Please select your home edition
Edition
A+T Instruments 2024 Leaderboard

Qantas Downunder Pro - Full results and recap!

by Sean O'Brien on 4 Feb 2013
Sean O'Brien heads upwind. - 2013 Qantas Downunder Pro Sean O'Brien

No valid races on the last day of the 2013 Qantas Downunder Pro – Formula Windsurfing Championships with 50 knot squalls battering the event for the entire day, leaving the total at five races over the regatta.


The 2013 Qantas Downunder Pro - Oceanic and Australian Formula Windsurfing Championships concluded on Saturday with an action packed five races taking place over the four-day regatta at picturesque Jimmy’s Beach, Hawks Nest. The strong 46 competitors, including 3-time World Champion from Australia, Steve Allen (Starboard/Severne) who had a relaxing day today with enough lead to not actually have to sail the first race if it was started today as it would not affect his winning position.

Overnight, the southerly front that had battered the course all day yesterday and prevented racing, again battered the course, this time with even stronger winds which sat between 40-50 knots for most of the entire day even uprooting a few large trees in the rigging area, luckily not damaging any equipment. Despite hourly updates throughout the day to test the winds and being quick to capitalise on any small windows where the wind receded the race crew were not convinced the conditions were suitable to get a race away today and held the sailors until 4pm before the final AP over A (no more racing for the day) flag was flown, signalling the end of the event.


Steve Allen (Starboard/Severne) took the event win as well as the Oceanic and Australian Title ahead of Jesper Vesterstrøm (Gaastra/Gaastra) from Denmark, and Wilhelm Schurmann (Starboard/Neilpryde) from Brasil. It was the first time Allen had won the Australian title since winning in 2008 in Brisbane again ahead of Vesterstrøm who has competed in Australia for many years.

Allen said about the event after taking home the first prize of a return-ticket airfare from event sponsors Qantas Airlines:

'Stoked to be back in Australia starting the year on such a roll. My new gear is working insane, I literally rigged up new sails and won straight on them. This is the first time I’ve raced in Hawks Nest and the one day we had was really amazing; beautiful location.'

Vesterstrøm, now an Australian resident and based in Australia over the summer, said of his battle with Allen:

'It was match racing with Steve most of the races. The last race was an epic battle between us, sailing super close, so close that we actually crashed in to each other going upwind. It was neck and neck to the very end, however happy to take that one bullet with Steve less than a board length behind me…'

Defending Australian champion Sean O’Brien (Starboard/Severne) was the next Australian over the line and finished only one point from the podium behind Schurmann after a OCS (disqualified for an early start) cost him a third place against Wilhelm’s fourth in Race 3,


O’Brien said about the event:

'Despite not getting a chance to pick at Wilhelm today, I’m pretty happy with the result. I’m on some new sails which I literally rolled new out of the plastic at the event and was instantly on the pace. In all the years Wilhelm has raced here thats the first time I’ve managed to consistently be able to beat him around the course so that was a really cool feeling. Really love racing at this place – bring on 2014!'

Christian Justesen (JP/Neilpryde), travelling all the way downunder from Denmark, took the first placed Youth at this event, had a strong result amongst the open division sailors, finishing in fifth overall ahead of Steve Walsh (JP/MauiSails) from Australia and Remi Dunoyer (Exocet/MauiSails) from France. Tim Wood (Gaastra/Gaastra) the Englishman based in New Zealand, took home the hotly contested Grand Master division ahead of Australian’s Wayne Bowness (Gaastra/Gaastra) and Rick Murray (JP/North)

A new division for the sailors new to the Formula Windsurfing class called ‘Free Formula’ was run for the sixth time at a National Titles this year. The division allows newer sailors the opportunity to race at the same time as the Pro Division but sail one less lap then the top sailors. This class has seen the biggest growth in the past few seasons with 18 competitors taking part in this year’s event. The division was dominated by Andrew Vacopoulos from New South Wales, ahead of Hayley Thom from New Zealand and Roger Lucas.

After the event concluded on Saturday competitors enjoyed a fantastice meal at ‘Benchmark’ restaurant and function centre as part of the Prizegiving Ceremony with major sponsors Qantas handing out a number of round-the-world plane tickets to the division winners.


Switch One DesignPantaenius Sail 2025 AUS FooterMaritimo M600

Related Articles

The latest in fleet monitoring and tracking
Join us on October 22nd for an in-depth exploration of the latest in tracking technology Fleet monitoring and tracking are essential for efficiency, safety, and compliance with real-time visibility into fleet movements critical.
Posted today at 9:30 am
Record fleet set for 13ft Skiff 2026 Championships
The biggest fleet in the event's history is set to line up in January The pain of handing over the national 13ft crown after owning it for a year is driving Manly's Theo Franklin to recapture the title when the biggest fleet in the event's history lines up for the 2026 Australian Championships in January.
Posted today at 5:29 am
2025 Six Metre World Championship Day 2
Eau Vive and Jill claim first victories in Oyster Bay After the disappointment of a wind and raceless day one, the 2025 International Six Metre World Championships at the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club finally got under way in warm sunshine and a south-westerly of around 6-8 knots.
Posted today at 3:23 am
46th Cannes Royal Regatta day 2
A dream day! If we had to give a score for the entry of the "classic " and 5.5 m on Tuesday 23 September, we would hesitate between an 18 and 19/20... knowing that you never put a 20/20!
Posted on 23 Sep
Middle Sea Race set to attract exceptional fleet
Royal Malta YC has 118 entries already At midnight on Friday, 19 September the 46th Rolex Middle Sea Race had amassed a fleet of 118 yachts. The entrants represent 30 countries and territories: from Australia and New Zealand to Finland and Norway, and from the United States to Romania.
Posted on 23 Sep
52 Super Series 2025 Porto Cervo day 1
Solid Sled earn early lead in Sardinia Takashi Okura's Sled lead the 52 SUPER SERIES - Porto Cervo - Range Rover regatta after the first two windward leeward races.
Posted on 23 Sep
Melges 24 Worlds 2025 at Trieste, Italy Day 1
No racing possible on the first day Good things are worth waiting for, and that was the adage at the opening day of the Melges 24 Worlds, which ended without any races in the scoreline. The weather in Trieste proved too unstable, with storms in the morning followed by a lack of wind.
Posted on 23 Sep
Formula Kite Worlds Quartu Sant'Elena preview
9th Sardinia Grand Slam is the first major step towards Los Angeles 2028 Next September 28th to October 5th, the Poetto beach will host the event that crowns the new World Champions. Among the top contenders: Maeder, Vodišek, and Pianosi in the men's fleet; Nolot, Aldridge, and Kampman among women
Posted on 23 Sep
SailGP, TOR Europe, Women's Match Racing Worlds
Good things often happen when preparation meets opportunity Good things often happen when preparation meets opportunity. Such was the case for the Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank squad when they notched their first-ever SailGP event win at last weekend's Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix.
Posted on 23 Sep
Melges 15 Fittings Guide
A breakdown of the fittings based on a complete Allen Brothers fit-out If you are looking to upgrade or replace the hardware on your Melges 15, it helps to know exactly which fittings you need and what their role is on the boat.
Posted on 23 Sep