F18 Worlds 2019 @Costa Brava: Bundock & Nicholas crowned World Champs

All images buy Marc Gonzalez Alomá , sailing ones from past days, top ten in order. – Later final day ones when available. Final Day complete gallery in CSN Fb —

What a Final Day for the 2019 F18 World Championships held at Camping Ballena Alegre, Costa Brava Spain. Great finish on a great venue to race F18s. The Day started with Bundock-Nicholas leading ahead of Paschalidis-Trigonis by 3pts. We stated yesterday there was no place for any strategy but to go out and win for both teams. And it was the case.

Third place Cruz Gonzalez Smith & Mariano Heuser had also to resist the Aussies who were discarding +20s with one more final race, thus the podium spots were anything but defined at the start of the first race today. Following suit to climb positions Mitch Booth & son Ruben won the first , decided to join his former Olympics pals at the top, ‘Legend & Sons’ stepup to achieve their goal.

Paschalidis & Trigonis finshed with an excellent 5th, considering the shifting conditions and more when Bundy & Conor got a 10th in that same race. So now it was a tie in 21 points for the two leaders while Argies got Burvill-Puttman and Booth-Booth two points behind their third overall.

Next race would define plenty, and the mighty Greeks were not going to let their 2018 Title just like that. With great stance under pressure they scored a bullet in the second race, while Bundock-Nicholas got a 10th! That was a defining moment, Danny & Kostas were now 6 pts ahead with one race to spare. Impressive comeback from trailing yesterday showing they were more than prepared to defend the crown against their long time friend and Legend Darren Bundock.

We were following the updates and races with Jakub (Exploder) and Marton (1D) and although both got a secured title for their brands we were all going crazy with the results, Thrilling situation no doubt, what a great regatta finish Costa Brava and the sailors delivered.

in between before the last race of the event the Argies Gonzalez Smith & Heuser were making numbers to see their gap vs Burvill and Booth for 3rd overall. In the second race they managed to finish 1 place ahead of Brett & Max while the Booths scored a +20. The Argies continued in third overall, and one more race was being prepared by the RC.

Last race Danny & Kostas were in control, although within a tricky course race weather, as seen by Bundy & Mitch results. They need to cover Bundock-Nicholas, finish behind them or 7th in case Aussies took a win in the last to grab their second consecutive Worlds.

We received news from the beach, the final race was in progress. Much at stake in the top five, and even the top ten. First update we got was that Bundock-Nicholas were leading at the last top mark by a huge gap. But that status was not enough for them to win the Title, as Greeks could have been in 2,3, or even 7th to win. Minutes passed for a new update and we were informed that Danny & Kostas were 15th going downwind. Uhh tough situation for them, but chatting with Marton we both agreed that it was still not defined as the Greeks have recovered themselves from worst positions as done in Sarasota 2018. A 7th was still possible no doubt.

Only issue this time it was many were also running for survival covering their own top ten spots and the entire top 15 were super fast the whole week.

Final news were top five of the last race: 1st Bundy-Nicholas, 2nd Arg Krevisky-Benitez, 3rd Henri Demesmaeker-Bagué and an impressive 4th for Argies Cruz & Mariano who were securing their podium place ahead of Booth-Booth (5th in that race) and Burvill-Puttman who sadly scored 18th in the last race relegating their chances.

Still again there was room to define the first and second, as no news from Paschalidis & Trgonis. Few mins later we were informed that they finished 17th erasing their title hopes.

It was a tricky last day of racing for everyone

In the end Darren Bundock & Conor Nicholas went for that final race win which gave them the 2019 World Title. Epic finish suited for a movie script.

Head High for Danny Paschalidis & Kostas Trigonis, too close call and all defined in the last race. They joined the F18 in 2017 and they adapted pretty quickly, having them onboard the F18 was and is great news, of course they will be ready for Italy 2020.

World Champions 2019

Bundy named us today on the ceremony and later his social pages. Indeed we invited him to race F18s again after 6 years, and we promised a competitive platform (our own designed ‘Scorpion’ project) if so. Thanks to Jakub / Exploder and Marton Balazs / 1D Darren & Conor had an F18 to race, it was delivered three days before the event and they adapted pretty well. Bundy has trained Conor so they knew each other well. The Exploder Scorpion Third Consecutive Title with 3 different crews, but we’ll cover details on a coming post.

The invited guests delivered a World Title and great promotion for the F18 Class. Also not many room to fail as Darren’s Wife, our own Carolijn Brouwer (Top Catsailor & VOR Winner) demanded only a win as Bundy reported in his fb page….!

