Sweden, Australia, and Italy have all moved to the top on day three of thrilling racing in Sardinia. Competitors experienced great breeze suitable for foiling in catamarans and full-on planing in skiffs, with some surprising leaders emerging in the 49er and 49erFX classes and a more expected leader in the Nacra 17 fleet.
49erFX: Swedes shocked by their slender lead
Vilma Bobeck, leading the 49erFX World Championship, has made a strong impression with her new crew Ebba Berntsson, after dominating the 2023 Worlds in The Hague. Despite their recent pairing, they rank first at the halfway stage, exceeding expectations. Following a sixth place in their first race, they won their last two heats of qualifying. “We came here expecting absolutely nothing,” Bobeck said. “We just want to keep on learning and enjoying sailing together.” Tied on points but second on tiebreak are Canadian sisters Georgia and Antonia Lewin-LaFrance, who enjoyed beautiful conditions with winds up to 14 knots. They expressed satisfaction with their consistency despite challenging conditions.
Notably, the Spanish team of Paola Barcelo and Maria Cantero is also exceeding expectations, sitting just off the lead. Pia Dahl Andersen and Nora Edland of Norway showed remarkable resilience, maintaining eighth overall despite Edland battling illness.
49er: Aussies hijack the lead ahead of the big guns
Jack Ferguson and Jack Hildebrand from Australia have climbed from third to first overall at the end of 49er qualifying. Their performance has been commendable, with top-six results in nearly all races. Ferguson stated, “We had a strong start to the day, which is great, and I’m confident going into the final series. Super challenging racing, the breeze has been all over the place.” The Polish team of Mikolaj Staniul and Jakub Sztorch, as well as Dutch champions Bart Lambriex van Aanholt and Floris van de Werken, are tied five points behind the Australians.
Nacra 17: Italians pushed hard by flying Dutch duo
Gianluigi Ugolini and Maria Giubilei from Italy have surged to the front of the Nacra 17 fleet, winning both races on the first day of Gold Fleet competition. They are now leading over Great Britain’s John Gimson and Anna Burnet. The Dutch team of Willemijn Offerman and Scipio Houtman is making waves, moving up to fourth overall and closely trailing the leaders.
Offerman expressed her excitement, stating, “It was super nice to have such a speedy race and just push it to the limits.” The teams are gearing up for more action as the event continues.
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Report by Andy Rice
49er / 49erFX / Nacra 17 results updated daily: https://49er.org/events/2025-world-championship
Hashtags: #49ersailing #Sailing #49er #Nacra17 #WorldChampionships #SailingAustralia
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