F18 Worlds @Noordwijk: Day 2 Results

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Tracking GPS links Day 3 here

Day 2 F18 Worlds 2025

Yesterday the Formula 18 fleet (around 100 boats) stayed ashore Noordwijk coast due to high winds reaching around 32knots gusts. Today it was not a walk in the Park neither, 18-20knots just to start, short steep waves, and a challenging shorebreak made for a super hard day at the office for the F18 sailors.

In such weather and separated in two fleets three races were held, One for the Blue and two for the Yellow fleet.

The Blue one looking like a Finals regatta with the a priori top 4 contenders racing together: Bundock-Bouwer, Colby-Colman, Volker-Polimeni and Parent Weiskichell.

That race provided three of the above sailing side to side for the win. Colby-Colman (Nacra Evo) had the bullet, followed by Argies Volker-Polimeni (Akura) sailing once more under ESP flag.. . Bundock-Bouwer on the new Exploder & 1D sails (not a new make/version of the Scorpion) were second after the last downwind bareaway when went down on a pitchpole 2mts ahead of Volker, Bundy managed a quick recovery for a rather good 5th considering the day.

We remember Bundy saying ‘you don’t need to train that much’ to excel in the F18 (as opposed to A-Cat Foiling Worlds), but nowadays new young crews which are replacing the old guard are putting a higher bar on the Formula 18 level.

Colby is from the Old Guard too, but that Aussie is some 5 years younger, he put on a diet (!) and also has focused this season in advance racing in Europe along AC level crew Kai Colman, supported by Nacra. Training payed for them.
Colby told us today was one of the harshest F18 days he remember in recent years. The Aussie team on a mission after close call in 2022 & 2023.

On the Yellow Fleet first race went to Brin & Jake Liddell (Scorpion / 1D) , the Nacra 17 campaigners had a quick grasp on the F18 mode in the high breeze to win over van Dijk-de Waard (Evo) and the current F18 Gral Sec Ad Noordzij and his son Marteen (Akurra).

Blue fleet couldn’t launch a second race on RC boat issues, Yellow completed a second with a bullet for van Dijk-de Waard, followed by Gonzalez Smith-Heuser (Akurra) and Burvill-Puttman (Edge-Nxt gen).

Launching and landing the boats from the waves was a big task toay, Bundock capsized going out, others broke masts too.

Tomorrow a milder climate is expected and the teams will endure 4 to 5 races if possible to complete the qualifying stage. Three days left.

All images by Laurens Morel. Gallery ay 2 here

Top positions without with one and two races for Blue and Yellow. Complete list here