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28 February 2005, 05:24 pm

Four Days' Racing On Lake Okanagan, Canada Will Decide The 2005 World Champion.

IFDS Multihull World Championship 2005

Kelowna, Canada

Kelowna, Canada will play host to up to 40 teams from around the world at the forthcoming World Championship.

The Central Okanagan Sailing Association (COSA) is the venue for the Championship from 6-9 July.

Lake Okanagan was also the venue for the inaugural IFDS Multihull World Championship in 2002. Back then, a field strong on American and Canadian teams was challenged by the Finish duo of Anterio KARJALAINEN and Marko DAHLBERG and teams skippered by Dutchman Han VAN LEENING and Italian Rob BATTILANA. At the finish it was the Americans who triumphed with duo Mike STRAHLE (USA) and Carl STRAHLE (USA) taking the 2002 World Title.

The 130km long lake will also be the venue for a two-day training camp that will precede the racing on 4-5 July. Here crews will be able to develop and refine the sort of skills that led the STRAHLEs to victory three years ago.

Teams consist of a skipper with a disability as defined by the (IFDS FCS 2005-2008) and a crew member that may be either able-bodied or disabled and will sail in a four-day series. They will be using 20 trapseat-equipped Hobie 16s provided by the Organizing Authority, which will be rotated throughout the series.

Kelowna is located in British Colombia on the western side of Canada. July is the area's driest and sunniest month with medium strength winds on the lake.

Registration for the World Championships is now open and teams can register online at www.cosa.bc.ca or by fax at +1 250 764 5162. Entries received before 1 April will be allocated places equally across countries while those received after this date will placed on a first-come basis.