Huge congratulations to Aussies Tom Crockett and Harry Morton for winning the 2016 29er Worlds! Silver medallists Gwendal Nael and Lilian Mercier (FRA) and Brits Crispin Beaumont and Tom Darling rounded out the podium. The top female team was close with Annabelle Davies & Hayley Clark (AUS) besting Aleksandra Melzacka & Maja Micinska (POL) by 1 point. Top youth team went to Gwendal Nael and Lilian Mercier. Check out the full results
At the recent World Council meeting held in Medemblik, the following changes were voted in by the World Council members:
1) Equipment Strategic Planning Committee: This committee was approved to review the status of all equipment used in the 29er class in order to create proposed 5 and 10 year strategic plans for class equipment, to be considered at the 2017 World Council meeting. The committee composition will be: President, one Vice President, Chair of the Technical Committee and the Chief Measurer, one representative of the Copyright Holder (appointed to the Executive), two representatives from Europe and one representative from each other continent.
2) Clairification of Country Code at Major Championships: "all teams when racing in the International 29er World Championship and continental championship events whall display teh national letters of the helmsperson."
3) Replacing the alloy tube footrails with FRP moulded foot-rails similar to the ones in a 49er. A retro-fit will be made for current boats if you decide to remove your footrails. New deck moulds will have them built in. Reasoning: 99% of leaks are from the footrails.
The 29er Executive will ask all National Representatives and officers to vote on the 2019 World and European venues after the 2016 29er Worlds are complete.
Using available technology and based upon the success of the online forum whereby all National Representatives and Executive were able to evaluate each bid, initiate a discussion and then hold a vote this prior year, the Executive is recommending to use this system again to determine the 2019 venues. Once the 2016 Worlds are complete and all have recovered, each National Rep will be instructed how to access the forum. A decision will be made in October with the winning bids notified.
A small but mighty list of competitors hit the starting line in Gdynia, POL for the 7th EuroCup. 10 teams from Poland and GBR fought it out for the podium spots. Poland took the top 3 honors with Mikolaj Saniul and Kajetan Jablonski winning the event followed by the female team of Aleksandra Melzacka and Maja Micinska in silver and Pawel Jakubowski & Mikolaj Mickiewicz taking Bronze. Full results here
Overall EuroCup standings after Poland
Next up: 19-21 August in Gotenberg, Sweden
World Sailing and the 29er Executive have approved the following:
“Competitors chartering boats may use sails brought with them and shall be marked with the number shown on the World Sailing International Class building plaque of any hull still owned by them, on any boat owned by them or on any boat loaned or chartered for this event.”
Full 29er Class rules are available here
29er Class Association