Aspire, skippered by SSL Team Poland Captain Mateusz Kusznierewicz, has won the 2023 5.5 Metre World Championship (SSL 2500) at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, after a tense final day on the water in light winds.
Sailing with Przemyslaw Gacek and Edward Wright, they finished a single point ahead of Norway’s Kristian Nergaard on Artemis, crewed by Johan Barne and Trond Solli-Saether.
On winning the title Kusznierewicz said: "It's an amazing feeling to be the world champions in the 5.5 Metre class. We enjoyed it so much. Actually, I must say, it was tough. We had to put a lot of energy into it. We built up for a couple of days after arriving here, and every day we were striving to improve. I believe this dedication was the key to our success - to never give up, to be better every day. We delivered. Just one point ahead of Artemis. Congratulations to them. Also, a shoutout to the Australian team led by John Bacon. The entire fleet was fantastic, and we truly enjoyed Porto Cervo and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Thank you very much."
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.