A-Cat Worlds 2025: Final Results

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PredictWind 2025 A-Cat Worlds Final Day

Twelve races for the Open & Classics fleets were held during six days at Milford Cruising Club in Auckland to define the 2025 World Champs. Venue delivered mixed conditions including a super challenging 25knots day .

This year Polish riders swept the Titles with Jacek Noetzel winning in Classics (floaters) and Jakub Surowiec taking the top spot for the Open Foilers. Both racing with 100% Polish equipment: Exploder D3 + Bryt Sails.

Noetzel won ten out of twelve races, last two he did not enter, as the title was obtained beforehand the previous day.
The always smiling Jacek had a deserved crown, we are delighted on his win, specially knowing he had to endure some truly hard times with the lost of his wife a couple of years ago.

But Jacek is got things together again, with a new companion who was present with him in Auckland to celebrate such a great accomplishment. Jacek was the leading Polish guy who opened the way for the next generation like Bendyk and Surowiec.

Second place overall for Jamie Jocheim, a rookie who will get his own title in years to come and third for former World Champ Andrew Landenberger, who continues to race at top level after many years getting through some leg injuries. Landy keeps pushing hard.

Another long time A-Cat sailor, Americas Cup hall of fame inductee Mike Drummond finished 4th overall after many years without competing. Mike & Landy two of the guys we respect the most, nice to see them both still racing at the top. The local New Zealander also had one of the most stylish finish ever, ,check last pic above by Gordon.

Open Foilers

The Foilers Title was defined by only two points between Surowiec & Parent, the new generation has taken over the Australian legends like Brewin, Bundock and Ashby to continue building a successful path of their own.
Both are Worlds Champs already, third for the Polish sailor.

While the younger kids were busy covering each other Bundy saw a gap and went full charge scoring two bullets & and second in the last three races. It was not enough for the title but the effort got him yet another podium.
Being +50 its a real handicap in the Foilers division, but the Old Fox (ehh we mean the Silver Fox, we don’t want to annoy her majesty Carolijn) has the speed to challenge the kids, specially in the mid range where he usually dominates.

We had dinner with Carolijn Brouwer back in Jan 2024 here in Arg when she came for the Laser Worlds and she told us her will to start racing Classics on the demanding upwind mode of the foilers. Of course she proceed to continue to foil this time around neglecting her previous thoughts and went flying in +25knots of wind during the week!

Lamberto Cesari had a good start, but some turbo speed left him out of two races. The Italian was maxing 32knots when one of his cassette rudders castings literally exploded in mid flight!
Adam Beattie had a good consistent regatta but was short on the podium on average final races.

Another Worlds in the records now. Next year the Class will return to the US, Tampa Bay in FL will host the 2026 Worlds.

Classic Floaters
Regarding the ability of some Classic riders to get up on foils even for long runs (not that has been done in the regatta but some can achieve that mode in recreational sailing) its up to the sailors & the Class officials to define. For the moment the Classics has become a Golf like honorable discipline, in the sense you have to restrain yourself to go beyond the rules when no one is watching, not the ideal scenario but with Golf its just the same.

And we think no one will risk to be pointed out on a regatta of being the one breaking the rules. For those not informed the Classic rules allow normal jumps, or transitions for some seconds for the Classic platforms which can only be equipped with curved daggers instead of the more advanced Z foils of the Open fleet.

All images courtesy of Gordon Upton Photography. Check full galleries with +300 pics of the event at his fb page here

Results for Classics & Open below. Official web https://www.aclassworlds.com

Top 6 Equipment each Class:

Open Foilers:

Exploder D3 / Bryt Sails
Exploder D3 / Marchal Sails
Exploder D3 / Brewin
Exploder D3 / Brewin
Exploder D3 / Brewin
Exploder D3 / Bryt

Classics Floaters

Exploder D3 / Bryt Sails
Exploder D3 Classic hulls/ Landenberger
Scheurer G8 / Landenberger
Exploder D3 / Hammer
Scheurer G7 / Landenberger
Scheurer G8 Landenberger