Please select your home edition
Edition
Palm Beach Motor Yachts

2019 Hyundai 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships - Day 1

by 49er & Nacra 17 Sailing 3 Dec 2019 03:25 PST 3-8 December 2019
2019 Hyundai 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships - Day 1 © Jesus Renedo / Sailing Energy

Erik Heil and Thomas Ploessel opened day one of the World Championships with a stunningly consistent performance while some of the other big guns failed to fire.

Two 49er races were completed after wild weather lashed the race areas off Auckland, New Zealand. With wind speeds up to 37 knots recorded on the race course earlier in the day, the sensible decision was made to keep all sailors ashore until sailable conditions arrived. After a delay long enough to cause even the most seasoned veterans to assume they were having a day off, the 49er fleet were sent out for two rounds of qualifying races.

With over 400 athletes competing from 40 nations and with the broadest ever suite of live coverage in Olympic sailing history capturing every race, the 2019 Hyundai World Championships will be the most important event on the sailors calendars prior to Tokyo 2020.

International fans can view the racing live at 49er.org/live or on Sky Sport 9 for those in New Zealand.

Red Fleet - A solid start but soggy finish for Burling and Tuke

In the Red Fleet, reigning Olympic Champions Peter Burling and Blair Tuke showed total confidence to kick off the regatta in the best possible way in front of their home fans. They won the battle to 'win the pin', the favoured left-hand end of the start line. This gave them the opportunity to put the bow down, accelerate their 49er up to full upwind pace, earning the Kiwis the opportunity to tack and cross the fleet, extending from there. They took a three-boat-length lead into the windward mark. It was all the more impressive given they then gybe-set - implying the far side actually had the better breeze.

The dynamic duo never looked back, pulling out a massive lead and a race win on the scoreboard.

In the second race it was Dominik Buksak and Szymon Wierzbicki (POL) who came off the left side of the course to pull away to a large lead by the first mark, again with most of the fleet heading right to the far side. The Poles extended to a sizeable lead but then almost capsized while negotiating the leeward gate, only just rescuing themselves from a watery error.

The chasing pack also suffered their spills, with second place Jonas Warrer and Jakob Precht Jensen (DEN) capsizing near the bottom marks. Burling and Tuke made a few passes to shift into second place, and then on the last downwind overtook the Polish for the lead. While the Poles overstood the lay line and were struggling to keep their kite full, it was Burling and Tuke who made a rare error to capsize on their final gybe into the finish, dropping back to 11th across the line. What was so nearly a perfect start to the regatta for the home favourites - ruined at the final hurdle of day one.

49er Yellow Race 1 - French profit from huge wind shifts in opening race

In yellow fleet, the fleet was obviously eager after the long delay caused by the weather. Both the general recall first start and the all-clear second start featured boats tacking to port tack almost immediately after the gun as the post-frontal breeze tried to settle.

Louis Chambert and Hugo Fedrigucci (FRA 180) pulled out a huge lead at the top mark with a delta of 30 seconds, although a gybe-set proved to be the wrong move as the French sailed into a wind hole at the bottom of the first lap.

On the second upwind in a French battle for supremacy, Kevin Fischer/ Yann Jauvin (FRA44) showed Erwan Fischer/ Clement Piquin (FRA655) how to sail a 49er upwind. Starting from the wrong side of a loose cover position, FRA44 accelerated out from under FRA655, around the front of their bow and tacked to cross on the starboard lay line to lead into the top mark second time and never looked back.

49er Yellow Race 2 - France make it 2 from 2

Lucas Rual / Emile Amoros (FRA 8) performed the classed 'dead bird' start; starting right on the boat end of the line and tacking immediately to the right-hand side, resulting in a fair sized lead after lap one. Sailing in phase and positioning themselves perfectly between second place and the next mark, the French never looked like giving it up, although Jakob Meggendorfer and Andreas Spranger (GER 22) had closed the gap to just 8 seconds by the finish. Meanwhile, New Zealand's Logan Dunning-Beck and Oscar Gunn came from deep in the fleet to finish third, using all their downwind speed to get back into contention. After a 21st in the first race, it was just the Kiwi team needed before heading back ashore.

49er Blue Race 1 - Young Irish keep Olympic medallists at bay

After a general recall the Blue fleet was the last race to get going as they suffered from unstable winds. By the time racing did get going the wind started picking up quickly and many top teams got caught out on the wrong rig settings.

Some of the favourites in this fleet - such as Lukasz Przybytek and Pawel Kolodzinski (POL 42) - found themselves with a lot to do at the first windward mark. Portuguese sailors Jorge Lima and Jose Costa suffered rig damage and were forced to pull out of competition for the rest of the day, a disappointing start to the regatta with Costa also suffering an ankle injury.

Showing no hesitation were Rio Olympic bronze medalists Erik Heil and Thomas Ploessel (GER 4), but in tacking to the left side upwind the experienced Germans let slip the 2018 Junior World Champions from Ireland, Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove, who overtook for the lead.

In a tight downwind battle, the young Irishmen held off the Olympic medallists to win their first ever race at a World Championship, a massive moment for any sailor.

49er Blue Race 2 - Heil and Ploessel bring it home

In race two, Heil and Ploessel (GER 4) got an excellent start off the pin end of the start line, giving them the control on the left-hand side of the race track. The Germans tacked and crossed the bulk of the fleet before putting in another hitch all the way to the left-hand lay line. Heil and Ploessel rounded the first mark with a 60 metre lead over the Brazilians Marco Grael and Gabriel Borges (BRA 15).

Germany extended the lead for the race win, putting them in first overall of the 49er World Championships after day one, a very consistent performance by Heil and Ploessel where so many other top names faltered. Brazil held on for second across the finish line, followed by Lukasz Przybytek and Pawel Kolodzinski (POL 42).

49erFX and Nacra 17 sent home without racing

Athletes and fans alike will have to wait an extra day for the 49erFX and Nacra 17 fleets to hit the water. With daylight disappearing, the 49erFX and Nacra 17 fleets were sent home before getting a shot at the water. Both fleets will be first on the roster for day 2, with four scheduled races in each fleet, to try and catch up on the qualifying series.

49er Results after Day 1: (top five, 2 races)

1st Erik Heil/ Thomas Ploessel GER 2-1; 3pts
2nd Kévin Fischer/ Yann Jauvin FRA 1-4; 5pts
3rd Bart Lambriex/ Pim van Vugt NED 3-4; 7pts
4th Dominik Buksak/ Szymon Wierzbicki POL 7-1; 8pts
5th Erwan Fischer/ Clément Pequin FRA 3-5; 8pts

Find full results here.

Related Articles

Introducing the new Oceanwalker S60e
The first power cat is scheduled for delivery in April 2026 Revolution Marine Group introduces the Oceanwalker S60e, a 60-foot solar-electric power catamaran poised to redefine eco-friendly luxury on the water. Posted on 10 Jun
2025 Flotilla to Alaska Day 12
Shearwater to Rescue Bay Our plan this morning was to leave Shearwater between 8:30am-9am. We were hopeful that the fuel barge had come during the night...Shearwater was out of diesel when we arrived! Posted on 10 Jun
Nordhavn 71 Roundtable Discussion
Some of the parent company's masterminds gathered in the saloon recently Recently some of the masterminds behind Nordhavn parent company Pacific Asian Enterprises gathered in the saloon of the brand new hull #3 of the Nordhavn 71 series to discuss the mechanics and nuances of the company's latest luxury model. Posted on 9 Jun
Marine Auctions: June online auctions
Bidding to open on Friday 20th June The Bidding for the June Online Auction will commence on Thursday 20th June and will end on Thursday 26th June at 2pm AEST. Posted on 7 Jun
Bulwarks and Bulldust – watch Episode Five
Episode Five - Shane Subichin, The Boat Works - is now up and running Watch along as we speak with Shane Subichin, GM at The Boat Works about his life from tinnies on Sydney Harbour to leading the team at the premier refit and maintenance yard on the Gold Coast. Posted on 6 Jun
New Formula 360 Crossover Bowrider
An exciting new generation of Formula dayboats has arrived An exciting new generation of Formula dayboats has arrived with the upcoming debut of the all-new Formula 360 Crossover Bowrider. Posted on 5 Jun
2025 Flotilla to Alaska Day 7
Small Inlet to Mound Island We had an elaborate plan all worked out for today, with several backup plans built in, and we scrapped all of it as soon as we got up to Chatham Point light, where the promised 25kt winds and 3ft moderate wind waves did not materialize at all. Posted on 5 Jun
Spirit Yachts Reveals New P50 Motor Yacht
The P50 Coupé and the P50 Sport offer options for warmer and cooler climates An exclusive new project from Spirit Yachts' award-winning in-house design team led by Tom Smith, the Spirit P50 marries the style and sophistication of Spirit's sailing yachts with statement power boat characteristics to offer a luxury proposition. Posted on 4 Jun
Valhalla 55 Sport Yacht - Ready to ride
Making her highly anticipated debut in Atlantic City The Valhalla 55 Sport Yacht makes her highly anticipated debut in Atlantic City, New Jersey – and it's more than a new model. Posted on 4 Jun
2025 Flotilla to Alaska Day 3
Clam Bay to Comox: A gorgeous, calm morning so far! Our alarm went off just before 4:30am this morning...enough time to check the weather, get a few sips of coffee, and figure out if we were going to need to change the plan. Again. Posted on 1 Jun
Palm Beach Motor YachtsMaritimo 2023 M600 FOOTER