CSC 505 Worlds at Rostock Warnemünde, Germany - Overall

Wolfgang Hunger and Holger Jess win their third 505 world championships © Jan-Frederik Waeller

Third 505 World Championship For Hunger/Jess

Final race in strong sunny Southwesterly

Warnemünde, Germany. The final race had to bring the decision in the CSC 505 Worlds. Wolfgang HUNGER and Holger JESS (GER) went into the race with a nine-point lead over Mike MARTIN/Jesse FALSONE. Martin played the left side and led the fleet to the top mark. Serving as pathfinder boat, Hunger was forced to the right side at the start. After being released from pathfinder duties, Hunger tacked and went over to the left, out ot the waves and into less adverse current. At the windward mark, they found themselves about 15 places behind Martin. At that point, Martin/Falsone seemed to come out as World Champions.

After two windy races on the day before, the whole top of the fleet had their speed tuned up to the conditions perfectly. Therefore, the heaviest teams worked their way forward through the fleet. BEECKMAN/NELSON (USA) won the race followed by HOLT/FULCHER (GBR) and HAGEN/WOELFEL (USA). Martin kept up with the big guys and finished fourth, but he could not prevent Hunger from moving up to ninth place. Hunger/Jess, World Champions of 2001 and 2003, won the Championship by six points. Dietrich Scheder-Bieschin had a glamorous comeback after a couple of years out of the boat and finished third with Reiner Görge on the wire (both GER).

A Junior World Championship was scored among the competitors under 25. Morten BOGACKI/Christian LINDEMANN (GER, 12th overall) claimed the title by only one point over Jens FINDEL/Johannes TELLEN (GER, 14th overall). The mixed trophy went to Helen FISCHER/Robert ROTHE (GER, 37th overall) and the all-female title to Melanie OESTERGAARD/Angela STENGER (GER, 62nd overall)

The high level of competition in the 505 is indicated by the results of two high profiled campaigns by well known champions from bigger boats. Hasso PLATTNER launched a smaller “Morning Glory” this time, finishing 46th with expert crew Peter ALARIE. Phillippe KAHN teamed up with 29er World Champion Euan McNICOL and came in 64th while his Team Pegasus tuning partners Mark IVEY/Shane ILLIDGE finished eighth. No one involved appeared to be too unhappy with the results, as even the pros were completely amazed by the sheer joy of racing five-ohs in big breezes on open water.

At the prize giving ceremony, the competitors from twelve nations were still thrilled by the adrenaline boost of the final days. The party went on all night; as cheers were brought out to a great sailing venue, perfect organization onshore and offshore, and a healthy 505 class that might well live for another 50 years.

Overall Results: (top ten)

1. Wolfgang Hunger/Holger Jess GER 29pts
2. Mike Martin/Jesse Falsone USA 35pts
3. Dietrich Scheder-Bieschin/ Reiner Görge GER 47pts
4. Jan Saugmann/Morten Ramsbaek DEN 49pts
5. Andy Beeckmann/Jeff Nelson USA 50pts
6. Claas Lehmann/Martin Schöler GER 51pts
7. Christian Kellner/Klaus Stammerjohann GER 54pts
8. Mark Ivey/Shane Illidge USA 61pts
9. Howard Hamlin/Cam Lewis USA 62pts
10. Terry Scutcher/Christian Diebitsch GBR 10pts

Full results and photos on the event website at www.worlds505.de