Please select your home edition
Edition
Armstrong 728x90 - HA Foil Range - TOP

WASZP Australian Nationals at Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club - Day 2

by Marc Ablett 7 Dec 2023 22:40 PST 7-9 December 2023

The second day of the WASZP Nationals witnessed tumultuous conditions as an unrelenting Northerly weather system descended upon Sorrento Sailing & Couta Boat Club, testing the 80-strong WASZP Fleet.

Ironically, the day commenced with the abandonment of the first race due to a lack of wind. However, the second race, marking the onset of the Nationals, saw the fleet compete in perfect 15-knot conditions, characterised by intense and close racing among participants. Italian Francesco Bertone jumped out to an early lead and was really dominating the fleet before a huge pitch pole down the final run caused him to fall back. Denmark sailor Magnus Overbeck who won Sail Melbourne and finished 2nd in the 2023 European Games took a commanding lead all the way to the finish.

Trouble brewed in the third race of the day as racing began under superb conditions. Yet, as the fleet approached the top mark, the weather took a turn for the worse. Winds escalated to the mid 20s, creating a maelstrom environment compounded by a ripping tide working against the wind. The wave state grew increasingly challenging to navigate, resulting in even seasoned sailors experiencing multiple falls during the run.

However, the apex of the ordeal manifested at the top mark, where a peculiar convergence of shallow waters created a perplexing and chaotic wave state, leading several boats to head down the mine, seemingly vanishing amidst the turmoil. Approximately 10 boats managed to manoeuvre through the tumultuous conditions and commenced the return upwind before the race had to be inevitably abandoned due to the hazardous wind intensity.

The extreme conditions posed a significant challenge to the fleet, pushing both sailors' skills and equipment to their limits. Despite the disruptions, the vibe among participants remains resolute as they gear up to tackle tomorrows races as we try and complete the remainder of the regatta.

Results can be found here...

Related Articles

2025 International Classes Regatta preview
The ICR has earned a stellar reputation as an outstanding lead-up regatta for competitors The Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (RFBYC) is proud to announce that the 2025 International Classes Regatta (ICR)—the Club's premier annual dinghy event—will take place on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November 2025. Posted today at 7:10 am
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Trapani day 2
In Trapani, the Royal Madras team was 1st in the offshore race. The Royal Madras team was the first to arrive in Trapani and win the offshore leg, followed by the Verein Seglerhaus Am Wannsee and Aeronautica Militare teams. Posted on 26 Jun
WASZP brings the heat at Foiling Week 2025
Four epic days of classic Ora conditions Malcesine turned it on once again for Foiling Week, with four epic days of classic Ora conditions and a record 131 WASZPs hitting the start line - the biggest WASZP fleet ever at the event! Posted on 26 Jun
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Trapani day 1
Leaving the Ionian Sea behind them, yesterday early evening the boats passed Portopalo A route of about 200 miles that will take the Figaro3 of the Marina Militare Nastro Tour 2025 from Syracuse to Trapani for the sixth stage, the second in Sicily. Posted on 25 Jun
A bold start for Foiling Week 2025
The opening phase of racing has already delivered record-breaking numbers The twelfth edition of Foiling Week has kicked off with a consistent schedule and strong support from the global foiling community. Posted on 24 Jun
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Siracusa overall
Team Verein Seglerhaus Am Wannsee wins in Siracusa The Verein Seglerhaus Am Wannsee team wins the Siracusa leg in the offshore category, after 37 hours of sailing and with only one minute and twenty-one seconds of difference from the Ocean Cruising Club team that came in second. Posted on 23 Jun
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Siracusa day 1
In Siracusa for the fifth leg and the first island stage The Nastro Rosa Tour lands in Sicily, in Syracuse, for the fifth stage, the first island stage, which will be followed by Trapani, Cagliari and La Maddalena. Posted on 21 Jun
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Catanzaro day 2
The Marina Militare Team wins in Catanzaro The Marina Militare team wins the Catanzaro stage in the offshore category. Having left Brindisi, after about 40 hours of navigation, the Navy's Figaro 3 crossed the finish line first, leaving behind the Guardia di Finanza team and the Royal Madras team. Posted on 19 Jun
Performance Academy partners Magenta Foiling Team
To introduce more women to foiling The Performance Academy is excited to be supporting the Magenta Foiling Team by providing a series of foiling clinics. Posted on 19 Jun
Nastro Rosa Tour 2025 Catanzaro Day 1
A day of competitions for the Waszp and Wing classes and an evening of events at the Village The Calabrian city hosts the Nastro Rosa Tour stage again in this edition and the Regatta Village has come to life in the Port Area. Posted on 17 Jun
Cyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTERMackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOMC-Tech 2021 America's Cup 728x90 BOTTOM