Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo M75

One door closes, another one opens

by Richard Aspland, World Sailing 10 Dec 2016 06:05 PST 14-20 December 2016
The Nacra 15 in action © World Sailing

When the 2016 Aon Youth Sailing World Championships gets underway there will be a new class and a new opportunity for the young sailors to prove themselves in.

The Nacra 15 multihull will make its debut at the 2016 Youth Worlds, to be held in Auckland, New Zealand from 14 – 20 December, and it has got a former medallist very excited for the new challenge ahead.

Sailing with Nick Egnot Johnson at the 2015 Youth Worlds in Langkawi, Malaysia, Jackson Keon won a silver medal in the 29er, but with Johnson now too old to compete, Keon had to look elsewhere to continue his Youth Worlds adventure.

"This year I'm with a different crew," explained Keon, "and we placed second in the 29er class [trials]. As New Zealand didn't have a Nacra 15 team we got the Youth spot in the Nacra class and get to sail and train in the catamaran."

Keon's new team mate is Tom Fyfe who will now join him in his assault on another Youth Worlds medal. For Keon though, he is just happy to be at the pinnacle youth event again and sees it as a step to bigger things in sailing, "It's cool to come to another Youth Worlds and the America's Cup is cats now. I could see myself sailing catamarans at that level or in the Olympic classes."

The introduction of the Nacra 15, the precursor to the Olympic class Nacra 17, and Keon's entry to this year's fleet has given the young sailor something to think about, especially with the well known duo of Pete Burling and Blair Tuke setting the bar so high in the 49er, "There is a lot of competition in the 29er and leading in to the 49ers, so for just one spot it's quite a struggle for people to jump straight in to the class. There are also people who will be in that class for a long time. Maybe cat sailing isn't such a bad idea."

Time will tell if 'cat' sailing is a good idea or not for Keon, but for the immediate future he has the Youth Worlds in his home nation to compete at, "A medal would be ideal. But it is new and we don't know much about our competitors, they could have sailed it less than us, we just don't know. If we could come away with a medal it would be an awesome thing to tick off."

If Keon and Fyfe are to get a medal they will have to get past a French team which has last year's multihull (SL16) gold medallist as crew. Charles Dorange won 14 of the 15 races in the 2015 edition with then helm Louis Flament, and even with a new team mate, Tim Mourniac, you can't help but feel there will be another strong French multihull challenge.

Looking to take inspiration from Rolex World Sailor of the Year and Nacra 17 Olympic gold medallist Santiago Lange and crew Cecilia Carranza Saroli, Argentina's Nacra 15 pair are Massimo Contessi and Agustina Castro Fau.

Elsewhere in the fleet, Great Britain's Jack Butters and James King and Italy's Gianluigi Ugolini and Maria Giubilei return to the Youth Worlds in the multihull hoping to take the lessons learned from Langkawi and apply them to the waters off Torbay Sailing Club in Auckland.

Also trying his hand at the new class is USA's Romain Screve who sailed against Keon in the 29er at the 2015 Youth Worlds. Screve teams up with Ian Brill this time around.

The Nacra 15 will begin at 12:55 local time on 16 December with three races scheduled for the Open Two Person Multihull.

www.isafyouthworlds.com

Related Articles

Debut of the Picnic Boat 39
A new icon joins the fleet We invented the Picnic Boat. And we've never stopped perfecting it. The new Hinckley Picnic Boat 39 is a masterpiece of timeless design and modern ingenuity. Posted on 27 Jul
Prestige F4.3 - a new model for Cannes
A unique entry into the world of high-end yachting Experience the elegance and refinement of the new generation of the F-Line aboard the PRESTIGE F4.3. The quality of materials, fit and finish, interior and exterior design, functionality. Posted on 25 Jul
Four Winns debuts TH33 and TH38 power catamarans
Engineered to transform boating experiences into refined escapes Engineered to transform boating experiences into refined escapes, the new Four Winns TH33 and TH38 set a new standard for power catamarans of its size as the latest addition to its TH (Twin Hull) Series, launched in 2023. Posted on 24 Jul
Helping boaters steer clear of common mistakes
Veteran Sea Tow® captains share their tips Boating season is already in full throttle, and Sea Tow®, recognized throughout the marine industry as Your Road Service at Sea®, is proud to offer boating tips to avoid some of the most common mistakes seen on the water. Posted on 24 Jul
Airship | Ford's Terror to Wood Spit
We slept in again this morning at Ford's Terror We slept in again this morning at Ford's Terror, and then Taylor made a super yum breakfast taco bar...scrambled eggs, hash browns, Jerry's double-smoked bacon, tomatillo cream sauce, etc.... Posted on 24 Jul
Harris Boats unveils new Sunliner & Sunliner Sport
A bold evolution in Pontoon design Harris Boats, a leader in luxury pontoon craftsmanship and a Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) brand, has announced the launch of the completely redesigned Sunliner and the debut of the dynamic Sunliner Sport. Posted on 23 Jul
Marine Auctions: July Online Auctions
Bidding to start 24th July and will end 30 July We are now accepting entries for our August Online Auction. Posted on 22 Jul
The after party starts now!
Prestige have already given us two instalments of their M-Line, and now here is the third Prestige have already given us two instalments of their M-Line, and now here is the third - M7 Posted on 21 Jul
Why V-Hull powerboats dominate rough waters
The hull design plays a critical role in how a boat handles the water V-hull powerboats have long been favored by boaters who prioritize performance, especially when navigating choppy or offshore conditions. Posted on 19 Jul
The Italian Sea Group delivers 78m M/Y Admiral
A masterpiece by Admiral combining art, technology, and sustainable vision The Italian Sea Group proudly announces the delivery of the new 78-metre Admiral megayacht. Posted on 19 Jul
Maritimo M600Palm Beach Motor Yachts