Relief now going back home, as he won! We are all more than happy for Darren and Conor, I repeat Bundy is one of the best guys I’ve known and interacted all these years, a Legend and a humble better person. Always thinking in the next generations, he patronized little Demesmaeker, he is coach for Nacra 15 Aussie team, coach for Nacra 17 too and now racing with his coachee youth Conor Nicholas. In the process some Olympic medals, an Americas Cup, some podiums in the A-Class and several crowns in the Tornado & F18 too. The guy won everything and also has time to pass the torch to the new generations, another one is Legend Mitch Booth and not many do that I can assure you, relegate a bit yourself giving room to youths.

Bundy: We are proud to have you as a Catsailor, hope you can race cats, any of them along coaching new generations for many years to come.

Argies

Another shout for the Argie fleet, 3rd overall for Mariano & Cruz, only behind two monsters Pro teams. After many years of close calls, including a World Title miss in Argentina against Volker-Juan Martin Benitez (both racing this Worlds in separated boats) a 6th on the 2017 Worlds with 3 escond places behind Mischa in the breeze in the finals, several Texels, St Barts and 10 years of local Arg racing filled with Nat Titles, it was time for them to grab such a podium.

Arg sent 5 teams, all made Gold Fleet and 3 in the top ten, with Agustin Krevisky & Juan Martin Benitez closing with flare in the last race only behind the World Champs climbing positions to a 6th overall ahead of Henri Demesmaeker & Alec bagué, and as top C2 “Team Riders” as it was a chartered brand new C2 from Laurent. Agustin now wants his F18 World Title, to put in his shelf along his World & Vice Opti ones. Volker & Mehl were 5th the entire week , a bad day today relegated them to great 8th overall the same.

Pablo Volker & Juan Martin Benitez were crowned World Champs in 2016 (Volker is also 420 WC) followed by Cruz & Mariano, the 4 sailors validated their Buenos Aires pennants showing the actual international level of the Argie Fleet even with chartered boats.

Aussies

Brett Burvill & Max Puttman reached as candidates for the podium, builder and sail maker we have praised many time here on their racing and bulding skills, one buidl the Windrush Edge and the other their own Next Gen sails. This event was mostly mid range winds from 7 to 13 knots and Brett reports they are not used to sail in that wind much back at home. Still the 3rd place of the podium was at hand till last minute, a tricky last races put them back but Brett & Max have a good week, surely they wanted more, we all like to see them on the podium, but this Worlds were ultra competitive, many contenders for the top 5. Their mates Colby-Dubbelaaer (9th overall fianlly) and Parker-Brown had also a great week.

17 teams from Australia, great commitment by the Aussie mates, and also thanks to Maersk for helping them with both containers. We hope to have the Aussies back again in Italy next year.

Argies and Aussies were the stars of event no doubt, ask anyone who attended. The Southern Hemi is leading the new era in the Formula 18 Class.

Too much good sailors to name, so we want all recognized with another sailmaker like Simon Northrop racing with Caleb Cooper and Edge equipped with his own Northtrop Sails. Italians and French teams were close to the top ten too, many were in the whole week, just a high competitive fleet and no place for everyone in top spots. One of the most competitive events I’ve seen with several swaps in the top ten during the week.

All covered I guess, a final congrats to Olivier Bovyn and Pierre Charles Barraud for creating this great Class, and of course the French pioneers sailors and builders. La Ballena Alegre Camping in Costa Brava proved once more to be a perfect venue, one where the Class needs to schedule as an annual event if possible. Next year plan your trip to Italy, Yacht Club Gaeta will host the 2020 F18 Worlds.

Top ten results below, complete list at https://cvballena-alegre.sailti.com/es/default/races/race-resultsall/text/f18-world-championship-2019-es

Last day of racing, updates as they come: Shifty conditions at La Ballena Alegre camping in Costa Brava, both fleets out racing. Live update by Goodall Design, 6 Final races now, second discard enters, leaders tied in 21.

Update: Last race Bundy won by miles, and sadly the Greeks who were ahead by 6pts finished 17th. Seems Bundy-Conor won the title. All provisional.

Later full report and pics when available.

Final gold fleet race finish:
1 AUS 888 Bundock-Nicholas
2 ARG 533 Krevisky-Benitez
3 BEL 3 Henri Demesmaeker-Bagué
4 ARG 11 Gonzalez Smith-Heuser
5 AUS 1 Booth-Booth

Greeks seems 17th , to confirm.

7th gold fleet race:
1 GRE 7 Paschalidis-Trigonis
2 ITA 69 Mazzuchi-Ligsinoli
3 ITA 8 Vettori-Stella
4 AUS 008 Goodall-Haazen
5 NED 77 Van Dam-Van Dam

Race 6 Gold fleet Finish:
1 AUS 1 Booth-Booth
2 ITA 23 Radman-Morelli
3 GBR 522 Northtrop-Cooper
4 AUS 38 Burvill-Puttman
5 GRE 7 Paschalidis-Trigonis
10 AUS 888 Bundock-Conor

Top ten after 14F, 3 finals held today, Provisional. Complete results will updated at official web here