International One Metre World Championships in Gladstone, Australia – Day 1
by IOM Worlds 22 Oct 03:39 PDT
20-28 October 2024
International One Metre World Championships in Gladstone, Australia Day 1 © IOM Worlds
International One Metre World Championships in Gladstone, Australia Day 1 © IOM Worlds
International One Metre World Championships in Gladstone, Australia Day 1 © IOM Worlds
The first day of the IOM World Championships was quite intense. It began slowly with an offshore breeze blowing from an unfavorable direction, causing a two-hour delay. At 11 AM, the wind shifted to the North, stabilizing enough for the race officer to start the racing.
In this championship, racing is governed by the HMS fleet racing format, dividing competitors into five separate groups. A race concludes once all five fleets have completed their course. The top fifth of participants move to the A fleet, the second fifth to the B fleet, and so forth. For the following race, if you rank in the top six, you advance to the next fleet, and your score counts until you no longer ascend.
Throughout the day, we witnessed several sailors who initially landed in the E fleet after the first race continually advance by finishing in the top six, moving into the next heat, and repeating this until they reached the B and C fleets. The A fleet, where most favorites were located, had an incredibly high level of intensity. Some aggressive starts and mark roundings caused pile-ups, impacting some of the frontrunners negatively.
Two complete races were finished, along with part of the third race (C, D, and E fleets). By the end of the day, focusing solely on the two completed races, Ian Vickers from New Zealand emerged at the top with two first-place finishes. This marks his seventh World Championships, but he has yet to secure a win, with his best result being third in 2019. Following him are three French competitors: Olivier Cohen, the reigning World Champion in second with a 2nd and 4th, Alexis Carre in third with a 5th and 2nd, and Patrice Montero in fourth with a 3rd and 5th.
Croatian sailors Zvonko Jelacic and Ante Kovacevic, along with Steve Landau from the USA and Paolo Cappa from Italy, each secured victories in their first heats but struggled during the chaotic A fleet race in the second round, finishing 14th, 16th, 18th, and 19th respectively.
Overall, Day 1 was a success, showcasing intense competition, shifting racing conditions, and an enthusiastic response to the live streaming of the event, which can be watched on YouTube. Streaming links and results are available at www.iomworlds.com
