F18 Worlds 2026: Brett Burvill & Max Puttman crowned Champs
–
All images by Kathy Miles, more Day 5 pics here
F18 Worlds 2026 Final Day
If there was an entertaining script for this Worlds definition, it was at play on the water today at Jervoise Bay, Perth, WA. The Scenario: +20 knots & increasing forecast
Bundock & Ashby (Exploder 2025/1D) had a 10pts lead from yesterday, but the 12th race would allow a second discard which was key for Burvill & Puttman (Edge/Nxt Gen) , as they were going to discard a 22nd.
Homan & Bilston (Scorpion/1D) had 14th to erase. Title race was far from finished.
With breeze on it was all set for Brett & Max to excel, reaching the last day with 6 bullets out of eleven races was a good indication of their skills.
But having the two most capable Catsailors ever seen competing for the Title was not an easy barrier to sort. Matt & Kris showed a 6th gear too the whole regatta so no margin for error available.
Race 12 start, Bundy at the pin end, Burvill a bit to the right and Homan to the center. In the gps track Bundy stalls for a moment and Colby & Colman (Nacra Evo) got them cooked at full speed leaving Darren no choice to tack.
From there on it was a struggle for AUS 888, Brett & Max lead to windward and won a key race. Homan & Bilston finished second. Bundy-Ashby a 16th that was discarded at once.
Race 13 winds build up, the A-Cat aces, Stevie Brewin & Adam Beattie (Scorpion/Brewn Sails) won’t let the chance to ‘fly’ the heavy F18 Tank and go full bore for the lead.
Charles Froeb & Pablo Volker (World Champ helm x2) had an impressive upwind leg going at Brewin’s pace, second at windward mark.
Wind continued to increase, (+25knots reported by Pablo), things got tricky downwind with +20knots boat speed. Stevie put pedal to the metal, Homan 3rd. And Burvill? the now overall leaders were around 14th, 300mts behind. Title chances opened for Homan-Bilston while Bundy-Ashby were 11th.
Froeb-Volker (Evo/1D) were in turbo mode and matched Brewin-Beattie to the downwind gate, Homan to the right, the Liddels and Colby-Colman followed suit, those went to the charge, as now slight chances of podium were possible for both.
Bundy & Ashby aimed to the gate’s right mark, they were over the layline, a gybe and the gate was at hand, Bundy needed to clinch yet another gybe targeting upwind tack to the right. And right there the movie scripted final day of racing spell disaster & suspense…
We were following the Trac Trac gps with two top riders in Arg when I noticed a sudden stop for AUS888 at the gate, no speed for some secs meant only one thing: capsize!
I checked James Henry live drone stream, and there it was, Bundy & Ashby had capsized. rewinding the stream they just went sideways trying to round up the mark.
It was game over for any Title aspirations for them. Such a tricky way to end a great regatta for them, with Ashby coming back to the F18. But well, shelves full of crowns for both Legends, this upset hopefully will trigger them go for it again. Those F18 titles together in the Hobie Tiger era need to be renewed. (we want Ashby back on the A-Cats too)
Breeze continued to build, Brewin-Beattie closed the Worlds in due form, a bullet for them was a good way to finish, although they had potential for more, inconsistency left them back in the overall.
Homan-Bilston needed to win this race to have any hope of grabbing the crown, a 4th was a good score in given conditions, but Burvill-Puttman finished 9th that sealed the deal for the local Perth crew.
What a great regatta, yesterday we wrote about performing under pressure, today Brett Burvill & Max Puttman showed their skills & confidence to finish the work.
New World Champs
Seven (7) bullets for Burvill & Puttman out of 13 races.
No doubt whatsoever they were the fastest team around. Their own built Windrush Edge by Brett, and the Next Gen Sails by Max was THE benchmark at this regatta, winning races with mins to spare.
Many podiums over the years, also they were the advance locals who led the comeback of Australian teams to Europe, organizing containers, travelling all around, sending their Edges also to Florida 2022 Worlds, where Brett sailed with a broken ankle.
Euro guys do not grasp the effort done by these teams travelling each year to the Old Continent.
Last year yet another podium at the 2025 Worlds , but 2026 was their chance at home, and they took it fully!
Now with a World Title Crown over their heads, those two can rest at ease on an incredible work done over the last years. On their sailing & development. Tricky year for them on that regard, but they continued to work hard to comply and deliver the fastest F18 of this regatta.
Hats off tto both, we are all happy for you guys on this win. Keep them coming!
Australia delivered
Not only the best catsailors in the World or great venues plus full on breeze, the Australian F18 Assoc delivered a great regatta with promptly results, key GPS Trac Trac and daily pictures.
For more Worlds in Down Under. Congrats to the entire org and volunteers at Jervoise Bay Sailing Club.
Top Equipment list
- Edge/Nxt Gen Sails
- Scorpion/1D
- Exploder 2025/1D Sails
- Nacra Evo
- Nacra Evo
- Goodall Akurra
- Edge/Nxt Gen Sails
- Scorpion/Brewin Sails
- Nacra Evo/1D Sails
- Nacra Evo
- Scorpion/ 1D
- Nacra Evo
- Nacra Evo
– Tracking gps replays here
– Live stream clips by James Henry here
– Day 5 pics by Kathy Miles here
– Videos taken from shore by Lindsay Preece here
Top 15 Results below, complete list here
Hello Cat sailing news,
Just wanted to say your coverage of the 20226 F18 world champs in Perth, Western Australia, was the best around.
Your final wrap up for the championship was the only place I could find out what had actually happened to AUS888 (Bundock & Ashby) in the final race! Plus what was happening with the other 2 or 3 contender’s for this championship’s final race and outright winner.
But as you wrote, Brett Burvill & Max Puttman were the most deserved of winners you could ever imagine, they have helped build the class into what it is today and they sailed like demons in this regatta!
Best Regards, Peter Gibb (Tornado AUS317)