Australians set for 49er Worlds in Hawaii

by The Sail-World Team/ISAF on 18 Jun 2002 Sure to be interesting racing at the 2002 49er World Championships in Hawaii.

Yesterday was practice day. Today the six Australian pairings are amongst the 43 crews racing out of Kaneohe Yacht Club

The build-up to the 2004 Olympic Regatta is now full-on as this is the first Olympic Qualification Regatta.

The 2002 49er World Championship will see six nations qualify for the 2004 Olympic Regatta from the total of 19 entries available for the 49er Class at the 2004 Olympic Regatta. It should be remembered that whilst the sailors qualify the nation, it is not necessarily those sailors who will represent that nation at the Oiympics, as that is a decision for the respective national bodies from that nation.

The provisional entry list for the 2002 49er Worlds sees 43 entries from 19 nations contending for the 6 slots. A further 8 slots will be contended for at the 2003 ISAF Sailing World Championship in Cadiz, Spain from 11-25 September 2003, which will see all the Olympic events competing at one combined worlds, and a further 4 slots at the 2004 49er Class World Championship.

The Australian entry list is Chris Nicholson & Michael Blackburn, Clint & Stephen Bowen, Jason Beebe & Phil Manning, John Harris & Euan McNichol, James Tapp & Mike Perbedy and Mark Turnbull & Nick Partridge.

Current World rankings are

56 Chris Nicholson / Michael Blackburn (37)

40 Mark Turnbull / Nick Partridge (43)

84 Jason Beebe / Phil Manning (84)

Mark Turnbull reports 'After ten days of training and preparations here in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii the 49er World Championships start tomorrow and we are ready. We have spent that last days both one the water and on shore optimising our new boat and are as ready as we can be at this point of the campaign. The qualification stage (10 races over 3 days) begins tomorrow with the final ten races following with the top 25 qualifiers. All this will make for a long and tough regatta, however with ideal conditions 15+ knots it should make a very tight and spectacular event.'

It seems there will be no lack of wind today with gusts at 7am up to 18 knots.

News and results will be posted as they become available.

The Provisional entry list is:

1 Andrade Pedro Andrade Francisco POR 15

2 Baur Marcus Groy Max GER 713

3 Beebe Jason Manning Phillip AUS 674

4 Bergen Dalton Maxam Zack USA 697

5 Blondiau Quentin Blondiau Lionel BEL 650

6 Boscolo Anthony Karas Mike USA 170

7 Bowen Clint Bowen Stephen AUS 767

8 Brotherton Paul Asquith Mark GBR 7

9 Courvreaux Sean 'Doogie' Glass Ben USA 642

10 Delle-Karth Nico Resch Nikolaus AUT 565

11 Draper Chris Hiscocks Simon GBR 20

12 Dyen Emmanuel Cau Nicolas FRA 726

13 Fagan Dave Gulari Bora USA 625

14 Fitzpatrick Tom Brown Fraser IRE 705

15 Fonseca Andre Otto Link Duarte Rodrigo BRA 46

16 Freitas Chad McCormack Skip USA 507

17 Goeters Antonio Goeters Federico MEX 1

18 Hansen Peter Hansen Soren DEN 14

19 Harris John McNicol Evan AUS 12

20 Joyeux Vincent Mareau Frederic FRA 709

21 Knudsen Claus Hastrup Andersone Dennis Dengso DEN 693

22 Kacprowski Pawel Kuzmicki Pawel POL 10

23 Lantermans Pieter Nieuwenhuis Pim NED ?

24 Larson Morgan Smyth Ed USA 730

25 Lopez-Vazquez Santi De La Plaza Javier ESP 427

26 Luca Rodian Leonchuk George UKR 3

27 Martinez Iker Fernandez Xabi ESP 15

28 McKee Jonathan McKee Charlie USA 1

29 Modena Luca Modena Maneul ITA 624

30 Nakamura Kenji Takaki Matsuo JPN 23

31 Nicholson Chris Blackburn Michael AUS ?

32 Paez Gutierrez Juan Luis de Bricio Carlos ESP 498

33 Persson Jonathan Aage Iversen Thomas Den 5

34 Rice Andy Hillary Harvey GBR 734

35 Richardson Alistair Greenhalgh Pete GBR 16

36 Rivas Toni Gelabert Aleix ESP 744

37 Rodriguez Pablo Galvez Paul USA 80

38 Sibello Pietro Sibello Gianfranco ITA 726

39 Steeg Marcus Moritz Deml GER 11

40 Sundby Christoffer Frode Bovim NOR 640

41 Tapp James Peberdy Mike AUS 435

42 Turnbull Mark Partridge Nick AUS 762

43 Witmarsh Patrick Allen Paul USA 37