Strong Winds As Qualification Wraps Up At 29er Worlds

Another windy day on the Kingston waters to wrap up the third and last day of the qualification series.

After a stormy start to the day, the rain cleared and the breeze filled in from the South-South West with a steady 10-12 knots. All the sailors were excited to get racing, with both fleets starting the day with general recalls. The black flag was raised on both courses and pushed sailors behind the line allowing both fleets to start qualifying race 9.

Blue Fleet’s first race was led and won by Micah Wilkinson and Jack Rogers (NZL), followed by Jacob Clasen and Luke Willim (GER)in second and third for New Zealand sailors James Wilson and Oscar Gunn. Blue fleet’s final race of the day and of the qualifying series began with an all clear start. Kurt Hansen and Harry Morton (AUS) were in the lead at the first mark with Jacob Rosenberg and Rhodes Garner (USA) followed in second and Jim Colley and Shaun Connor (AUS) in third. By the second mark rounding, both Australian boats were in the lead. Hansen and Morton continued on to win qualifying race 10 by almost 300 meters, with their teammates Colley and Connor came in second.

Yellow fleet began the day with Great Britian’s Mimi El-Khazindar and Ben Batten in the lead to the first windward mark, closely followed by regatta leaders Brice Yrieix and Loic Ficher-Guillou (FRA). Yrieix and Ficher-Gillou passed the British team on the downwind leg and continued on to win yellow fleet’s qualifying race 9. The second and final race of the day was led by Tilly James and Robbie Robinson (GBR) at the first windward mark. By the final weather mark local Canadians Rachel Spinelli and Ian Woodbury had the lead with El-Khazindar and Batten close behind. Spinelli and Woodbury went on to win the last race of the qualifying series making it the first race won by a Canadian.

Provisional results have Yrieix and Ficher-Gillou in first followed by Hansen and Morton in second and Wilkinson and Rogers in third. For the finals, the Gold Fleet are the top 25 with the remaining equally divided into Silver and Bronze Fleets.

The finals begin on 31 July and run for 3 days. The award ceremonies will be on 2 August  at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour.

Results can be found at http://www.29erworlds.org/index.php/results/

For more information, go to: www.29erworlds.org for the full entry list and complete regatta details or follow on Facebook: Int 29er Class; Twitter: Int29er, #Int29erWorlds