Zhik 29er World Championships at Pwllheli Sailing Club - Overall
by Jerelyn Biehl 14 Aug 2015 11:40 PDT
8-14 August 2015
It doesn't get much closer...the championship came down to the last race and 1 point. In fact eventual champions Kyle O'Connell and Tom Siganto still weren't sure they had won when they arrived ashore. As Siganto explained, "we were pretty nervous coming into today, and we knew we had to do well the last race to keep the lead; a couple of things went wrong the last race, we made some mistakes, but we managed to keep it."
Second overall Ignacio Varisco and Federico Garcia from Argentina who turned it on the last 4 races with a 1-5-5-2-1 to move them in striking distance and just out of reach of the title, said their plan was to make the podium. "We tried really hard but just missed it - it was great sailing this week."
Likewise the US team of Christopher Williford and Wade Waddell, who finished 3rd overall, commented that they started the day in 7th, dropped to 12th overall going into the last 2 races. "We were very surprised where we ended up and sailed a 16-20-1-2 to move to the podium - we're very happy!'
O'Connell and Siganto also claim the top youth team with Mimi El-Kazindar and Emma Loveridge (GBR) as top female team.
The Silver fleet was won handily by Matt Venables and John Mather (GBR) with the Bronze fleet won by Tania Bonilla and Nuria Miro (ESP).
Thanks to Plas Heli, host to the 2015 Zhik 29er Worlds. The 29er Class is looking forward to the 2016 Worlds to be held in Medemblik, NED and the 2016 Europeans in Tonsberg, NOR.
See final provisional results
www.29erworlds.org