Aussie sailors in hunt for 2025 SB20 World Title
by Jane Austin 18 Jan 2025 02:52 PST
Ed Broadby, Rohan Langford and Phil Reid are set for the SB20 World Championship © Jane Austin
Australian sailors are vying for world champion status in the 2025 SB20 World Championship in Singapore with two teams shaping up as early favourites for a podium finish.
Tasmanians Will Sargent, Paul McCartney and Ed Reid are sailing Porco Rosso in the slick one-design Class and are looking forward to sailing on the flatter waterways in the warmer climes of Sentosa Cove after a tough Sydney to Hobart campaign.
Sargent and Reid teamed up to win the 2023 SB20 World Championship (open and youth) in The Hague and have what it takes to win big events.
Tasmanian eye surgeon Paul McCartney will be on the helm of Porco Rosso and after a second place in the pre-worlds event last week and a new boat for the regatta, the team will be hard to beat.
"Our team has been coming together nicely.
"In the pre-worlds, we managed to stay really composed in the tough shifty conditions that Singapore threw at us, and we feel we have the ability and tools we need to be really competitive," said Sargent.
Fellow Tasmanians Phil Reid, Rohan Langford and Ed Broadby, all former national champions, are sailing Mind Games with this talented team a consistent performer in the Class, and a boat to watch.
Langford expects some tough conditions on the race course.
"We are expecting variable conditions with monsoonal weather dominating the first couple of days.
"After seeing the pre-worlds results and how well the Australian boats placed, we are excited to see how we fit in the mix.
"With such a long sail to and from the race area the days are going to be long and it's going to be a mission in itself to keep concentration up and the crew well fed and hydrated.
"With the two previous SB20 world champion crews in the fleet, plus Olympians and world champions from other classes also competing, there is a great deal of depth across the fleet... we will have our work cut out to keep results consistent," said Langford.
SB20 World and Australian Class President Scott Glanville is teaming up with 2023 world champion crew member Paige Caldecoat from New South Wales and Jamie McMahon from Singapore, sailing Phoenix, and is quietly confident that the classy Australian contingent will be in the hunt for the title.
"With at least 15 boats having a genuine chance to win the title, racing is going to be tight, but I'm expecting Paul McCartney's crack crew on Porco Rosso to be right up there.
"The weather has been unseasonably wet (at least that's what the Singaporeans would have us believe), but that's probably a blessing as we acclimatise to the humidity.
"The clouds are supposed to clear so it will be a hot championship - we are really looking forward to seeing the Aussie boats take it right up to the best in the world," said Glanville.
After three years of planning and nine months of training, four young sailors will be on board The Hutchins School from Tasmania and are sailing in their first overseas SB20 world championship.
Jack Saul and Casper Birch (both 18), and Henry Smith and Charlie Birch (both 15) have been training hard for the event.
Greg Rowlings, the coach and manager of The Hutchins School team believes the boys are ready to race and to also have some fun.
"Our goal for the regatta is to finish in the top five for the youth section and just have a fun regatta.
"Our team performs best in conditions of 10 to 15 knots of downwind sailing - the boys love a send," said Rowlings.
Australian ex-pat Mike Buchanan is representing Singapore on Rental Car with Adelaide's Darren Jones and Hobart-based Sam Tiedemann, and will be hoping his local knowledge gives them the edge, while Sydney hotshot David Chapman will be on board the in-form Xcellent from Great Britain.
Thirteen races are scheduled in the championship which starts on Monday with 45 boats entered.
Event website: Worlds2025.sb20class.org