2025 review of the year
A-Cat 2025 Review of the year.
Yet another epic A-Cat year, one filled with individual victories and disappointments. Some moved away from the class, a few sadly left us all forever. But some new recruits discovered the delights of their new class, while other old hands swapped their boats for different ones. And a year when both the teacher and pupil became champions.
This year, as ever, started with the AUS Nats, and at Lake Cootharaba, up from the Sunshine coast in Queensland. A good turnout, with 37 Classics and 17 Open foilers, including a guest sailor in the form of ITA ace Lamberto Cesari on a borrowed Stevie Brewin boat, and the fleet enjoying 5 days of flat-water lake sailing in pretty much ideal Australian sparkling wine conditions. Andrew Landenberger dominated the Classics as did Darren Bundock with the Open to become the AUS National Champions.
February saw the Classics get a handicap change. It has been discovered that the Classic low-riders are less competitive than their foiling brothers, over time – well, who knew?! The PY rating increased by some 11 points, with the other rating systems following suit. This now means that they can race on more equal terms in handicap racing with boats such as the Hurricane, and other laundry powered boats. This should result in closer races, without the Classic A-Cat needing to finish ridiculously far ahead if it wishes to win. This is a good thing.
The next Nationals action moves to the waters of Castor Bay and the Milford Cruising club, of which we will hear more from later. The Kiwi fleet joined forces with the Tornados for a fun dual Championships and as a test event for the future Worlds and as a race committee trainer. In perfect conditions, the championship was won by a pair of NZL sailing legends, with Patrick Ashby in the Classic and the Open by Dave Shaw.
March is a bit of a fallow month, the season is finished for the Southerners, but it is yet to start in anger in Europe. Only the US fleet have events, and this year their Admiral’s Cup event was won by the ARG sailor Axel Issel in the Open fleet, and Bob Hodges the Classic.
April traditionally sees the first of the classes Garda events, with the Univela club’s Spring Regatta. This year had a very shifty and tricky wind pattern coupled with all types of waterborne vessels getting in the way to test the 40 sailors to the max. Coming out on top was Lamberto Cesari who’s mastery of tricky winds has become his superpower.
May saw the GER/NED Nationals, also at Garda, and at Malchesine this time. A popular event in a popular venue, the 70+ boat event weekend had both light and stronger breezes that would test everyone. This was to be the first major European regatta to employ both the Top Gate mark layout, something thought as a possible chaotic scenario, but in practice, everyone knows who has the right of way so no issues at all. It was also to use the Grand Prix finish, whereby all boats finish their laps, regardless of the number sailed, after the leader crosses the line. However, a certain amount of chaos ensued as both fleets became mixed, as they were both on the same course. The sailors in the confusion and misreading signals in the stress of the racing, all finished . The result was the PRO meant one thing, but it was interpreted as another, with several Classic leaders receiving DNFs and refused redress. But it was all sorted in the end without recourse to violence. The regatta was won by Kuba Surowiec in the Open and Jacek Noetzel in the Classic. We will hear more of this Polish pair. Being a Nationals, the NED Open Champion was the Flying Dutchman, triple World Champ Mischa Heemskerk, and the retaining her Classic crown was Caroline Van Beelen, who is a master of the light stuff. The GER Champions were Rainer Bohrer in the Open, and Lars Bunkenburg in the Classic. The event was seen and used as a warm-up for the Euros a couple of weeks later
June saw the European fleet and a bunch of oversees travellers assemble on the Adriatic coast at Riccione, and the hosts, the little 151H2O Riccione club. 35 Open and 43 Classics launched from the golden, sands and it’s regimentally arranged, parasol equipped sunbeds and beach bars.
This Euros was characterised, in contrast to Garda, by rather light Adriatic winds throughout. The usual seasonal wind pattern just didn’t materialise, so races tended to be held in class minimum conditions. The top foiling guys, assuming they could get their boats travelling at 10.5 kts, in these 6-7 kt winds, by careful spanner playing, could just about get the things to foil downwind. You could forget upwind foiling here. However, at the gybe points, they frequently found themselves in a hole, a several became marooned only to frustratingly watch the rest float past 50m away. The classics fared better, as their underwater hull and foil shapes could coper better and less kinetic energy would be lost in manoeuvres.
Day one was cancelled, leaving the fleets bimbling with their boats on the beach or sitting in beach bars watching the local wildlife. But the race officers managed to get 9 or 10 races of a sort in in the remaining 4 days, so discards could be dispensed to remove some of the more grotesque finishing positions in the waterborne Snakes & Ladders game.
In the end, it was those who played the best corners, read the winds best and could get foiling in no wind who were victorious. But they do say that the good sailors are the good sailors, and at the fleet’s leaders were usually the expected ones.
The Open was won by Kuba, with his Jedi-like foiling skills, to complete his personal trophy set by adding the Euro Champ to his two World Champ medals, with Lambi as runner-up. The Classic regatta was won by the wily old wolf, and multiple World Champ Scotty Anderson, with Gustavo Doreste Blanco chasing, giving him the European Crown to add to his Classic World title. The whole fleet then went home with magnificent tans.
