Weather variety expected for J24 Worlds

by Di Pearson on 16 Jan 2006 Light gradient winds off host venue Sandringham Yacht Club this morning as 40 entries in the J24 World Championship readied to take to the water for their first day of competition.

Nine nations are represented at this Sail Melbourne event; Australia, Japan, Great Britain, Brazil, USA, Canada, Bermuda, New Zealand and Italy. Hot favourites include the Bruschetta crew from Brazil, steered by Mauricio Santa Cruz, who finished second at the 2005 Worlds in Weymouth, UK, third placed Luigi Ravioli’s Italian entry Fiamma Gialla and fourth placed Sean Kirkjian, sailing Jobs for the Boys for Australia.

Kirkjian is the 2005 NSW champion and last week lost his Australian title to 2005 West Australian champion, Sean Wallis and crew on Fly Emirates – another contender for the Championship.

Two powerhouses have joined to sail this title together; 2005 European champion Ian Southworth and Max Skelley, who was third placed at the 2004 Worlds – and they will be dangerous. Also here, 2001 world champion Kazuyuki Hyodo (JPN), sailing Sled. Those who know him here say he cannot be discounted.

Others too, cannot be discounted. Waturu Sakamoto’s Siesta (JPN) gave a good showing at the National Championship last week and Terry Wise’s Starpac, helmed by Neville Wittey, who finished second to Kirkjian in the NSW title.

Apart from wanting to win, Wise has another consideration at this Championship, his 14 year old daughter Lou Lou is sailing aboard the South Australian entry Fun, skippered by Alyn Stevenson. 'She beats me sometimes, so it’s a bit embarrassing,' Wise said this morning. 'It would be too much if she beat me at the Worlds, I’ll never here the end of it…,' he said.

One can’t go past the locals and to that end, Sandringham’s Commodore, Phil Coombs (Hyperactive) should feature strongly in the results, having the local knowledge, as should Hugo Ottoway’s crew on Security Blanket.

Two Canadian crews are close competitors and team spokesman Arthur Miechowicz says 'it is difficult to pick between the two – they are both good.' Single Malt, skippered by Tadeusz Bartlewski is made up of mostly Polish Canadians living in Toronto, then there’s Scott Weakley’s Rex, with a mostly American Canadian crew.

Race Officials will try to get three races in today. Race Director Kevin Wilson said it was likely Races 1 and 2 would be shortened finishing with the downwind beat. 'We are hoping the sea breeze will arrive in time for Race 3 and we aim to make it a full course.'