2025 edition of fivepointfive magazine published
by Robert Deaves 20 May 2025 05:35 PDT
2025 edition of fivepointfive magazine © Robert Deaves
The 2025 edition of fivepointfive Magazine was launched during the recent Alpen Cup at Riva and is now available to read online and download.
The class is preparing for a busy few weeks ahead with the German Open at Warnemunde at the end of May before the Scandinavian Gold Cup and then the World Championship in Sopot, Poland in early June. It is the first time the class has held a major event in Poland.
Sopot is known for its excellent sailing conditions, and while it has already hosted many of the world's most important sailing events, the city, nor the country, has ever welcomed the 5.5 Metre Class. The Scandinavian Gold Cup is being held from 5-7 June, alongside the President's Cup. The World Championship will follow from 9-13 June.
The featured interview in this issue is with Wolf-Eberhard Richter, arguably the most travelled 5.5 Metre sailor in the past years with his Evolution and Modern boats, both called Ali Baba.
He remembers, "In 1964 I was sailing my Optimist, Ali Baba, on the Baltic Sea and alongside there was a 5.5 Metre, designed and built by Willi Lehmann. They hoisted the spinnaker, and I was so impressed, that I wanted to sail such a boat, though later."
Then, "In 2010 I visited a boatbuilder, to do some upholstery for a Riva boat. In the shed next door, there was a 6 Metre and two 5.5 Metres. My dream from my youth was about to come true."
Now he owns three 5.5 Metres, one from each category. "In all three boats you can feel the development and the Modern is absolutely perfect in construction, finish and sailing performance. However, the fun factor is great for all of them. The 5.5 Metre has the best sailing performance. It sails like a dinghy; and at the same time is demanding, to make it fast. The competition at high level and the front ranks is very close. The other sailors are very kind and nice. Each year it is great fun to meet them again, in the race events." Most important is, "The community and the friendly atmosphere."
Ed Wright has been sailing 5.5 Metres for just three years and is one of a growing number of Finn sailors that are in the class. During that time, he has become, probably, the first sailor to win two consecutive world championships in two completely different teams and boats. He explains through a Q&A what attracts him to the class and the focus on consistency, as well as the experience of winning the worlds last year on Ku-Ring-Gai III.
"It's such a rewarding boat to sail—elegant, technical, and incredibly close racing. Every tiny adjustment makes a difference, which means teamwork, boat handling, and attention to detail are critical. I've always enjoyed that aspect of sailing, where the smallest improvements can give you an edge. It's also refreshing to be in a class that allows for development and refinement—finding marginal gains through tuning the sails, optimising the boat, and working together as a team. That's something I really appreciate, especially since many other classes limit development."
There are updates from many countries, where many, such as Finland are experiencing a resurgence.
The 5.5 Metre class launched just before the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, where the boats sailed alongside the retiring Six Metre Class. The new class was enthusiastically received in Finland. As many as 13 boats were built before the Games, 11 of them at the Wilenius boatyard in Porvoo. The Scandinavian Gold Cup is also of Finnish origin; the trophy has six times remained in Finland. The fleet there now has 12 classic boats sailing in regattas and the prospects looks good.
One of the stories of 2024 was the return of Rabicano to the racing circuit, mainly sailed by an all-female team supported by the Museo della Barca Lariana, on Lake Como, which owns the boat. Arancia Malaspina, who won the Enoshima Trophy recently at La Spezia, tells the story of the boat and the 2024 season.
Rabicano, ITA 55, came from the drawing board of the famous Swedish designers, Einar and Carl-Eric Ohlson, and was the only boat built by Cantiere Salata of Rapallo, in Italy, in January 1967. Rabicano was built for Agostino Straulino, an Italian Olympic sailor, to participate to the 1968 Olympic Games in Acapulco. However, the boat was rejected, and it disappeared until 1981, when it was sold to Gian Alberto Zanoletti, father of Ferdinando Zanoletti, president of the museum.
Also in this issue:
- Preview to the 2026 World Championship as the fleet heads to Greece for the first time.
- Round up of the 2024 Scandinavian Gold Cup and World Championship in Benodet
- The story of the renovation of Jane, built for the 1952 Olympic Games
- Tributes to Fabrizio Cavazza and Bruno Marazzi
- Christoph Burger explains the art of spinnaker trim
- A profile of the stunning Briton Chance designed Arcano, AUT 24
- Marc Penther remembers some tales from the early days of the class in France
- Racing results from 2024 and the 2025 calendar
Read this issue online here
Or download a PDF here