Last weekend saw the Dutch Open at Hellecat with a 27 boat turnout and in the blazing September sun. The 2024 event was somewhat short of numbers as Thijs Visser decided to get married and most of the A-Cat Glitterati went to get messy at that instead. But they all came back in force again this year and all enjoyed to excellent racing in some unexpectedly exciting conditions.
Lamberto Cesare, Giuseppe Colombo and Paolo Penco were the top 3 sailors in the Open category, and Andrea Ruffini, Marco Radman and Alessandro Rosi made up the Classic podium at the Italian Nationals, hosted at Senegallian Beach, just down the coast from Riccione, the venue for the recent Euros. Some 50 sailors raced is a spectacular range of sailing conditions that tested them all over the last August weekend.
Congratulations to Ravi Patent and Jeremy Laundergan, the new 2025 North American National Champions.
UK A Class Catamaran Nationals, Report by Julian Bosch
Save the dates: May 28th - June 6th 2026.
The European Championships will be held at the CAR in Murcia, sailing on the fabulous Mar Menor lagoon.
28 & 29 May: Reception of participants
30 May (Saturday): Measurement of boats
31 May (Sunday): Regatta "Tralla al Race"
1-5 June (Monday to Friday): Official regattas
June 6 (Saturday): Pick-up and return home
Details will follow in due course.
Here is the proposal for the Tampa Worlds. 9th-14th November 2026, and preceded by the great warm up act, the Admiral's Cup.
The final day had promised to be rinse and repeat yet again. Friday the 13th remember… But the race officers were determined not to be beaten and get as near a full series in as possible and at least get to that sailing holy grail of the second discard. Italian honour must be at stake too! Once out on the course, it was found by the sailors that things were not as traumatic as the previous day wind-wise.
Thursday, the A-Cat Euros is entering its crucial phase. With enough races sailed to declare it a Championship, but too few to allow a crucial second discard. And believe me, there were many sailors, and many of the highly ranked ones, who dearly need that second discard!
