A-Cat Worlds 2017 @Sopot: Steve Brewin Champ

Images by Gordon Upton, Helena Darvelid , Paula Kopylowicz and Sail Spotting  . Top 5 : Brewin, Bendyk, Surowiec, Shaw & Budock.  ,  Official Worlds web aclassworlds2017.pl ,  Sopot Worlds FB, IACA Fb —

A-Class Worlds 2017 Day 5 , Steve Brewin crowned  2017 World Champion
No racing was possible today Friday due to blown out conditions. All results for the title stayed as yesterday.
Steve Brewin was the ultimate performer in this regatta, he performed from 20 knots & upwind foiling the first day, to 3′ waves / 14-17knots the second ending with 5 knots racing on Thursday. The contenders for the crown needed to excelled in every possible sea & wind state.

None was better than Steve Brewin.
It was not easy though with the locals always fighting top spots in every race plus Dave Shaw & Manolo Calavia also targeting the highest podium places.
Manolo would have a slight chance today if two more races were completed as a second discard would have favored the past week Polish Nats champ discarding a 55.
Manolo finished in 10th place, but all know he was top 5 material and title contender.

Darren Bundock finished in 5th place. Bundy had a great start with two bullets in the breeze and later missed to continue scoring consistent top 5. Still fighting 1 to 1 at ”Masters” age category and top flyer upwind in the breeze along Brewin.  Keep  racing As mate, I told it was going to be a blast. Next year Worlds going to be held in Australia and we hope Darren to be there aiming for his Title.

For the Polish sailors and local community it was a great Worlds, their two future title contenders are already a reality with Tymek Bendyk and  now Youth World Champ Kuba Surowiec finishing 2nd  & 3rd overall respectively.
The ‘father’of the new born Polish A-Class Armada, plus Worlds organizer Jacek Noetzel along the UKS Navigo Catamaran Club, finished in 6th place. Congrats to Jacek and locals for the effort. ON the media coverage, some of the best daily videos we’ve seen so far , timely results and infos.
To complete the 4th Polish sailor in the top ten, local Bryt sail maker ended the regatta in  7th .

Exploder World Champ (2 World Titles in 2017)
Needles to speak of the local  Exploder A-Cat builder,  Jakub Kopylowicz , who crowned himself today as constructor World Champ putting 8 boats in the top ten.
Jakub wrote  a great page of sailing History today on being the first catbuilder ever to grab the Formula 18 with the Scorpion sailed by Heemkserk & Dekker, &  the A-Class Constructor World Championships , and in the same year!

Brewin called him and designer Gonzalo Redondo on the prize giving ceremony to share his title. Truly a team work effort from which will detail at large coming days.

Steve Brewin is a great Champ, the Class is very lucky to have such characters in the fleet. He is always sharing info no problem, or showing his setup and I have direct data on him giving away some of his sails measures and feedback.
And I think is a great for him having that attitude, the guy not only knows to foil, but also to race in 4 knots and surely he know how to make sails.

This is Brewin’s 3rd World Championship, first was in 2001 and second in 2011.
More coming his way without a doubt.

Classics
In the Classic Category or Non-Foiling Pontus Johnson was first, followed by Marek Zebrowski and third place for coolest guy of the A-Class Fleet World Wide , Philipp Muyzers

Silver Fleet
The podium of the Silver fleet were all Non-foilers too: Tymoteusz Cierzan first with a Flyer, second for Antoine Riet and third for Martin Bach.

Girls
In the girls podium Katrin Brunner won again, this time followed by locals Anna Switajska and Ewa Górska.

Youths
Junior podium for Kuba Surowiec (3rd overall ), Jan Heuninck second and Zac Heuchmer 3rd.

Poland Powerhouse
Great future for Kuba & Tymek, I see those two having future title fights a la Ashby / Brewin / Mischa. And I don’t forget about Marcin Badzio, who started sailing a foiler only this year. Marcin closed the Championship with a great 4th place in the last race of the event.
Their elders will continue to perform too with Jacek & Maciek, this regatta has established Poland as a commanding force now in the A-Class

Designs
On the designs more details with Gonzalo Redondo coming days. Exploder finally achieved excellence  aside good costs and the Dna camp should be proud on their 5 consecutive World Titles, but now is time for them to catch up. Mischa trailed a bit this event, but the Flying Dutchman will return strong next season.
The new Scheurer  G7 showed potential and with the Exploder benchmark all yards will elevate their game for next year. Thomas  Paasch finished 14th overall with his Nikita. And new foil devel keep opening the door for older designs to be retrofitted.

The assets for the D3 were early lift off and rock solid stable foiling.
This event we saw finally upwind foiling paying in the breeze, and the next target will be efficient upwind flying in above 6 knots. That will complete the cycle of the foiling development , but is not going to be an easy task.

Short rigs were discarded by some top guys like Brewin, what we also see potential in that area with plenty of room to develop.

2018 Worlds will be held in Australia. Hervey Bay – 17th – 24th of November .
Sopot 2017 Worlds Links: