There are less than two weeks until sailors gather for the 65th International 505 World Championships at the Royal Cork Yacht Club from 3-13 August.
Held every year since 1956, this is the first Worlds for the dinghy class since Fremantle in Australia in 2019, and 505 sailors will be more than keen to compete again.
This year’s event will be the fourth time the 505 Worlds have been hosted in Crosshaven since 1959 and the first in 40 years. Competitors can expect any range of conditions, with racing held offshore in the Atlantic to ensure fair courses.
Given the expected cool temperatures, competitors should anticipate gradient breezes, so shifty conditions and lots of pressure changes. Onshore they can expect the full gamut of Irish hospitality, including daily prize-giving and social events in a picturesque and beautiful location.
The International 505 is an iconic class, and a boat that generates fierce loyalty from all those that sail one. Famously, Paul Evstrom said: “The 5O5 is really my favourite class because it is so lively and responsive in all types of wind and sea conditions….after having sailed all types of dinghy and all types of keelboat I would like to tell you that no other boat is able to give one so much pleasure as this one.”
Designed by Britain’s John Westall in 1954, the 505 is a perfect combination of tactical, technical and speed sailing. There are faster boats than a 505, but none feel as fast and it can be sailed fast in all conditions.
Mastery takes many years as there is no end of controls you can adjust, allowing 505 sailors to develop very deep technical sailing knowledge. Also, little ground is lost when tacking or gybing a 505, meaning every tactical opportunity can be pursued.
The joy of sailing 505s attracts all types of sailors — Olympians, pros and club sailors alike. Despite reduced numbers because of the Covid effect, the fleet is packed with talent. Some highlights include:
- From Australia, Luke Payne will be coming straight from his duties on the Danish SailGP team to sail with Peter Nicholas. Together they have had a 4th and 2nd before; is this their year?
- Olympic bronze medallist Ian Brown sailing with Tom Olsen (US), two-time Star world champion and one-time Etchells world champ.
- From the US, four-time Olympian Stuart McNay sailing with Caleb Paine, bronze medallist in the 2020 Olympics in the Finn class.
- Mike Martin and Adam Lowry, defending champions and 2019 US sailors of the year. Plus, Mike is the only person to win the 505 World Championship as both a sailor and crew.
- From Germany, three-time Olympian, seven-time world champion (five in 505s) and the King of Kiel Week with a whopping 23 wins, Wolfgang Hunger will pair up with his original 505 crew and three-time world champ Holger Jess.
- Perennial threats Stefan Boehm and Gerald Roos are racing, as is Johannes Tellen this time pairing with champion sailor Lena Stuckl.
- From the UK, 2006 world champion Mark Upton-Brown teams up with Ian Mitchell, while 2008 champ Ian Pinnell is sailing with 2015 and 2017 champion Carl Smit from the US. Carl normally sails with three-time world champion Mike Holt, an Englishman who lives and races for the US. Holty is sailing with Rob Woelfel, with whom he won his first world title in 2014 and these two are the form boat coming into this event.
Ten races are scheduled for the Worlds from 8-13 August, with six for the pre-Worlds on 5-6 August. There is a maximum of three races each day.
Starting races in the 505 class is unique in that they utilise a gate start. A pathfinder boat will sail close hauled from the pin on port and the fleet must pass behind her on starboard. The advantage is that it is very rare for a race to have to be restarted, or for competitors to infringe the line. It does, however, put a premium on boat speed and the ability to hold a lane if you want a competitive start.
The other interesting element in 505 racing is that they sail with symmetrical spinnakers but race like they are asymmetrical. The moment crews are on trapeze, it is faster to sail downwind by high-speed reaching and sailing the longer distance. This leads to some very tactical and fast racing.
For more see www.int505.org/2022-world-championship-cork