Record size fleet for O’pen Skiff Worlds

The 2023 O’pen Skiff World Championship has a record-breaking fleet with 286 pre-registered participants from 13 nations coming to race July 16-21 on Lake Garda in in Rimini, Italy.

There are three categories competing for their respective world titles: the youngest sailors under 12, the largest fleet of under 15, and the under 17. The program includes a coastal long-distance race on July 16, followed by the opening ceremony in the evening. From July 17 to 21, fleet races will take center stage, promoting healthy competition focused on fun and respect for the rules.

The O’pen Skiff Class emphasizes on-water arbitration and immediate resolution of any protests, reducing the need for lengthy discussions onshore after the races, except for rare cases. This allows the young sailors ample free time to socialize and enjoy themselves with fellow competitors from around the world!

Among the participants are the strong and sizeable “All Blacks” team from New Zealand which has had the support of Sir Russell Coutts (an Olympic gold medalist and five-time America’s Cup winner) for pre-worlds training on Lake Garda.

“The O’pen Skiff is a fantastic boat for young sailors to experience the joy of sailing,” shared Coutts. “It is fast, exciting, and fun, easy to rig and maintain. Many of the skills learned in the Skiff can easily be transferred to other boats as sailors evolve and progress towards different forms of sailing.”

In addition to the Kiwi contingent, the World Championship will feature participants from Australia, Brazil, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Hungary, India, Japan, Poland, Switzerland, and the United States.

Race details – Entry list – Facebook