A-Cat Worlds 2023: Titles for Kuba Suroviec & Scott Anderson

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A-Cat Worlds 202, Toulon, Final day.

Friday early in the morning was time for the Classics to race, having no activity the day before the 80 boats fleet went out in good breeze. Landy was on board the bullet train previous races. He continued no stop that last two for grabbing 5 consecutive first places. His efforts weren’t enough though, while he scored bullets Gustavo & Scott were finishing right behind, establishing a good pts gap ahead of Landy.

Doreste & Anderson were fighting themselves for the crown inch by inch competing in a building breeze / waves condition. All was defined in the last raced where the Aussie finished 2nd and the Spanish top helm in 4th. Those positions called for a tie in pts which was defined favoring Scott Anderson on his 3 bullets during the regatta.

Anderson was crowned in the end as the 2023 Classics World Champ, Gustavo Doreste second and former title holder, Andrew Landenberger, in 3rd overall.
A talented experienced podium with a 70yrs old Champ that can literally lead youths, masters or sailors in his prime alike. No matter your age, level or experience, Scotty Anderson will kick your butt.

What a a Legend.

His last title if we remember well was at Pnnta Ala 2015 were the first Floating/Classics title was awarded.
Hats off for the builder of the Fiberfoam carbon masts and the defacto battens we all use in our sails.

Open Foilers Fleet Crown

The Foilers podium was full on adrenaline, +20knots and waves for the last start (see Gordon’s pics above). The title race was pretty much open for Kuba Suroviec & Mischa Heemskerk with Darren Bundock and RaviParent fighting to secure podium.
After a hard fight the entire week all was going to be defined in challenging conditions, a due scenario for such tight competition and level of riders.

Gordon reported us after the race : a full on racing in the breeze & waves, with Mischa and Kuba both capsizing!

Bundy

Old Bundy showing his class controlling the foiling beast went to win this race, to end another World Championship scoring a bullet, securing 3rd overall in the process.
This for those who had any doubt if Bundy was a good call to replace Jason Waterhouse in the Aussie Nacra 17 team with Lisa. Give him some room, if he clicks the N17 mode, beware!

After each capsize recovery Kuba finished 3rd while Mischa 6th. Those positions defined the overall and the 2023 Open Title went to Jakub ‘Kuba’ Suroviec.

Polish Armada

Kubas is a key member of the Polish armada together with Tymek Bendyk and Jacek Noetzel as more known riders, who have been pushing the Class for a while now. On their racing abilities plus the local development made with Jakub Kopylowicz & Exploder Yard.
The Polish Team has achieved plenty through the years, building a local class along Worlds podiums by Tymek & Kuba, who fought against Ravi for the 2022 Title at Houston.

At Toulon a duly deserved World Championship Cup went to Kuba Suroviec, sailing the Polish built Exploder D3, even equipped with polish DS by Bryt Sails, a 100% Polish achievement. Great reward for all the UKS Navigo / Exploder squad.

Flying Dutch

Mischa Heemskerk kept aiming for more titles, he was close for another so his level remains unscathed. We have Mischa for many years left no doubt. Along PJ they put the DNA F1x scoring bullets within a fleet of majority of D3s.

Gordon’s pics

Excellent week of racing at Toulon venue looked nice from the pics and conditions seen via Gordon Upton’s great shots.

Glad he was there taking plenty of awesome shts as always.
All images by Gordon Upton Photography, more at his FB age here.

A-Class Status

The A-Class after some turmoil is getting a pretty good stabilization once more, Classics and Foilers alike delivering excellent playgrounds to choose from, and surely at Punta Ala 2024 we will see parallel course and why not tracking for all to follow live the action.

So good to have a new generation like Kuba and Ravi racing against legends and taking the post to keep holding the Catamaran Racing flag always a bit higher.

Floating or foiling, Catamarans are the most versatile Performance playground outhere.
Ahh we just finished watching AC40 regatta……..

Top ten results for both fleets below, complete list here:

Open / Foilers

Classics