Unprecedented numbers at 29er Worlds

The heightened focus of high performance sailing has trickled down to the youth years with the 29er Class benefiting from the interest to go fast, with the latest evidence occurring at the 2022 29er World Championships being held August 1-6 in El Balis, Spain.

While there is no maximum age or gender requirement, this trainer skiff for the Olympic 49er boat likes smaller people, and has attracted an unprecedented number of participants – 242 boats from 26 countries.

With 11 teams from the USA and three from Canada, the North American squads will get a deep dive into this international competition being held to the northeast of Barcelona on the Mediterranean Sea.

Host Spain will have 21 crews which include brothers Mateo and Simón Codoñer, who will defend their World Championship title won at their home club, RCN Valencia in 2021. In the women’s category, Paula and Isabel Laiseca from Gran Canaria also know what it’s like to climb on the podium of a World Championship event, after winning the Bronze medal in Valencia 2021.

Among the international fleet, the French team Hugo Revil and Karl Devaux, who took the Silver in the U17 category, will also be in Catalan waters alongside competitors Germans Carl Krause and Max Georgi, who were U17 Bronze in the last World Championship event.

“We are thrilled to see the largest 29er World Championship in history,” noted Joan Mollerus, President of the International 29er Class. “After two years of pandemic-related travel restrictions, we are very excited to welcome teams from Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong back to World Championship racing!”

From August 1, the first races will have the fleet divided into six groups. With three days of qualifying races – from Monday to Wednesday – and three days of finals racing, the event will close on Saturday, August 6. Among the prizes awarded are:

• Men’s World Champions 1st to 3rd
• Women’s World Champions 1st to 3rd
• Overall 1st to 10th
• Under 17 World Champions 1st to 3rd male and 1st to 3rd female (must be born in 2006 or later).
• The Nations Cup awarded to the nation with the best performance at the World Championship

Details: https://29erworlds.org/notice-board/

Source: 29er Class and CNEL Balis