Who is in form for the Etchells World Championship 2025?
by Etchells World Championship 12 Nov 14:11 PST
10-14 January 2025
Lisa Rose warming up © Jeanette Severs / Metung Yacht Club
Lisa Rose © Jeanette Severs / Metung Yacht Club
Graeme “G.T.” Taylor has achieved yet another victory, clinching the Etchells National Championship on AUS1486 Magpie, with Ben “Lamby” Lamb rejoining the crew alongside longtime partner James “Jimmy” Mayo.
“Lamby is integrating perfectly. The absence of Richie has created a noticeable gap in our team, but Lamby is performing admirably,” Taylor commented on the shift from their previous World Championship winning assembly. “We’re beginning to mesh as a unit and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. James continues to be a consistent presence and leaves no stone unturned in our quest to improve both on and off the water.”
With a remarkable series of recent results at both National and World levels, Taylor is poised to be among the frontrunners for the Etchells Worlds at the Royal Brighton Yacht Club this January.
“Winning the Etchells World Championship is one of the toughest challenges in sailing and many teams are genuinely capable,” Taylor noted. “For us, Lamby’s return has been seamless; we have raced together in 2018 at several regattas. He is a true expert in his field and possesses an infectious desire for improvement.”
“As for being considered favorites, no thanks, let the big names like Kostecki have that title! We are simply Australian competitors here to give our all,” Taylor added. “Success requires precise planning, hard work, transparency, and a fair dose of luck.”
Regarding their strategy leading up to the January Worlds, Taylor’s team intends to remain in and around Melbourne and Brighton for extra practice in the upcoming months.
“We aim to participate in the Christmas Cup and then sail from January 1st leading into the pre-worlds and then the Worlds,” Taylor said. “The lead-up to this event has been quite competitive for all Australian teams, giving international competitors an edge coming off their summer sailing.”
Taylor also shared his thoughts on the Etchells Class itself, highlighting his favorite aspects as a sailor. “The Etchells Class has always emphasized the quality of racing and the camaraderie among competitors. Over the years, it has consistently attracted Olympic medalists and America’s Cup champions racing throughout the fleet.”
He further remarked, “For us everyday sailors, it presents a rare chance to race against the legends of our sport, gauge our performance, and sometimes even surpass them. The satisfaction this provides is immense and highly motivating.”
Another sailor excelling in the Etchells Class ahead of the Worlds is Jack Abbott, part of a well-known youth and Corinthian team sailing AUS1484 ‘Lisa Rose’ from the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron.
Abbott’s team has enjoyed success this year with backing from Martin Hill and HillPDA, the founder of Club Corinthian.
Looking ahead to January, Jack added, “we know there’s still much work to do! Many skilled competitors will be in the mix come Worlds, so we’ll strive to build momentum from here. Our goal is to keep learning and perform to the best of our ability in Brighton.”
In addition to these two teams, there is a wealth of talent within the Etchells Class. As the end of the month approaches, entries for the Etchells Worlds will close on November 30. Competitors will have one last opportunity to race against one another in the Christmas Cup from December 13-15 in Brighton before the pre-worlds at the start of January, followed by the Worlds.
Visit the Etchells website below for access to the registration portal or for additional information regarding entries.
