It has now been two weeks or so since the end of the Texas Worlds. Time to reflect on what was a really successful event. Pulled together in less than 6 months by US Class President, Bob Webbon, Bruce Mahoney and a few others, together with a hugely experience race management team under the exquisite control of Debbie Cardenas and her Houston Yacht Club team. We were lucky too to get the PRO from the last time the Worlds were in the US back in 2012, the venerable Texan, Billy Richnow, and being kept in check by his highly qualified race committee.

So, what have we learned?

International A-Division Catamaran Association
World General Meeting
Houston Yacht Club, 29th April 2022

There was a Gurd ‘Ole Texas shootout on the bay today, as the Beacon Group A-Class Catamaran Worlds drew to it’s finale!

We knew that today was going to be hard going. Only the Classic fleet raced today in Houston at the Beacon Group 2022 A-Class Cat Worlds, and the planned 3 races were curtailed to 2. The building sea state started to become potentially boat breaking and the winds were building to 18+kts, so Billy Richnow decided discretion was the best policy so people would live to sail another day.

They say it was a hard day today, out on old Galveston bay….( in a Morgan Freeman narrating voice). Because a days racing had been lost due to excessive sea state and higher than advertised winds, Billy Richnow, the Worlds PRO, decided he wanted to run an extra race in each session for the twin divisions. First up, at 10:30 was the Open foiling fleet. The winds were about 12kts from the South East, so the traditional wave chop started up in due course.

The Beacon Group 2022 A Class World Championships started with a bang today, as a large thunderstorm tracked into Galveston Bay from the South. The first Open Division race was finishing when the lightning struck a nearby water tower. This was the trigger to the race committee to send everyone scurrying ashore. But not before the exciting first race of the Worlds was run.

Triple World Champion Mischa Heemskerk, NED, will now not be defending his title in Houston. He won the 2019 Weymouth event with a strong campaign and 8 race wins, but this time he has decided to step aside and not to come over as his house building is reaching a crucial stage. His physical sailing style will be missed, but as a result, a new name will be on that Open trophy.

Worlds Sailing Instructions Published.

The Worlds SIs are here

The Admiral's Cup SIs are here

Dear Competitors,

We understand several of you are having difficulties in procuring liability insurance to meet the requirements of the Beacon Group A-Class World Championship 2022. As you may know, we reduced the liability requirements from $1,000,000 USD to $300,000 USD on April 12, 2022, due to numerous requests.

Tymoteusz Bendyk (32), one of the best A-Class sailors in previous years, gives us some insights about preparing for the European Championships at Lake Garda. The 2022 Euro championships organising crew met „Tymek“ at Circolo Vela Arco and got a chance for a chat up. He is a professional catamaran sailor (A-class, F-18, Nacra 17) and his prime achievements till now are 2nd and 3rd places in A-Class World Championships (2017, 2019).

Tymek on his professional life in sailing: