Bob Griffits from @Takapuna: Glenn Ashby 2014 World Champ
I've been covering high performance multihull racing and latest development for a while now, and let me say, this event is on the top 3 of my list. I think the Class put itself on the ACup level regarding the impact of promotion for 'outsiders', and that can only be good news.
A great event is over, the exposure the Class got is extremely good. Now AGM outcomes (minutes to be published when ready) plus the feedback and analysis from this event at Takpuna will define a more clear path for the future.
Read below the daily onsite report from Takapuna by Bob Griffits, thanks for your hard work on this Bob, much appreciated for all wanting real onsite and adequate reports.
Final Results: www.sailingeventstakapuna.com
Images from the final day pending.
Image Gallery by the org http://www.sailingeventstakapuna.com/photogallery/test/
Pics by Paula Kopylowicz / Exploder at https://www.facebook.com/exploder.info
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Onsite Report by Bob Griffits.
Final Day A Class Catamaran World Titles.
The 2014 World Titles concluded today in Takapuna, New Zealand. The racing was delayed 3 hours to await the arrival of a steady breeze. A south-east to easterly breeze had been forecast for the morning of light intensity, but it never really filled in across the course, and the fleet was sent back to the beach.
Eventually a light breeze settled in from the north-east, enabling the racing to get underway.
Nathan Outteridge, whose regatta has been plagued by gear breakdowns, won the race from Glenn Ashby, with Ray Davies in third position.
Glenn Ashby wrapped up his eighth A Class World Championship. Blair Tuke was second, and Peter Burling finished third, making a clean sweep of the regatta for Team New Zealand.
Andrew Landenberger, who had his worse race of the series, finishing 12th, finished 4th overall in the championship, a great achievement, considering the host of professional sailors he successfully challenged.
Overall, this World Championship was an excellent regatta. The sailing was completed as per schedule, and the sailors were tested over a variety of conditions.
The Race Committee is to be congratulated on the manner in which they conducted the racing with excellent courses, start and finishing lines. They adhered fully to the Class maximum and minimum wind strength limits to ensure that the racing was conducted in a fair and safe manner. Substantial hull and mast failures were minimal ; only one catastrophic incident of each, which confirms that the current Class Rules in relation to wind strength is about correct, and that all future Race Committees should adhere to them. Ian “Storm” Johnson should be granted life membership of future World Championship Race Committees as the competitor’s representative. The event insurer may well put up their hand to do it again.
The volunteer’s on the Takapuna Boating Club shore team are also to be congratulated on their expertise, efficiency and friendliness, which was appreciated by the competitors and their supporters. The New Zealand beer was pretty good, and served well chilled from the bar in the club.
The grassy boat park was superb, and the adjacent expensive beach easily accommodated the whole fleet for launching and retrieval.
And thanks to all the fellow competitors who sailed within the spirit of the rules, and in continuing sportsmanship and harmony. One of the great strength of the A Class, is the politeness of competitors, and the respect for their own and other’s boats, boat on and off the water.
We should also acknowledge those competitors who travelled from the other side of the world to the Antipodes. The trip across the trench from Australia is but a short one, so the large Australian contingent is not going to get any special accolades. A strong contingent from North America made its way across the Pacific. We knew with the appropriate encouragement, and good old American ingenuity, that they would be able to do it.
The Danes, the Germans, and the Dutch also had good representation, and sent across their finest sailors. A special thanks to those from Poland, particularly those who made it on limited budgets, and for some of those innovative design features.
And so it is onwards to Italy in 2015. Yes, that brings me to the Italians. Where were they??
Bob Griffits.
