We’re at the halfway point of the massive 2023 Allianz Sailing World Championships (SSL 2500), taking place at The Hague in the Netherlands. All the Olympic classes are competing, and the stakes couldn’t be higher as the event is being used to qualify nations for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Here are some of the stand-out performances so far which have caught our eye at SSL HQ…
470 Mixed Dinghy
Japan’s Keiju Okada (SSL Skipper #104) and Miho Yoshioka (SSL Crew #120) are having an exceptional event, and after eight races they are on 17 points, a massive 24 points ahead of their nearest rivals, Germany’s Simon Diesch (SSL Skipper #249) and Anna Markfort (SSL Crew #248). Remarkably the Japanese pair are discarding a 6th, so even counting this discard they are comfortably leading.
Three more races are scheduled for today in the 470 Mixed Dinghy ahead of the Medal Race on Thursday.
49er Men’s Skiff
In the tightest battle at the event, Spain’s Diego Botin Le Chever (SSL Skipper #33) and Florian Trittel Paul (SSL Crew #51) lead The Netherlands’ Bart Lambriex (SSL Skipper #3) and Floris van der Werken (SSL Crew #2) by 0.2 points.
Roaring into contention are Great Britain’s James Peters (SSL Skipper #175) and Fynn Sterritt (SSL Crew #278) who recorded three bullets in a row and current sit third, just 6 points behind the leaders.
Three more races are scheduled for today, with the Medal Race to be held on Friday.
49er FX Women’s Skiff
Sweden’s Vilma Bobeck (SSL Skipper #69) and Rebecca Netzler (SSL Crew #81) are having a remarkable event, leading by an incredible 35 points. In a fleet where consistency is exceptionally hard to come by, then recorded a podium finish in all their first 11 races, including a run of five bullets, with their only blemish being a 19th in race 12.
The final three fleet races are scheduled for today, with the Medal Race to be held on Friday.
Nacra 17 Mixed Multihull
Reigning Olympic and World Champions, Italy’s Ruggero Tita (SSL Skipper #5) and Caterina Banti (SSL Crew #7) went into the 2023 Allianz Sailing World Championships on a poor run of form, but they’re putting this behind them with a run of 8 wins in the 9 races. They then had a poor (for them) day 4, recording 9, 12, 5 results, but they still lead the catamaran class by 6 points from the British pair of John Gimson (SSL Skipper #6) and Anna Burnet (SSL Crew #5).
Three more races are scheduled for today, with the Medal Race on Thursday.
ILCA 7 Men’s Dinghy
They may be only four races in, but Great Britain’s latest star Micky Beckett (SSL Skipper #32) is already atop the leaderboard, ahead of Pavlos Kontides (SSL Skipper #14) of Cyprus.
Racing continues for the fleet until Friday, with the Medal Race scheduled for Sunday.
ILCA 6 Women’s Dinghy
After four races Hungary’s Maria Erdi (SSL Skipper #87) is top of the ranking. There’s a long way to go, but she’s the only sailor in the fleet to have kept all her results in the top ten, discarding a 7th place. After a string of top ten places at events throughout the past couple of years, will this be her breakthrough regatta?
Racing continues for the fleet until Friday, with the Medal Race scheduled for Sunday.
Full results can be found at https://thehague2023.sailing.org/results-centre/.
Mark has been managing sailing websites since 1996, always being at the forefront of technology, and now manages the combined Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com network. He has covered events such as the International Moth World Championship and Cowes Week, focusing on the sailors' thoughts and words. Mark has been European Champion in the Farr 30 & J/24 class and has won numerous UK titles, and competes regularly in local and national events in dinghies and sportsboats.