2023 Scandinavian Gold Cup and World Championship
Yacht Club Costa Smerelda, Sardinia, 20-30 September 2023
www.yccs.com
Aspire (POL 17, Mateusz Kusznierewicz, Przemysław Gacek, Edward Wright) has won the 2023 5.5 Metre World Championship at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, after a tense final day on the water in light winds with just one race possible. They overcame a massive challenge from Artemis (NOR 57, Kristian Nergaard, Johan Barne, Trond Solli-Saether) who ended up just one point behind, while Race 9 winners Ku-Ring-Gai III (AUS 66, John Bacon, James Mayjor, Terry Wetton) protected their third overall.
The first attempt at a race was abandoned half way up the first beat when the wind died, and sat around on a mirror like sea watching the dolphins play for an hour. Then, just when everyone expected racing to be called off for the day a light sea breeze came in and built to 5-8 knots and so one more race was possible before the time limit af 15.00.
In the end it was an excellent race and a fitting finale to the week of fantastic competition for the 34 boats from 10 nations. But it was a stressful and tense final race, that led to Aspire having to play catch up more than once as Artemishad gotten away. With only one race possible, the title would be going to Poland or Norway
Artemis and Aspire engaged in some pre-start manoeuvres, but it was Artemis who got to the line first and never looked back. While they rounded the top mark in second, just behind Ku-Ring-Gai III, Aspire was back in ninth with a lot of work to do.
Fast downwind, Aspire was up to fourth at the gate so the title looked secure, but then they split with Artemis on the second upwind and lost three places. The tension on the boat was palpable, but they settled down and passed enough boats on the final downwind to just take the overall lead a few 100 metres from the finish and cross in fifth to win the title by just one point.
Ku-Ring-Gai III led at every mark to take a well-deserved bullet and secure third overall, while New Moon III (BAH 25, Mark Holowesko, Christoph Burger, Peter Vlasov) sailed a great race to cross third to end a tough week for them
For Aspire, this was their first attempt at the world title and also marks the first ever 5.5 Metre title won by a Polish team. Winning major titles, and Olympic medals, is no stranger to Kusznierewicz but he was genuinely delighted, and relieved, to have taken home this title this week.
“It's an amazing feeling to be the world champions in the 5.5 Metre class. We enjoyed it so much. Actually, I must say, it was tough. We had to put a lot of energy into it. We built up for a couple of days after arriving here, and every day we were striving to improve. I believe this dedication was the key to our success – to never give up, to be better every day. We delivered. Just one point ahead of Artemis. Congratulations to them. Also, a shoutout to the Australian team led by John Bacon. The entire fleet was fantastic, and we truly enjoyed Porto Cervo and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Thank you very much.”
Middleman, Przemysław Gacek, added, “We really enjoyed our time here. It is my first title ever, so I'm super excited. I was practically pushed into the water already, so I'm quite wet. It’s been an amazing few days in Porto Cervo, a great venue for sailing with different angles and conditions. Today was a surprise because after the first race, it calmed down, and we thought we were going back. Then they let us go for the last race, which was just unbelievable. We pretty much, let’s say, defended the championship in the last two, three hundred meters. An amazing time. Also, big congratulations to Mateusz, our incredible skipper, and to Ed, who, after becoming the World Champion in Finn, secured his second World Championship this year. We are proud to have him as a team member.”
Current Finn world champion, and bowman, Ed Wright, was overjoyed to win a second title this year, “It was an awesome regatta, really. Porto Cervo is an incredible venue with some really good winds, offering a mixture of sailing conditions – wavy, flat, windy, light, medium, testing every sort of angle of sailing technicality. Being a member of Aspire was fantastic, and I'm happy to have won the world championship. It was stressful along the way with our ups and downs, but in the end, we came out on top.”
In the Evolution fleet, Criollo (GER 30, Andreas Christiansen, Felix Christiansen, Moritz Christiansen) maintained her lead to finish in 24th place, while the first Classic boat also remained Cibele (ITA 72, Fabrizio Cavazza, Vittorio Zaoli, Duccio Colombi) in 25th place.
Next year, in a change to the schedule, the world championship returns to Benodet in France. Given the current level of interest in the class, it would not be a surprise to see in excess of 40 boats turning up, something that has only happened twice in the last 30 years.
Final results after 9 races
1 Aspire (POL 17, Mateusz Kusznierewicz, Przemysław Gacek, Edward Wright) 24
2 Artemis (NOR 57, Kristian Nergaard, Johan Barne, Trond Solli-Saether) 25
3 Ku-Ring-Gai III (AUS 66, John Bacon, James Mayjor, Terry Wetton) 42
4 John B (BAH 26, Gavin McKinney, Mathias Dahlman, Lars Horn Johannessen) 47
5 New Moon III (BAH 25, Mark Holowesko, Christoph Burger, Peter Vlasov) 49
6 Girls on Film (GBR 41, Louise Morton, Andrew Mills, Sam Haines) 55
7 The Jean Genie (GBR 43, Peter Morton, Andrew Palfrey, Ruairadh Scott) 57
8 Ali Baba (SUI 224, Flavio Marazzi, Julie Marazzi, Eline Marazzi) 62
9 Caracole (SUI 214, Bernard Haissly, Daniel Stampfli, Nicolas Berthoud) 64
10 Shaolin (SUI 226, Philippe Dürr, Andreas Kindlimann, Hans Von Werdt) 66
Final results: https://www.yccs.it/regate-2023/international_55_metre_class__world_championship-3311/risultati-307/risultati_provvisori_dopo_r2
Many more photos from day 5 here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fivepointfivemetre/albums/72177720311551887
Aspire (POL 17, Mateusz Kusznierewicz, Przemysław Gacek, Edward Wright) and Artemis (NOR 57, Kristian Nergaard, Johan Barne, Trond Solli-Saether) extended on the fleet with a race win apiece on the penultimate day of the 2023 5.5 Metre World Championship at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Porto Cervo, Sardinia. Ku-Ring-Gai III (AUS 66, John Bacon, James Mayjor, Terry Wetton) moves up to third.
Thursday brought light and occasionally moderate winds for a great day of racing in Porto Cervo, while many of the top 10 recorded some high scores, which opened the gap for the top two boats.
The first race started with a Mistral wind of 8-9 knots with several boats over the line at the start, which left them playing catch up. The front runners from the start were Jean Genie (GBR 43, Peter Morton, Andrew Palfrey, Ruairadh Scott), Aspire and Ku-Ring-Gai III rounding the first windward mark in that order, very close to each other.
Aspire and Ku-Ring-Gai III used the downwind pressure well, both passing Jean Genie and from that point onward, they led the race, with Aspire crossing first ahead of Ku-Ring-Gai III. Jean Genie managed to secure third on the last downwind leg, passing Artemis.
In the next race, Artemis, did everything right to lead upwind and round the top mark, and while constantly challenged, maintained the lead to win the race. It was a close very race with the wind sometimes increasing to about 12 knots. The battle included Jean Genie, Girls on Film (GBR 41, Louise Morton, Andrew Mills, Sam Haines) and Aspire.
However, Artemis was flawless, staying focused despite the narrow margins. Aspire also sailed well, passing Jean Genie at the second windward mark and challenging Girls on Film for second. However, the British team crossed second with Aspire in third.
After few days struggling with light winds, Scandinavian Gold Cup winner, Jean Genie posted a 3,4 to move back up to fifth overall.
Artemis (NOR 57, Kristian Nergaard, Johan Barne, Trond Solli-Saether) put in the best performance on day 3 of the 2023 5.5 Metre World Championship at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, to pull back to within three points of event leaders Aspire (POL 17, Mateusz Kusznierewicz, Przemysław Gacek, Edward Wright). John B (BAH 26, Gavin McKinney, Mathias Dahlman, Lars Horn Johannessen) moved up the third after winning the last race of the day.
Despite the earlier start at 11.00 to make the best of the forecast, Wednesday produced light and shifty conditions of no more than 5-8 knots that challenged everyone and brought a lot of different boats to the front of the fleet. It was a tough day and many decisions had big consequences as the fleet navigated the tricky wind.
In Race 5, Marie-Françoise XXII (SUI 232, Jürg Menzi, Lionel Rupp, Christof Wilke) rounded first and sailed away to a comfortable win. Behind them, Beta Crucis (AUS 63, Bob Stoddard, Martin Cross, Simon Reffold) rounded second with Artemis in third and battled downwind and up again with Caracole (SUI 214, Bernard Haissly, Daniel Stampfli, Nicolas Berthoud) also in the mix. As they approached the finish, Artemis just had enough lags to cross in front of Beta Crucis to take second.
The breeze looked like it might increase for the second race but in fact dropped to 5-6 knots. This time, Isla (GBR 40, Stephen Quigley, William Finlay, Tom Quigley) rounded first from John B and Melx III (GRE 5, Stavros Papagiannopoulos, Panagiotis Kamouridis, Pavlos Kagialis). At the gate Ku-Ring-Gai III (AUS 66, John Bacon, James Mayjor, Terry Wetton) was just ahead of John B with the Greeks still in third. It all changed on the second beat with John B making a break and leading down to the finish from Artemis and Ku-Ring-Gai III.
Both Artemis and John B put in impressive performances in very tough conditions. With the discard now in after six races, Aspire holds a three point lead over Artemis, which scored two amazing second places today, while John B is a further nine points back.
Gavin McKinney said, “The first 10 minutes of the race set the tone, and whether you're a slow or fast boat matters. If a slow boat gets in front, faster boats may catch up, but if a fast boat positions itself well, it becomes challenging to be overtaken. Two days ago, a faster boat passed us when we were in front. Today, we had good pressure, played some shifts well, and that seemed to work in our favour.
“It's crucial to secure a decent lane at the start and then position yourself on the right side. In the first race today, unfortunately, we were on the wrong side, and we faced some challenges. However, in the last race, we made the right call, and upon tacking, we achieved a favourable angle and quickly moved ahead of the fleet. It's a bit like rolling the dice, and consistency pays off. We're pleased, especially considering we were almost late for the start today. We managed to get out there, and we used our light gear, which was a bit of a gamble, but it turned out okay. It was the first time we've used it.”
It's the first major championship for the Greek team and they are really enjoying the fleet and the competition.
Stavros Papagiannopoulos said, “We truly appreciate the class and the races, and the race committee does an excellent job. The weather has been very pleasant, and today's conditions were particularly accommodating for us, resulting in a much better performance compared to previous days.
“In the second race, we fared quite well, relatively speaking. The initial part of the race was solid, and we managed the downwind section effectively. However, we encountered some challenges in the second part, leading to a bit of a setback and we ended up in 11th position.”
Four races remain over the next two days and with conditions not forecast to improve, this one looks like it will go right down to the wire.
Results after 6 races
1 Aspire (POL 17, Mateusz Kusznierewicz, Przemysław Gacek, Edward Wright) 15
2 Artemis (NOR 57, Kristian Nergaard, Johan Barne, Trond Solli-Saether) 18
3 John B (BAH 26, Gavin McKinney, Mathias Dahlman, Lars Horn Johannessen) 27
4 Girls on Film (GBR 41, Louise Morton, Andrew Mills, Sam Haines) 31
5 Ku-Ring-Gai III (AUS 66, John Bacon, James Mayjor, Terry Wetton) 31
6 New Moon III (BAH 25, Mark Holowesko, Christoph Burger, Peter Vlasov) 32
7 Ali Baba (SUI 224, Flavio Marazzi, Julie Marazzi, Eline Marazzi) 35
8 Caracole (SUI 214, Bernard Haissly, Daniel Stampfli, Nicolas Berthoud) 36
9 The Jean Genie (GBR 43, Peter Morton, Andrew Palfrey, Ruairadh Scott) 38
10 Shaolin (SUI 226, Philippe Dürr, Andreas Kindlimann, Hans Von Werdt) 42
Results after 6 races: https://www.yccs.it/regate-2023/international_55_metre_class__world_championship-3311/risultati-307/risultati_provvisori_dopo_r2
Many more photos from day 3 here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fivepointfivemetre/albums/72177720311510188
Aspire (POL 17, Mateusz Kusznierewicz, Przemysław Gacek, Edward Wright) has taken the lead at the 2023 5.5 Metre World Championship at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, after two more races on Tuesday, in very different conditions.
The Jean Genie (GBR 43, Peter Morton, Andrew Palfrey, Ruairadh Scott) drops to second and Artemis (NOR 57, Kristian Nergaard, Johan Barne, Trond Solli-Saether) remains third.
The second day in sunny Porto Cervo was a day of two halves with a moderate 10-13 knots for the first race and a dying 6-7 knots in the second dropping to 4-5 knots by the end.
Girls On Film (GBR 41, Louise Morton, Andrew Mills, Sam Haines dominated Race 3 leading at every mark for a comfortable win. They went left after a bad start and benefitted from more pressure and a better angle. Shaolin (SUI 226, Philippe Dürr, Andreas Kindlimann, Hans Von Werdt) and Forza Del Destino (SUI 211, George Prapopoulos, Simon Pfändler, Gil Pfändler) rounded second and third. Ali Baba (SUI 224, Flavio Marazzi, Julie Marazzi, Eline Marazzi) was not far behind and eventually moved up to second at the finish ahead of Forza Del Destino.
For the second race, the wind was already decreasing, and it was a painfully slow race. John B (BAH 26, Gavin McKinney, Mathias Dahlman, Lars Horn Johannessen) led around the top mark, and down the run, but on the second upwind, things got tricky. Swiss champions Caracole (SUI 214, Bernard Haissly, Daniel Stampfli, Nicolas Berthoud) rounded about fifth and moved through the fleet every leg to take the lead at the second top mark and lead down to the finish. Aspire sailed the downwinds well to take second with New Moon III (BAH 25, Mark Holowesko, Christoph Burger, Peter Vlasov) in third.
Highlights from Day 2 of the 2023 5.5 Metre World Championship in Porto Cervo
Louise Morton, possibly the first, but certainly the first women in a long time, to win a 5.5 Metre world championship race said, “It was a fantastic day of racing. We had a clear plan going into it, but unfortunately, we got off to a rough start and had to cross a few boats on port after the initial start. However, we decided to head towards the right side of the course, where we found better wind pressure, and it paid off. We managed to secure a lead at the first mark and maintained it throughout the entire race. It was incredibly thrilling, even though I wasn't allowed to glance around much. I kept asking, "Are we still in the lead?" So overall, it was a great experience, and I'm thrilled with our performance. Winning a race in a world championship is a first for me, and I'm absolutely ecstatic about it.
“However, the second race didn't go as smoothly for us. We had a decent start and managed to reach the top mark in the vicinity of fifth place. Unfortunately, the wind became extremely light, and the waves were still quite substantial. We encountered some challenges, including hitting a mark, and this led to various mishaps. Several boats ended up passing us during this race. We're hoping that this race will be our discard, and we can bounce back in the upcoming races.”
Aspire has taken the overall lead after four races. Kusznierewicz said, “Sailing in Porto Cervo for the World Championship has certainly presented its challenges. We always have a plan for the first beat after the start, but here, you really have to sense what the wind will do. The conditions are made trickier by the significant waves, which persisted even when the wind was lighter today.
“The 5.5 boat is fantastic, and I absolutely love sailing it. However, it's crucial to work as a cohesive team; it can't be just one person's effort. I'm genuinely pleased with how Ed and Czemek (Przemysław) performed today.
“We operated as a unit, responding to the waves and the wind. Really good job for Louise and her team for winning the first race of the day, and I also want to commend Bernard Haissly from the Caracole team for their good performance.
“But we're mindful that this regatta is far from over; we're not even halfway through. Our focus must remain sharp. I've stressed to my team that it's going to be a long week. The weather forecast for the upcoming days suggests it won't be easy. We can expect varying wind conditions, sometimes even light winds. There are plenty of exceptional sailors here who are fully capable of winning races. So, we're staying focused, aiming to enjoy the experience, and in the end, we'll see where we stand.”
On Ali Baba, five times (as helm) world champion Flavio Marazzi is sailing with his two daughters, Julie (15) and Eline (12). They are now in eighth overall after a 2,4 today, matching the score of Aspire.
Julie explained, “The 5.5 is an incredibly cool boat to sail and sailing with your family is always a fantastic experience. It allows us to spend quality time together and build a strong sense of trust and mutual respect. It's funny because when we were kids, we used to say, ‘Dad's a sailor,’ but we didn't fully grasp what that meant until we started sailing ourselves. We've developed a deep respect for his profession and what he does.
“Additionally, the location here is stunning, and sailing in Porto Cervo is a lot more enjoyable than back home in Switzerland at Thunersee. It's a bit wilder here with more waves and, usually, more wind. Although today's conditions weren't as windy as we'd hoped for, the first race was still amazing.”
In the Evolution fleet, Criollo (GER 30, Andreas Christiansen, Felix Christiansen, Moritz Christiansen) maintains her lead in 22nd, while the first Classic boat remains Cibele (ITA 72, Fabrizio Cavazza, Vittorio Zaoli, Duccio Colombi) in 24th.
Racing in Porto Cervo continues Wednesday and runs through until Friday.
Results after 4 races
1 Aspire (POL 17, Mateusz Kusznierewicz, Przemysław Gacek, Edward Wright) 10
2 The Jean Genie (GBR 43, Peter Morton, Andrew Palfrey, Ruairadh Scott) 19
3 Artemis (NOR 57, Kristian Nergaard, Johan Barne, Trond Solli-Saether) 21
4 New Moon III (BAH 25, Mark Holowesko, Christoph Burger, Peter Vlasov) 25
5 John B (BAH 26, Gavin McKinney, Mathias Dahlman, Lars Horn Johannessen) 28
6 Ku-Ring-Gai III (AUS 66, John Bacon, James Mayjor, Terry Wetton) 29
7 Girls On Film (GBR 41, Louise Morton, Andrew Mills, Sam Haines) 32
8 Ali Baba (SUI 224, Flavio Marazzi, Julie Marazzi, Eline Marazzi) 34
9 Shaolin (SUI 226, Philippe Dürr, Andreas Kindlimann, Hans Von Werdt) 36
10 Manly (AUS 44, Marc Ryan, Dave Edwards, Marcus Burke) 38
Full results:
https://www.yccs.it/regate-2023/international_55_metre_class__world_championship-3311/risultati-307/risultati_provvisori_dopo_r2
Many more photos in the gallery here:: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fivepointfivemetre/albums/72177720311474707