Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: Zadar

The medals in the eight fleets at the 41st ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Zadar, Croatia have been decided following a dramatic final day. Ireland's team of three take home one overall result in the top ten, an 11th and a 17th plus some fine individual performances - including a final race win today – and many lessons for next year's event on Dublin Bay.

For the third consecutive year France walk away with the ISAF Nations Trophy with Spain coming in second and Poland taking third place.

Irish Laser Radial sailor Philip Doran of Courtown Sailing Club and the National Yacht Club Doran took charge of the 15 knot north-westerly from the beginning of his final race, leading the fleet from the first mark. Competitors from Belgium, the UK and Australia tried to challenge him at the leeward mark but Doran continued to master the previously unseen wind conditions in this championship.

Doran ended the final race of the championship with an extraordinary first place win and finishing 10th overall, having also claimed five top 10 results during the course of the competition.

Irish Coach Rory Fitzpatrick praised the comeback: "It hadn't been going Philip's way at the half way stage in the event. He was sitting towards the back of the fleet but he fought hard over the next few days and finished in the top 10 which just shows the level of determination and mental strength he has".

But the success story doesn't end there. Royal St George Yacht Club and Quoile Yacht Club Laser Radial sailor Sophie Murphy placed 23rd in her final race which saw her finishing 11th overall. It's a disappointment to drop out of the coveted top ten position but there is consolation that it is the best result Ireland has ever had in the girl's single handed competition since Ireland began competing at the ISAF Youth Worlds in 1971.

Murphy found the conditions tough today but fought tooth and nail putting in her best performance at an international event. Similarl to Philip Doran, she also had one race win and five top 10 results during the course of the championship.

Fitzpatrick said: "This is Sophie's personal best at an international event and the best we've ever had at the Youth Worlds but she's only going to continue to grow and strengthen".

Cork natives Emma Geary from Royal Cork Yacht Club and Niamh Connolly from Baltimore Sailing Club put in another strong performance in the 420 class today. They made good tactical decisions on the water which saw them finishing the race in 12th and finishing the championship in 17th overall. The girls showed their prowess in the stronger wind conditions of the past two days placing a 9th, a 6th and today's 12th.

Just one point separated Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Veronica Fanciulli (ITA) and YOG gold medallist Siripon Kaewduang–Ngam (THA) at the top of the RS:X Girls leader board ahead of the final race. And it was Fanciulli that came ahead of the Kaewduang–Ngam in fifth place compared to the Thai RS:X sailors sixth place to win the gold medal in Zadar. Fanciulli said, "The race was good. I finished fifth and the Thai girl finished sixth and I won the whole competition.

"At the Youth Olympic Games there was very light wind and the Thai girl was very good in the light wind and today was a windy day and I am really happy." Watch the full interview with Fanciulli here.

Agnieszka Bilska (POL) won the final race today but it wasn't enough to overhaul Naomi Cohen (ISR) who finished second to clinch the bronze medal.

In the RS:X Boys Korea's Cho Wonwoo, who won silver at the 2010 ISAF Youth Worlds, went one better in 2011 winning the gold medal. Wonwoo, who is on the ISAF Athlete Participation Programme has benefitted from the coaching of Hugh Styles throughout the week and was delighted with his performance. He said, "I am very happy and happy to win. I was very nervous and today I am the winner." Full interview with Wonwoo here.

Mateo Sanz (ESP) came through in second overall followed by France's Louis Giard who retired after the finish today but had already done enough to clinch the bronze medal.

Maxime Mazard (FRA) came out on top in the Laser Radial Boys following a battle against Giovanni Coccoluto (ITA). The Frenchman finished 13th compared to the Italians 20th place which handed Mazard the gold medal. Mazard said, "It was my first ISAF Youth Worlds and it was fantastic. Everyone was really close and the Italian was eight places behind me and I just did my race as normal.

"I don't think I realise what's happened." Watch an interview with Mazard here.

Žan-Luka Zelko (SLO) recorded two race wins throughout the week and after his 11th place finish today he receives the silver medal for Slovenia. Coccoluto's 20th place finish saw him slip down to pick up the bronze medal.

