World Championship 2007 final conclusion

The last day on Friday was too windy for the race comittee and soon after the postponed signal the racing for the final day was cancelled. Was not a nice day, colder with rain later during the day, not many sailor were keen to go out sailing, the wind was probably around 25 knots but the waves were building and most sailor would have had problem.
I have to say that my opinion about the championship is conditioned by the disappointing 2nd place, and for the 3rd time I raced a world championship in Medemblik I was 2nd. Said that, I didn't like it, i don't like the group system, to me seems the first 3 days of racing was a waste of time, infact having 8 point after 6 races is not much of a hard racing, same for Marcus. I think the seeding of the groups were ok but I strongly recommend to regroup after every day, in detail in my group I was racing together with Jan von der Bank that end up 3rd overall, Marcus was with Simon Mussel that end up 12, during the last world in Fremantle Simon was in front of Jan but every year things change and Jan was in better shape. This grouping problems didn't realy effect me or Marcus as we didin't have big problem to get in front of the other best sailor of our group, but for sure effected the point score of jan and other good sailor, Marcus never lost a race with the top seeds of his group, I lost one to Jan Von der Bank but was when Marcus was in my group and we race each other (and also Marcus got behind Jan). Anyway, a solution to the grouping problem also could be to do 3 races a day for 2 day only of qualifing (minimum 4 races to be sailed in the qualifing with 1 discard), 3 races shorter, as I said before that kind of racing is a bit of a waste, so just make them a bit shorter (like 45 minutes), i also thought 72 boats were too many in the gold, was difficoult starting and was just too crowded on the reaches and with a short course like the one we had on the light wind racing of thursday, the silver fleet had no problem, we could divide the fleet by 40% in gold and 60% in silver, or put a top number of 50-60 sailor in the gold.
I didn't like the wind, this is a fault of none but just bad luck, i was hoping for wind a bit more stable in the second race, and that was the only race that lasted over 1 hour. It was very bad luck that the last day there was no racing.
Marcus probably would have won anyway but we had a champioship in 4 days, we had 38% of the races in 1 day, and only in 50% of the races the first 2 in the overall result races against each other...
On the other hand was very nice to see 144 Contender in a World championship and like never before the overall skills was very good and the best since a long time...
Andrea Bonezzi

World Championship 2007 day4

The First day of gold and silver fleet racing started with a postponement for no wind, at around lunch time some wind arrived and we started the first race with around 5 knots from the east and after 2 general recall, in the gold fleet 72 good sailor were racing together and in that wind is very easy to be covered and to loose 20-30 places in few minutes, Stacey Bray had a good start and was leading at around half way, I was near Graham Scott and Marcus, Scott and Marcus went left on the last upwind, Marcus was 1st at the top mark for an easy racing leading all the way to the finish. I got covered by an increasing number of boat and got at the top mark over 45th, Jan von der Bank, Soren, Christoph were even worst, the 2 reaches without pumping didn't see much overtaking. In the second upwind the wind increased a bit to 6-7 knots, the top sailor slowly started to climb positions, specially G. Scott that was really fast in those condition. At the finish G. Scott was 2nd, Jono Neate 3rd, Gary Langdown 4td and and Stacey Bray 5th.
In the second race the wind was a bit more but still between 7 and 9 knots and shifted a bit from the left, the starting line was much in favor for who was starting on the left, we 1 general recall and then most of the sailor tacked right away to get the ift on port tack, Graham Scott had the best start right down on the pin, The top Mark was just a short distance once on the starboard tack layline. Graham Scott was leading Jan Von der Bank 2nd Marcus 3rd and i was not far behind in front of Christoph, the racing went ahead with more or less these position, G. Scott I think had the better speed and controlling the race quite confortably, Marcus passed Jan von der bank, the Jan passed back Marcus on the last upwind when marcus followed me on the left of the course. Christoph end up 5th and 6th very near christoph Jacob Lunding.
In the Silver fleet the Danish Bjarke B. Johnsen won both races with a big lead, he had a bit of bad luck on the qualifing and he is a good sailor specially in lighter wind.
After we went back into the harbour at around 5 the wind got a bit stronger just over 10 knots with the wave building up...
Andrea Bonezzi

World Championship 2007 day3

The third day was the last of the qualifing for the gold and silver fleet, we managed to sail the race lost in day 2 and we did 3 races in medium-strong wind of a range between 12 and 18 knots, 6 hour was the time in the water.
The race area was a bit too close to the coast and the wind had some big shifts that effected the results, this was worst in the beginning of the first race when a big shift right got a big lead to Stuart Jones and Christoph Homeier, the second group starting (the yellow and blue of Marcus and Tim Hill) had the shift just before starting the race. In the first group where I was sailing during the second upwind Jones went right again and lost few places, Christoph was more in Control of the race but still lost a bit of the advantage. In the last upwind the wind decreased to around 10-12 knots and I got really closed to Christoph that won by 1 m margin, third was Jan von der Bank, Stuart Jones dropped down to 8th. In the second group Marcus won the race in a duel with Soren, with a bit of a gap in third place was Virgilio Frau.
In the second race the wind was more stable but in the first Group still was very closed fight in the first places. In the last upwind Tim Hill had a good shift on the left and got in front, Jan Von der Bank dropped down to 4th, just before the finish a shift right got me in front of Tim Hill again to win the race, Tim Holden was 3rd and Jan 4th.
I am not sure what happened in the second group, I think Marcus had an easy race but with when the leaders reached the back of the fleet of the first group there was a bit of confusion on who was in front and where were the sailor to watch, at the finish Neil wilson coming from the left was not far behind Marcus that was coming from the right (he might not have seen Neil going on the left).
The last race was between my group and Marcus Group. The wind was still quite shifty, at the top Mark the top sailor were not far apart, on the second reach a big sailing vessel crossed the racing area and effected a bit the position, Simon Mussel was leading at the first lap, i was a couple of boats behind and Marcus behind me, in the second upwind Jono Neate went left and had a lift and more wind that brought him in the first place with a good gap, Simon me and Marcus were very near and Marcus overtook me on the Run. On the last upwind i was a bit faster then Jono that was slowly loosing the advantage, Marcus and Simon went more on the right and had less wind then me, on the right layline Jono didn't have a good tack and I manage to climb up on him to get the first place, Marcus comfortably 3rd and Simon 4th.
In the second Group Soren Won the race in front of Tim Hill and Dirk Bethge (I don't know anything more about).
The qualifing series was finished with me and Marcus in front with 8 points, Soren 3rd.
Andrea Bonezzi

world championship 2007 day2

The second day of racing was very windy, i think around 25 knots with gust close to 30 knots.
The forecast was for less wind and most of the sailor were not ready for such a strong breeze.
I was sailing against the group of Marcus, the races started with Marcus in front and I was second and Jan Von der Bank third. I have to say i was more in a survive mode then a racing mode, Jan was the one pushing harder, Marcus was confortable in front of me and didn't have need of taking risks. It was all decided on the last upwind, Jan went all the way left, Marcus followed me on the right, at 300 m from the finish Jan Just crossed in front of Marcus, I gained a lot on, at the finish line Jan was few second in the lead Marcus 2nd and i was 1 boat length behind.
In The second Group seems Tim Hill had an easy win even with a cupsized, his comment was"... it is just so great to race without Marcus...".
After the first race the RC send the competitor back in the harbour, we waited few hours the wind to drop and the racing was cancelled at around 3.30.
andrea Bonezzi

world championship 2007 day1

The first day started with a 3 hour postponement for rain, storm and no wind.
Then we started at 2 o'clock with around 10 knots and no rain and warm temperature.
The first group Marcus won then Jono and Soren.
I was in the second Group and Neil Wilson was leading in Front of Rene.
Durin the reaches I passed Few boat including Tim Holden and Stuart Jones, the pumping flag was on.
On the bottom mark Rene was leading and took the left buoy of the gate and i took the right,
the left was better and Rene was leading at the top mark in fron of me and Stuart Jones,
in the last upwind the wind was a bit more and I could pass Rene, Stuart Jones finished 3rd followed by Neil Wilson and Jan von der bank.

The second race started in a decreasing breeze, still the pumping flag was up, John Browett got a Pumping flag on the second reach just in front of me, a bit strange I thought and pretty much everyone around stop pumping. Seems the reason was overpumping, bah, never heard that before...
The racing was very closed and the best sailor in the second group were near each other, the wind was dropping a lot in the second upwind with no trapeezing anymore, they took out the pumping flag and in the last downwind all was decided by the wind that turned north and i had a very nice downwind and i would have won the race without a pumping flag just before the gate (i don't think i was doing anything illegal).
I got 5th at the end, Frank Havik won the race with also a lower downwind leg, John Browet was second and went right, Max Billerbeck 3th (he was leading at the top mark) and Soren 4th.
In the first Group Stuart Jones won the race passing Jono in the last leg, Marcus was 3rd.
Overall Marcus and Jones are leading in front of Jono and me.
Jono did very well on his first year on Contender and I am happy for him also because I was persuading him to come to Europe and Gave him my Dad boat (a very competitive boat).
The website for the results is http://www.ryc-hollandia.org/
Ciao Andrea Bonezzi

World championship day5

Friday 13 was the 5th day of the Contender Worlds, lucky number for Italian and unlucky for other countries…
2 races were sailed, wind direction was the same as day 4 from south east. The first race with wind between 10 to 12 knots, the second with more wind from 12 to 16 knots. Like day 4 It was quite gusty and patchy with no side better then other.
The first race started with a second gun that I thought was for individual recall, this didn’t make me feel safe overall winner at the end of the race because I had a good start near the line (and like the Italian Nationals, you never know what numbers the race committee are going to pick), also Marcus and most of the top sailor had a good start on the race committee end. At the first mark Paul Green was leading coming from the far left, few other sailor got in the top places coming from the left, I guess all following the Jan Von der Bank “hit the corner” theory, anyway, in the following 3 position we didn’t apply that teory and didn’t hit corner and just got better shift, Ben Holden was second, Simon 3rd and I was just behind him on 4th. After that there was a big group of boats, Marcus was over the 10th but his speed was very good and start quickly to recover boats. At the second lap Paul green was loosing ground, I was second and passed by Ben Holden on the Upwind, I have to say that he played very well the shifts and had very good boat speed in the flat water with the Kevlar North Sail in the 10-12 knots. At the last lap Paul green was still leading, Ben Holden second, I was 3rd and Marcus 4th. During the last Upwind Paul Green was more worried me to pass him and didn’t really worried enough about Ben that won, Paul Green was second just 1 second in front of me at the opposite side of the finish line, Marcus 4th. Jan Von der Bank had a 720 penalty for pumping, Hosie had a penalty for touching the jibe mark, Tim Hill had his worst race very far back.
The 2nd race was similar: most started at the committee end, at the top mark again Marcus again was quite far back most because of a really bad start, he did recover till the 11th but was a bit harder because of more wind and everyone was planning on reaches and more difficoult to pass. At the first lap I passed Chris, we still had a good lead till the last lap where Simon was really fast, Virgilio was also very fast but was really bad in tacking: I saw him doing the first tack in the last upwind in around 20 seconds, I guess he was very tired. Simon managed to pass Chris just before the finish for the second place, Virgilio was 4th not far. The big group from the 5th till the 15th came later through the finish line.
I am the new world champion (for the 6th time) and don’t need to sail on Saturday, somebody told me I should sail the race anyway, somebody that I shouldn’t sail, but the best advice come From Tim Hill: “do what you want” and I don’t really want to sail as I am quite exausted.
Still very open the fight for the 3rd place between Hosie, Hill, Simon, and the fight for the 6th till the 10 place between Jan, Paul Green, Virgilio, Christoph and Soren.
Complete result at the usual link:
http://www.contenderclass.org/aus/freo2006/results_worlds.htm
Ciao Andrea

World championship day4

A bit different wind condition today with a gusty 18-25 knots south-easterly wind. It was raining most of the day thanks to the tropical cyclone Clare that was in the north west of Australia earlier this week. The waves were much smaller as the wind was off shore. For the first time in this championship we also had the long course. It was around 1 hour and 12 minutes for the first, 20 minutes more then the usual course. All the top sailors started at the race committee end. I was the only one that had a really bad start, I manage to recover till the second place in the second part of the first leg thanks to good tactic and speed. Marcus had a good start but he went on the wrong side and lost a lot and came around the top mark around 10th. Matt Hosie was leading at the first mark and today he was very fast (I guess thanks to his new love…). At the second leg I passed Hosie and Marcus was working his way up to the fleet. On the third lap Hosie and I were moving away from the rest of the fleet while the fight for the position between the 3^rd and the 7^th was on fire. Marcus grabbed the third place from Simon Musselbecuase of better downwind speed on the last to reaches.. The last upwind saw Virgilio passing Tim Hill and Paul Green for the 5^th place. At the finish Hosie was quite close to me while Marcus 3^rd was 3 minutes behind and Tim Hill 7^th only 30 seconds behind Marcus. Even if it was around 3.20 the race committee decided not to do one more race and we went inshore.

Tomorrow the sailing condition should be similar with still the tale of the cyclone bringing south east wind between 15 to 20 knots.

Complete result are at the usual link:

http://www.contenderclass.org/aus/freo2006/results_worlds.htm

Ciao Andrea

World championship day3

After trying to start in 2 knots wind the seabreeze arrived. It was around 10-15 knots the first race and 10-16 the second one. In the first race I was leading all the way from the first mark and by the finish I had quite a big lead on the second Marcus that had a big lead on the third Simon Mussel.
In the second race the wind at the start was a bit lighter around 10 knots and the left side of the course was much better. I had a bad start and had to tack to the right and I end up at the first mark only around 7 or 8. By the end of the first leg the wind got up to around 15 knots. First was Simon Mussel followed closed by Matt Hosie and Marcus. By the end of the first reach Marcus was already leading in front of Hosie. Simon lost a lot and by a the end of the second reach he dropped down just behind me in 5th place. Tim Hill was 3rd and he lost 3 places on the second upwind. Nothing really happened in the last lap and Marcus had a good lead on the finish on Hosie, I was third. Virgilio frau 4th and Simon Mussel 5th .
http://www.contenderclass.org/aus/freo2006/results_worlds.htm
Ciao Andrea

world championship day 2

Today was windy, very windy! We went out was not much wind, by the time we start was around 15 knots, by the first reach around 20 knots, by the end of the first race around 25, it got quite steady for a while but at the end of the second race my guess it got around 28 knots with gusts over 30. Virgilio had a very good start and did all the first triangle at the first place but toghether with Jan von der Bank were disqualified for OCS (Jan was around the 8th at the finish and Virgilio 3rd). Both races was all matters between me and Marcus, we were quite in front of the others, specially on the second race with more wind Jan Von der Bank was 3rd and 2 minutes behind, that means around 4% slower in a 51 minutes race. I was a little bit faster then Marcus Upwind and that was enough to win both races. For the position behind I don't know that much about, Matt Hosie was fast but had few cupsized, Tim Holden Broke the rudder (Top Foils) on the second race, Lorenzi bended both the rudder fittings on the second race. Was another day that the Melbournian did very well, Chris Chambers did 5th on the second race, also Paul Green from Perth did well with a 8th and 4th.
Complete results are: http://www.contenderclass.org/aus/freo2006/results_worlds.htm
Tomorrow should be less wind but still sea breeze over 15 knots, then is a bit unknown because af a cyclone on the north of west Australia.
Marco Versari ha strappato un agugliotto nella seconda prova (ha la mania di rimanere agganciato alla barra in scuffia...)
Ciao Andrea