcher and Nick Hollis lead the way into the finals, winning the qualifying series to be joined by Ed Chapman and Tom Peel, Justin Visser and Simon Wheeler and Huw Humphries and Max Todd in the Gold fleet. San Francisco regional stars Cameron Biehl (San Diego) and Zack Maxam (Santa Barbara) in 5th place ahead of a strong field of American sailors.

On the first day of the Finals the wind was already up to 15+ knots which predicted, if the Bay was up to its usual tricks, steadily increasing winds throughout the day. It was the intention of the Race Committee to sail two Gold races followed by Silver and Bronze, but when the Gold took to the water, the Silver went under postponement and all the competitors went up to the race deck to watch the Gold fleet.

Race one started in about 16 -18 knots with Britain’s Dylan Fletcher and Nick Hollis, the qualification winner taking first race and Aussie Will Critharis, second in qualifying, right behind. This was after Jen Morgan went inshore on the last run while Dylan and four other boats went out into the stronger flooding tide. Third went to US 49er sailor Ty Reed who made a quatum leap from his qualifying 22nd. He had a good day with another 3rd but a disappointing DNF. Fourth went to Jacqui Bonnitcha.

The second race started in more wind, now up to 20 knots, to be won by Jacqui Bonnitcha, but only after David O’Connor from Australia who had the lead went swimming at the finishing line. By the time he was up, Jacqui was through but he managed to save a second. By the end of the second race the winds were consistently over the 20 knot mark and the Silver and Bronze were kept on shore as the Race Committee decided to push the Gold to a third race. Another sailor was taking their winning this race, San Diego sailor Cameron Beihl, when they lost their t heir tack fitting just below the final weather mark. They struggled desperately, without a jib, to get upwind the last remaining few boat lengths and finally got around, saving a 15th place. The race was eventually won by Justin Visser and Simon Wheeler, another Team of British speedy sailors who had gone through to the finals in 15th place.

For many of the spectators, the performance of the US sailor Brooks Reid had to be the story of the day. He was last to qualify in 25th spot, but managed to pull off a 6,3 and 10, which together with 25th saved him an 8th place overall after day one of the finals. Australians Jacqui Bonniticha and Euan McNichol (himself the current 18 foot Skiff world champion), led the fleet followed by another Aus boat David O’Connor and Scott Babbage in second. Dylan Fletcher and Nick Hollis took third place after collisions and penalty turns foiled their 2nd and 3rd racing positions, whilst Justin Visser and Simon Wheeler came in 4th.

Day 2 and 3 of the finals, was “wind as usual”. They took the Silver out for two races at the end of the day 2 but the winds were so strong that they kept the Bronze ashore. Highlights of the two days include a spectacular finish to the final race for the Gold Fleet with 3 boats overlapping at the finish. Separated by only a few feet, Paul Heineken/Matt Noble came up through the fleet to take first, followed by Jen Morgan/Anthony Boscolo (SF/Seattle) and overall leaders Jacqui Bonnitcha/Euan McNicol (Australia).

Over the course of the Finals there was a very close battle in the Silver fleet, with three teams tied at the top – ARG Micael Sielecki with Tomas Wagmaister, DEN Peter Ammundsen with Kasper Giodesen and FIN Silja Lehtinen with Silja Kanerva. The Siljas are the top all-female crew in the regatta. Kasper Giodesen and Peter Ammundsen finally took the winning Silver fleet prize. There was also a clear favourite in the Bronze fleet with US Ian Andrews with crew Justin Doyle consistently ahead of another US couple, Patrick Layton and Carl Shorett.

The final outcome of what was an extremely competitive and challenging 29er World Championship was that Australian Jacqui Bonnitcha became the first woman ever to win at the Worlds, crewed by 18 foot skiff world champion Euan McNichol. The British teams of Justin Visser/Simon Wheeler and Dylan Fletcher/Nick Hollis sailed an excellent and competitive regatta to finish in 4th and 5th place respectively, representing Great Britain in the prizes. Plus another British sailor, 13 year old David Hopper, sailing with crew Daniel picked up Youngest Competitor.

Overall Results: