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2016 Contender World Championships - Big wind, big fun

by Stephanie Mah on 4 May 2016
Fleet in action at 2016 Contender World Championships Rick Linkemyer
The 2016 Contender World Championships, hosted by the Santa Cruz Yacht Club, have just concluded, and the competitors, hailing from the UK, Italy, Australia (Eastern and Western), Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, and Canada, came away with a slick California tan (or sunburn) and the ability to cross a lot of experiences off their sailing bucket lists, including, but not limited to:

- Sharing the race course with whales (including the killer kind), sea otters, sea lions, dolphins, and seals.
- Racing in 10 foot waves and 25+ knot breeze.
- Racing in six foot waves with opposing wind (allowing one to go upwind down a wave).
- Racing in winds anywhere from 0-30 knots (in the same race).



While the fleet was small, it was mighty, with the defending World Champion, Simon Mussell (UK), squaring off against three former World Champions, Antonio Lambertini, 2012 (ITA), Soren Dulong Andreasen, 2013 (DEN), and Mark Bulka (2014) (AUS), as well as several other sailors who regularly finished in the top 10 of previous Worlds. The first day of racing opened in the wake of a departing system, which meant very tricky sailing in a north and west breeze that were fighting so dirty they made Donald Trump and Ted Cruz blush. Gary Langdown (UK) and Andreasen proved to be wilier than the conditions and scored the bullets.



The second day started with lighter air that Bulka mastered, until the normal (and terrifying) Santa Cruz breeze came in hard and fast from the northwest; the big waves and wind were the conditions Mussell thrives in, so it was no shocker that he scored the win. And then came the third day, now known as 'Big Wednesday', where the men were separated from the boys by their choice of how to get around the wing mark on a race course of 10+ feet of swell and 20+ knots of breeze; while the rumours were that he granny gybed, Bulka took the win, and with only 15 boats finishing the first race and several others being assisted home, the second race was abandoned. Racing started earlier on Day 4 to make up for the lost race on Day 3, with the first two races running in a moderate westerly swell and light easterly breeze, before the NW kicked in for the third race.



Canadian sailor Roger Martin did North America proud by scoring a bullet in the second race, and Bulka again demonstrated his ability to do well in all breeze with consistent results, which all but secured his title. As seems to have become a bit of a tradition for the Worlds, the wind pooped out on the last day, so only one race was run, again in the westerly swell and light easterly, but at least it was sunny.

Congrats to Mark Bulka for winning his second Worlds title, Aussie Jason Beebe for his second place, and Simon Mussell who placed third, and who has no doubt turned his mind to dominating the European championships taking place on his stomping grounds, the Highcliffe Sailing Club, in September of this year.



While the breeze may have been somewhat uncooperative, onshore it was a different story, and not enough can be said about the hospitality and generosity that was shown by the Santa Cruz Yacht Club and its volunteers. Over 100 SCYC members gave their time to do everything from help the sailors land and unload the containers, launch and come back, be on hand in barftacular sea conditions in case sailors needed help, set marks, serve dinner, and mostly ensure everyone felt welcomed.

Many thanks again to all, and especially to the event manager, Charlie Roskoz, and the PRO, Beau Vrolyk. If any other fleet is looking for a venue for their Worlds, they may want to go West.

Results:

