Youth Match Racing Worlds – Australian and French battle for the title

by Matthias Balagny on 17 Jun 2016 Tomorrow, which crew, of Harry Price, of Will Dargaville, of Robin Follin or of Cyril Fortin, will be World Champions. The first two, from Australia, are members of prestigious yacht clubs: The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club.

The third is from France with notable wins to their credit: SB20 World Champion 2015, French Universities Champion 2016. The fourth is a complete outsider: Three sailors from the Cercle Nautique Calédonien who have just joined the world’s elite and have shown over the last four days that they can be counted on.

So, who will lift the trophy high tomorrow and become World Youth Match Racing Champion? We will have the answer early tomorrow afternoon.

In each of the two semi finals, the Australians had the edge, winning their first matches. Three wins are necessary to reach the final. Matches will be sailed tomorrow in the lee of Ilôt Maître.

The quarter finals were sailed today in a 15 to 22 knot wind. Neither the Kiwis, nor the Americans nor the Japanese were able to make their mark against the Australians and the French.

The fifth to tenth placings are as follows:

5 - Japon Ryo Leonard Takahashi
6 - New-Zealand Matthew Hughes / Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS)
7 - New-Zealand Oakley Marsh / RPNYC Wellington Youth Sailing Scheme
8 - USA Christophe Killian
9 - USA Charlie Lalumiere
10 - Denmark Lars-Peter Rosendahl / KDY - Royal Danish Yacht Club