Well it’s been far from smooth sailing for the Australian team at the I14 Worlds at Yacht Club de Carnac in France lately. This was caused by the container with majority of the boats in it only just arriving two days before the event started. This just goes to show best laid plans don’t always go to plan – nevertheless all 16 Aussies will be on the start line for the first race of the Worlds.
Yesterday was the first practice race, however it was abandoned after three legs due to a fading breeze. Starting in about eight knots the breeze quickly evaporated to nothing. With the first day of championship racing today and 80 boats on the start line it’s anyone’s game. With the light conditions of yesterday’s practice race looking set to continue for the next few days, the Europeans may have the slight advantage.
For Australia, Dave Hayter and Trent Neighbour would have to be favourites of the Aussie contingent in these weather conditions having showed at the recent nationals in Sydney they have plenty of versatility. Brad Devine and Ian “Footy” Furlong have had the relative luxury of some training on the race course in France and will never be far from the front. However with the weather being very up and down it could tip the expected leaderboard upside down creating some stories on both sides of Lady Luck.
The teams racing event was won by the Great Britain team, which won every race continuing their strength and recent domination of the class. With the likes of four-time world champions Archie Massie and Harvey Hillary and current world and European champs Glen Trusswell and Sam Pascoe, the challenge is there for the Australians and we will wait in anticipation to see what the first day throws up.
