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2023 Contender World Championship at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club - Overall

by Ed Presley 23 Jan 2023 08:31 PST 16-20 January 2023

The last day of the Contender Worlds followed the pattern that had been developing, lighter airs than expected, tricky easterlies it seems, but set in a beautiful venue with more close racing and seamless organisation on and off of the pitch.

This worlds is the 50th in the history of the Contender, and it was made especially challenging by the lack of travelling European and North America sailors in large numbers, A problem that will hopefully disappear soon. The Australian's had come out in strength to drive the event and what an event it turned out to be.

The quality of the sailing was extremely high, the best Aussies are always in top 10 in the World, so it was always going to be a tough event to win, going in to the last day it was Mark Bulka with a decent lead after showing consistency in all conditions.

On the day light wind lover Grant Robinson took the first race after leading for the windward mark, he was chased hard by Italian national champion Luca Bonezzi and Lindsay Irwin.

Race 2 allowed Mark Bulka the chance to take a victory lap and wrap up what would be his 4th World championship and another McCrae man Jeff Owen made a great stride forward to get a 2nd which rounded off a great set of results.

A very big congratulations to Mark Bulka from McCrae Yacht Club, the winner of the 50th International Contender World Championship. Mark sailed an impressive regatta finishing on 19 points after dropping two fifth places. RFBYC are of course very proud of Simon Barwood for taking out second place on 35 points ahead of Lindsay Irwin on 41 points.

Mark's win brings the trophy back to Australia after being held by Max Billerbeck of Germany for a longer than expected duration, and sets up an exiting Australia Vs Europe event for Denmark in July.

Simon Barwood finished 2nd, which is a superb result, it's not always easy to perform like that when you are also working hard as the lead organiser of the regatta at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Cub, Perth, Australia."

An absolutely fantastic regatta, enjoyed by everyone involved including a wonderful team of volunteers who worked like a well-oiled machine throughout. Thank you to you all.

To the competitors, we hope that you enjoyed your time at RFBYC. Safe travels homes and good luck for your next World event at Keterminde Denmark in July

Overall Results:

PosSail NoBoat NameHelm(Nat)R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10Pts
12457BALANCEMark Bulka(AUS)2225‑51‑524119
22237BLACK TIESimon Barwood(AUS)4‑25327444‑8735
32486TRATTORE ARRABBIATOLindsay Irwin(AUS)71668‑13733‑1041
42578CEST SI BONAndre Webster(AUS)3‑1443612106‑16448
540BONEZZISAILINGLuca Bonezzi(ITA)12‑2012‑1323182949
62575KNOTPASHAJoseph Randall(AUS)1513‑24(UFD)12357349
72442WILDCATPaul Green(AUS)5559‑106‑1695549
82676EUGENEGrant Robinson(AUS)118‑161392‑1811550
92434SOCIALLY DISTANTMatt Mulder(AUS)191‑17‑161011112651
102565HECTORJohn Lindholm(AUS)9398‑198‑121011866
112560NO DIGGITYJeff Owen(AUS)13117711‑15914‑17274
122468PREGO PREGOCallum Burns(AUS)104111595‑18718‑2079
132323POTHOLEJames Ellis(AUS)612841572217(RET)(RET)91
142444RETURNJohn Humphries(AUS)1416‑1714414‑201161392
152540BALANCERichard Whittaker(AUS)81510101318‑181210‑2196
162518BFWAndrew Chisholm(AUS)(RET)618111717613‑1912100
172482MAHEEGANKenneth Mackenzie(AUS)16‑221416141615‑16914114
182AUDAXMark Thorborg(NED)1810‑201812‑1913151516117
192136RIVA DERCIIan Bowman(AUS)19721(DNC)(DNC)118(UFD)2011132
202777CENTOStephen Eshman(AUS)‑21(DNC)1320202017191319141
212648FLIPPERNed Lindholm(AUS)(RET)1715212321‑23201417148
222785HORTONJames Blackburn(NZL)222119‑252122212124‑25171
232630NEXT BLUEPim Langendijk(NED)(DNC)242519182524(DNC)2324182
242564T‑T‑T‑TOTALLY WIREDMichael Edmonds(AUS)(RET)26(DNF)1222(DNS)14222726184
251483SWEATY BETTYScott Wilson(AUS)17‑272224262426(DNC)2623188
262164AGAINST ALL ODDSSteven Clarke(AUS)(DNC)19(RET)22(UFD)2325232222191
272776LA VELOCITAIan Kirkwood(AUS)(DNC)18(RET)2324(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)2518213
282687BLUE GREYJohn Fickling(AUS)(RET)28232825262725(DNC)(DNC)217
2924WHY NOTReinhart Klemens Opitz(GER)(DNC)29(RET)26282829(DNC)2929233
302238NEOPNEEKeith Spencer(AUS)(DNC)(DNC)(RET)27272728(DNC)2828235
311585FLYING SOLOClinton Watkins(AUS)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)242127247
322494PEN15Richard Shallcross(AUS)2023(RET)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)253
33=2130FAT TULIPGene Donraadt(AUS)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)280
33=2296SUPERTOY WOOD CONTENDBrian Carroll(AUS)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)(DNC)280

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