The F18 world championship, hosted by Parkstone Yacht Club, got under way on Sunday 15 July and racing will continue until Thursday 19 July. With an entry of over 80 boats, the competitors from France, Holland, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Australia as well as the UK include some of the top names in sailing – Olympians as well as world champions. The competition promises to be tough right down the fleet.

At the Official Reception on Saturday evening, Parkstone Yacht Club Commodore, Mrs Mary Reddyhoff, greeted competitors and distinguished guests in English as well as French. She thanked the event’s sponsors and wished everyone a good week’s sailing. She presented M.Olivier Bovyn President of the F18 Class, with a silver Cup to be raced for annually at the world championship.

The Organisers having agreed to a request from the competitors that, as the entry was under 100, the boats will race as a single fleet. Thus eliminating the need for qualifying (seeding) races on Monday and Tuesday and all races will now count towards the championship.

Practice Race Sunday 15 July

Two races were scheduled, but with very little wind and what there was shifting between north west and south, the race officer (Ray Page) did well to eventually get the fleet away at 1515 on an extremely short course. Two previous starts had resulted in general recalls with the Black Flag Rule being implemented after the first. By the time a start was eventually achieved only 30 of the initial 60 boats presented themselves at the line.

The winner was the French Cirrus sailed by Emmanual and Vincent Boulogne. Hugh Styles sailing an Inter no doubt preferred to follow the superstition that the winner of the Practice Race never wins the championship! The first ten or so boats were all snapping at each others heels and promise good racing for the rest of the week.

Results

1st FRA 718 Cirrus, Emmanuel and Vincent Boulogne (Yacht Club Fravelimois)

2nd GBR123 Inter, Darran Bundock and Eddie Pool (TLMS)

3rd 431 Hobie Tiger, Gerard Loos and Esther Van Zeggeren (WVZ Zamvoort)