High winds, large waves, and a strong current created challenging conditions on day three of the 49er, 49erFX, and Nacra 17 World Championship in Quiberon, France. The weather conditions were so severe that during the 49er racing, the fleet struggled to turn downwind at the windward mark, forcing boats to continuously sail upwind while waiting for an opportunity to execute a bear-away manoeuvre. Eventually, two teams made the daring move, but many others were left unable to follow suit.
Photographer Jesus Renedo, who has covered skiff sailing for 15 years, reported witnessing unprecedented events throughout the day. He captured images of the 49erFX fleet sailing with colourful gennakers while a cruising yacht inadvertently crossed their path, leading to a collision that damaged the mainsail of France’s FRA84 and the daggerboard of Spain’s ESP73.
As the day progressed, the current intensified, making it increasingly difficult to navigate downwind without capsizing. Even the reigning 49erFX World Champions, Paula Barcelo and Maria Cantero, struggled to maintain control, capsizing multiple times despite their best efforts.
In a pivotal moment of Race 7 for the yellow group, Freya Black and Saskia Tidey from Great Britain finished first, ahead of Paris Henken and Helena Scutt from the USA. However, other teams faced difficulties as the wind picked up, with some unable to complete the race and others resorting to unconventional tactics such as reversing their skiffs across the finish line.
In the 49er category, only one race was completed, with the Austrian team of Keanu Prettner and Jakob Flachberger managing to maintain their overall lead. They adopted conservative tactics, opting for a slower but safer manoeuvre rather than risking a spinnaker gybe. Behind them, the Chinese duo of Zaiding Wen and Tian Liu were close competitors, with the Swiss team of Sebastien Schneiter and Arno de Planta trailing slightly.
The 49erFX standings saw Black and Tidey perform strongly, winning two of their four heats to secure the top position. The Danish sisters, Johanne and Andrea Schmidt, followed closely behind after consistent performances, while Germany’s Anna Barth and her young crew member Emma Kohlhoff also showed promising results.
On the Nacra 17 front, Australia’s Brin Liddell and Rhiannan Brown excelled, achieving impressive race results that propelled them to fourth overall. They currently trail Britain’s reigning World Champions John Gimson and Anna Burnet, as well as Italy’s Gianluigi Ugolini and Maria Giubilei.
As competition heats up, live coverage of the championship will continue over the next three days, with audiences encouraged to tune in for the final battles for the world titles.
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