New quad begins at Niner-Nacra Worlds

Mussanah, Oman (November 16, 2021) – A mere three months since the closing ceremonies of the Tokyo Olympics and less than three years from the Paris 2024 opening ceremonies, new teams are grasping their opportunity to make a name for themselves as the 2021 Nacra 17, 49erFX, and 49er World Championships get underway today.

The puffy easterly seabreezes and cloudless sky made for a gentle first day, and while the turnout to these post-Olympics championships were equally as mild, this isn’t quite the usual worlds after an Olympics.

The difference this time is there’s one year lost in the Paris 2024 quadrennium due to a late Tokyo Games and each fleet has a leader who has emerged from their deep squads to take pole position at a major event for the first time, leaving some Tokyo Olympians down in the rankings.

The young Finnish FX team of Ronja Gronblom and Veera Hokka eclipsed their fleet with an 8, 2, 1 to end day one five points clear of Norwegian Tokyo 2020 Olympians Helene Naess and Marie Ronningen. The Norwegian pair were one of three 2020 Olympians who wasted no time re-starting their campaigns after competing in Tokyo, all were in the top six of the 22-boat fleet.

“Our biggest takeaway from Tokyo was focusing on the process and specific goals we set,” said American FX crew Maggie Shea. “The goal is an outcome we’re happy with regardless of the results.”

With only 15 boats, the Nacra 17 fleet are just as deep, but new French team Tim Mourniac and Lou Berthomieu top Tokyo silver medalists from Great Britain John Gimson and Anna Burnett. Of the top 10 today, two are medalists from Tokyo, and there are two world champions.

“It was a steady first day, as far as results are concerned,” said Burnett, who stands one point behind the French. “There are a lot of new faces, especially the French are going really well. It’s nice to have these teams around us.”

Burnett and Gimson jumped right into the European Championships after the Games but then took a break, putting their hours into learning wing foiling. “We’re just getting back into our routines,” said Burnett.

The 49ers were the largest fleet, sailing in the lighter morning winds, split into two fleets. The British team of Jack Hawkins and Chris Tomas are tied with the French pair of Kevin Fischer Guillou and Noe’ Delpech. Both are experiencing their first tastes of sitting atop a big championship.

With only the two 49er fleets needing to sail qualifiers for the first three days, the fleets are aiming for three races each day. Though the shifty warm breezes kept the scores of even the leaders mixed, the sunshine will be the only consistent factor this week.

Racing is planned for November 16-21. The 49er fleet will have three days of qualifying followed by two days of gold fleet and a medal race. The smaller 49erFX and Nacra 17 fleets will have five days of racing followed by a medal race.

Race details:
Skiffs: https://49er.org/event/2021-world-championship/
Nacra 17: https://nacra17.org/events/2021-world-championships/

Day One Results – North America:

Men’s Skiff – 49er (36 teams; 3 races)
13. Ian Barrows/ Hans Henken (USA)
20. Andrew Mollerus/ Ian MacDiarmid (USA)
22. Ryan Wood/ Andrew Wood (CAN)
29. Ander Belausteguigoitia/ Danel Belausteguigoitia (MEX)

Women’s Skiff – 49erFX (22 teams; 3 races)
6. Stephanie Roble/ Maggie Shea (USA)
10. Georgia Lewin-Lafrance/ Antonia Lewin-Lafrance (CAN)
18. Lucy Wilmot/ Erika Reineke (USA)

Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17 (15 teams; 3 races)
10. Ravi Parent/ Sara Stone (USA)
15. Carson Crain/ Caroline Atwood (USA)