Norway's Tiril Bue brought a six point cushion into the final day and after finishing sixth today she won the gold medal. Bue said, "It was great, especially the three last days. They were the best. I love Zadar. It is sunny and warm and great wind conditions. It is just crazy. I never thought I would win the whole championship." Tiril Bue spoke to ISAF after the racing, watch an interview here.

The competition for silver and bronze was tense leading up to the final day with two points separating second and fourth place. Manami Doi (JPN) went into the final race second, Paulina Czubachowska (POL) started in third and Erika Reineke (USA) was fourth.

In the end Reineke came through in second after finishing fifth today but a late charge by France's Sandy Fauthoux, which saw the French girl finish second, meant she picked up the bronze medal by two points after Doi came down in 11th and Czubachowska ended the last race in 15th position.

Martin Lowy and Kim Andrade (BRA) clinched the gold medal in the SL16 after they came seventh in the final race of the championship. The boys from Brazil have had an excellent regatta and won eight races out of the 12 sailed in Zadar. Lowy said, "It was very good. Everything is perfect. I love it." Watch the emotion of the boys from Brazil here.

Denmark's Nicolaj Bjornholt Christiansen and Daniel Bjornholt Christiansen finished with a bullet today to pick up the silver medal and Great Britain's Rupert White and Nikola Boniface came through in second to secure the bronze medal.

Consistent results at the front of the fleet is vital and Spain's Carlos Robles and Florian Trittel exemplified this point after finishing in the top six in 11 races in the 29er to seal the gold medal. After the race Robles said, "I am really happy. We were celebrating on the course for ages with the Spanish Laser Radial sailor."

And Trittel added, "I am very happy. It is a beautiful day today and a perfect championship for us." ISAF spoke to the pair immediately after the racing.

Antoine Screve and Max Agnese (USA) pipped the Netherlands Max Deckers and Annette Duetz to the silver medal following their second place finish today compared to the Dutch duos fourth place.

Like their compatriots Jordi Xammar and Alex Claville (ESP) also showed a level of control and consistency that saw them awarded the gold medal. Xammar receives his second ISAF Youth Worlds gold medal following his success with Joan Herp at the 2010 regatta in Istanbul, Turkey. Xammar said, "It is incredible. Nothing to say apart from thanks to everybody helping me to arrive here. I just want to say thanks to the people that help me everyday with my training. Today is for saying thanks for all the help." A delighted Xammar spoke to ISAF following the crews celebrations.

Daichi Mototsu and Yuki Hino won the silver medal after their bullet today and Australia's Angus Galloway and Alexander Gough received the bronze medal.

Lara Vadlau and Tanja Frank (AUT) won gold in the 420 Girls following a nervy race against Morgan Kiss and Christina Lewis (USA). The Austrians finished the final race in eighth compared to the Americans third place meaning they were tied on 34 points apiece. Both teams had two race wins but the Austrians came out on top having had three second place finishes. Vadlau said, "We are very proud and it was a hard job to win and finally we did. We had lots of luck but everyone needs luck to win."

Frank added, "We were happy but we didn't know when we came off the water so we went to the list and asking everyone if we had win. And we were happy when we found out we had won." View the full interview here.

Fiona Kidd (CAN), the Chairman of the ISAF Youth World Championship Sub-committee rounded off the 41st ISAF Youth Worlds, "The organisation has been world class. The organising committee has done an exceptional job both on and off the water. Logistically it is a very difficult event but here we've had superb sailing, the race management has been excellent and on shore they've done a super job in terms of making every body enjoy the event.

"It's great to see all the sailors having a good time. We've had two fantastic days of racing today and yesterday and I think we got all the races in. At the end of the day the best sailors won and they've all had a fantastic time."

Published in Youth Sailing
Tagged under

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an annual offshore yacht racing event with an increasingly international exposure attracting super maxi yachts and entries from around tne world. It is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, New South Wales on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart, Tasmania. The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles (1,170 km).

The 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts in Sydney Harbour at 1pm (AEDT) on Monday 26 December.

This is the 77th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart. The inaugural race was conducted in 1945 and has run every year since, apart from 2020, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

88 boats started the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, with 50 finishing.

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - FAQs

The number of Sydney Hobart Yacht Races held by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia since 1945 is 75

6,257 completed the Sydney Hobart Yacht race, 1036 retired or were disqualified)

About 60,061 sailors have competed in the Sydney Hobart Race between 1945 and 2019

Largest fleets: 371 starters in the 50th race in 1994 (309 finished); 154 starters in 1987 (146 finished); 179 starters in 1985 (145 finished); 151 starters in 1984 (46 finished); 173 started in 1983 (128 finished); 159 started in 1981 (143 finished); 147 started in 1979 (142 finished); 157 started in 2019 (154 finished)

116 in 2004 (59 finished); 117 in 2014 (103 finished); 157 in 2019 (154 finished)

Nine starters in the inaugural Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in 1945

In 2015 and 2017 there were 27, including the 12 Clipper yachts (11 in 2017). In the record entry of 371 yachts in the 50th in 1994, there were 24 internationals

Rani, Captain John Illingworth RN (UK). Design: Barber 35’ cutter. Line and handicap winner

157 starters, 154 finishers (3 retirements)

IRC Overall: Ichi Ban, a TP52 owned by Matt Allen, NSW. Last year’s line honours winner: Comanche, Verdier Yacht Design and VPLP (FRA) owned by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant, in 1 day 18 hours, 30 minutes, 24 seconds. Just 1hour 58min 32secs separated the five super maxis at the finish 

1 day 9 hours 15 minutes and 24 seconds, set in 2017 by LDV Comanche after Wild Oats XI was penalised one hour in port/starboard incident for a finish time of 1d 9h 48m 50s

The oldest ever sailor was Syd Fischer (88 years, 2015).

As a baby, Raud O'Brien did his first of some six Sydney Hobarts on his parent's Wraith of Odin (sic). As a veteran at three, Raud broke his arm when he fell off the companionway steps whilst feeding biscuits to the crew on watch Sophie Tasker sailed the 1978 race as a four-year-old on her father’s yacht Siska, which was not an official starter due to not meeting requirements of the CYCA. Sophie raced to Hobart in 1979, 1982 and 1983.

Quite a number of teenage boys and girls have sailed with their fathers and mothers, including Tasmanian Ken Gourlay’s 14-year-old son who sailed on Kismet in 1957. A 12-year-old boy, Travis Foley, sailed in the fatal 1998 race aboard Aspect Computing, which won PHS overall.

In 1978, the Brooker family sailed aboard their yacht Touchwood – parents Doug and Val and their children, Peter (13), Jacqueline (10), Kathryne (8) and Donald (6). Since 1999, the CYCA has set an age limit of 18 for competitors

Jane (‘Jenny’) Tate, from Hobart, sailed with her husband Horrie aboard Active in the 1946 Race, as did Dagmar O’Brien with her husband, Dr Brian (‘Mick’) O’Brien aboard Connella. Unfortunately, Connella was forced to retire in Bass Strait, but Active made it to the finish. The Jane Tate Memorial Trophy is presented each year to the first female skipper to finish the race

In 2019, Bill Barry-Cotter brought Katwinchar, built in 1904, back to the start line. She had competed with a previous owner in 1951. It is believed she is the oldest yacht to compete. According to CYCA life member and historian Alan Campbell, more than 31 yachts built before 1938 have competed in the race, including line honours winners Morna/Kurrewa IV (the same boat, renamed) and Astor, which were built in the 1920s.

Bruce Farr/Farr Yacht Design (NZL/USA) – can claim 20 overall wins from 1976 (with Piccolo) up to and including 2015 (with Balance)

Screw Loose (1979) – LOA 9.2m (30ft); Zeus II (1981) LOA 9.2m

TKlinger, NSW (1978) – LOA 8.23m (27ft)

Wild Oats XI (2012) – LOA 30.48m (100ft). Wild Oats XI had previously held the record in 2005 when she was 30m (98ft)

©Afloat 2020