F18 Worlds 2010 at Erquy, July 3-10

Photo: Pierrick Contin
Right now we have part of the catsailing racing elite at Cesenatico for the 2010 A-Class Worlds, some of them will rush to Erquy as soon as they finish the last race.

The 2009 F18 Worlds was one of the most competitive ever as several teams were fighting for the top spots, to the usual Hobie, Nacra and AHPC crews, you had the ‘Dark Horse’ and finally vice WChamps, Wilson-Lynch on the brand new (at the time) Loday-White Shockwave.
But this year you have to add one more, the 2BSailing bunch are definitely on a mission.
Bundock, Brewin, Brouwer, Goodall and now the greek tornado Olympic team has joined them.

Hobie still has top contenders; Heemskerk-Tentij, Booth, Ashby-Spithill. Nacra has the reigning champs with de Koning, plus the Boskalis team with Larsen, MacPherson and Styles.
Then two ‘dark horses’, Sail Innovation team with Backes-Arlegan and the new Australian F18 , the Edge, with Tornado sailor/builder Brett Burvill.

So its almost impossible to bet who will be the actual winner. After Eurocat and Texel course racing and other regattas, we can confirm, again, that the sailors are making the difference in this class, too much parity among all designs, it always amaze me how fair the F18 racing is while including all this different designs.
But we must remark again that, the evolution of the F18 has reach similar shapes and developments, making Formula rule box to be only one step behind total OD racing.

Top Contenders:
Coen de Koning&Thijs Visser (current WChamps), Nacra Infusion
Mischa Heemskerk&Bastian Tentij, Hobie Wildcat
Darren Bundock-William Howden, AHPC C2
Steve Brewin-jack Benson, AHPC C2
Mitch Booth&Pim Nieuwenhuis, Hobie Wildcat
Glenn Ashby&James Spithill, Hobie Wildcat
Hugh Styles-Ferdinand Van West, Nacra Infusion
Rob Wilson&Marcus Lynch, Loday-White Shockwave

“Dark Horses”
Olivier Backes&Jarnaud Arlegan, Sail Innovation-Wildcat
Brett Burvill&Ryan Duffield , Windrush Edge

2010 Worlds Agenda
Saturday 3rd Registration & measurement checking
Sunday 4th Registration & measurement checking
Practice race
Opening ceremony
Monday 5th Qualification races (windward/leeward)
Tuesday 6th Qualification races
Wednesday 7th Final races
Thursday 8th Final races
Friday 9th Final races
Price giving ceremony
Saturday 10th Spare day

Worlds 2010 at Erquy