Pos Sail   Skipper Yacht Club  1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  Total Pos
1  
AUS2457   Mark Bulka   McCrae   [10]   4   1   2   1   1   3   4   [5]   16  
1  
2  
AUS 2482   Jason Beebe   RQYS   7   2   2   3   [13]   [14]   4   2   1   21  
2  
3  
GBR 2420   Simon mussell   Highcliffe   2   3   7   1   3   [35/DNF]   8   1   [35/DNF]   25  
3  
4  
DEN-1   Soren Dulong Andreasen   Hellerup Sejlklub   5   1   3   4   [35/DNF]   2   [16]   8   3   26  
4  
5  
AUS2566   Callum Burns   Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron   [11]   8   [24]   6   4   8   6   7   6   45  
5  
6  
GBR 2439   Gary Langdown   Highcliffe Sailing Club   1   6   [10]   10   10   5   5   [11]   9   46  
6  
7  
Ita59   Davide Fontana   Av civitavecchia   8   10   6   [15]   [35/DNF]   7   2   12   2   47  
7  
8  
ITA 2561   Antonio Lambertini   Marvelia - Dongo (Como)   6   [17]   8   7   6   [23]   9   5   10   51  
8  
9  
2488   Hannes SEIDEL   SVPA   14   9   9   8   9   4   [23]   [16]   4   57  
9  
10  
GER 551   Christoph Homeier   SVGO   4   5   [35/DNF]   [35/OCS]   2   9   26   3   11   60  
10  
11  
GBR 2503   Tim Holden   Halifax SC   3   7   12   [35/DNF]   5   15   [25]   10   14   66T  
11  
12  
AUS 2565   John Lindholm   Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron   9   11   11   5   12   12   [13]   6   [15]   66T  
12  
13  
2572   Ed Presley   Cotswold SC   15   15   5   12   8   [24]   [24]   9   20   84  
13  
14  
GBR 2490   Robert Smith   Castle Cove SC   [23]   14   15   13   7   [21]   19   14   7   89  
14  
15  
678   Thomas Hooton   RYA   [25]   18   [22]   11   14   10   11   17   12   93  
15  
16  
GER 2612   Joachim Harpprecht   Turn und Sportverein Schilksee   19   13   14   16   [35/DNF]   3   18   18   [35/DNF]   101T  
16  
17  
NED 2   Thorborg Mark   kmjc   21   [35/DNF]   4   14   [35/DNC]   22   17   15   8   101T  
17  
18  
NED 3   Bart Thorborg   WV Braassemermeer   17   16   17   9   11   18   [22]   13   [24]   101T  
18  
19  
2399   Roger Martin   Outer Harbour Centreboard Club   18   [35/DNF]   16   [35/DNF]   35/DNF   6   1   22   16   114  
19  
20  
2602   Michael Pullin   Halifax Sailing Club   13   19   29   [35/DNF]   [35/DNC]   13   10   19   18   121  
20  
21  
ITA 57   Luca Landò   Associazione Velica Bracciano   [22]   [35/DNF]   18   20   15   20   12   20   19   124  
21  
22  
CAN 2397   Michael Smits   Outer Harbour Centreboard Club   24   [35/DNF]   25   19   [35/DNF]   11   14   35/DNF   13   141  
22  
23  
2453   Neil Smith   Nyack Boat Club   12   20   [28]   17   [35/DNF]   25   27   21   27   149  
23  
24  
GBR712   Rodger White   King George SC   27   [35/DNF]   23   [35/DNF]   35/DNC   16   20   23   21   165  
24  
25  
2585   Peter Hale   OHCC   [35/DNS]   [35/DNS]   13   35/DNF   35/DNC   26   15   35/DNS   17   176  
25  
26  
ITA 40   Luca Bonezzi   Canottieri Mincio Mantova Gruppi Sportivi   16   [35/DNF]   [35/DNF]   35/DNC   35/DNC   17   7   35/DNF   35/DNC   180  
26  
27  
CAN2525   Stephanie Mah   Outer Harbour Centreboard Club   [35/DNS]   [35/DNS]   21   35/DNF   35/DNS   19   28   24   22   184  
27  
28  
2117   Gil Woolley   Gil Woolley ieee   30   21   27   18   [35/DNF]   28   [35/DNF]   35/DNS   26   185  
28  
29  
USA1771   Peter White   Hoover Sailing Club   [35/DNS]   [35/DNS]   20   35/DNF   35/DNC   29   21   25   25   190  
29  
30  
AUS2105   Stefan Golic   RFBYC   20   12   19   [35/DNF]   [35/DNF]   35/DNF   35/DNC   35/DNS   35/DNF   191  
30  
31  
DEN-2431   Jeppe Sørner   Sejlklubben Rødvig-Stevns   26   [35/DNF]   26   [35/DNF]   35/DNC   27   35/DNF   35/DNS   23   207  
31  
32  
USA 1114   Jerome White   Santa Barbara Sailing Club   28   [35/DNF]   [35/DNC]   35/DNC   35/DNC   35/DNC   35/DNC   35/DNC   35/DNC   238  
32  
33  
usa 1072   Kirk Price   Cal SC   29   [35/DNF]   [35/DNC]   35/DNC   35/DNF   35/DNF   35/DNF   35/DNS   35/DNF   239  
33  
34  
USA 2535   Ethan Bixby   SPYC   [35/DNC]   [35/DNC]   35/DNC   35/DNC   35/DNC   35/DNC   35/DNC   35/DNC   35/DNC   245  
34  
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