2023 Contender World Championship at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club - Overall
by Ed Presley 23 Jan 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:
| Pos | Sail No | Boat Name | Helm(Nat) | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 2457 | BALANCE | Mark Bulka(AUS) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | ‑5 | 1 | ‑5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 19 |
| 2 | 2237 | BLACK TIE | Simon Barwood(AUS) | 4 | ‑25 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ‑8 | 7 | 35 |
| 3 | 2486 | TRATTORE ARRABBIATO | Lindsay Irwin(AUS) | 7 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 8 | ‑13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | ‑10 | 41 |
| 4 | 2578 | CEST SI BON | Andre Webster(AUS) | 3 | ‑14 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 6 | ‑16 | 4 | 48 |
| 5 | 40 | BONEZZISAILING | Luca Bonezzi(ITA) | 12 | ‑20 | 12 | ‑13 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 49 |
| 6 | 2575 | KNOTPASHA | Joseph Randall(AUS) | 15 | 13 | ‑24 | (UFD) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 49 |
| 7 | 2442 | WILDCAT | Paul Green(AUS) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | ‑10 | 6 | ‑16 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 49 |
| 8 | 2676 | EUGENE | Grant Robinson(AUS) | 11 | 8 | ‑16 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 2 | ‑18 | 1 | 15 | 50 |
| 9 | 2434 | SOCIALLY DISTANT | Matt Mulder(AUS) | 1 | 9 | 1 | ‑17 | ‑16 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 51 |
| 10 | 2565 | HECTOR | John Lindholm(AUS) | 9 | 3 | 9 | 8 | ‑19 | 8 | ‑12 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 66 |
| 11 | 2560 | NO DIGGITY | Jeff Owen(AUS) | 13 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 11 | ‑15 | 9 | 14 | ‑17 | 2 | 74 |
| 12 | 2468 | PREGO PREGO | Callum Burns(AUS) | 10 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 9 | 5 | ‑18 | 7 | 18 | ‑20 | 79 |
| 13 | 2323 | POTHOLE | James Ellis(AUS) | 6 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 15 | 7 | 22 | 17 | (RET) | (RET) | 91 |
| 14 | 2444 | RETURN | John Humphries(AUS) | 14 | 16 | ‑17 | 14 | 4 | 14 | ‑20 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 92 |
| 15 | 2540 | BALANCE | Richard Whittaker(AUS) | 8 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 18 | ‑18 | 12 | 10 | ‑21 | 96 |
| 16 | 2518 | BFW | Andrew Chisholm(AUS) | (RET) | 6 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 17 | 6 | 13 | ‑19 | 12 | 100 |
| 17 | 2482 | MAHEEGAN | Kenneth Mackenzie(AUS) | 16 | ‑22 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 15 | ‑16 | 9 | 14 | 114 |
| 18 | 2 | AUDAX | Mark Thorborg(NED) | 18 | 10 | ‑20 | 18 | 12 | ‑19 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 117 |
| 19 | 2136 | RIVA DERCI | Ian Bowman(AUS) | 19 | 7 | 21 | (DNC) | (DNC) | 11 | 8 | (UFD) | 20 | 11 | 132 |
| 20 | 2777 | CENTO | Stephen Eshman(AUS) | ‑21 | (DNC) | 13 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 13 | 19 | 141 |
| 21 | 2648 | FLIPPER | Ned Lindholm(AUS) | (RET) | 17 | 15 | 21 | 23 | 21 | ‑23 | 20 | 14 | 17 | 148 |
| 22 | 2785 | HORTON | James Blackburn(NZL) | 22 | 21 | 19 | ‑25 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 24 | ‑25 | 171 |
| 23 | 2630 | NEXT BLUE | Pim Langendijk(NED) | (DNC) | 24 | 25 | 19 | 18 | 25 | 24 | (DNC) | 23 | 24 | 182 |
| 24 | 2564 | T‑T‑T‑TOTALLY WIRED | Michael Edmonds(AUS) | (RET) | 26 | (DNF) | 12 | 22 | (DNS) | 14 | 22 | 27 | 26 | 184 |
| 25 | 1483 | SWEATY BETTY | Scott Wilson(AUS) | 17 | ‑27 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 24 | 26 | (DNC) | 26 | 23 | 188 |
| 26 | 2164 | AGAINST ALL ODDS | Steven Clarke(AUS) | (DNC) | 19 | (RET) | 22 | (UFD) | 23 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 191 |
| 27 | 2776 | LA VELOCITA | Ian Kirkwood(AUS) | (DNC) | 18 | (RET) | 23 | 24 | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | 25 | 18 | 213 |
| 28 | 2687 | BLUE GREY | John Fickling(AUS) | (RET) | 28 | 23 | 28 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 25 | (DNC) | (DNC) | 217 |
| 29 | 24 | WHY NOT | Reinhart Klemens Opitz(GER) | (DNC) | 29 | (RET) | 26 | 28 | 28 | 29 | (DNC) | 29 | 29 | 233 |
| 30 | 2238 | NEOPNEE | Keith Spencer(AUS) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (RET) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | (DNC) | 28 | 28 | 235 |
| 31 | 1585 | FLYING SOLO | Clinton Watkins(AUS) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | 24 | 21 | 27 | 247 |
| 32 | 2494 | PEN15 | Richard Shallcross(AUS) | 20 | 23 | (RET) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | 253 |
| 33= | 2130 | FAT TULIP | Gene Donraadt(AUS) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | 280 |
| 33= | 2296 | SUPERTOY WOOD CONTEND | Brian Carroll(AUS) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | 280 |