Meanwhile up in DEN, at their Sail Extreme Nationals, Thomas Paasch dominated the 10 boat fleet in decent conditions to regain his DEN crown.
This month also saw the new Scheuer G8 launched. A lovely looking boat, designed with input from Landy and with many fine details and an improved hull shape, new foils and now, being the company owning Fibrefoam, its own mast.
July saw the GRB Nationals at Grafham Water SC, in the English Midlands. A lovely 15kt wind Saturday with 4 races and 13 sailors.The sunday, However, was cancelled after everyone just floated about in a flat calm, to eventually be cancelled, but not after a Spitfire practiced his airshow routine directly overhead, allowing the fleet to just lie back on their tramps and watch. Reinging Champion Hugh MacGregor retained his Classic crown and Julian Bosch the Open.
August was a popular month for Championships. Over in Sopot, the Polish home of A-Cats, 16 sailors, and including guests from CZH, FRA and DEN, battled in fun conditions that gave something for everyone over the weekend. Kuba and Jacek were the victors, although the Viking Jan Saugmann gave Kuba a run for his money.
In California, a 14-boat fleet took to the Pacific waters off Alamitos Bay YC. The lower turnout due to the fact most NA based boats are in the East, but it’s only fair to give the West coast sailors a go in their garden. However, they were joined by Stevie Brewin, sailing a borrowed boat, and someone to give Ravi Parent someone to train against. In predictable conditions, Ravi became the Open Champion and Jeremy Laundergan, a Lake Superior sailor no less and therefor travelling further than any East coast sailor, became Classic Champ.
And at Senegallian Beach, south of Riccione, the ITA champs too place. Rather exciting storms sprang up over their weekend, testing the race committee and sailors, with races cancelled and the 50 sailors sent back to the beach. Then on the final day, those Riccione winds arrived, sending the sailors into full on tactical mode, so in all a good test for them all. In the end, it was Lambi who became the ITA champion, a title that had previously avoided him for various reasons. Andrea Ruffini clinched the Classics.
September, again saw a slew of Championships. The SUI fleet went to Dongo, on Lake Como and the 44 boat fleet found some difficult shifty winds. Meat and Drink for those South GER lake sailors, and the regatta was won for the classics by Georg Reutter with Matthew Verrier becoming Swiss Classic champ. The Open fleet struggled again in the light stuff, but Lambi got all 4 race bullets, and Riccardo Giuliano became Swiss Open Champion.
Whilst over in Spain, at Cambrils, in some great conditions for their 10 boats, Manuel Calavia, the European #3 retained his Open National title, with the European Champion, Gustavo, retaining his Classic trophy.
In October, the action shifted to France and La Boule, wherein yet more light shifty weather, 32 boats raced and it was the Emmanuels show. M Dode gained the Open title, and M Le Chapalier won the Classic in this much larger fleet. And over at Lac De L’Eau D’Heure, Michal Warlop became the BEL champion in their Classics.
And finally in November, the headline event, the PredictWind A-Cat Worlds at Milford Cruising Club. Due to the remoteness of this jewel of South Pacific loveliness, the turnout was always going to be down on the record of the 2024 PuntAla event. However, the quality of sailors and the racing was easily World class. 29 Classics and 21 Open boats raced on the waters of Castor Bay in off the North side of Auckland. The spectacularly friendly hosts of the club simply couldn’t do enough for the visitors, even getting the lads to join in the Māori Haka, just like their occasionally great rugby team!
During the week, every condition sailable was encountered, and the twin courses saw floating 5 kt one day, with boats sailing in slow motion, to full on mental 22kt with 27 kts gusts and boats sailing like the Charge of the Light Brigade on another. As a result, it was the prefect test of a World Champion. After the full 12 race programme, Kuba narrowly retained his Open crown by a few points, and for his 3rd successive time, defending it from a strong challenges by Ravi and Lambi, but knowing his blistering downwind speed was his key. The Classic fleet, though, was dominated by Jacek sailing a foiling Exploder Ad3, but configured as a classic and with a new section C-Board, coupled with long T rudders, and won with straight bullets. But the battle for second was won by the self-effacing Aussie, Jamie Jochhiem in his first major event, who put the former multiple World Champ, Landy, into third. But everyone went home happy, with lifelong memories to treasure.
So, in the end, the Poles are the best this year, and Jacek actually ran the USK Navigo club where Kuba leaned to sail. A nice, neat ending for the year.
And as we move on, the Northerners have mostly put their boats way for hibernation, and the Aussies prepare for their Nats, we all look forward to the Euros at Mar Menore and the Worlds in Tampa. IACA is also celebrated its 50th birthday next year on 8th May. We have much to thank our forefathers for. In February the Aussies will be celebrating 60 years of sailing and class development at their Nationals in Feb at St Leonard’s, Victoria.
Hopefully we’ll get some and epic great sailing in 2026. A very happy and healthy New Year to all from IACA!
Photo credits;
Russell Witt
Justin Mitchell
Univela
Beatrice Sirri
Rafel Czepulkowski
Daniel Caserta Segraves
Adecat
Gordon Upton - Guppypix
