29er Worlds underway

Action starts on San Francisco Bay

Racing got underway in San Francisco yesterday at the 29er World Championships. The day started with a moderate breeze with a flatter sea, progressing through to a 20 knot plus ride with ebb tide chop adding to the excitement.

The 80 boat fleet has been split into four; Red, Yellow, Green and Blue and there are two groups racing each other – the Blues and the Yellows and the Greens and the Reds.

Two races were completed off St Francis Yacht Club with some early form being shown. Top performers in Blue were British sailors Ed Chapman and Tom Peel, scoring a first and second place. The Yellow fleet is being headed by Americans Cameron Biehl and Zack Maxam with a 3,1.

On the other course there is a three way tie on points. Australians Jacqui Bonnitcha and Euan McNicol in Red have five points; so too Americans John Heineken and Matt Noble and Worlds favourites from Australia David O’Conner and Scott Babbage in the Green fleet.

The qualifying rounds continue until Thursday. There will then be three days of finals.