Nacra 15 Worlds 2018 @Barcelona: Demesmaeker & Van Eupen 1st
Sailing Photos: Laurens Morel / SaltyColours.com , more pics at Nacra 15 Class Assoc fb . Henri Demesmaeker & Frederique Van Eupen from Belguim were crowned first Nacra 15 World Champs. Second place for French crew Dran Gouron Le Roch & Kenza Coutard and third for Thomas Proust & Martineau Clement.
The Royal Belgian Sailing Club continued investment in youth sailing paying high dividends . The Club & it coaches like Sebbe Godefroid, have become a role model for all to follow
One of the stars of the regatta were Thomas Proust (Future Catracing Boss) & Martineau Clement, being Under 16 category racing mostly vs U19, won 6 out of 10 races. Thomas has already won events in the open F16 Class, following Henri Demesmaeker’s own path (Former F16 World Champ too) .
So 1st and 3rd position of this first Nacra 15 Worlds were formed in the Formula 16, showing our thoughts (and from the majority except former isaf & Nacra) were right on having the Nacra F16 as the new youth official cat, a wasted opportunity but that is old history by now.
The important aspect nowadays is having the new generations with lots of hours (and titles) behind in spite their young age. Henri & Thomas are just some of the most visible and known to us.
For instance take note on the 4th place, Dante Cittadini & Teresa Romairone from Argentina. These kids don’t have nor 5% of the experience in catamarans the young guns mentioned above posses, but they managed to achieve an impressive result with so little time, and needless to say, no local youth catamaran racing Class in our home waters.
Hats off to them and their coaches Nico Aragones & Nico Schargorodsky, both formed as catsailors in our F18 Arg Class. The F16 & F18 will continue to be the most important performance feeder double handed classes for the Nacra 17 Olympic Class.
60 boats fleet is a great number for this first Nacra 15 Worlds, and we are glad to see the kids enjoying catsailing. Bright future for many and great times for all the youths participating.
Buenos Aires will host the 2018 Youth Olympics so we will have the chance to report that event locally.
Nacra 15 Worlds Top ten below, full results here
| pos | Sail | Helm | Crew | Cat | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | Tot | ||
| 1 | BEL 133 | HENRI DEMESMAEKER | M | FREDERIQUE VAN EUPEN | F | Under19 | 6 | 6 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 36 |
| 2 | FRA 99 | DORAN GOURON LE ROCH | M | KENZA COUTARD | F | Under19 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 41 | 4 | 11 | 19 | 3 | 25 | 9 | 63 |
| 3 | FRA 175 | THOMAS PROUST | M | MARTINEAU CLEMENT | M | Under16 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 41 | 40 | 1 | 73 |
| 4 | ARG 146 | DANTE CITTADINI | M | TERESA ROMAIRONE | F | Under19 | 33 | 12 | 13 | 29 | 6 | 5 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 75 |
| 5 | NED 27 | LAILA VAN DER MEER | F | BJARNE BOUWER | M | Under19 | 17 | 10 | 14 | 4 | 26 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 15 | 81 |
| 6 | AUS 59 | ASHLEIGH SWADLING | F | JED FATCHES | M | Under19 | 2 | 7 | 23 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 27 | 18 | 39 | 14 | 83 |
| 7 | SUI 83 | ARNAUD GRANGE | M | MARIE VAN DER KLINK | F | Under19 | 18 | 4 | 8 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 61 | UFD | 43 | 18 | 86 |
| 8 | SUI 81 | MAX WALLENBERG | M | AMANDA BJÖRK-ANASTASSOV | F | Under19 | 3 | 15 | 27 | 9 | 7 | 21 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 5 | 87 |
| 9 | FRA 7 | TITOUAN PETARD | M | MARION DECLEF | F | Under19 | 13 | 16 | 3 | 16 | 25 | 4 | 12 | 26 | 33 | 6 | 95 |
| 10 | AUT 97 | LAURA FARESE | F | MATTHÄUS ZÖCHLING | M | Under19 | 45 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 28 | 13 | 7 | 23 | 3 | 35 | 100 |
