The 87-strong 29er world championship fleet in Silva Plana, Switzerland was split into two equal groups for the qualifying series, each fleet alternating with the other in 10 windward/leeward races over the three days.

Two boats, the British Crewsaver team of Tristen Jaques and Alain Sign and the flying Fins Lauri Lehtinen and Mikka Pennennen in Arcadia have dominated the qualifying series with four and five firsts respectively. Jaques and Sign lead with 16 points from Lehtinen and Pennanans 17 points. These two boats have yet to race each other so the spectators are in for a treat in the three-day gold series starting today.

In hot pursuit of these two are the winners of the recent International championship in Weymouth, the Australians Dave O’Conner and Scott Babbage on 23 points who in turn have a massive 26-point lead over last year’s worlds runner-up from Argentina Pepe Bettini and Frederico Villambrosa.

In the strongest International fleet for years, the gold fleet has 6 British, 5 USA, 2 Argentineans, 3 Fins, 2 Danish, 2 German, 2 Swiss, 2 Australians, and 1 New Zealand boats.